Category Expository

The one you do not know

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The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:29-34)

Right on cue, the next day, Jesus and John the Baptist cross paths. You get the sense that this scene takes place a few days or weeks, perhaps, after John baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River. The other Gospels – Matthew, Mark, and Luke – all record the event. John’s Gospel only refers to the baptism, and instead recounts this scene of a few days or weeks later.

John exclaims when he sees Jesus, and says “I myself did not know him” twice. Once, perhaps to the few gathered near him, and then a second time in a more formal declaration to a wider audience.

The second time the writer introduces John the Baptist’s pronouncement of “I myself did not know him” with the phrase “then John gave this testimony.” He is elated that the fulfillment to his mission is within view, and that the way it was revealed to him was not only surprising to him – but delighted him.

Lamb of God
Many have commented that John is comparing Jesus to a Passover lamb, or to a sacrificial lamb for the sins of the people, or perhaps even the concept that Jesus was to be led like a lamb to the slaughter when he is crucified. These references seem plausible, but not entirely satisfactory. In fact, “Lamb of God” may not have been too compelling to most of John the Baptist’s own followers. He makes the reference twice, and only on the second occasion do a mere two of his disciples think enough of it to leave him and follow Jesus.

The rest of the first chapter indicates a small and intimate band of followers of Jesus. “Lamb of God” is curious because it is presumably the opposite description his audience is expecting.  The messiah was anticipated as a conqueror whose primary aim would be to promote Israel’s interests and sovereignty. But John goes on to say that Jesus as the “Lamb of God” was going to take away the sin of the world – not merely the sin of Israel.

In their book, Social Science Commentary on the Gospel of John, Malina and Rohrbaugh are convinced that the author is referencing what is actually the celestial star formation known to a Latin and Greek audience as Aries the Ram, and similarly to the Hebrew audience as Tale’. If they are correct, then the metaphor may not have been viewed as quite so unusual.

Perhaps all those meanings for “Lamb of God” are true in some sense. In any case, aside from the summary of the first 18 verses, this is the first of an extensive series of metaphors applied in the book of John to Jesus. In the case of most, the phrase “for the world” is added or that concept is inherent.

Testimony
The word “testimony” is very important and used often in this book. John the Baptist in this passage gives testimony a number of times. First, his testimony is “I am not the one.” Later, his testimony is “Jesus is the one.” This testimony that John gives on Jesus’ behalf is referred to later in the book. Several times indirectly, and at least once directly. The word is used in a manner to convey a solemn oath.

Along with the concept of testimony throughout, you also read that Jesus many times uses introductory phrases like “Very truly I tell you” or “I tell you the truth.” Other translations use “Verily, verily.” The phrase was literally “Amen, Amen.” You get the sense that Jesus is saying “Listen very carefully, this is supremely important.” More on that later.

Spirit
Spirit is another important word in the Gospel of John. Jesus emphasizes the importance of the Spirit over and over again throughout. Here John the Baptist announces that he saw the Spirit come down on Jesus and remain on him, and that Jesus would be the one who would baptize with the Spirit – as opposed to merely with water.

Identity
The identity of Jesus is of utmost importance to John’s Gospel. Almost every chapter or new scene introduces a new metaphor introducing another concept about who he really is. He has long-running arguments with the Jewish leaders about his true identity. You get the sense that the author believes that if you can just believe who he truly is, everything else will fall into place.

So John says “I am not the one” but Jesus is, and in his office as “God’s Chosen One” he will be taking away the sin of the entire world (not just Israel) and will be bringing God’s Spirit to those who follow him.

In the next scene, we will see his first disciples begin to follow Jesus, and yet again, their expectations of who is he is, and what his mission will be, are “adjusted.”

Counting the Days

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The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:35-39)

Counting the days
This “next day” in the passage above is the third day. The author is recounting the first few days, one-by-one, when he first met the man who would change the world, and his life.

