The writer recorded John the Baptist's witness to Jesus' identity as preparation for his narration of Jesus' public ministry. He was the first of the Apostle John's witnesses to the Incarnation.
Previously the writer had mentioned that God had sent John the Baptist to bear witness concerning the light (vv. 6-8). He also mentioned what John had said about Jesus, namely that Jesus had a higher rank than he did (v. 15). Now the evangelist explained John the Baptist's witness in more detail.
1:19 This verse explains the context in which John the Baptist explained his own identity in relation to Jesus. As the Synoptics reveal, John's ministry was so influential that the Jewish religious authorities investigated him (Matt. 3:5-6). The Sanhedrin probably sent the delegation of priests and Levites. The priests were descendants of Aaron who took the leadership in matters of theological and practical orthodoxy including ritual purity. The Levites descended from Levi, one of Aaron's ancestors, and assisted the priests in their ministry mainly in the areas of temple music and security.71
"The Jews"is a term that John used 71 times, in contrast to the other evangelists who used it rarely. Usually in John it refers to Jewish people who were hostile to Jesus, though occasionally it occurs in a neutral sense (e.g., 2:6) or in a good sense (e.g., 4:22). Most often, however, it refers to the Jews of Judea, especially those in and around Jerusalem, who constituted the organized and established religious world apart from faith in Jesus. Consequently it usually carries overtones of hostility to Jesus.72
1:20 The writer stressed that John vigorously repudiated any suggestion that he might be the Messiah. "Christ"(Gr. Christos) is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Messiah"or "Anointed One."John's ministry consisted of pointing the Messiah out to others so they would follow Him. Therefore it would have been counterproductive to allow anyone to confuse him with the Messiah.
1:21 The leaders asked John if he was Elijah because messianic expectation was high then due to Daniel's prediction that dated the appearance of Messiah then (Dan. 9:25). Malachi had predicted that Elijah would return to herald the day of the Lord that Messiah would inaugurate (Mal. 4:5-6). When John the Baptist denied being Elijah, he was denying being Elijah himself. His dress, diet, lifestyle, and ministry, however, were very similar to Elijah's.
The prophet whom the leaders had in mind when they asked their third question was the prophet that Moses had predicted would come (Deut. 18:15-18).73He would bring new revelation from God and might lead them in a new Exodus and overcome their oppressors. They incorrectly failed to identify this prophet with Messiah (cf. 7:40-41).74John the Baptist claimed that he was not that long-expected prophet either.
1:22-23 In response to the leaders' question, John the Baptist claimed to be a prophet who was preparing the way for the Lord's coming. He quoted Isaiah 40:3, which is part of a messianic prophecy (cf. Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4). In that prophecy Isaiah predicted the manifestation of God's glory when Messiah appeared (Isa. 40:5; cf. John 1:14). Significantly John did not claim to be the Word but only a voice.
1:24 The NASB translators understood this verse to be parenthetical describing the authorities who had sent the delegation that had been questioning John. The NIV translators interpreted it as identifying some of John's questioners. Probably the NIV is correct here. It would be unusual for the writer to interrupt the narrative flow with this relatively insignificant detail, but for him to identify some of John's examiners as Pharisees makes sense. The Pharisees were the strict interpreters of the Jewish laws, and John seemed close to violating these.
1:25 Their question implied that it was inappropriate for John to baptize. The Jews practiced baptism for ritual cleansing, but in all cases the baptismal candidates baptized themselves.75There was no precedent for John baptizing other people, and the Jews did not regard themselves as needing to repent. This was something Gentiles needed to do when they converted to Judaism.76Moreover since he was not one of the prophesied eschatological figures he appeared to them to lack authority to do what he did.
1:26-27 John replied by implying that his authority to baptize as he did came from an authoritative figure who was present but who was yet unknown. John did not identify Him then. This would have exposed Jesus to the scrutiny of Israel's leadership prematurely. John only realized that Jesus was the Messiah after he said these words (cf. v. 31). John simply referred to this One and implied that he baptized in water under divine authority. He stressed the great authority of Jesus by saying he was unworthy to do even menial service for Him. Thus John bore witness to Jesus even before he identified Him as the Messiah.
"To get the full impact of this we must bear in mind that disciples did do many services for their teachers. Teachers in ancient Palestine were not paid (it would be a terrible thing to ask for money for teaching Scripture!). But in partial compensation disciples were in the habit of performing small services for their rabbis instead. But they had to draw the line somewhere, and menial tasks like loosing the sandal thong came under this heading. There is a rabbinic saying (in its present form dating from c. A.D. 250, but probably much older): Every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher except the loosing of his sandal-thong.' John selects the very task that the rabbinic saying stresses as too menial for any disciple, and declares himself unworthy to perform it."77
1:28 The site of Jesus' ministry was primarily west of the Jordan River. "Beyond the Jordan"then evidently refers to the east side of that river. The Bethany in view then would be a town different from the site of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus' home (11:1), which was on the west side just east of Jerusalem. Perhaps John mentioned Bethany by name because its site was known when he wrote. It is unknown now. It may be significant that John recorded Jesus' public ministry beginning at one Bethany and almost ending at the other (12:1-11). "Bethany"means "house of depression or misery."78
John the Baptist fulfilled his mission of bearing witness to the Word first by publicly declaring his submission to Jesus' authority. The veiled identity of Jesus as the Word continues from the prologue into this pericope.
