John’s Testimony to the Pharisees (vs 19-28)
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
vs 20 – He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”
The Greek word Christos (translated Christ in most English translations) means the same as the Hebrew word Messiah. It is not Jesus’ second name (like “John Smith”). It is a title, meaning the Anointed One. The prophets spoke of a ruler who would come from David’s line. He would be appointed / anointed by God to rule over His people Israel and bring in God’s Kingdom. Some prophecies also spoke of Him in grander terms, as one who would rule and restore the whole earth.
In the time of John the Baptist, expectancy for a Messiah ran high among the Israelites. John was a spiritual celebrity. He had a following. But he didn’t behave as celebrities typically do.
- Did John draw attention to himself?
- When the Pharisees asked John who he was, how did he respond?
- Why did he point away from himself to someone else?
vs 23 – He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
- What was John’s purpose?
- Why was this so important to him?
- Luke 1:76-79
vs.26-27 – John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”
- One you do not know – either they didn’t know yet who Jesus was, or they didn’t understand his full significance. See vs 31.
- He who comes after me – who is John referring to? What was their relationship?
- Not worthy to untie – what is John saying here about himself and Jesus?
The Lamb of God (vs 29-34)
The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
vs 29 – Lamb of God
- what does Isaiah 53:3-7 say about the character of this Lamb?
- what does this tell us about the true heart of God?
- how can anyone take away the sin of the world? (Luke 5:21)
- what does this tell us about the true origins and identity of Jesus?
vs 30 – After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me
- ranks before me – in what way?
- was before me – what does John mean? Jesus is his younger cousin by six months.
vs 31 – I myself did not know him.
John knew who Jesus was at one level (they were cousins) but the true significance of Jesus had to be revealed to him by Holy Spirit. So it is with each one of us. Now that he knew who Jesus was, it was his passion to see Jesus revealed to his people Israel.
vs 33 – baptizes with the Holy Spirit
- this is not sprinkling but full immersion. The Greek word baptizo came from the cloth dying trade. It referred to saturating a piece of fabric in dye until it had been transformed.
- John says that the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit is the Lamb of God.
- Why is this important? What is the relationship between cleansing and filling?
vs 34 – Son of God
The Messiah was known as God’s Son. But here John says that the Messiah is also the Lamb. The Word made Flesh (vs 14, vs 18), the one who was with the Father when they made all things (vs 2-3), is the Lamb of God and also the Son of God. Only God could put all these things together into one package.
For Reflection
- Do I need to be cleansed by the Lamb of God?
- Do I need to be filled by the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit?
- Do I need to surrender my life to the One whose sandals I am not worthy to untie, yet who loves me with an everlasting love?
