And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
John came baptizing with water for the express purpose that Jesus should be revealed and made known to Israel, bearing witness to the Light rather than being the Light himself, in the witness that leads to the finding of the Messias. When he spoke these words he did not yet know Jesus with certainty as the promised Messiah, Saviour, and Son of God. God who sent him to baptize had promised him the sign of the Spirit descending and remaining upon Jesus as the mark of the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, which was fulfilled at Jesus' baptism when the heavenly Dove rested upon Him amid surrounding glory, hovering angels, and the Father's voice declaring Him the beloved Son. Having seen the sign he made Jesus manifest to Israel as the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Christ and Redeemer of the world, the One coming after him who is preferred before him because He was before him, and the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. His work of directing people to Christ calls each person to receive Him as Saviour by repentant, living, active faith, turning from outward forms and self-righteousness to Jesus alone, in whom is found peace, righteousness, sanctification, and transformation into His image with no priest or other mediator in His place.
Setting and Purpose
The scene stands at Bethabara beyond the Jordan, near the place where the river had once been stopped for Israel to cross and near Jericho which had been overthrown with the help of heavenly armies, and the memory of those deliverances stirred those who gathered to hear and be baptized to wonder whether God would again show His power to deliver Israel. John's baptizing belonged to a public ministry that drew eager crowds and drew the attention of the religious authorities, and it was carried on without seeking the Sanhedrin's approval while announcing the Messiah. The saying belongs to John's witness in John 1:19-51 by which Jesus was made manifest to Israel, leading on to the declaration that the Messias has been found.
John came baptizing with water for the express purpose that Jesus should be made manifest to Israel, so that Christ would be revealed and made known. His work was to bear witness to the Light, not to be the Light himself. That manifestation took place when Jesus came to John and was declared the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the One coming after John who is preferred before him because He was before Him, and when the promised sign was seen in the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and abiding upon Jesus. That sight had been given beforehand by the One who sent John to baptize with water, that upon whom the Spirit should descend and remain, the same is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, proving Jesus to be the Son of God.
Recognizing and Testifying Christ
When John spoke these words he did not yet know Jesus as the promised Messiah, and did not know for certain that Jesus was the Saviour and Son of God to be revealed. He declared on the day Jesus came to him that he had not known Him beforehand, but had come baptizing with water for the purpose that Jesus should be made manifest to Israel. The manifestation took place when John saw Jesus coming to him and when He came to be baptized by him in Jordan.
God, who sent John to baptize with water, had promised him a sign by which he would know the Lamb of God. Upon whomever the Spirit should descend and remain, the same is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. That sign was given when John saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and abiding upon Jesus at His baptism. The heavenly Dove rested upon Him and the glory of God shone round about Him, with angels hovering over the scene and the Father's voice declaring Him the beloved Son.
After seeing the sign John could point to Jesus and make Him manifest to Israel. He testified that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. He declared Him the Christ and Redeemer of the world, and the One coming after him who is preferred before him because He was before him. John saw that Jesus' coming had a deeper purpose than the people had understood, though he did not yet clearly distinguish Christ's work as a suffering sacrifice from His work as a conquering king.
Proclaiming Christ and Responding
At the banks of the Jordan John proclaimed Christ as the Promised One to the people who came to hear him. His baptizing with water was for making Christ manifest to Israel and making Jesus known. Among his hearers were Jews dispersed in all lands and in all civilized lands who had come to Jerusalem for the yearly and annual feasts and went out to the Jordan to hear and listen to John.
Those who heard him proclaim Jesus there carried those tidings on returning home to many lands and to all parts of the world. By this spreading of the knowledge of Christ, Providence prepared the way for the labors of the apostles. It helped prepare people to receive the gospel and made ready missionary fields like Corinth and Ephesus for apostolic work.
John's work of directing people to Christ calls each person to receive Christ as Saviour. He is to be received by repentant faith, by living, active faith, turning from outward religious forms and self-righteousness to Jesus, in whom alone hope of eternal life rests. No priest or other human mediator can take His place. Those who come to Christ in faith find peace and receive His righteousness, and are sanctified and transformed into Christ's image.
