Expository Thoughts
majority have neither an eye to see Him, nor an ear to hear Him. The spirit of slumber seems poured out upon them. Money, and pleasure, and the world they know; but they know not Christ. The kingdom of God is close to them; but they sleep. Salvation is within their reach; but they sleep. Mercy, grace, peace, heaven, eternal life, are so near that they might touch them; and yet they sleep. "Christ stands among them and they know him not." These are sorrowful things to write down. But every faithful minister of Christ can testify, like John the Baptist, that they are true.
What are we doing ourselves? This, after all, is the great question that concerns us. Do we know the extent of our religious privileges in this country, and in these times? Are we aware that Christ is going to and fro in our land, inviting souls to join Him and to be His disciples? Do we know that the time is short and that the door of mercy will soon be closed for evermore? Do we know that Christ rejected will soon be Christ withdrawn? Happy are they who can give a good account of these inquiries and who "know the day of their visitation!" (Luke 19:44.) It will be better at the last day never to have been born, than to have had Christ "standing among us" and not to have known Him.
Technical Notes:
19. And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? 20. And he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet?
And he answered, No. 22. Then said they unto him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them who sent us.
What do you say about yourself? 23. He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the LORD, as said the prophet Isaiah. 24. And they who were sent were of the Pharisees. 25. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet? 26. John answered them, saying, I baptize with water, but there stands one among you, whom ye know not. 27. He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to unloose. 28. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
19.—[This is the record.] The Greek word translated "record," is the same that is rendered "witness" in the 7th verse. The sentence means, "this is the testimony that John bore."
[When.] This word raises the question, "At what time was this testimony of John borne?" It appears to have been after our Lord
Jesus Christ's baptism, and at the end of His forty days' temptation in the wilderness. The 29th verse tells us that "the next day John seeth Jesus coming to him." It is worthy of notice that nowhere in the Gospels do we find "days" so carefully marked as in that portion of the first chapter of St. John which we have now begun.
[The Jews.] This expression is remarkable, as peculiar to St. John's
Gospel. He generally speaks of our Lord's enemies and questioners as "the Jews." It seems to indicate that St. John did not write his Gospel in Palestine or at Jerusalem, and that it was written especially for the Gentile Christians scattered over the world, and much later than the other three Gospels.
[Sent priests and Levites...Jerusalem.] These words show that those who questioned John the Baptist on this occasion were a formal deputation sent with authority from the Sanhedrim, or ecclesiastical council of the Jews, to inquire about John's proceedings, and to report what he taught and whom he gave himself out to be.
Wordsworth remarks, that "More honor was paid by the Jews to John than to Christ, both in the persons sent and in the place from which they were sent. They esteemed John for his sacerdotal lineage." When Christ appeared, they called Him the Carpenter's son.
Our Lord refers to this great respect at first shown to John when He says, "Ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." (John v.35.)
[To ask him, Who are you?] We can hardly suppose that these priests and Levites were ignorant that John was the son of a priest, Zacharias, and therefore a Levite himself. Their inquiry seems to refer to John's office. "What did he profess to be? Did he assume to be the Messiah? Did he claim to be a prophet? What reason could he assign for his having taken up his remarkable position as a preacher and a baptizer at a distance from Jerusalem? What account could he give of himself and his ministry?" Two things are plainly taught in this verse. One is the great sensation which John the Baptist's ministry caused throughout Palestine. He attracted so much notice, and such crowds following him, that the Sanhedrim felt it necessary to inquire about him. The other is the state of expectation in which the minds of the Jews were at this particular season. Partly from the seventy weeks of Daniel having expired, partly from the scepter having practically departed from Judah, there was evidently an expectation that some remarkable person was about to appear. As to the sort of person the Jews expected, it is plain that they only looked for a temporal King, who would make them once more an independent nation. They had no idea of a spiritual Savior from sin.
