The Book of John - 8

Introduction: We are looking at the second half of chapter 1.

In second half of chapter 1, we discover that the Bible begins to reveal the chosen witnesses of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

This continues through chapter 4.

I. Prologue - The Revelation of the Word 1:1-14

A. The Word vs. 1-5, 9-14

II. The Chosen Witnesses of the Word 1:19-4:54

A. John the Baptist

The Bible tells us in verse 15, that “John bare witness of him and cried...”

When we think about this summary statement concerning John the Baptist, we are encouraged by John.

This speaks to the passion of John in fulfilling the mission that God gave to Him.

Verse 15 also summaries the testimony of John and his positive declaration of the Messiah.

We see this as verse continues it states, “...and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.”

John always placed the the Savior as the preeminent One in the eyes of the people.

(And I would say this, that he did so because the Saviour was the preeminent One in his heart)

And rightfully so, you and I can learn from this, that we should be lifting up and magnifying the Savior in the eyes of the people.

Verse 31 alludes to the fact that there was time in which it was revealed to John, that Jesus Christ was the One in whom he was waiting for.

In other words, John at the first preached in expectation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

He preached of the coming Messiah, He prepared the way of the Lord, but he did so by faith.

God gave him the task, revealed to him the sign that would signify who the Messiah was and he went forth with mission God gave to him.

The Bible says, v31 “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

It repeats this phrase I knew him not in verse 33, again signifying his faith in God and His Word.

“And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”

This also to me is encouraging, that you and I just like John live by faith. Our labour for the Lord ought to be done by faith.

Paul spoke about this kind of work of faith in I Thessalonians, commending the local body of believers, He stated in I Thessalonians 1:3 “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”

In verse 15 we see the positive declaration by John the Baptist, but in verses 16-18 we see an emphasis on the blessedness of the Lord Jesus Christ, amplifying what we found already in verse 14.

Notice with me in verse 16 the marvelous abundant grace upon grace...

“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”

AT Robertson in his Word Studies said this, “Here the picture is “grace” taking the place of “grace” like the manna fresh each morning, new grace for the new day and the new service.”

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 1:16.”

The Bible goes on with the explanation of this in verses 17 and 18 almost in expectation of right placement of who John the Baptist is and the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Verse 17 states, “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

You and I can thank the Lord as we saw in verse 14, that our Savior is full of grace and full of truth.

We by the law are condemned by the law, but grace and truth came by the Lord Jesus Christ.

And then right before the record of John beginning in verse 19 we find these final words in verse 18.

The Bible says, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

And so as John declared the Messiah the Lord Jesus Christ, who is fully God and fully man; the Lord Jesus Christ has declared to us or revealed to us God.

The Bible tells us in Colossians 1:15 speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ that He is “...the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

We find this similar phrase in Hebrews chapter 1:3.

Merrill C. Tenney in his commentary stated this concerning verse 18 in John 1. “The verb translated declare, which describes the method of this interpretation, the word declared “is the verb technically used in Greek literature of a declaration or exposition of divine mysteries.” It implies that the interpretation of God given by the Son is complete and final as far as the needs of men are concerned.”

Merrill C. Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 73.”

And how true this is when we consider that we are told in Hebrews 1, that in these last days God has spoken to us through His Son.

Mark the time from the Savior’s incarnation, life, death, burial and ressurection… the center of all History, because it is His Story and you and I my friend our in these last days… So how it=s it that God has spoken to us in these last days

We come now again to this remarkable exchange that takes place between John the Baptist and a religious delegation that is sent to Him.

In verse 19, we saw that this delegation was made up of priests and Levites was sent to question John.

And it is certainly a testimony to John’s Spirit-filled preaching that this delegation was sent to question him.

And so, we began to consider this question, Who are thou?

This is a question that every Christian ought to answer, who are you?

Well we see here that John did not beat around the bush about the matter.

Those who know who they are in Christ have no problem declaring who they are because they know whose they are.

Verse 20 states, “20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.”

Verse 20 shows us the immediate response from John.

The Bible says that John made a confession.

He told them first who He was not.

Notice with me first John states,

“...I am not the Christ.”

It is very interesting that John begins immediately by declaring this.

He spoke clearly to those who came to Him understanding the common thoughts of the day and particularly the ideas of the folks who were coming to ask him the question “Who art thou?”

When we look at the answers that people gave in the Gospel records concerning the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ, we find that there were certain folks who in some way exemplified the Lord.

In Matthew chapter 16 in the idolatrous city of Caesarea Philippi, our Savior asks His disciples this question,

“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?”

This was a time of instruction for his disciples, for the Lord was ever mindful of His disciples needs.

Notice the response recorded for us in verse 14 of Matthew 16, “And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.”

What a testimony to these servants of Christ for looking like the Savior.

John the Baptist had caused such a stir, was so different the deadness of Jews religion that they thought he might be the long awaited Christ.

Malachi 4:5 the Bible says, “5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord:”

And this expectation concerning the Messiah coming to rule and reign (in eschatology termed the day of the Lord or as here, the great and dreadful day of the Lord) by putting down all other earthly authorities was the common thought.

The close relationship in the Matthew passage, I just read to you between John the Baptist and Elias, just underscored the common expectation of the day concerning the coming of the Messiah.

Again Tenney in His commentary had this to say,

“It was common Jewish belief that Elijah would precede the Messiah’s coming. Hence, if John were not the Messiah, he might be His predecessor. This same belief was reflected in the utterance at the cross in response to Jesus’ misunderstood cry, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani” (Matt. 27:46, 47). Some standing by, who did not understand Jesus’ Aramaic, thought that He was calling for Elijah who was supposed to rescue God’s favored ones when they were in peril.”

Merrill C. Tenney, John: The Gospel of Belief, The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976), 78.

What you and I see though, by way of application for us, is an unwavering testimony concerning our Lord.

As John the Baptist continues to answer this delegation by these negative statements, it seems that these folks expectations are all dashed.

In the end they begin to question, by what authority John was preaching and baptizing. (v25)

John the Baptist, though did not change truth to appease this delegation.

He rather, attested to truth and pointed people toward the Lord.

Next John is asked this second question, “What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.”

So who are you John?

John answers this question in verse 23.

John 1:23 “23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

He says, I am simply a voice for the Lord.

He found His purpose and direction being grounded in God’s Word.

All that John was and all that His life was concerned with centered around the call and command of God.

His identity was in His God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who are you John? I am a servant of the King.

What are you doing John? I preparing the way of my King.

Don’t you want some prestige John? Nope I am just a voice for Him who is preferred before me, for His is before me.

He was not swayed by the religious establishment, he was not led along by the political leaders of the day, like Herod Antipas.

He was not turned around by the common perceptions that people held to.

He was moved by God and His Word.

His response shows us precisely what our response ought to be, which is a scriptural response.

This passed week in reviewing some of the summaries that are submitted for the lessons on HRSOTB Moodle education server, one student stated this,

“We are witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ, we witness using the Scriptures because it's God's word. If you do not know the word of God, you cannot witness to someone about the word of God. 1 Peter 3:15 says we should be "ready always to give an answer", we need to be so full of the Word of God that it changes us.”

Colossians 2:6-9 tells us this by way of application as we think about John the Baptists testimony and the fact that He was unwavering, “6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”