Scholarly Reflections
McDonnell, Kilian & Montague, George T. "Chapter Five: Living Water: Spirit-Baptism in John." Christian Initiation and Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Evidence from the First Eight Centuries. Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1991, 56-62.
John's Gospel makes very little mention of water baptism. However, Montague observes that in John the Spirit not only descends upon Jesus but remains upon him "in a permanent way" (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 56). John also depicts the work of the Holy Spirit in Jesus differently than the Synoptic Gospels do. Here, Jesus is accused of demon possession, and his conflicts with Satan are based on the nature of Jesus' identity as God the Son (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 57).
John's Gospel also describes Jesus' disciples as baptizing. Montague considers whether this is indicative of a spirit baptism. In fact, John's account gives no reason to think the Holy Spirit was given to believers prior to the resurrection, so the baptisms done by the disciples are unlikely to have a clear relationship to the impartation of the Holy Spirit (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 57). The Holy Spirit in John is related directly to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
In John 3:5-8 John depicts Jesus as the one who can give the Holy Spirit. Montague connects this passage with John 20:21-22 by the strongly symbolic speech about "breath" and "wind" (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 59). The water and the Spirit are considered together in the passages. The baptized person is a Christian and, in John, after Jesus' resurrection, is given the Holy Spirit. Montague also observes that by the time John was written, Christian water baptism was practiced universally so a mention of baptism needed no mention of water (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 60).
Gifts of the Holy Spirit in John are normally related to signs which enable Christians to bear witness to Jesus. When Jesus says his followers will do "more" (16:12-13), it is unclear what that might be. However, Montague thinks, informed by the Johnaine epistles, that it may be related to gifts of discernment and wisdom (McDonnell & Montague 1991, 61).