The Suffering Servant Messiah Series

John 1: 19-34

The Suffering Servant Messiah

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,”  as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you Whom you do not know. 27 It is He who, coming after me, Is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” 28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” 32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

For our brothers and sisters new to the faith I want to just quickly mention a little about John The Baptist. If you look at the Gospel of Luke you will see in the beginning chapters information on his birth.” There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth”. Please note that Zacharias was a priest. In the religious leadership of the Jewish nation you have groups called Pharisees and Sadducees.

Under Almighty God’s direction however these groups were not listed. Under The Holy El Shaddai Almighty God’s instruction there was to be a High Priest to direct the worship and sacrifices of the people. You will note that the Holy Spirit mentions that Zacharias’s wife Elizabeth was a descendent of Aaron the first High Priest. All future priests after Aaron were to be his descendents. This however changed due to corruption.

To assist the High Priest in the service in the Temple The Lord assigned members from the tribe of Levi to be priests and other men selected to help them.

John the Baptist’s mom was Elizabeth who was a relative of Mary [Jesus’ mom]. It appears that John went and lived in the desert community and probably did not know Jesus personally because Jesus grew up in Nazareth. It will not be until they are grown men that they come across each other’s path.

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

Please notice that the Pharisees and Sadducees sent priests and Levites to check out John’ ministry. They did this for a couple of reasons. For one thing our Holy Master instructed the Israelites to do so. In the book of Deuteronomy chapter 13 we read about this instruction “1 “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.