But as to the fact that this vague expectation existed throughout the East at this particular time, we have the direct testimony of Latin historians. The extraordinary ministry of John the Baptist at once suggested the idea to the Jews at Jerusalem that he might possibly be the expected Redeemer. Therefore they sent to ask, "Who are you?
Are you the long expected King?"
20.—[He confessed...denied not...confessed, etc.] This is a peculiar form of speech, implying a very positive, unmistakable, emphatic asseveration. It gives the idea of a man shrinking with holy indignation from the very thought of being regarded as the Christ: "Pain me not by suggesting that such a one as I can be the Christ of God. I am one far inferior to Him." Bengel says on this verse, "Whilst
John denied himself, he did not deny Christ." Luther makes some excellent remarks on the strong temptation which was here put in John's way to take honour to himself, and the humility and faith which he showed in overcoming it.
21.—[Are you Elijah?] This question was not an absurd and unnatural one, as some commentators have thought fit to say. It was based upon that prophecy of Malachi which speaks of God "sending
Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord."
(Mal. iv.5.) The manner, dress, and ministry of John the Baptist, as well as his appearing in the wilderness, constituted a great similarity between him and Elijah and suggested the idea that John might possibly be Elijah. "If this man," thought the priests and Levites, "is not the Christ, perhaps he is His forerunner, the prophet Elijah."
[And he said, I am not.] This answer of John deserves particular notice and involves a grave difficulty. How could John say, "I am not Elijah," when Christ says distinctly in another place, "This is Elijah."
How shall we reconcile these two statements? To me it seems impossible to explain John's words except on the simple theory that there are two comings of Elijah the prophet. The first was only a coming in spirit and in power, but not a literal coming. The second will be a literal and real appearance on earth of him whom Elisha saw taken up into heaven. The first coming took place at Christ's first advent, and was fulfilled by John the Baptist going before Messiah's face in the spirit and power of Elijah. The second coming of Elijah will take place at the second advent of Jesus Christ, and will be fulfilled by Elijah himself once more coming as a prophet to the tribes of Israel.
It is of this second, future, literal coming of Elijah that John speaks in this place. When he says, "I am not Elijah," he means, "I am not that Elijah you mean, who was taken up to heaven 900 years ago.
The coming of that Elijah is yet a future thing. I am the forerunner of the first advent in humiliation, not of the second advent in glory. I am not the herald of Christ coming to reign, as Elijah will be one day, but the herald of Christ coming to suffer on the cross. I am not come to prepare the way for a conquering King, such as you fondly expect, but for a meek and lowly Savior, whose great work is to bear our sins and to die. I am not the Elijah you expect.
In confirmation of this view, our Lord's remarkable words in another
Gospel ought to be carefully studied. He says distinctly, "Elijah truly shall first come and restore all things." (Matt. xvii.11.) And yet He adds in the same breath, "I say unto you that Elijah is come already."
That is, "He is come, in a certain sense, by John the Baptist going before my face in the spirit and power of Elijah." In short, our Lord says at the same time, "Elijah shall come," and "Elijah is come!" To me His words seem a plain proof of the theory I am here maintaining, that there are two comings of Elijah. In spirit Elijah came when John the Baptist came, a man like to Elijah in mind and habits. But in the flesh Elijah has not yet come, and is yet to appear.
And it was in the view of this future, literal coming, that John the Baptist said, "I am not Elijah." He knew that the Jews were thinking of the times of Messiah's glory and of the literal coming of Elijah, which would usher in those times. Therefore he says, "I am not the Elijah you mean. I belong to a different dispensation." The other view, which is undoubtedly maintained by the vast majority of commentators, appears to me surrounded with insuperable difficulties. According to them, there never was to be more than one fulfilment of Malachi's prophecy about Elijah. It was to be fulfilled by John the Baptist; and when he appeared, it had received its full accomplishment. How John the Baptist's answer in this place can be satisfactorily explained, according to this theory, I am quite unable to see. The Jews ask him plainly whether he is Elijah; that is, whether he is the person who is to fulfil Malachi's prophecy. This, at any rate, was evidently the idea in their minds. He answers distinctly that he is not. And yet according to the theory against which I contend, he was Elijah, and he ought to have replied, "I am." In short, he appears to say that which is not true! There never was to be anyone after him who was to fulfil Malachi's prophecy, and yet he declares in effect that he does not fulfil it by saying that he is not Elijah!
