John 1 discusses the divinity of Christ. Now the author of the book of John is widely believed to be the apostle and disciple John, brother of James, and one of the sons of Zebedee and Salome. The reason I mention this is because it can get a little confusing when you read John 1.

As we know, the book of John starts with, “in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” By verse 6, John says, “there was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light” which was Christ Jesus. Now John isn’t referring to himself here. Whenever the author of this book refers to himself, he calls himself, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” so there is another John besides the Author. From here on out I’ll call John the Author just “the Author” to avoid confusion. And this other John is who we’re going to be studying today. The other John is known as John the Baptist. Let’s jump to John 1:19-23

19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 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.’”

So the author is talking about a man named John who was giving a testimony. He was testifying about the Word that was with God and Was God. He was testifying about the light that came into the world. We find out that this John had been ministering to people and preaching repentance and preparation for the coming of the kingdom of heaven. In addition to preaching, John had been baptizing people near Bethany in the waters of the Jordan River. We know that John the Baptist’s ministry had become popular enough to notice because Jewish leaders from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to investigate. When questioned, John the Baptist denied being the Messiah and denied being Elijah and also denied being the prophet. In verse 23 He told them that he was “the voice of one calling in the wilderness, “Make straight the way for the lord” What’s the significance of that? Well, that’s a direct quote from the Book of Isaiah. Basically, he’s telling the Israelites that he is the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. It’s important to understand what it says in Isaiah chapter 40, because that’s the chapter he’s referencing. To us, we may have to look it up in our Bibles, but to the Jews? This verse is well known to the Jews; especially to the Jews he spoke to, who were Levites and priests . What’s in Isaiah 40? After the mention of the one calling in the wilderness, it talks about revealing the Glory of the Lord. It speaks of bringing good news to Zion and Jerusalem. What Good news are they talking about? Is it the same Good news that we know today? The answer is yes, but it’s not as clear to Jews at that time. In Isaiah, the good news is that God is coming. He is coming with power, coming to rule with a mighty arm. God will tend His flock like a shepherd, gathering his Lambs in his arms. You should read Isaiah 40 on your own; it’s a treat to read through. And this imagery is important. As we read through the book of Author John, we need to remember Baptist John’s reference to Isaiah 40. Especially the part that compares God to a shepherd of a flock. That’s an entire post of its own, and that post will come up soon enough, but not today. Let’s read on to John 1:24-28

24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

These Jews were sent by the temple leaders and priests to ask Baptist John why he is baptizing, if he isn’t the prophet or Elijah, or the Messiah himself. Their real question once they learn his identity is What authority does this John have to baptize? John’s response is to somewhat downplay what he is doing. He says he is baptizing with water, but there’s another coming who they don’t know. He’s almost saying that his baptism isn’t the real baptism that they should be concerned with. His job is just to prepare a way for the one who is to come. When studying something, it’s always good to cross reference the thing you’re studying with other Scripture to make sure you understand. Let’s look a little closer at the background of John the Baptist, found in Matthew 3:1-6

3 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’”
4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3 says pretty much the same material as John 1. Although verse 4 adds a few notes on the fashion and diet of John the baptist. Camel’s hair outfits, and leather belts. Which happen to be the clothing worn by Elijah in the Old Testament, see 2 Kings 1:7-8

7 The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?” 8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”
The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

Dinners of locusts and honey. But like John 1, Matthew 3 mentions John the Baptist’s popularity throughout the region of Judea (in verse 5), it mentions the reference to one voice in the wilderness from Isaiah 40. Matthew 3 mentions the purpose of John the Baptist was to make straight the way for the Lord and to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord or the Kingdom of heaven. And it’s important to know that the way they were supposed to prepare themselves is the same way we are to prepare ourselves. Repent. Turn away from your sins. Acknowledge your need for forgiveness. We aren’t ready to encounter God until we have humbled ourselves. Humble yourself. Humility is important for all of us, and there was a group who was particularly lacking in this humility. John addresses them directly, in Matthew 3:7-10

