I am NOT the Christ: An Exposition of John 1:19-28
In the previous passage we are introduced to the person of Jesus. He is described as the eternal Word who became flesh and tabernacled among us. The purpose of His coming to earth was to save everyone who believes. Those who believe on Him are born of God, and therefore, have eternal life. It also talks about people rejecting Him as well. Finally, John the Baptist’s testimony is thrust forward which places great emphasis on him. There are two themes in the prologue, the person of Jesus and the testimony of John. John the Baptist stands as the example of witness to the Word that we all should be.
In this passage, we are introduced further to the mission of John the Baptist. The prologue contains the big picture, and this passage the details of the Baptist’s testimony. It begins with a group of priests and Levites who came from Jerusalem to inquire further of John’s ministry. Luke records that the people were dialoging in their hearts whether John was the Christ (Messiah). These words came into the ears of the Temple authorities, so they sent the delegation. At this point, we cannot determine whether this was an honest inquiry or not, but the further actions of the priests and Levites indicate that this was a skeptical inquiry. They may have been afraid of their influence over the people.
They ask John emphatically: “Who are YOU.” This could be read as written, or the emphatic markup might be rendered cynically: “Who do you think you are?” The true witness to Jesus must give answers for the reason of their hope. So John answers just as emphatically.” I am NOT the Messiah!” which means John understood the thrust of the inquiry. All the gospels make abundantly clear that John’s message was one of witness and preparation for the Christ. One would think that this identification had to be emphatically recorded because there were many who actually thought John was the Messiah. There was a community of such Baptists in Ephesus that Paul had to enlighten.
The second inquiry is a little more puzzling. They then ask, “Who are you then, are you Elijah?” The prophet Malachi had prophesied the return of Elijah before the great and notable day of the LORD. John was dressed like Elijah. He seems to have fulfilled the role of the prophesied role of Elijah to return the children to the fathers. Finally Jesus told His followers that John the Baptist was the Elijah to come. So why does John simply say “I am not.” It is less emphatic than his denial of being the Messiah, but it seems that he should have affirmed rather than denied. He could deny that he was Elijah in person, but he was certainly one in spirit with him. Perhaps there is more than we can discern here. Their theology of this return of Elijah may have differed from what we read today. John may have been denying this expectation of Elijah.
The priests and Levites seem to have been exasperated by John’s answers. So they ask “Are you the Prophet then.” There was much speculation in those days, especially in the Dead Sea community that there would be two Messiah’s, one a descendant of David who would be a political deliverer and another who would be a suffering priestly Messiah. As John himself was of a priestly family, it was a reasonable connection, considering their theological frame of thought. Was John the promised prophet like Moses that the Book of Deuteronomy prophesied. John simply answers, “No.” We of course believe that Jesus is both views of the Christ. He is the promised prophet of Moses, and He is the Son of David the deliverer. Of course, even though the terms fit in name, His fulfillment of these two roles were far beyond what the Jews of that day thought.
The priests and Levites then asked John to make a positive declaration of who he was and allowed him to answer. He says that he is fulfilling the role described in Isaiah 40. He was a voice crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. This identification of John the Baptist is consistent in all the Gospels. He was to get people ready to meet the LORD. What needs to be said here is that John the Baptist prepares the way of Jesus. But the text says the “way of Yahweh.” These statements can only both be true if Jesus is the Yahweh of the Old Testament. This is by no means the only time in the New Testament that Old Testament prophecies about Yahweh are said to be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ.
The text now says that the Pharisees asked John why he baptized if he was not the Christ, Elijah or the Prophet. It seems that the Pharisees who were not included among the first group of priests and Levites were a second group that was sent. The Pharisees and the priests were not on the best of terms and were mostly concentrated outside of Jerusalem. So when taken together, they represent all of Israel. They Pharisees had overheard the original conversation, and wanted to know more. They would have been more interested in the Messiah than the priestly caste in a positive sense. They would be disappointed when Jesus turned out to be entirely different Messiah than they were expecting.
John’s answer is again consistent with all the other gospels. Like them, he says emphatically that He baptized with water. He also says that He was unworthy to unloose His sandal straps. He adds here that there One who he was preparing the way for was already standing in their midst, unknown to them. The other gospels mentioned he was soon coming, but John is a little more explicit. The term “do not know” is a loaded term. It means more than that He had not yet been revealed. “Know” in Aramaic, like Hebrew, it a relational term. They were out of covenant relationship with this One, whom we know is Yahweh. If they were out of covenant relationship with Yahweh, then they were not true Jews at all, in spite of their genetic pedigree. They needed to repent and come into relationship with the One who was already standing in their midst. They needed to be baptized into this covenant
The location of Bethany beyond Jordan isn’t exactly known, but the fact that it was beyond Jordan is significant. This area was outside the boundaries of the land which was promised to Israel. This symbolizes that they were outside the promise and covenant of Yahweh. They were baptized in the Jordan and then returned to the covenantal land, this time as being the true recipients of the covenantal promises of God. The area was close to where the Children of Israel had actually crossed 1400 or so years earlier. There they crossed and stopped at Gilgal where they covenant was renewed with the males being circumcised. By not being circumcised, they were cut off from the covenant. They were and at the same time not Israelites. They could not inherit the covenantal promises of Yahweh as long as they remained uncircumcised. So here we see baptism as the replacement of circumcision as the means of covenant blessing and protection. Not only men, but women can be circumcised. Not only Jews, but Gentiles. There is a great broadening of the covenantal idea to include all who will believe and come to Jesus. We are reminded of the prologue that the offer to become God’s children is “for as many as received.”
When reflecting on this passage, we should realize that we have crossed over Jordan and come into the covenantal land of promise, a promise far greater than a piece of real estate called Canaan. We are awaiting a far greater fulfillment of the promise of an eternal city which God has Himself built, not subject to the corruption of human hands. We have become partakers of the Temple far more beautiful and lasting than Herod’s rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem which was destroyed only 8 years after completion. We should get a feeling of security as not we are under the covenantal protection of one far greater than any earthly nation or power. We should live our lives in expectation of fulfillment, even if for a season we are stressed by human and demonic rejection of God’s order.
This brings up the necessary correlation that although we have entered into the everlasting covenant, we have not fully realized the glory of the promise. Instead we suffer increasing rejection by the world who hate us, just as they hated Jesus. But we must be as steadfast a witness as John the Baptist, even unto death, if necessary. We are being trained in a wilderness, a jungle of sin and hate, for a far greater land. Let us suffer this training, even if it is painful at times. In our spirits, we have already crossed Jordan. Our bodies, like that of Moses will fall dead and be buried on the other side of Jordan. This flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom. We will have to have a new, incorruptible body. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us to join Him forever. When it is ready, He will come for His bride. But our suffering for Jesus in this age, is the surest proof that we belong to Him, far more than how much wealth we have or our status in the world’s community. If we suffer patiently for Jesus, it becomes as true a testimony as that of john the Baptist who would soon be imprisoned and then lose his life. But all is well with John now, and so it shall be for us.
