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. read more
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 (Daniel 9:25). Malachi had predicted that Elijah would return to herald the day of the Lord that Messiah would inaugurate (Malachi 4:5-6)."Popularly it was believed that Elijah would anoint the Messiah, and thereby reveal his identity to him and to Israel (see Justin, Apology 35.1)." [Note: Beasley-Murray, p. 24.] When John the Baptist denied... read more
The Divinity and Incarnation of the Word. Witness of John. The First Disciples1-18. Preface, declaring (1) that the Word was God, (2) that He was made man, (3) that He revealed the Father.This sublime preface is intended to commend ’the truth as it is in Jesus,’ both to Jewish and Gentile minds. It describes our Lord’s person and office by a term familiar to both, that of the Logos or Word of God. ’Logos’ has two meanings in Greek: (1) reason or intelligence, as it exists inwardly in the mind,... read more
(20) Confessed, and denied not; but confessed.—Comp. for the style, Note on John 1:3.I am not.—The better reading places the pronoun in the most emphatic position: “It is not I who am the Messiah.” He understands their question, then, “Who art thou?” as expressing the general expectation, “Is it thou who art the Messiah?” read more
(21) What then?—Not “What art thou then?” but expressing surprise at the answer, and passing on with impatience to the alternative, “Art thou Elias?” (Comp. on this and the following question, Deuteronomy 18:15; Deuteronomy 18:18; Isaiah 40 ff.; Malachi 4:5; 2MMalachi 2:1-8; and Note on Matthew 16:14). The angel had announced that “he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias.” The Lord declared “Elias is come already” (Matthew 18:12-13), and yet the Forerunner can assert that, in... read more
Agnosticism, Positivism and Materialism John 1:1 John outstrips Genesis. He begins the record of the world anew, but starts from a deeper starting-point. In Genesis the history of the world arises out of the God of Creation. In John there is a deeper starting-point: history commences with the God of redemption. I. This, then, is the first assertion we have to consider Redemption is older than Creation. God the Saviour is a more fundamental fact than God the Creator. Redemption was not an... read more
John 1:15-34Chapter 3THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY.“There came a man, sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for witness, that he might bear witness of the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came that he might bear witness of the light.... John beareth witness of Him, and crieth, saying, This was He of whom I said, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me. For of His fulness we all received, and grace for grace. For the law was... read more
Analysis and Annotations I. The Only-begotten, the Eternal Word; His Glory and His Manifestation -- Chapter 1:1-2:22 CHAPTER 1 1. The Word: the Creator, the Life and the Light. (John 1:1-4 .) 2. The Light and the Darkness. The Light not Known. (John 1:5-11 .) 3. The Word Made Flesh and Its Gracious Results. (John 1:12-18 .) 4. The Witness of John. (John 1:19-34 .) 5. Following Him and Dwelling With Him. (John 1:35-42 .) 6. The Next Day. Nathanael’s Unbelief and Confession. (John 1:43-49... read more
1:20 And he {g} confessed, and {h} denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.(g) He did acknowledge him, and spoke of him plainly and openly.(h) This repeating of the one and the selfsame thing, though in different words, is often used by the Hebrews, and it has great force, for they used to speak one thing twice in order to set it out more certainly and plainly. read more
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Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 1:19-51
A. The prelude to Jesus’ public ministry 1:19-51The rest of the first chapter continues the introductory spirit of the prologue. It records two events in John the Baptist’s ministry and the choice of some men as Jesus’ followers. read more