Joh 1:15, 22-27 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 15. John bare witness of him . The evangelist now returns to the testimony of John the Baptist. He had stated that the Word became incarnate, and he now appeals to the testimony of John to show that, thus incarnate, he was the Messiah. He that cometh after me . He of whom I am the forerunner, or whose way I am come to prepare. . Is preferred before me . Is superior to me. Most critics have supposed that the words translated "is preferred" relate to time , and not to dignity ; meaning that though he came after him publicly, being six months younger than John, as well as entering on his work after John, yet that he had existed long before him. Most, however, have understood it more correctly, as our translators seem to have done, as meaning, He was worthy of more honour than I am. He was before me . This can refer to nothing but his preexistence, and can be explained only on the supposition that he existed before John, or, as the evangelist had before shown, from the beginning. He came after John in his public ministry and in his human nature, but in his divine nature he had existed long before John had a being--from eternity. We may learn here that it is one mark of the true spirit of a minister of Christ to desire and feel that Christ is always to be preferred to ourselves. We should keep ourselves out of view. The great object is to hold up the Saviour; and however much ministers may be honoured or blessed, yet they should lay all at the feet of Jesus, and direct all men to him as the undivided object of affection and honour. It is the business of every Christian, as well as of every Christian minister, to be a witness for Christ, and to endeavour to convince the world that he is worthy of confidence and love. (v) "John bare witness of him"

John 1:15

Verse 15. John bare witness of him. The evangelist now returns to the testimony of John the Baptist. He had stated that the Word became incarnate, and he now appeals to the testimony of John to show that, thus incarnate, he was the Messiah.

He that cometh after me. He of whom I am the forerunner, or whose way I am come to prepare. Mt 3:3.

Is preferred before me. Is superior to me. Most critics have supposed that the words translated "is preferred" relate to time, and not to dignity; meaning that though he came after him publicly, being six months younger than John, as well as entering on his work after John, yet that he had existed long before him. Most, however, have understood it more correctly, as our translators seem to have done, as meaning, He was worthy of more honour than I am.

He was before me. This can refer to nothing but his preexistence, and can be explained only on the supposition that he existed before John, or, as the evangelist had before shown, from the beginning. He came after John in his public ministry and in his human nature, but in his divine nature he had existed long before John had a being--from eternity. We may learn here that it is one mark of the true spirit of a minister of Christ to desire and feel that Christ is always to be preferred to ourselves. We should keep ourselves out of view. The great object is to hold up the Saviour; and however much ministers may be honoured or blessed, yet they should lay all at the feet of Jesus, and direct all men to him as the undivided object of affection and honour. It is the business of every Christian, as well as of every Christian minister, to be a witness for Christ, and to endeavour to convince the world that he is worthy of confidence and love.

(v) "John bare witness of him" Mt 3:13

John 1:22-27

Verse 23. I am the voice, &c. Mt 3:3

(b) "He said" Mt 3:3, Mk 1:3, Lk 3:4, Jn 3:28 (c) "prophet Esias" Isa 40:3 Verse 24. Were of the Pharisees. For an account of this sect, Mt 3:7. Why they are particularly mentioned is not certainly known. Many of the Sadducees came to his baptism (Mt 3:7), but it seems that they did not join in sending to him to know what was the design of John. This circumstance is one of those incidental and delicate allusions which would occur to no impostor in forging a book, and which show that the writers of the New Testament were honest men and knew what they affirmed. For,

1st. The Pharisees composed a great part of the Sanhedrim, Acts 23:6. It is probable that a deputation from the Sanhedrim would be of that party.

2nd. The Pharisees were very tenacious of rites and customs, of traditions and ceremonies. They observed many. They believed that they were lawful, Mk 7:3,4. Of course, they believed that those rites might be increased, but they did not suppose that it could be done except by the authority of a prophet or of the Messiah. When, therefore, John came baptizing--adding a rite to be observed by his followers-- baptizing not only Gentiles, but also Jews--the question was whether he had authority to institute a new rite; whether it was to be received among the ceremonies of religion. In this question the Sadducees felt no interest, for they rejected all such rites at once; but the Pharisees thought it was worth inquiry, and it was a question on which they felt themselves specially called on to act as the guardians of the ceremonies of religion. Verse 25. Why baptizest thou then, &c. Baptism on receiving a proselyte from heathenism was common before the time of John, but it was not customary to baptize a Jew. John had changed the custom. He baptized all, and they were desirous of knowing by what authority he made such a change in the religious customs of the nation. They presumed, from the fact that he introduced that change, that he claimed to be a prophet or the Christ. They supposed that no one would attempt it without pretending, at least, authority from heaven. As he disclaimed the character of Christ and of the prophet Elijah, they asked whence he derived his authority. As he had just before applied to himself a prediction that they all considered as belonging to the forerunner of Christ, they might have understood why he did it; but they were blind, and manifested, as all sinners do, a remarkable slowness in understanding the plainest truths in religion. Verse 26. I baptize. He did not deny it; nor did he condescend to state his authority. That he had given. He admitted that he had introduced an important change in the rites of religion, and he goes on to tell them that this was not all. Greater and more important changes would soon take place without their authority. The Messiah was about to come, and the power was about to depart from their hands.

There standeth one. There is one.

Among you. In the midst of you. He is undistinguished among the multitude. The Messiah had already come, and was about to be manifested to the people. It was not until the next day (Jn 1:29) that Jesus was manifested or proclaimed as the Messiah; but it is not improbable that he was then among the people that were assembled near the Jordan, and mingled with them, though he was undistinguished. He had gone there, probably, with the multitudes that had been drawn thither by the fame of John, and had gone without attracting attention, though his real object was to receive baptism in this public manner, and to be exhibited and proclaimed as the Messiah.

Whom ye know not. Jesus was not yet declared publicly to be the Christ. Though it is probable that he was then among the multitude, yet he was not known as the Messiah. We may hence learn,

1st. That there is often great excellency in the world that is obscure, undistinguished, and unknown. Jesus was near to all that people, but they were not conscious of his presence, for he was retired and obscure. Though the greatest person- age ever in the world, yet he was not externally distinguished from others.

2nd. Jesus may be near to men of the world, and yet they know him not. He is everywhere by his Spirit, yet few know it, and few are desirous of knowing it.

(d) "there standeth" Mal 3:1 Verse 27. Whose shoe's latchet. Mt 3:11. The latchet of sandals was the string or thong by which they were fastened to the feet. To unloose them was the office of a servant, and John means, therefore, that he was unworthy to perform the lowest office for the Messiah. This was remarkable humility. John was well known; he was highly honoured; thousands came to hear him. Jesus was at that time unknown; but John says that he was unworthy to perform the humblest office for Jesus. So we all should be willing to lay all that we have at the feet of Christ, and feel that we are unworthy to be his lowest servants.