About the future literal coming of Elijah the prophet, when the Jews will at last see a living person who will say, "I am Elijah," this is not the place to speak. Whether or not he will minister to any but the Jews, whether or not he will prove one of the two witnesses spoken of in Revelation xi.3, are interesting and disputed questions. I will only remark that the subject deserves far more attention than it ordinarily receives.
The following quotations from the Fathers will show that the opinion
I have expressed is not a modern one.
Chrysostom, on Matt. xvii.10, says, "As there are two comings of Christ,— first, to suffer,—secondly, to judge; so there are two comings of Elijah; first of John before Christ's first coming, who is called Elijah because he came in the manner and spirit of Elijah; secondly, of the person of Elijah, the Tishbite, before Christ's second coming." Jerome and Theophylact say just the same.
Gregory, quoted by Mayer, says, "Whereas John denieth himself to be Elijah, and Christ after affirmeth it, there is no contradiction.
There is a double coming of Elijah. The one is in spirit, before Christ's coming to redeem; the other in person, before Christ's coming to judgment. According to the first, Christ's saying is true, 'This is Elijah.' According to the second, John's speech is true, 'I am not.' This was the fittest answer to men asking in a carnal sense.
Augustine says, "What John was to the first advent, Elijah will be to the second advent. As there are two advents, so there are two heralds."
[Are you that prophet?] There are two views of this question.
Some think, as Augustine and Gregory, that the words should be as our marginal reading has them, "Art thou a prophet?" Others think, as Cyril and Chrysostom, that the question referred to "the prophet" of whom Moses foretold that he would come. (Deut. xviii.15.) I decidedly prefer the latter view. It seems very improbable that John the Baptist would entirely deny that he was a prophet. Besides this, it seems not unreasonable that the Jews would ask whether he was "the great prophet foretold by Moses." And to this question, John answers most truly, that he was not. It admits of doubt whether the Jews who questioned him clearly saw that the "prophet like unto Moses" and the "Messiah" were to be one and the same. It rather looks as if they thought "Christ" and "the prophet" were two different persons.
Lightfoot thinks that the question refers to a common expectation among the Jews, that the prophets were to rise again at the coming of Messiah, and that John's questioners meant, "Are you one of the prophets raised from the dead?" This superstitious notion explains the words of the disciples in Luke: "Others say that one of the old prophets is risen again." (Luke ix.19.) But the Greek article in the words before us seems to me too strong to be rendered "a prophet."
22.—[An answer to them that sent us.] This expression confirms the opinion already given about the character of those who questioned
John. They were not idle inquirers, but a formal deputation sent down from the Sanhedrim at Jerusalem with a commission to find out who John was, and to make a report of what they discovered.
23.—[He said, I am the voice, etc.] John the Baptist's account of himself in this verse consists of a reference to Scripture. He reminds the priests and Levites who wanted to know who he was, of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the times of the Messiah. (Isaiah xl.3.) They would there find Isaiah saying, with the abruptness of an inspired prophet, and speaking as if he saw what he was describing, "The voice of Him that crieth in the wilderness!" That means, "I hear in spirit, as I look forward to Messiah's time, a man crying in a wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord." "That prophecy," says
John the Baptist, "is this day fulfilled in me. I am the person whom Isaiah saw and heard in vision. I am come to prepare the way for Messiah, like a man going before a king in a desert country to prepare a road for his master. I am come to make ready the barren hearts of the Jewish nation for Christ's first advent and the kingdom of God. I am only a voice. I do not come to work miracles. I do not want disciples to follow me, but my Master. The object of my mission is to be a herald, a crier, a warning voice to my fellow-countrymen, so that when my Master begins His ministry they may not be found unprepared."
