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John 1:14-34

The Testimony of John the Baptist

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Review Questions (Book Overview & John 1:1-14)

Who wrote the book and when?

Why was this book written?

What are some of the major themes identified in John 1:1-14?

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Review (Book Overview & John 1:1-14)

Author: Apostle John, near end of 1st century AD

Why:

but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. - John 20:31 (ESV)

Major themes:

The Word - God, Creator, Light, Life
The Word came in the flesh into the world
Reactions to the Word

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Reading

John 1:14-18

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Discussion Question (John 1:16-18)

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

- John 1:16-18 (ESV)

What does this mean?

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This may very well be one of the most confusing parts of John 1 for me thus far. Of particular confusion is more towards the center (“grace upon grace” through verse 17). Even looking at the Greek, it seems very confusing, so I can see why a decent variety exists in translation. It might be a useful starting point to look at different translations.

Beyond that, we could explore the possibility space for what this might mean - what are all of the different things it could mean, and then what can we do to narrow down our understanding from there? Furthermore, we can ask why this excerpt is here in relation to the larger text, why Moses is being mentioned, why it is talking about seeing God, etc.

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Reading

Exodus 33:12-23

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Exodus 33 - Surrounding Context

Context from Exodus 31-32:

God finishes giving Moses tablets of the covenant on Mount Sinai
Israelites make golden calf
God about to destroy them
Moses pleads with God not to destroy the Israelites
Moses comes down the mountain, sees the calf, and breaks the stone tablets

Context from Exodus 34:

God rewrites stone tablets for Moses

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Exodus 33:18-23

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.”

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“…But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” - Exodus 33:18-23 (ESV)

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Reading

John 1:19-34

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Discussion Question (John 1:6-34)

Who is John the Baptist?

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Particularly throughout verses 19-34 (though also some earlier), we see John [the Baptist] articulate in many ways who he is and who Jesus Christ is. The former is more of a way to point to and highlight the latter - John’s main focus is testifying to the Light (John 1:7-8). We’ll get to what John says about Jesus, but let’s first look at what we learn about John himself (starting directly from this text). The following are some points directly from this first chapter thus far regarding John:

He was sent to testify about the Light (John 1:7-9).
He was not the Light (John 1:8).
He ranks lower than Jesus (John 1:15, John 1:30).
He was not the Christ (John 1:20).
He was not Elijah (John 1:21) - though see next slides
He was not the Prophet (John 1:21).
He was the voice of one crying out in the wilderness (John 1:23).
He was not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandal (John 1:27).

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Elijah

1 Kings 17 - 2 Kings 2
9th century BC prophet, starting during reign of King Ahab (northern kingdom)
Taken up into heaven by a whirlwind

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” - Malachi 4:5-6 (ESV)

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Discussion Question (John 1:21)

Was John the Baptist Elijah?

Also see Matthew 11:7-15, Matthew 17:10-13, Luke 1:16-17

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Additional verses to consider:

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. - Matthew 11:7-15 (ESV)

Jesus here directly references Malachi 3:1, which is in close proximity to Malachi 4:5 (which mentions Elijah): “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. - Malachi 3:1 (ESV)

And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?” He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things. But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. - Matthew 17:10-13 (ESV)

Similar passage in Mark 9.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” - Luke 1:16-17 (ESV)

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The Prophet

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. - Deuteronomy 18:15-19 (ESV)

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The Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness

A voice cries:

“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level,

and the rough places a plain.

And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,

and all flesh shall see it together,

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” - Isaiah 40:3-5 (ESV)

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Discussion Question (John 1:15-34)

Who is Jesus?

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Now, let’s turn to what we can learn about Jesus from John’s testimony:

Jesus is the only begotten of God, at the Father’s side (John 1:18).
Jesus ranks higher than John for Jesus existed before John (John 1:15, John 1:30).
Jesus is of immense worth (John 1:27).
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Additional New Testament verses on Jesus as a lamb:

Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. - Acts 8:32-35 (ESV) - referencing Isaiah 53
Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. - 1 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. - 1 Peter 1:19 (ESV)
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” - Revelation 5:6-13 (ESV)
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” - Revelation 6:1 (ESV)
calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, - Revelation 6:16 (ESV)
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” - Revelation 7:9-17 (ESV)
When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour - Revelation 8:1 (ESV)
And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. - Revelation 12:11 (ESV)
and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. - Revelation 13:8 (ESV)
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, - Revelation 14:1-4 (ESV)
he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. - Revelation 14:10 (ESV)
And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! - Revelation 15:3 (ESV)
They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” - Revelation 17:14 (ESV)
Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” - Revelation 19:7-9 (ESV)
Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” - Revelation 21:9 (ESV)
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. - Revelation 21:14 (ESV)
And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life. - Revelation 21:22-27 (ESV)
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. - Revelation 22:1-3 (ESV)

Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit (John 1:33).
Jesus is the Son of God (John 1:34).

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Discussion Question (John 1:25-34)

Why was John baptizing?

Also see Mark 1:4

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John is asked why he is baptizing (John 1:25). We ultimately get a more direct (but subtle) answer a little later in the chapter:

I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ - John 1:31-33 (ESV)

John did not know that Jesus was the One we was to testify about at first. The baptism and subsequent descent and remaining of the Holy Spirit was a mechanism of revealing Jesus as the Christ to Israel.

There were other reasons for John baptizing, as revealed in the other Gospel accounts:

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. - Matthew 3:11 (ESV)
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. - Mark 1:4 (ESV)
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. - Luke 3:3 (ESV)

More Historical Background on Baptism

“Pentateuch

The use of water as an instrument for religious and physical cleansing is prevalent throughout the Pentateuch. Those who had committed certain defiling offenses were required to immerse themselves in water in order to ritually purify the body. Examples of such offenses include:

• Touching a corpse (Num 19:10–13; 31:23–24; Lev 11, 22:4–6)

• Eating or picking up a dead animal (Lev 17:15)

• Nocturnal and seminal discharges (Lev 15:6–8, 11–12, 13, 16)

• Coming into contact with a menstruating woman’s items (Lev 15:21–22, 25–27)

• Contagious skin infections (Lev 14:8–9)

Beyond these cleansing rituals, several other practices were required in order to partake of eating sacrificed animals (Lev 8:19–21) and temple worship (Lev 15:31). Certain impurities could be only removed by using running water (Lev 14:5–6, 50–52; 15:13; Deut 21:4).

Second Temple Judaism

Gentiles who converted to Judaism from paganism partook of baptism as entry into the Jewish community, and Jews sometimes used immersions as acts of repentance. The purpose of this entry requirement, known as proselyte baptism, was to remove any hint of ceremonial uncleanness from the Gentile (b. Yebam 46a–48b; b. Gerim 60a–61b). Gentiles were considered spiritually and ritually unclean and needed purification in order to enter Israel and the temple (Josephus, Jewish War 2:150; Philo, On the Embassy to Gaius 212; Acts 10:28). Ritual cleansing for Jews was symbolic of inward cleansing, as “one who has become a proselyte is like a child newly born” (b. Yebam 48b).

Apart from proselyte baptism, Jews used immersions as acts of repentance (T. Levi 2:3 B1–2). The Qumran sect participated frequently in water purification rituals. They considered immersions spiritually ineffective if not accompanied by sincere repentance and “humble submission … to all the precepts of God” (1QS 3:3–9).” - Benjamin Espinoza, “Baptism,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).