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

John the baptist had some choice words for the Pharisees and Sadducees in this verse. He told them that repentance leads to fruit. If you say you repent, but show no fruit, you are lying to yourself and to God. John tells them that salvation doesn’t come from your blood line, or your genealogy. Salvation comes from fruit of repentance which comes from being united with the Holy Spirit. Let’s continue in Matthew 3:11-12

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John the Baptist’s baptism was nothing profound or special. In fact, John the Baptist always made sure to mention that he was just baptizing with water, and what always mattered was the baptism that the Messiah would bring. That’s the baptism or anointing or immersion of the Holy Spirit, and the Fire of God’s presence. We later read in Romans 6:3-5 that the baptism of water unites us with Christ and his Death, but it’s symbolic. It symbolizes our unity with Christ in his death, and how we have a desire to be dead to our sins. But Salvation is different. Salvation comes from Christ’s work and our being filled with the Holy Spirit. The Water baptism is just an outward show of our inward repentance. But Spirit Baptism is what’s important. Being baptized and filled by the Holy Spirit is what is important. Let’s jump back to where we left off in the book of John; John 1:29-31

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

So here we are in Judea by the Jordan river, and Jesus meets John the baptist. John the Baptist recognizes Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. John the baptist admits in John 1:31 that he didn’t know Jesus to be the Messiah. In fact, in John 1:31 the Bible tells us that one of the main purposes of the entire baptism ministry was to reveal the Messiah to Israel. So John the Baptist had a ministry that he devoted his life to, and there were two main God given purposes of that ministry. One: to make straight the path for the Lord, and 2: to reveal the Messiah who was to come. Let’s take a look at exactly how that revelation happened. John 1:32-36

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 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.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.” 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

Again, John the Baptist admits, “I myself didn’t know him” but God gave instructions. Here’s what will happen. My spirit will come down and remain on the One. John saw this, and using the popularity that he had built up, he testified to his followers that it happened and who Jesus was. We see this same event in Matthew 3:13-17, but it helps to reveal a little more of John the Baptist’s heart, which is interesting. Matthew 3:13-17

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

John didn’t want to baptize Jesus. The reason was that he didn’t feel worthy to fulfill that role. Sometimes God asks us to do things for His kingdom and we don’t feel worthy enough to do those things. The funny thing is theologically, we’re right. We aren’t worthy enough to do anything for God. But God asks for us to do these things anyway. Our unworthiness is never an excuse to avoid action. If that were the case, we would never do anything on this Earth. Until the day we die, we are never worthy. We are never Good enough. What that means is we will always need Jesus. We will always need forgiveness. What that doesn’t mean is that since we’re not good enough we shouldn’t act. The first thing I felt when I took on the responsibility of being a pastor was unworthiness. I never felt like I should be a pastor. I felt too sinful to be a Pastor. I was identifying more with my flesh than with the Spirit that God gives. But I recognized sin. I knew my sinful self, and I knew how Holy God was. If I said, no I’m not ready to be a pastor, let me wait.. Well, years have gone by and I don’t feel any more worthy today than I did a few years back. So I probably would never have become a pastor, waiting until the perfect moment. In fact, as we grow in our faith, and as God works sanctification in our lives, we become MORE convicted of our sinfulness, and we feel less worthy. (even though our behavior might improve on the surface) Grace becomes greater in our hearts. But God calls us anyway, not because of who we are , but despite who we are. And He is able to use all of us for His glorious purpose. We see here that John the Baptist felt that when he encountered Jesus in person. But looking back to John 1:33-34, we see how important John’s job was. God used this baptism as a way to Identify Jesus’ deity. God used the baptism to show publicly that Jesus was the Messiah who was to baptize a people with the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist testified to that fact. Now God was using John’s ministry to introduce the Ministry of his only begotten Son, Jesus. God’s timing allowed for John to start ministering before the time was ready for Jesus to begin. For a time, both Jesus and John were ministering in parallel. Read my next post to see how God’s will allowed for the two ministries to merge.