The Testimony Of John

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN

John 1:19-23

Here in the Gospel of John, the word “Jesus” and the word “Christ” is found 170 times.

The word “believe” is found 100 times.
When you see a repetition of words to that extent it is an indication of the theme or the core purpose of the writing.
So, John is writing this gospel to get people to “believe that Jesus is the Christ.”
And he tells us why that is so important; remember what he says in chapter 20:30-31?

Many other signs therefore Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

That is why it is so important for you and I to believe that Jesus is the Christ.
And that is why John wrote this gospel: to get us to believe in Him so that we may have life.

Now, here in chapter 1, in the first 18 verses John introduces the Word to us and John says that the Word is the eternal God, the Almighty Creator in whom is life and light, and who came in the flesh.

And we know from vs. 17 that the Word is Jesus.

But now, starting in vs. 19, in keeping with his purpose for writing this gospel, and to confirm what John has said about Jesus, John gives us the testimony of John the Baptist.

And John has mentioned John the Baptist before in vs. 6, and John says that “John the Baptist was a man sent from God to be a witness to testify about the light.”
When it came to “determining if Jesus is truly the Son of God”, John the Baptist is God’s star witness.
And those who might dispute or deny or reject what John has to say about Jesus, they are in essence rejecting what God has to say.
So, that makes John’s testimony pretty important.

So, let’s look at what John the Baptist has to say about Jesus. Look with me at vs. 19 again.

And this is the witness of John when the Jews (this is the first time we see this term “Jews” used by John; and John will use this term 70 times in this gospel and normally when John uses this word “Jews”, he doesn’t use it to refer to the people of Israel as a whole. He uses it to refer to a particular group who is hostile toward Jesus).

And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem (vs. 24 tells us that these priests and Levites were sent from the Pharisees. When it came to their religion, the Pharisees were very legalistic and strict and they often bound things on others that they themselves would not do. And, we can only imagine how intimidating this delegation of priests and Levites must have been in their long robes and priestly garb).

But these priests and Levites come from Jerusalem to John the Baptist and they ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed, and did not deny, and he confessed, “I am not the Christ.”

It is interesting that no one in this delegation is reported to ask anything about the Christ but apparently John surmised their intention.
And notice it says that “he confessed, and did not deny, and he confessed.”
That is an indication that John was pretty emphatic that he was not the Christ no matter how many times they may have asked him.

But they ask him, “Who are you?” and he says, “I am not the Christ.”

He begins by telling them who he is not; because who he is, is really not important to him!
John the Baptist never came on scene and said, “Do you realize who I am?!”
He came on scene and said, “Do you realize who HE is?” That is who is important.

Now, we have talked about this in a previous lesson, but one of the reasons that John the writer of this gospel gives this testimony of John the Baptist that “he is not the Christ” is because some of John the Baptists’ disciples would continue to follow him.

John the writer and John the Baptist want everyone to know that there is a Christ and John the Baptist is not Him.

21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” (Malachi 4:5-6; God said He would send Elijah before the great and terrible day of the Lord) And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” (Deut. 18:15-19 – God promised that another prophet would come) And he answered, “No.” 22 They said then to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”

Now, vs. 23. John says, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

John quotes from Isaiah 40:3 and John says, “I am nothing more than a voice.”
“And I have only one thing to say and that is “make straight the way of the Lord.”
His function was not to magnify himself; His function was to point men to Jesus.
John wasn’t concerned about himself and his own safety; He was trying to get people ready to meet the Lord.

Vs. 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. (The Pharisees considered themselves to be the spiritual leaders of Israel and here John is, drawing large crowds of fellow Jews and baptizing them and the Pharisees want to know about him.)

25 And they asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” (By what authority are you baptizing these people?)

John gave them the answer in vs. 23. He is getting the people ready for the Messiah.

Baptism was not a new practice in Judaism. It was a regular rite in the admission of converts from other religions.

When an individual was converted to Judaism out of a different religion there were three rituals they had to go through: 1: Instruction by a scribe 2 Circumcision by a priest 3 Baptism by or with a witness.
Baptism indicated that you were converting; and baptism was a ceremonial way of removing the pollutions contracted in the Gentile world.
The puzzling thing about John the Baptist is he is not calling pagans or Gentiles to convert to Judaism, he is calling Jewish people under God’s covenant to repent of their sins and turn to God fully and completely.
All Jews were prepared to accept the view that Gentiles were defiled and needed cleansing; but to put Jews in the same category was horrifying; the Jews were God’s people already.
And for a Jew to be baptized was a sign of true repentance.
So, this delegation from the Pharisees wants to know by what authority is John baptizing these people.

26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

John is not depreciating his baptism. He is not saying his baptism is not important. His baptism was very important.
John’s baptism demonstrated a humble willingness to repent and be forgiven of sin; and to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord.
In fact, in vs. 31 John says, “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”
John’s baptism called people to repentance and to point the people to Christ!
And he does that.

Vs. 26 He says, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 “It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

The loosening of the strap of a sandal was the duty of the lowest slave in the house.
If any of his followers thought he was “higher in rank” that Jesus they are wrong.
John wants everyone to know that “It is all about Jesus.

Now, contrast John’s words to some of our attitudes when we pray.

“Lord, I deserve better than this. Why are you treating me this way? All these trials and tribulations? I’ve served you and trusted you.”
And we get angry with God like God should give us what we deserve.
You should be thankful that He doesn’t give you what you deserve because if He did you would be in hell.

Look at vs. 29: The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

Now, John’s father, Zacharias, was a priest in Jerusalem who served in the temple of God; Luke 1; therefore John grew up around the temple and he would know what lambs were for; they were bred for sacrifice.
He sees Jesus and he says, “There is the Lamb of God…the Lamb that God has sent…to take away the sins of the world.”
When John saw Jesus did he think about the Passover Lamb; or the Lamb of Isaiah 53; or perhaps he was thinking of Abraham about to sacrifice his son and his hand being stayed and God providing a sacrifice.
Perhaps; the thing we do know is that John saw Jesus as God’s sacrificial Lamb to deal with the sin problem afflicting all of mankind.

Vs. 30 “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 “And I did not recognize Him (John knew Jesus; they were second cousins; at the time though John didn’t know that He was the Messiah) but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 And John bore witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. (God gave John the Baptist the sure sign that Jesus was God’s Son.)

33 “And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 “And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

So, this is John’s testimony; and in essence it is God’s testimony; and John knows that Jesus is God’s Son and the question is, do you and I?

And it is important because unless we “believe that Jesus (human/Savior) is the Christ (Messiah/One sent from God), the Son of God, there will be no eternal life.