[The wilderness.] The common view of this expression is that it refers to John the Baptist's ministry having begun in the wilderness of Judæa. I rather doubt the correctness of this idea. The whole quotation is undeniably figurative. The prophet compares Messiah's forerunner to one preparing a road for a King through a desert or uninhabited country. The "way" or road is unquestionably figurative, and the straightness of the way too. No one supposes that Isaiah meant that John the Baptist was literally to make a road. But if the "way" is figurative, the country through which it is made must surely be figurative too. I therefore think that the wilderness is a prophetical and figurative description of the spiritual barrenness of Israel when the Messiah's forerunner began his ministry. At the same time, I fully admit that John's retired and ascetic habits and his residence in the wilderness form a remarkable coincidence with the text. The expression "voice," has often been remarked as a beautiful illustration of the general character of John's ministry. He was eminently a humble man. He was one who desired to be heard, and to awaken attention by the sound of this testimony, but not to be seen or visibly honored.
24.—[And they...sent... Pharisees.] The object of this verse is somewhat doubtful. Some think that it refers to the verse preceding, which contains a quotation from Isaiah. They which were sent being Pharisees, and not Sadducees or Herodians, should have seen and admitted the Scriptural character of John's mission. Some think, as Bengel, that it refers to the following verse, in which a question was raised about baptism. They which were sent, being Pharisees, were specially strict about ceremonies, ordinances, and forms. Therefore they were not satisfied with a reference to Scripture. They asked
John's authority for baptizing. Some think that it refers generally to the notorious enmity and dislike with which the Pharisees regarded
John the Baptist all through his ministry. Our Lord says in another place, "They rejected the counsel of God, not being baptized of him."
(Luke vii.30.) The text before us would then mean, that they which asked all these questions asked them with a thoroughly unfriendly spirit, and with no real desire to learn God's truth, because they were Pharisees.
25.—[Why then do you baptize if you be not, etc.] This verse evidently implies that John's questioners expected the Messiah, or his forerunner, to baptize whenever he appeared. It is not unlikely, as Lightfoot says, that the idea arose from the text in Ezekiel, describing
Messiah's time, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean," etc. (Ezek. xxxvi.24.)
Luther thinks that this verse shows that the questioners who came to John now changed their tone. Hitherto they had flattered. Now they began to threaten. One thing is very clear from this verse. The Jews were not unacquainted with baptism as a religious ordinance. It was one of the ceremonies, according to Lightfoot, by which proselytes were admitted into the Jewish Church. Moreover it is worthy of notice, that when proselytes were so admitted, their children were baptized together with them. It was not therefore the fact of John baptizing which the Pharisees here called in question, but his authority for administering baptism.
26.—[I baptize with water, but, etc.] The answer of John the Baptist here reported is very elliptical, and the full meaning of what he said must be supplied from other places. He seems to say, "I do not baptize by my own authority, but by a commission from One far higher than either you or I. I only baptize with water, and I do not do it to make disciples for myself, but for my master. I form no party. I ask no man to follow me. I tell all whom I baptize to believe on that Mighty One who is coming after me. I am only the servant of One far greater than myself, who is even now standing among you, if you had eyes to see Him. He is one so much above me in nature and dignity, that I am not worthy to be his humblest servant. He can baptize hearts, and will fulfil the promises about Messiah to which you are vaguely referring. In the meantime, I only baptize with water all those who profess repentance and willingness to receive my Master. I baptize for another and not for myself."
[There stands One among you.] I doubt whether these words literally mean, "There is standing in the crowd of you, my hearers." I prefer the sense, "There is already living and abiding among you, in this land of Judæa, One greater than I." I think this to be the sense, because of the words in the 29th verse, "John seeth Jesus coming to him," which seem to imply that he was not with him the previous day. The thought seems parallel to that contained in the words, "The kingdom of God comes not with observation." "The messenger of God comes suddenly to his temple." (Mal. iii.1; Luke xvii.20.) All serve to point to the same truth: viz., that when Messiah came the first time, He came quietly, without noise, without display, without the nation of the Jews knowing it; so that He "stood among them," and yet they were not aware of His presence. The Greek word rendered "stands" is in the perfect tense, and would be literally rendered, "there hath stood;" that is, "hath stood for some little time, and is still standing." The Messiah has come and is present. Bengel renders it, "hath taken His stand."
The view I have maintained of the meaning of the word "stands," is held by Parkhurst, who defines it as "being or living," and quotes
John vi.22 as a parallel instance. Pearce takes the same view, and quotes Acts xxvi.22. Jansenius renders it, "has conversed among you, as when He sat among the doctors" in the temple. Aretius renders it, "He is present in the flesh, and walking in Judæa." [Ye know not.]
This seems to mean not only that the Jews knew not Jesus the Messiah by sight, but that they had no spiritual knowledge of Him, and of the true nature of His office as the Savior of sinners. "Ye look for a conquering, reigning Messiah. Ye know not the suffering
Messiah, who came to be cut off and to be crucified for sinners."
Bengel remarks that John is here specially "addressing inhabitants of Jerusalem who had not been present at the baptism of Jesus. And he whets their desires that they may be anxious to become acquainted with Him."
27.—[Coming after...preferred before.] The remarks made on the 15th verse apply fully to this expression. John declares that though his Master, in point of time, began His ministry after him, in point of dignity He was far above him. To exalt Christ and abase himself seem ideas never long out of John's mind.
[Sandal strap I am not worthy to unloose.] This is evidently a proverbial expression. "I am so inferior to Him that came after me, that in comparison with Him, I am like the humblest servant compared to his master." To be not fit to carry a person's shoes, in our times, is a well-known proverb, describing inferiority.
28.—[These things...done...in Bethabara.] In hot countries like
Palestine, it was evidently important for John the Baptist to be near a supply of water suited to the baptism of the multitudes who came to him. If Beth-barah, spoken of in Gideon's history, is the same place, it is worthy of notice that it is specially mentioned as near "waters."
(Judges vii.24.)
The name of the place ought always to be dear to the hearts of Christians. It is the place where the first disciples of Jesus were made, and the foundation of the Christian Church was laid. It was here, "the next day," that Jesus was publicly proclaimed as the "Lamb of God." It was here, "the day after," that Andrew and another disciple followed Jesus. Here then the Church of Christ, properly so called, began. In leaving this passage, let us remember that John the Baptist's ministry left the Jews entirely without excuse, when afterwards they refused to believe on Christ. They could never plead that our Lord's ministry came on them unawares and took them by surprise. The whole nation dwelling in Palestine, from the great ecclesiastical Council down to the humblest classes, were evidently aroused to a state of attention by John's doings.
JOHN 1:29-34
Jesus the Lamb of God
On the next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one about whom I said, 'After me comes a man who is greater than I am, because he existed before me.' I did not recognize him, but I came baptizing with water so that he could be revealed to
Israel."
Then John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and it remained on him. And I did not recognize him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'The one on whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' I have both seen and testified that this man is the Chosen One of God."
This passage contains a verse which ought to be printed in great letters in the memory of every reader of the Bible. All the stars in heaven are bright and beautiful, and yet one star exceeds another star in glory. So also all texts of Scripture are inspired and profitable, and yet some texts are richer than others. Of such texts the first verse before us is preeminently one. Never was there a fuller testimony borne to Christ upon earth, than that which is here borne by John the Baptist.
Let us notice, firstly, in this passage, the peculiar name which John the Baptist gives to Christ. He calls Him "The
Lamb of God."
