PM Home Bible Study Group; January 25, 2012
John 1:19-34
Theme: The testimony of John the Baptist is that Jesus is the Son of God.
(Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version; copyright 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc.)
The stated purpose of this Gospel is to prove to us that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and to move us to believe on Him and have life in His name (John 20:21). And so, naturally, the Apostle John would want to begin his Gospel account with the testimony of the very man that God had appointed and sent to “go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways” (Luke 1:76)—John the Baptist.
We have already been told that John was “a man sent from God” (John 1:6)., who came to bear witness of Jesus as “the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world” (v. 9). We’re told that “John bore witness of Him, and cried out saying, ‘This is He of whom I said, “He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me”‘” (v. 15). Thus the Apostle John begins this section by stating, plainly, “Now this is the testimony of John . . .” (v. 19).
Note that it tells us . . .
I. WHO JOHN SAID THAT HE HIMSELF WAS (vv. 19-23).
A. The testimony begins by making clear to us who John was not. John’s public ministry was so remarkable—and his fiery preaching had become such a topic of discussion—that people had been making many speculations about him. In Luke 3:15, we’re told that “the people were in expectation, and all reasoned within their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not.” And so, we’re told that the testimony of John was given “when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?'” (v. 19). John himself was born of a priestly family of the tribe of Levi (Luke 1:5).
1. He had, no doubt, heard the talk about himself; and so, we’re told, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ'” (v. 20). That it is said that he “confessed”, and “did not deny”, is meant to stress the fullness and clarity of his testimony about himself. Even his denial was a part of his confession. He left no room for anyone to mistakenly think that he was not the long expected Messiah.
2. But the investigation went further. If he was not the Christ, then who was he? They asked, “What then? Are you Elijah?” (v. 21). This, after all, had been the expectation of the Jewish people for centuries. Back in Malachi 4:5-6, they were told—in the last prophetic word of the Old Testament—”Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” The people had the expectation that the prophet Elijah would bodily return before that day; but John made it clear that he was not Elijah. Jesus spoke of him as “Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14); and spoke of him in such a way that his disciples understood that he was the fulfillment of the prophetic promises concerning Elijah (Matthew 17:12-13). But John’s own testimony would lead us to understand that he himself was not the bodily reappearance of the man Elijah; but was rather the promised herald of the Christ who came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17).
3. He was asked further, “Are you the Prophet?”; and this would have been a reference to the promised Messiah that was found in Deuteronomy 18. God had told Moses, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear . . .” (Deuteronomy 18:15; also see verse 18). The New Testament makes it clear that this expectation was fulfilled in Jesus Himself (Acts 3:22; 7:37). But when John was asked if he was “the Prophet”, he clearly said, “No.” (v. 21).
B. And so, John made it clear who he was not. But this led those sent to him to ask, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” (v. 22). They had been sent by the priests and the Levites from Jerusalem (which implies that this was a very official deputation) to inquire who he was; and those who were sent to ask needed to return with an answer. It was not John’s purpose to declare himself; but to declare Another. And so, in declaring himself, he faithfully pointed attention to his role of declaring that Other: “He said, ‘I am, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘make straight the way of the LORD,'” as the prophet Isaiah said” (v. 23). While John denied that he was any of those things that people were saying that he was, he nevertheless affirmed that he was that promised “voice” that was spoken of in Isaiah 40:3-11—that he truly was the appointed herald of the Messiah.
II. WHY JOHN SAID THAT HE BAPTIZED (vv. 24-28).
A. Having settled the question of his identity, the focus of those speaking to him seemed to have change to that of his authority. In the New King James translation of v. 24, we’re told that “those who were sent were from the Pharisees”. In the New International Version, we’re told “Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him . . .” In either case, we’re introduced to that sect of Judaism that was often found resisting the Lord Jesus and questioned His authority. Here, they asked John—after he clarified his own identity—”Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (v. 25). Up to this point in this Gospel, we have not been told that John baptized, but only that he bore witness. The Apostle John’s Gospel assumes the information about John the Baptist that had been told to us by the other Gospel writers with respect to his baptizing ministry.
