What a temptation to flesh and blood such a question can become! The words are

taken from John 1: 22, and they come in a section of that chapter headed, "and this is the

witness of John" (1: 19). The occasion of the witness was the mission of the priests and

Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who art thou"? Such a deputation would have

turned the heart and head of many a man. John had attracted the attention of the great

ones at the metropolis, they had considered him important enough to send a deputation of

priests and Levites to ask him who he was. Before this is recorded, the Scripture has

already prepared us for the answer that he would give to their question; he was a man

sent from God; he came for a witness of the Light; he was not that Light (1: 6-8). It is

evident from these opening words that Christ was not eclipsed by the eloquence or the

prominence of His forerunner; John was simply sent to bear witness of that Light. "John

bare witness of Him and cried saying, This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh

after me is preferred before me, for He was before me" (1: 15). Again the record of the

forerunner is interrupted by a reference to the glory of his Lord; then after three more

verses the witness of John is resumed. When the priests and Levites asked John, "Who

art thou?", we are told "he confessed and denied not, but confessed, I am not the

Messiah". The confession and the denial is without equivocation; most emphatically,

positively, and negatively John bore witness to His Lord and Master. His questioners

then ask, "What then? art thou Elias?".

In answer to the disciples' question, "Why then say the scribes that Elias must first

come?" the Lord replied, "Elias truly shall come and restore all things; but I say unto you

that Elias has come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever

they listed. . . . then the disciples understood that He spake unto them of John the

Baptist (Matt. 17: 10-13). Or again in Matt. 11: 14, "If ye will receive it (i.e., the King

and the Kingdom), this is Elias (i.e., John the Baptist), which was for to come". Before

his birth the angel had told his father that he (his son John), should be great in the sight of

the Lord, that he should be filled with the Holy Ghost before birth, and that he should go

before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias (Luke 1: 14-17). Few of the Lord's

servants had greater reason to make at least some claim to the title and office of Elias.

John might have explained to his questioners the angel's words, or have anticipated the

Lord's own statements; what, however, is his reply? Briefer than before he replies, "I am

not". Again they ask him, "Art thou that prophet?" They may have referred to the words

of Moses which were prophetic of Christ, or some other idea may have been in their

minds; at any rate, John answers more briefly still, "No". Each answer becomes briefer;

this was rather annoying; these men had to take back some answer, so again they put their

original question, adding the words, "What sayest thou of thyself?" What will John say

of himself? Listen, "I am A VOICE", not the voice, but a voice, simply a voice. This

chapter reveals Christ as THE WORD, and John as A VOICE. Blessed relationship!

Christ is the Light also, and of John Christ said, "He was a burning and a shining lamp"

(luchnos). If Christ be a King, John is His forerunner; if Christ be the Word, John will be

a voice; if Christ be the true light, John will be a lamp; if Christ be the bridegroom, John

will be the friend of the bridegroom. Upon the testimony of Christ, John was more than a