Pubic Ministry: Witness of John the Baptist (1:19-34)

Introduction:

Last week we began our new series in the Gospel of John and learned in the Prologue, that the eternal Word was the revelation of God, since he was with God, he was God, he created all things in the beginning, and openly declared the inward thoughts or essence of God by becoming flesh, using those processes he created, in order to tabernacle with us. This necessary information has set the stage for everything that will be said and done in this life changing Gospel.

This morning we will look in more detail at John the Baptist, who we were introduced to last week in several parenthetical verses of the prologue (verses 6-8 and in verse 15), but of whom we will see this morning, his mission and purpose, in the Witness of John the Baptist, from John 1:19-34.

Text: John 1:19-34

John 1:19–34 ESV

19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 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?” 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.” 24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 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.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

Main Idea: Since God desires that His people know him, he reveals himself to and through witnesses.

I. Testimony of John the Baptist (19-27)

A. Response to Jewish Inquisition (19-22)

(19) And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

testimony of John. John the Baptist’s testimony to those who question him reveals that his role is to prepare the world for Christ.

The Jews is an expression used 68 times in the Greek text of John, sometimes in a neutral (2:6) or positive (4:22) sense, but often to refer to hostile Jewish opponents of Jesus among the Jewish leaders and the ordinary people who followed them. The phrase does not usually mean all the Jews, for Jesus and John the Baptist were also Jews, as was the author, John. John wants Jewish readers in his own time to realize that opposition to Jesus by many Jewish leaders goes back to the very beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In many places in John, “the Jews” seems to be a shorthand expression for “the Jews who opposed Jesus.”

“Who are you?” - is there question; much like what we might ask if someone appears on the scene and seems to be rather influential, we may want to know his credentials to determine whether or not to take him serious.

(20) He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

confessed (homolegeo [aor, act, ind] - to acknowledge a truth observable to the public), and did not deny, but confessed - this was an open public declaration that could not be misunderstood.

John denies being the Christ (Hebrew: Messiah) (cf. 8, 15; 3:28), which to the Jews was extremely important since it was for the Messiah they were waiting with great anticipation. So their inquisition continues…

(21) And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” - these two requests are the second most important requests of any devoted Jew.

Are you Elijah. Mal. 4:5 promises the coming of Elijah before the day of the Lord.

Malachi 4:5 ESV

5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.

Jesus tells the crowd that John is the fulfillment of this prophecy as “Elijah who is to come.” in Matt. 11:14,

Matthew 11:14 ESV

14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Remember also that the angel told Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father, that he would come in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17),

Luke 1:17 ESV

17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

But the Baptist here affirms that his questioners are mistaken to expect a physical return of the ancient prophet who was caught up into heaven in a whirlwind and chariot of fire (2 Kin. 2:11). John is not Elijah himself, but a type of Elijah.

the (ho [definite article]) Prophet. The use of the definite article here is significant since the first-century Jews where looking for the “prophet like me” that Moses announced in Deut. 18:15. Here the priests and Levites want to know whether John considers himself to be this Prophet.

Deuteronomy 18:15 ESV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—

And he answered, “No.” - John the Baptist’s answer again is an emphatic No!

(22) 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?”

We need to give an answer to those who sent us - those antagonistic Jews who oppose anything or anyone who is a threat to their position of power. Note next that John answers them for the…

B. Testimony From Scripture (23-24)

(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.”

John is the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, in keeping with the prophet Isaiah’s words (Isa. 40:3; cf. Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4).

Isaiah 40:3 ESV

3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

By preaching a word of repentance and divine judgment, this messenger of God was to prepare the way for the Lord God of the OT (LORD - Yahweh) to come to his people through the wilderness, thus, John is equating the coming of the Messiah with Yahweh.

(24) (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)

Pharisees. A relatively small but highly influential group of Jews who emphasized meticulous observance of God’s law (as understood both from the OT laws and from their accumulated extrabiblical traditions) as the means by which one attains righteousness before God and retains his favor. Many Pharisees opposed Jesus, since Jesus condemns their hypocrisy, but some followed him (John 3:1–5).

C. Understanding of Purpose (25-27)

(25) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

Then why are you baptizing - It was the baptizing rather than the preaching which vexed these priests as they questioned the son of a priest. Priests were supposed to know all about purifications. They certainly knew that not just anybody was allowed to administer rites of purification.

In the final analysis, was not the cleansing of the people a distinctly Messianic act, according to passages like Ezek. 36:25 and 37:23?

Ezekiel 36:25 ESV

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.

Why, then, did John baptize if he was neither the Messiah nor the kind of forerunner whom they expected? It is clear from this question that they had not understood the meaning of John’s baptism. They were not looking for such a deeply spiritual forerunner.

(26) John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, (27) even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” - this statement by John the Baptist, is seen more fully in a parallel passage from Matthew 3:11

Matthew 3:11 ESV

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie - Leather sandals with ties are pictured in ancient art representing Judeans from various eras. To untie a sandal would be similar to a servant who readies the foot for washing.

II. Declaration of John the Baptist (28-30)

A. Jesus, the Lamb of God (28-29)

Let’s look first at the setting for this declaration, since Jesus was thought to be just a commoner from Cana of Galilee…this declaration gave this area, the beginning of Jesus ministry, more significance…

(28) These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Bethany across the Jordan (cf. John 10:40) is different from the village near Jerusalem where Lazarus was raised (cf. 11:1, 18); this Bethany is designated as “across” (i.e., east of) the Jordan River (cf. 3:26; 10:40), and was located not far away from Jesus’ home in Nazareth, and provides an easier access to the events that happen next after Jesus’ Baptism.

