John 1:19-51

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The testimony of John the Baptist about the Messiah and Jesus' self-revelation to the first disciples. This section constitutes the introduction to the gospel proper and is connected with the prose inserts in the prologue. It develops the major theme of testimony in four scenes: John's negative testimony about himself; his positive testimony about Jesus; the revelation of Jesus to Andrew and Peter; the revelation of Jesus to Philip and Nathanael.

19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews* from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites (to him) to ask him, "Who are you?"

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*Jews: throughout most of the gospel, the "Jews" does not refer to the Jewish people as such but to the hostile authorities, both Pharisees and Sadducees, particularly in Jerusalem, who refuse to believe in Jesus. The usage reflects the atmosphere, at the end of the first century, of polemics between church and synagogue, or possibly it refers to Jews as representative of a hostile world.

20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, "I am not the Messiah."*

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Messiah: the anointed agent of Yahweh, usually considered to be of Davidic descent. See further the note on John 1:41.

21 So they asked him, "What are you then? Are you Elijah*?" 16 And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet*?" He answered, "No."

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Elijah: the Baptist did not claim to be Elijah returned to earth Quote: cf: Malachi 3:23 - Lo, I will send you Elijah, the prophet, Before the day of the LORD comes, the great and terrible day, Matthew 11:14 - And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. The Prophet: probably the prophet like Moses Quote: Deut 18:15 - A prophet like me will the LORD, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen. Quote: cf Acts 3:22 - For Moses said: 'A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kinsmen; to him you shall listen in all that he may say to you.

22 So they said to him, "Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?"
23 He said: "I am 'the voice of one crying out in the desert, "Make straight the way of the Lord,"' as Isaiah the prophet said."

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This is a repunctuation and reinterpretation (as in the synoptic gospels and Septuagint) of the Hebrew text of Isaiah 40:3 which reads, "A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord."

24 Some Pharisees* were also sent.

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Some Pharisees: other translations, such as "Now they had been sent from the Pharisees," misunderstand the grammatical construction. This is a different group from that in John 1:19; the priests and Levites would have been Sadducees, not Pharisees.

25 They asked him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?"
26 John answered them, "I baptize with water;* but there is one among you whom you do not recognize,
27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie."

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I baptize with water: the synoptics add "but he will baptize you with the holy Spirit" (Mark 1:8) or ". . . holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16). John's emphasis is on purification and preparation for a better baptism.

28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan,* where John was baptizing.

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Bethany across the Jordan: site unknown. Another reading is "Bethabara."

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.

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The Lamb of God: the background for this title may be the victorious apocalyptic lamb who would destroy evil in the world Quote: Rev 5-7 (several references in those 2 chapters refer to Christ as The Lamb of God, I won't copy it all here; Rev 17:14 - They will fight with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and king of kings, and those with him are called, chosen, and faithful." the paschal lamb, whose blood saved Israel (Exodus 12 - again, I won't copy the whole chapter); and/or the suffering servant led like a lamb to the slaughter as a sin-offering Quote: Isaiah 53:7, 10 - Though he was harshly treated, he submitted and opened not his mouth; Like a lamb led to the slaughter or a sheep before the shearers, he was silent and opened not his mouth....(But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.) If he gives his life as an offering for sin, he shall see his descendants in a long life, and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

30 He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'*

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He existed before me: possibly as Elijah (to come, John 1:27); for the evangelist and his audience, Jesus' preexistence would be implied (see the note on John 1:1).

31 I did not know him,* but the reason why I came baptizing with water** was that he might be made known to Israel."

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*I did not know him: this gospel shows no knowledge of the tradition (Luke 1) about the kinship of Jesus and John the Baptist. **The reason why I came baptizing with water: in this gospel, John's baptism is not connected with forgiveness of sins; its purpose is revelatory, that Jesus may be made known to Israel.

32 John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove* from the sky and remain** upon him.

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*Like a dove: a symbol of the new creation Quote: Genesis 8:8 - Then he (Noah) sent out a dove, to see if the waters had lessened on the earth. or the community of Israel Quote: Hosea 11:11 - Out of Egypt they shall come trembling, like sparrows, from the land of Assyria, like doves; And I will resettle them in their homes, says the LORD. **Remain: the first use of a favorite verb in John, emphasizing the permanency of the relationship between Father and Son (as here) and between the Son and the Christian. Jesus is the permanent bearer of the Spirit.

33 I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.'
34 Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

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The Son of God: this reading is supported by good Greek manuscripts, including the Chester Beatty and Bodmer Papyri and the Vatican Codex, but is suspect because it harmonizes this passage with the synoptic version: "This is my beloved Son" Quote: Matthew 3:17 - And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."; Mark 1:11 - And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."; Luke 3:22 - And the holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." The poorly attested alternate reading, "God's chosen One," is probably a reference to the Servant of Yahweh Quote: Isaiah 42:1 - Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, Upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations,