 |  |
The Witness of the John the Baptist (John 1: 19 - 34).
A | 19-28. The record of John, when asked by Jews. |
a1 | 19. Question.--"Who art thou?"
b1 | 20-21. Answer.--Not the Christ, Elijah or that Prophet.
a2 | 22. Question.--"Who art thou?"
b2 | 23. Answer.--I am a Voice.
a3 | 24, 25. Question.--"Why baptizest thou?"
b3 | 26, 27. Answer.--He it is.
A | 29-34. The record of John when he saw the sign the next day. |
c | 29, 30. Behold the Lamb of God.
d | 31. I knew Him not.
e | 31. John's baptism.
f | 31. Water.
c | 32. I saw the Spirit.
d | 33. I knew Him not.
e | 33. Christ's baptism.
f | 33. The Holy Ghost.
c1 | 34. The Son of God.
We must now acquaint ourselves a little more fully with the facts brought out by this
witness, and their bearing upon the purpose of John's Gospel.
Unless the reader has already made a study of the testimony of John the Baptist, it is
very unlikely, if he were asked how many times he is mentioned by name in the
Gospels and the Acts, that his answer would be anywhere near the correct number.
John the Baptist is actually mentioned no less than 90 times in the N.T., whereas John,
the writer of the Gospel, is mentioned only 35 times by name, including the references in
the Revelation.
Luke, in the first chapter of his Gospel, gives the detailed story of John the Baptist's
birth, and in chapter 3: he speaks of his unworthiness when compared with the One
Who was to follow:
"And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John,
whether he were the Christ or not; John answered them, saying unto them all, I indeed
baptize you with water: but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of Whose shoes I am
not worthy to unloose: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire"
(Luke 3: 15, 16).
The Lord's own testimony to His forerunner we find in Matt. 11::
"A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it
is written, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, which shall prepare Thy way
before Thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not
arisen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matt. 11: 9-11).
The events immediately associated with the birth of John the Baptist obviously
indicated the arrival of some one of no small importance, and it is not surprising that