Matthew 3:12

Fan, floor (Wyc. has corn - floor). The picture is of a farmer at his threshing - floor, the area of hard - beaten earth on which the sheaves are spread and the grain trodden out by animals. His fan, that is his winnowing - shovel or fork, is in his hand, and with it he throws up the mingled wheat and chaff against the wind in order to separate the grain. 3

Throughly cleanse [δ ι α κ α θ α ρ ι ε ι]. Throughly (retained by Rev.) obsolete form of thoroughly, is the force of the preposition dia (through). In that preposition lies the picture of the farmer beginning at one side of the floor, and working through to the other, cleansing as he goes.

The whole metaphor represents the Messiah as separating the evil from the good, according to the tests of his kingdom and Gospel, receiving the worthy into his kingdom and consigning the unworthy to destruction (compare Matthew 13:30; Matthew 39:30; Matthew 48:30).