Joh 1:19-37 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for John 1:19-28: 1:19–12:50 Jesus reveals himself to the world through his miraculous signs and sermons. Audiences were divided: Some wanted to believe in him; others opposed him. This division intensifies as the book unfolds. Jesus ended his public ministry with a final appeal for people to believe in him (12:44-50 ). Summary for John 1:19-51: 1:19-51 John’s Gospel gives limited attention to John the Baptist compared to the synoptic Gospels (Matt 3:1-6 ; Mark 1:2-6 ; Luke 1:1-24 , 57-80 ; 3:1-13 ). Yet the apostle John wants us to see that John the Baptist correctly identified and exalted Jesus. John the Baptist’s disciples leave him and follow Jesus; Jesus took over the ministry John began, increasing as John decreased (John 3:30 ).

Summary for John 1:19-28: 1:19–12:50 ^a Jesus reveals himself to the world through his miraculous signs and sermons. Audiences were divided: Some wanted to believe in him; others opposed him. This division intensifies as the book unfolds. Jesus ended his public ministry with a final appeal for people to believe in him (12:44-50 ^b).
Summary for John 1:19-51: 1:19-51 ^c John’s Gospel gives limited attention to John the Baptist compared to the synoptic Gospels (Matt 3:1-6 ^d; Mark 1:2-6 ^e; Luke 1:1-24 ^f, 57-80 ^g; 3:1-13 ^h). Yet the apostle John wants us to see that John the Baptist correctly identified and exalted Jesus. John the Baptist’s disciples leave him and follow Jesus; Jesus took over the ministry John began, increasing as John decreased (John 3:30 ⁱ).
1:20 ^j The Jews expected the Messiah (the Hebrew form of the Greek word Christ) to bring spiritual leadership and political redemption to Israel (see Deut 18:15 ^k; see also the Jewish intertestamental book Psalms of Solomon).
1:21 ^l Elijah was to be the Messiah’s forerunner (Mal 4:5 ^m). John the Baptist fulfilled the forerunner’s role, though he denied being the prophet Elijah (see Matt 11:14 ⁿ; Luke 1:17 ^o).

• Are you the Prophet we are expecting? Cp. John 6:14 ^p; 7:40-41 ^q.
Summary for John 1:22-23: 1:22-23 ^r Then who are you? John the Baptist simply wanted to be known as a voice shouting in the wilderness (see Isa 40:3 ^s).
1:24 ^t The Pharisees were deeply devoted to the Scriptures and earnestly desired a righteous life. They also believed in the coming Messiah, which explains their inquiries here. Some Pharisees became believers in Jesus (Acts 15:5 ^u), including the apostle Paul (Acts 26:5 ^v; Phil 3:5 ^w).
Summary for John 1:25-26: 1:25-26 ^x Jewish baptisms were ritual washings for becoming ceremonially pure following contact with impurity (Lev 8:6 ^y; Num 19:7 ^z).

• John’s announcement of the Messiah’s arrival required that participants confess their sins and be baptized (Matt 3:6 ^aa). Baptism later became the symbol of membership in Jesus’ kingdom (Acts 2:38 ^ab; see also John 4:1-2 ^ac).
1:27 ^ad A menial task such as removing a sandal was reserved for a slave; these tasks were never performed by a disciple.
1:29 ^ae The phrase Lamb of God might refer to the Passover sacrifice of a lamb or to the daily sacrifice in the Temple (Exod 29:38-46 ^af; Heb 10 ^ag). See also Rev 5 ^ah.
1:32 ^ai John the Baptist’s second testimony (see 1:19-23 ^aj) told what happened when Jesus was baptized.

• In the Old Testament, kings and prophets were anointed with the Holy Spirit, but these anointings were temporary and tied to a particular office or occasion. By contrast, with the Spirit’s resting on him, Jesus’ anointing was permanent (see 3:34 ^ak).
1:34 ^al the Chosen One of God: See Isa 42:1 ^am.
Summary for John 1:35-51: 1:35-51 ^an This section introduces the template for discipleship in John’s Gospel. Disciples desired to come and see Jesus (1:39 ^ao), and when they encountered him, they remained with him.