John came baptizing with water for the express purpose that Jesus should be revealed and made known to Israel, bearing witness to the Light rather than being the Light himself, in the witness that leads to the finding of the Messias. When he spoke these words he did not yet know Jesus with certainty as the promised Messiah, Saviour, and Son of God. God who sent him to baptize had promised him the sign of the Spirit descending and remaining upon Jesus as the mark of the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, which was fulfilled at Jesus' baptism when the heavenly Dove rested upon Him amid surrounding glory, hovering angels, and the Father's voice declaring Him the beloved Son. Having seen the sign he made Jesus manifest to Israel as the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the Christ and Redeemer of the world, the One coming after him who is preferred before him because He was before him, and the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. His work of directing people to Christ calls each person to receive Him as Saviour by repentant, living, active faith, turning from outward forms and self-righteousness to Jesus alone, in whom is found peace, righteousness, sanctification, and transformation into His image with no priest or other mediator in His place.
Setting and Purpose
The scene stands at Bethabara beyond the Jordan, near the place where the river had once been stopped for Israel to cross and near Jericho which had been overthrown with the help of heavenly armies, and the memory of those deliverances stirred those who gathered to hear and be baptized to wonder whether God would again show His power to deliver Israel. John's baptizing belonged to a public ministry that drew eager crowds and drew the attention of the religious authorities, and it was carried on without seeking the Sanhedrin's approval while announcing the Messiah. The saying belongs to John's witness in John 1:19-51 by which Jesus was made manifest to Israel, leading on to the declaration that the Messias has been found.
John came baptizing with water for the express purpose that Jesus should be made manifest to Israel, so that Christ would be revealed and made known. His work was to bear witness to the Light, not to be the Light himself. That manifestation took place when Jesus came to John and was declared the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and the One coming after John who is preferred before him because He was before Him, and when the promised sign was seen in the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and abiding upon Jesus. That sight had been given beforehand by the One who sent John to baptize with water, that upon whom the Spirit should descend and remain, the same is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, proving Jesus to be the Son of God.
Recognizing and Testifying Christ
When John spoke these words he did not yet know Jesus as the promised Messiah, and did not know for certain that Jesus was the Saviour and Son of God to be revealed. He declared on the day Jesus came to him that he had not known Him beforehand, but had come baptizing with water for the purpose that Jesus should be made manifest to Israel. The manifestation took place when John saw Jesus coming to him and when He came to be baptized by him in Jordan.
God, who sent John to baptize with water, had promised him a sign by which he would know the Lamb of God. Upon whomever the Spirit should descend and remain, the same is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. That sign was given when John saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and abiding upon Jesus at His baptism. The heavenly Dove rested upon Him and the glory of God shone round about Him, with angels hovering over the scene and the Father's voice declaring Him the beloved Son.
After seeing the sign John could point to Jesus and make Him manifest to Israel. He testified that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, and the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. He declared Him the Christ and Redeemer of the world, and the One coming after him who is preferred before him because He was before him. John saw that Jesus' coming had a deeper purpose than the people had understood, though he did not yet clearly distinguish Christ's work as a suffering sacrifice from His work as a conquering king.
Proclaiming Christ and Responding
At the banks of the Jordan John proclaimed Christ as the Promised One to the people who came to hear him. His baptizing with water was for making Christ manifest to Israel and making Jesus known. Among his hearers were Jews dispersed in all lands and in all civilized lands who had come to Jerusalem for the yearly and annual feasts and went out to the Jordan to hear and listen to John.
Those who heard him proclaim Jesus there carried those tidings on returning home to many lands and to all parts of the world. By this spreading of the knowledge of Christ, Providence prepared the way for the labors of the apostles. It helped prepare people to receive the gospel and made ready missionary fields like Corinth and Ephesus for apostolic work.
John's work of directing people to Christ calls each person to receive Christ as Saviour. He is to be received by repentant faith, by living, active faith, turning from outward religious forms and self-righteousness to Jesus, in whom alone hope of eternal life rests. No priest or other human mediator can take His place. Those who come to Christ in faith find peace and receive His righteousness, and are sanctified and transformed into Christ's image.