This name did not merely mean, as some have supposed, that Christ was meek and gentle as a lamb. This would be truth no doubt, but only a very small portion of the truth. There are greater things here than this! It meant that Christ was the great sacrifice for sin, who was come to make atonement for transgression by His own death upon the cross. He was the true Lamb which Abraham told
Isaac at Moriah God would provide. (Gen. 22:8.) He was the true
Lamb to which every morning and evening sacrifice in the temple had daily pointed. He was the Lamb of which Isaiah had prophesied, that He would be "brought to the slaughter." (Isaiah 53:7.) He was the true Lamb of which the Passover lamb in Egypt had been a vivid type. In short, He was the great propitiation for sin which God had covenanted from all eternity to send into the world. He was God's
Lamb.
Let us take heed that in all our thoughts of Christ, we first think of Him as John the Baptist here represents Him. Let us serve him faithfully as our Master. Let us obey Him loyally as our King. Let us study His teaching as our Prophet. Let us walk diligently after Him as our Example. Let us look anxiously for Him as our coming
Redeemer of body as well as soul. But above all, let us prize Him as our Sacrifice, and rest our whole weight on His death as an atonement for sin. Let His blood be more precious in our eyes every year we live. Whatever else we glory in about Christ, let us glory above all things in His cross. This is the corner-stone, this is the citadel, this is the rule of true Christian theology. We know nothing rightly about Christ, until we see him with John the Baptist's eyes, and can rejoice in Him as "the Lamb that was slain."
Let us notice, secondly, in this passage, the peculiar WORK which John the Baptist describes Christ as doing. He says that "he takes away the sin of the world."
Christ is a SAVIOR. He did not come on earth to be a conqueror, or a philosopher, or a mere teacher of morality. He came to save sinners. He came to do that which man could never do for himself— to do that which money and learning can never obtain—to do that which is essential to man's real happiness, He came to "take away sin."
Christ is a COMPLETE savior. He "takes away sin." He did not merely make vague proclamations of pardon, mercy, and forgiveness.
He "took" our sins upon Himself, and carried them away. He allowed them to be laid upon Himself, and "bore them in His own body on the tree." (1 Pet. 2:24.) The sins of every one that believes on Jesus are made as though they had never been sinned at all. The Lamb of God has taken them clean away.
Christ is an ALMIGHTY Savior, and a Savior for all mankind. He "takes away the sin of the world." He did not die for the Jews only, but for the Gentile as well as the Jew. He did not suffer for a few people only, but for all mankind. The payment that He made on the cross was more than enough to make satisfaction for the debts of all.
The blood that He shed was precious enough to wash away the sins of all. His atonement on the cross was sufficient for all mankind, though efficient only to those who believe. The sin that He took up and bore on the cross was the sin of the whole world.
Last, but not least, Christ is a PERPETUAL and UNWEARIED
Savior. He "takes away" sin. He is daily taking it away from every one that believes on Him—daily purging, daily cleansing, daily washing the souls of His people, daily granting and applying fresh supplies of mercy. He did not cease to work for His saints, when He died for them on the cross. He lives in heaven as a Priest, to present His sacrifice continually before God. In grace as well as is providence, Christ works still. He is ever taking away sin.
These are golden truths indeed. Well would it be for the Church of Christ, if they were used by all who know them! Our very familiarity with texts like these is one of our greatest dangers.
Blessed are they who not only keep this text in their memories, but feed upon it in their hearts!
Let us notice, lastly, in this passage, the peculiar office which John the Baptist attributes to Christ. He speaks of Him as Him "who baptizes with the Holy Spirit."
The baptism here spoken of is not the baptism of water. It does not consist either of dipping or sprinkling. It does not belong exclusively either to infants or to grown up people. It is not a baptism which any man can give, Episcopalian or Presbyterian, Independent or Methodist, layman or minister. It is a baptism which the great
Head of the Church keeps exclusively in His own hands. It consists of the implanting of grace into the inward man. It is the same thing with the new birth. It is a baptism, not of the body, but of the heart.
It is a baptism which the penitent thief received, though neither dipped nor sprinkled by the hand of man. It is a baptism which Ananias and Sapphira did not receive, though admitted into churchcommunion by apostolic men.
Let it be a settled principle in our religion that the baptism of which John the Baptist speaks here, is the baptism which is