B. John answered in such a way as to show that his ministry of baptism was merely preparatory of that of Another.
1. He said, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know” (v. 26). He said this in part because he had not yet identified Jesus to them; but it may also be that it communicated that the Pharisees were characteristically in spiritual darkness about Him. Jesus would later tell them, “You know neither Me nor My Father” (John 8:19).
2. In describing Him to them, John told them, “It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me . . .” (v. 26)—that is to say that, though Jesus was born six months after John, and appeared on the scene after John’s ministry had already begun and had grown in the attention of the people, Jesus nevertheless held a superior position to John.
3. Furthermore, John says that Jesus is Someone, “whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose” (v. 27). This was among the most menial tasks that a slave could do for his master. Later, John would explain; “He must increase, but I must decrease. He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all” (John 3:30-31).
C. In all of this, John was stressing that that Jesus held a superior position over him, and that he himself was simply the herald of Jesus. Note also that we’re told that “These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing” (v. 28). This speaks of a Bethany that was different from the one nearby Jerusalem; and of the area in which John was baptizing—as the voice truly “crying in the wilderness”. John’s ministry of baptism was that of calling people to repentance in order to prepare their hearts for the coming of the Messiah and to reveal Him to them. As the apostle Paul would make clear later, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus” (Acts 19:4).
III. WHO IT IS THAT JOHN DECLARED (vv. 29-34).
A. We’re told, “The next day”—that is, the day after the events of these questions concerning John’s ministry—”John saw Jesus coming toward him . . .” (v. 29). It is then that John officially declared the Christ. But what he said about Him must have been remarkable to those who heard it. We today are used to these beloved words; but what a stunning thing it must have been to the Messianic expectations of the people when John said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” They’re expectation was of a conquering Liberator; but John’s declaration was of a sacrificial Lamb. Some commentators have speculated what John’s “Lamb” reference may have meant. Was he referring to the lamb that Abraham spoke of in Genesis 22:8?—“. . . God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering”? Was he speaking of the lamb that was provided for a burnt offering in the law?—“a male without blemish” (Leviticus 1:10)? Was he speaking of the lamb that was used in the Passover?—whose “blood shall be a sign” (Exodus 12:13)? Perhaps all of these are possible. It may be best to find John’s meaning in what Isaiah 53:4-7 said about the promised Messiah;
Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:4-7).
B. John goes on to say this about Jesus: “This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who was preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I cam baptizing with water” (vv. 30-31). How could it be that John didn’t know Him? It seems evident that he knew something of Him; because when He came to be baptized, John said, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” (Matthew 3:14). After all, John and the Lord Jesus were—in some sense—related. After telling Mary of her conception of the Lord, the angel told Mary, “Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age . . .” (Luke 1:36). So; how could it be that John didn’t “know” Jesus?
1. It may be best to understand “know” here in the same sense as we might understand it with respect to the Pharisees (v. 26). One can “know” about the Lord Jesus in a purely intellectual way—but not truly “know” Him in an experience of the spirit. This seems to be reflected in what we read next: “And John bore witness, saying, ‘I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit”‘” (vv. 32-33).
2. Once again, John the apostle seems to rely on what the reader of his Gospel would know from what was written in the other Gospels of the baptizing ministry of John. Matthew’s Gospel tells us;
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”(Matthew 3:13-17).
After this event, the identity of Jesus was utterly confirmed to his spirit; and John was able to tell the people who were then beholding Jesus, “And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God” (v. 34).
* * * * * * * * * *
So; that was John the Baptist’s testimony of Jesus. But let’s close by considering Jesus’ testimony of John. He said;
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written:
‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.’
“Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:7-11).
John was the last and greatest prophet of the Old Testament era; because “all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matthew 11:13). And Jesus Himself once declared, “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). And so, it was as if the whole testimony of the Old Testament—embodied in John’s ministry—beheld, at the waters of baptism, the fulfillment of all its expectations in the Person of Jesus Christ; and boldly declared: “This is the Son of God.”