The Testimony of John
TRANSLATION
(19) Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” (20) He did not deny but freely confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” (21) And they asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” And he responded, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” (22) Therefore 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 replied, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as spoken by Isaiah the prophet.” (24) Now they had been sent by the Pharisees. (25) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing if you aren’t the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (26) John responded, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, (27) namely the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I’m not worthy to untie.” (28) These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
OBSERVATIONS
The Apostle John began his account of Jesus’ earthly ministry by focusing on the vital role of Jesus’ forerunner, John the Baptist. He cleverly portrayed John’s ministry by means of the questions the Pharisees in Jerusalem demanded of him because of the unprecedented nature of his ministry. The short and somewhat cryptic answers John gave to his interrogators revealed two important truths. First, he was not the Messiah but the Messiah’s forerunner, fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 40. Then, his ministry of baptizing was designed to prepare the way for someone whose ministry would be far greater than his.
Repetitions in this segment point us to its central thrust. We find “John” repeated (vss. 19 & 26) as well as “the Messiah…Elijah…the Prophet” (vss. 20, 21, & 25). Also, “who are you” occurred twice (vss. 19 & 22) along with “are you” (twice in vs. 21). In the second paragraph “baptizing/baptize” occurred three times (vss. 25, 26, & 28).
OUTLINE
The Pharisaic leaders in Jerusalem questioned John about his ministry by asking…
– Who are you? (19-23)
– Why are you baptizing? (24-28)
IDEA STATEMENT
John the Baptist came baptizing not to establish his own following but to prepare the way for someone of far greater importance, the coming of the Messiah as foretold in Isaiah’s prophecy.
APPLICATION
The appearance of John the Baptist preaching and baptizing in the Jordan clearly caused great consternation among the Pharisaic leaders in Jerusalem. They sent a delegation to determine precisely who he was and why he was baptizing, a rite normally reserved for Gentiles who desired to become Jews, not for those who already belonged to the household of Israel. While this passage does not describe for us how those in Jerusalem responded to John’s answers, it provides a powerful testimony regarding the one whom the forerunner had come to introduce, namely the Messiah.
Responses like the ones John gave to his questioners can be highly effective in sharing the Gospel. As we study this passage, John’s example helps us see how to bear witness to our faith. First, we should respectfully answer whatever inquiries others might have. We don’t need to go into tedious detail in what we say but just enough to whet the appetites of those listening. Then we should minimize whatever we might say about ourselves. Sometimes it is necessary to talk about who we are and how we came to know the Savior, but we should say as little as possible about ourselves and keep the focus on the one whom we’re seeking to introduce to others. What John had to say was contained in a few brief sentences, but his words were powerful and inviting, designed to give his listeners the information they needed and create in them a desire to know more about Jesus.