And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
He plainly, firmly and emphatically confessed that he was not the Messiah, refusing to claim an identity and honor belonging to Christ. He spoke when questioned by priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem by the highest authority to challenge his authority for stirring the people and baptizing. His confession revealed humility, for though the greatest of prophets he would not take honor not his own or seek favor, applause or worldly dignity. He knew himself to be only the forerunner and the voice sent to prepare the way of the Lord and to testify of the Light, for Christ and not John was the Teacher, Redeemer and Son of God. He used his denial to turn attention from himself to One mightier than himself, already standing unknown among them and coming after him yet preferred before him, whose sandal strap he was unworthy even to stoop to loosen.
Setting and Confession
John confessed plainly, firmly, truthfully and emphatically that he was not the Messiah, refusing to claim an identity and honor belonging to Christ. He did not allow the people to mistake him for the promised One, but directed attention away from himself to the Messiah. He made his denial by stating what he was not, making clear that the title of Christ was not his.
He spoke when questioned by priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem by the Jews, from the highest authority and the Sanhedrin. His testimony was heard in Judea by the deputation from the Sanhedrin and by the multitude, as part of the early proclamation of the Messiah. The messengers came to challenge his authority for stirring the people, for creating agitation and calling cities and towns to listen, and for baptizing.
His denial led to further questioning about whether he was Elijah or that prophet, meaning Moses. They also questioned his authority for baptizing and agitating the people while he claimed none of those identities.
The scene was at Bethabara where John preached and baptized. There memories of Israel's crossing of the Jordan and the fall of Jericho stirred hopes that God would again deliver Israel. The messengers from Jerusalem looked for a Messiah who would come as a great conqueror, and they turned from Jesus when His mission proved different from what they expected.
Multitudes, including kings and nobles of the earth, followed John and fixed their attention on him. His unselfish, humble, self-denying life, with fervent, sincere and courageous teaching, exhortation and reproof, led people to think he might be the promised Coming One. Because of this he cut off that hope at every opportunity, plainly assuring his followers he was not the Messiah and using each occasion to direct them to another.
Humility and Witness
John's "I am not the Christ" reveals humility, for though he was the greatest of the prophets he refused to take to himself honor that belonged to another when he might easily have done so. He did not turn aside to court favor or applause, did not aspire to worldly honor or dignity, but remained humble in heart and life and would not assume what was not his. When his disciples complained that all were turning to the new Teacher, he reminded them that he knew himself to be only the forerunner of the Coming One.
He understood himself to be only the voice sent to prepare the way of the Lord and to bear witness concerning the Light. Christ, not John, was that Light and Teacher, the Redeemer of the world and the Son of God, and John's mission was to prepare the way for Jesus and testify that Jesus was the Christ. As God's representative joining the law and the prophets to the Christian dispensation, he pointed back to them and forward to Christ as Saviour of the world, seeking every opportunity to do so.
His denial was used to turn attention from himself to One mightier than himself, to whom his ministry pointed and to whom he directed his followers away from himself. That One was already among them yet stood unknown in the crowd, coming after John yet preferred before him. So exalted was His work and mission that John was unworthy even to stoop to loosen His sandal strap.
That testimony belonged to the early proclamation of the Messiah in Judea, heard by the deputation from the Sanhedrin and by the multitude, preparing the way before Him and declaring Jesus to be the Christ. He gave Christ as bridegroom first place in the affections of the people, rejoiced in Christ's work, and taught that Christ must increase while he himself decreased.
He plainly, firmly and emphatically confessed that he was not the Messiah, refusing to claim an identity and honor belonging to Christ. He spoke when questioned by priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem by the highest authority to challenge his authority for stirring the people and baptizing. His confession revealed humility, for though the greatest of prophets he would not take honor not his own or seek favor, applause or worldly dignity. He knew himself to be only the forerunner and the voice sent to prepare the way of the Lord and to testify of the Light, for Christ and not John was the Teacher, Redeemer and Son of God. He used his denial to turn attention from himself to One mightier than himself, already standing unknown among them and coming after him yet preferred before him, whose sandal strap he was unworthy even to stoop to loosen.
Setting and Confession
John confessed plainly, firmly, truthfully and emphatically that he was not the Messiah, refusing to claim an identity and honor belonging to Christ. He did not allow the people to mistake him for the promised One, but directed attention away from himself to the Messiah. He made his denial by stating what he was not, making clear that the title of Christ was not his.
He spoke when questioned by priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem by the Jews, from the highest authority and the Sanhedrin. His testimony was heard in Judea by the deputation from the Sanhedrin and by the multitude, as part of the early proclamation of the Messiah. The messengers came to challenge his authority for stirring the people, for creating agitation and calling cities and towns to listen, and for baptizing.
His denial led to further questioning about whether he was Elijah or that prophet, meaning Moses. They also questioned his authority for baptizing and agitating the people while he claimed none of those identities.
The scene was at Bethabara where John preached and baptized. There memories of Israel's crossing of the Jordan and the fall of Jericho stirred hopes that God would again deliver Israel. The messengers from Jerusalem looked for a Messiah who would come as a great conqueror, and they turned from Jesus when His mission proved different from what they expected.
Multitudes, including kings and nobles of the earth, followed John and fixed their attention on him. His unselfish, humble, self-denying life, with fervent, sincere and courageous teaching, exhortation and reproof, led people to think he might be the promised Coming One. Because of this he cut off that hope at every opportunity, plainly assuring his followers he was not the Messiah and using each occasion to direct them to another.
Humility and Witness
John's "I am not the Christ" reveals humility, for though he was the greatest of the prophets he refused to take to himself honor that belonged to another when he might easily have done so. He did not turn aside to court favor or applause, did not aspire to worldly honor or dignity, but remained humble in heart and life and would not assume what was not his. When his disciples complained that all were turning to the new Teacher, he reminded them that he knew himself to be only the forerunner of the Coming One.
He understood himself to be only the voice sent to prepare the way of the Lord and to bear witness concerning the Light. Christ, not John, was that Light and Teacher, the Redeemer of the world and the Son of God, and John's mission was to prepare the way for Jesus and testify that Jesus was the Christ. As God's representative joining the law and the prophets to the Christian dispensation, he pointed back to them and forward to Christ as Saviour of the world, seeking every opportunity to do so.
His denial was used to turn attention from himself to One mightier than himself, to whom his ministry pointed and to whom he directed his followers away from himself. That One was already among them yet stood unknown in the crowd, coming after John yet preferred before him. So exalted was His work and mission that John was unworthy even to stoop to loosen His sandal strap.
That testimony belonged to the early proclamation of the Messiah in Judea, heard by the deputation from the Sanhedrin and by the multitude, preparing the way before Him and declaring Jesus to be the Christ. He gave Christ as bridegroom first place in the affections of the people, rejoiced in Christ's work, and taught that Christ must increase while he himself decreased.