John was baptizing. Cf. Luke 3:3. John’s baptism was an outward sign of cleansing reflecting inward repentance from sins (see Matthew 3:6 “6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.”)

Note: since John’s baptism was one of repentance, it is very symbolic of the order of salvation. Salvation occurs when one turns from their sin (repentance), and turns to their saviour (the lamb of God), which John declares next…

(29) The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Behold, the Lamb of God. This statement is synonomous with both the Passover lamb, which was sacrificed each year at passover (commemorating the blood of the lamb on the door posts of Egypts 10th plague) , and the servant lamb of Is. 53:7, which provides the imagery portrayed of the servant’s substitutionary suffering to redeem others and to render them righteous Is. 53:4–6

Isaiah 53:4–7 ESV

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 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. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

who [takes away] (airo [pre, act, par] - to carry off) the sin of the world.

In all the world, the number one issue is sin, and the only answer is the Lamb of God.

The “world” designates humanity in its hostility to God, as elsewhere in this gospel. Although not all persons without exception will be saved, the sacrifice is the only atonement for human sin that God has provided, thus revealing God’s exclusive plan for the sin of the world.

If any in the world are going to escape God’s wrath, it will only be done through the sacrificial atonement of the Lamb of God!

B. Jesus, the Eternal God (30)

(30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

After me comes a man who [ranks before] (emprosthen [preposition] - to be in front of) me - John the Baptist recognizes Jesus as one whose position of rank and honor is greater than his own.

he was (eimi [imp, act, ind] - exist with no beginning or end) before (protos [adjective] - earlier in time) me - again, John claims Jesus is the eternal God even though his physical birth was after John the Baptist’s physical birth.

But how did John the Baptist know that Jesus was the one for whom he was the forerunner?

III. Revelation to John the Baptist (31-34)

A. Purpose of the Revelation (31-33)

(31) I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

I myself did not know him. John the Baptist may have had previous personal contact with Jesus, since their mothers were related (cf. Luke 1:39–45). But he did not know who Jesus was (the Lamb and Son of God) until the Spirit identified Him (v. 32; Luke 3:21, 22; Acts 10:38)

Note: just like every revelation of God is a work of God, so it is that the revelation of who Jesus is only happens by divine work. Remember when Peter declared that Jesus was the Christ?

Matthew 16:17 ESV

17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

for this purpose I came baptizing with water - note that even though he did not know who Jesus was at that time, he continued to carry out his God given mandate. So…

that he might be revealed to Israel. - So that in God’s timing, he would be revealed to Israel. We see next how that revelation came about…

(32) And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. (33) 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.’

He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain - The Spirit did not merely descend on Jesus, he remained on him (cf. 3:34), a sign of Jesus’ divine anointing. Mark explains this more fully:

Mark 1:9–11 ESV

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

In the OT, the Spirit came upon people to enable them to accomplish certain God-given tasks. But Isaiah predicted that the Messiah would be full of the Spirit at all times (Isa. 11:2; 61:1; cf. Luke 4:18), and became a type of what God’s people could expect.

he who sent me to baptize with water - note that even though John the Baptist did not know who Jesus was originally, he still fulfilled his ordained mission.

who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. The OT anticipated the time of redemption as the time when the Spirit would be poured out on God’s people.

Isaiah 44:3–5 ESV

3 For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. 4 They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. 5 This one will say, ‘I am the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.”

And that great passage that Peter used at Pentecost:

Joel 2:28–32 ESV

28 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 29 Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit. 30 “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31 The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 32 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.

Paul refers to Jesus as the second Adam who became “a life-giving spirit”

1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV

45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

It is after Jesus returns to heaven that He sends this heavenly helper to dwell with His people on earth (14:26; 16:7; Acts 2:32, 33), as again Peter proclaims at Pentecost…

Acts 2:32–33 ESV

32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs with the new birth that constitutes helpless sinners as sons of God (vv. 12, 13; 1 Cor. 12:13). This baptism also empowers all believers for Christian service (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:1–4).

B. Result of the Revelation (34)

This revelation accomplished its intend purpose, as John the Baptist declares…

(34) And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

I have seen and have borne witness - John the Baptist is speaking as a credible eye witness, who is burdened with this most glorious task.

this is the Son of God. This is John’s way of reporting the heavenly voice that accompanied the heaven-sent Spirit, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). The Baptist’s witness, that of the last of the prophets of the old order (Matt. 11:11–14) is clear. Jesus is the Son of God, the “only [begotten] Son from of the Father” (v. 14). The purpose of the fourth gospel is to draw readers to this conviction (20:31).

Note again, that after each event in Jesus life, John declares the Spiritual significance of that event.

In summary, we saw:

The Testimony of John the Baptist (19-27), as he answered the Jewish inquisition, claiming himself to be not the Christ but his forerunner.

The Declaration of John the Baptist (28-30), in presenting the true messiah Jesus, as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The Revelation to John the Baptist (31-34), as God the Holy Spirit reveals to him the reality of who Jesus is.

So What?

Do we understand that the only way we can know God is by he personally revealing himself to us?

Do we understand that God’s purpose in revealing himself to us is that we might receive salvation through his Son, the Lamb of God?

Do we also understand that the baptism of the Holy Spirit identifies us as children of God, placing us into his family?