As the book starts with its first scene – the first day – John the Baptist is interrogated by the delegation sent by the Sanhedrin. The second day – signaled by the first “next day” phrase in John 1:29 – John the Baptist introduces Jesus to the crowd and says he saw the Spirit descend on him as a dove. On the third day, the scene is a more intimate conversation between John the Baptist and two of his disciples. At some point during their conversation, John the Baptist again sights Jesus and yet again exclaims “Look, the Lamb of God!”

Then, the real story begins.

It begins with two disciples thinking enough of John’s testimony to make a decision that will change their lives. They decide to follow Jesus – literally! Their fateful decision will make them witnesses to – and actors with – the central character, on the main stage, for the most crucial events in human history.

We discover in the next verse that one of the two who follow is Andrew. The other remains unnamed, but is likely the author of the book, the Gospel of John. The passage above lives and breathes the vivid characteristics of eyewitness testimony. “The next day” and the “next day” and so on are retold. And then he ends the passage above with the following sentence:

It was about four in the afternoon.

It’s an odd and extraneous line for an author who is nothing if he is not succinct. But there it is. “It was about four in the afternoon” and he probably could still see, smell, and taste the details of the scenes permanently etched in his memory that he is now recounting – the day he first met Jesus.

Not the one

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To summarize previous posts, God’s Word, or expressed idea, became a man and lived for awhile among us. Everything God wanted us to know about himself and what’s important to him – he expressed in his Son. Now, in act one, the author starts not by introducing who “the Word” is – but begins with who he isn’t.

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” (John 1:19-21)

The first scene in John’s Gospel starts with John the Baptist in the spotlight. The Jewish leaders in Jerusalem send priests and Levites to question John.

Threat Assessment
The Jewish leaders were probably members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of the Jews in Judea. Judea at this time is a Roman province, ruled by the prefect Pontius Pilate who was appointed by the Roman Emperor Tiberius. The Sanhedrin, however, governed many of the affairs of its own people, so long as they continued to govern well in the eyes of Rome. Governing well meant, among other things, keeping peace in the province so Rome would not have to commit more troops. It was a charged political atmosphere, so the Sanhedrin needed to vet John the Baptist. They feared he might gather a critical mass of followers and lead an uprising or revolt.

The Levites were members of the tribe of Israel known for priesthood. They asked John if he was the Messiah, or Elijah, or “the Prophet.” The Prophet seems to be a reference to Deuteronomy 18:15-19 where it is prophesied that one day God will raise up another leader like Moses to lead his people. In each case John the Baptist said “No.”

Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” (John 1:22-23)

The delegation did not want to return to the Sanhedrin without a report, so they pressed for an answer. John replies that he is the forerunner for the Lord as prophesied in Isaiah 40. If you read the verse just after the one in Isaiah 40 he quotes, you find Isaiah announcing that the glory of the Lord is about to be revealed.

Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:24-28)

Who do you think you are?
The delegation consisted of Pharisees as well. This Jewish sect was a remarkable one. They exercised an influence at this time that far exceeded their numbers. Rome’s Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote that there were never more than 6000 or so. We will learn more about the Pharisees in Chapter 3, but suffice it to say they were a sect known for its incredible dedication to keeping the Jewish law.

John the Baptist was an extremely popular preacher whose public ministry preceded and overlapped Jesus’ ministry for a time. His popularity, as well as his habit of baptizing his followers, alarmed the Jewish leaders. Baptism was known in this time for Gentiles wanting to convert to Judaism – but that was a self-administered baptism. John the Baptist personally administering baptism of his followers was seen by the Pharisees as him presuming a prophetic right. The time was a volatile one in Judea, and the Sanhedrin could not be too careful in following up on leaders who were becoming very popular with the people.

John the Baptist responds not by answering their question, but by making a point he wanted to make – one in keeping with his mission. He announces to this delegation that the one they are looking for, the one that he is the forerunner to, is actually here now “among you” even though he is “one you do not know.”