19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leadersc in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’ ”d
24Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26“I baptize withe water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Thoughts: John the Baptist was unusual. Everyone could recognize that. He dressed unusual, he was not the typical religious leader keeping the status quo. The people felt the Messiah was about to appear (maybe because of Daniel's 70 weeks prophecy or the oppression by the Romans). At least three had arisen since 4 BC claiming to be the Messiah, but they were snuffed out by the Romans.
So who was John? He could have said I am Elizabeth and Zechariah's son; or Jesus' cousin, or he could have laid claim to the questions they asked. Instead John sought to be humble.
So they asked if he was Elijah. John dressed like Elijah (camel's hair robe) and ministered in the wilderness like Elijah, and the message of repentance was Elijah's too. Malachi 4:5 predicted that Elijah would come back before the Messiah came. Perhaps it was these things that led Jesus to label John as his Elijah (Mt. 11:14; 17:10). John may have embodied Elijah's message but he was not the same person.
Then they asked if John was "The Prophet" referred to as the special prophet that God would raise up like Moses (Dt. 18:15). Jesus was the ultimate prophet and the people saw that (Jn. 6:46; 7:40).
John was a humble man who made no real claims for himself rather than a voice talked of in Isaiah 40:3. The message of the voice was the message of John- repent, wash your sins away and prepare to meet your God.
We would do well to practice John's humility and not seek great things for ourselves- but to seek great things for God.
So who was John? He could have said I am Elizabeth and Zechariah's son; or Jesus' cousin, or he could have laid claim to the questions they asked. Instead John sought to be humble.
So they asked if he was Elijah. John dressed like Elijah (camel's hair robe) and ministered in the wilderness like Elijah, and the message of repentance was Elijah's too. Malachi 4:5 predicted that Elijah would come back before the Messiah came. Perhaps it was these things that led Jesus to label John as his Elijah (Mt. 11:14; 17:10). John may have embodied Elijah's message but he was not the same person.
Then they asked if John was "The Prophet" referred to as the special prophet that God would raise up like Moses (Dt. 18:15). Jesus was the ultimate prophet and the people saw that (Jn. 6:46; 7:40).
John was a humble man who made no real claims for himself rather than a voice talked of in Isaiah 40:3. The message of the voice was the message of John- repent, wash your sins away and prepare to meet your God.
We would do well to practice John's humility and not seek great things for ourselves- but to seek great things for God.
Prayer: Lord, I am your instrument. Help me to be the best instrument I can be for your glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment