Testimony from Two Johns: John 1:19-34 - Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure

Focus Passage: John 1:19-34 (NASB)

¹⁹ This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” ²⁰ And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” ²¹ They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he *This word is present tense in the Greek, but it has been translated as past tense to conform to modern usage.said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” ²² Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

²⁴ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. ²⁵ They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them saying, “I baptize *The Gr here can be translated in, with or byin water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. ²⁷ It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” ²⁸ These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

²⁹ The next day he *This word is present tense in the Greek, but it has been translated as past tense to conform to modern usage.saw Jesus coming to him and *This word is present tense in the Greek, but it has been translated as past tense to conform to modern usage.said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ³¹ I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing *The Gr here can be translated in, with or byin water.” ³² John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize *The Gr here can be translated in, with or byin water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

Read John 1:19-34 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In the opening statements to John’s gospel, He shares about Jesus’ forerunner in ministry, John the Baptist. While John the author-disciple does not share about Jesus’ baptism, He does share John the Baptist’s declaration about who Jesus was.

Immediately following Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted. This really wasn’t the best time for John to point people towards Jesus’ significance – even though everyone present would have noticed the uniqueness of this baptism.

However, following the temptations, we read in John the disciple-author’s gospel that at some point later, probably a couple months later, or maybe even on Jesus’ return from the wilderness, Jesus swings by the river where John the Baptist is preaching. On seeing Jesus returning to see him, John the Baptist breaks away from what he is preaching about to declare, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” (v. 29-31)

If that wasn’t enough confirmation, John continues by saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’” (v. 32-33)

Then John concludes with his big key statement: “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (v. 34)

Aside from the angel visiting Joseph and Mary, and some elderly individuals in the temple when Jesus was dedicated, this is the first public declaration about who Jesus is. John the Baptist makes the very bold claim that Jesus “is the Son of God” and that this was entirely based on John’s call to ministry through baptism. It was in John’s ministry that he would learn who Jesus was.

While they were cousins, from what we read in this gospel, John does not weigh in on their relationship. The only thing he uses to base his claim on is what happened at Jesus’ baptism. This gives John the experience and boldness to say, “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (v. 34)

John the Baptist was one of the first people to point people to Jesus, but like John the Baptist (and John the author-disciple), each of us can be like these two Johns and point people to Jesus as the Son of God.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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