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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 1:19-28

We have here the testimony of John, which he delivered to the messengers who were sent from Jerusalem to examine him. Observe here, I. Who they were that sent to him, and who they were that were sent. 1. They that sent to him were the Jews at Jerusalem, the great sanhedrim or high-commission court, which sat at Jerusalem, and was the representative of the Jewish church, who took cognizance of all matters relating to religion. One would think that they who were the fountains of learning, and... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 1:19-28

1:19-28 This is the witness of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him: "Who are you?" He quite definitely affirmed and stated: "I am not the Messiah." So they asked him: "What then are we to think? Are you Elijah?" He said: "I am not ... .. Are you the promised prophet?" He answered: "No." So they said to him: "Who are you? Tell us, so that we can give an answer to those who sent us. What claim do you make for yourself." He said: "I am the voice of one... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 1:19-28

The emissaries of the orthodox could think of three things that John might claim to be. (i) They asked him if he was the Messiah. The Jews were waiting, and are waiting to this day, for the Messiah. There was no one idea of the Messiah. Some people expected one who would bring peace over all the earth. Some expected one who would bring in the reign of righteousness. Most expected one who would be a great national champion to lead the armies of the Jews as conquerors over all the world. Some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:19

And this is the record of John ,.... The evangelist proceeds to give a large, and full account of the testimony John the Baptist bore to Christ, which he had hinted at before, and had signified was his work, and office, and the end of his being sent, When the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, who art thou ? The Jews that sent were the great sanhedrim that sat at Jerusalem, whose business it was to inquire into, examine, and try prophets, whether true or false ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:20

And he confessed, and denied not ,.... He freely, and without any reserve, declared, and in the plainest and strongest terms professed to the messengers before all the people, that he was not the Messiah; nor did he retract his confession, or draw in his words again, or drop any thing that looked doubtful or suspicious, but confessed, I am not the Christ : he stood to it, and insisted on it, that he was not that illustrious person; nor had they any reason to entertain such an opinion of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:21

And they asked him, what then? art thou Elias ?.... Elijah, the prophet; the Tishbite, as Nonnus in his paraphrase expresses it; who was translated, soul and body, to heaven: the Jews had a notion that that prophet would come in person a little before the coming of the Messiah; See Gill on Matthew 17:10 wherefore these messengers inquire, that since he had so fully satisfied them that he was not the Messiah, that he would as ingenuously answer to this question, if he was Elias, or not: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:22

Then said they unto him, who art thou ?.... Since, as yet, he had only answered in negatives, who he was not, that he was not the Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet; they desire he would give them a positive account who he was: that we may give answer to them that sent us ; that their labour might not be in vain; that they might not come so far for nothing, without knowing who he was; and that they might be capable of giving an account of him to the sanhedrim: what sayest thou of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:19

And this is the record of John - He persisted in this assertion, testifying to the Jews that this Jesus was The Christ. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:20

He confessed, and denied not; but confessed - A common mode of Jewish phraseology. John renounces himself, that Jesus may be all in all. Though God had highly honored him, and favored him with peculiar influence in the discharge of his work, yet he considered he had nothing but what he had received, and therefore, giving all praise to his benefactor, takes care to direct the attention of the people to him alone from whom he had received his mercies. He who makes use of God's gifts to feed... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:21

Art thou Elias? - The scribes themselves had taught that Elijah was to come before the Messiah. See Matthew 17:10 ; and this belief of theirs they supported by a literal construction of Malachi 4:5 . Art thou that prophet? - the prophet spoken of by Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15 , Deuteronomy 18:18 . This text they had also misunderstood: for the prophet or teacher promised by Moses was no other than the Messiah himself. See Acts 3:22 . But the Jews had a tradition that Jeremiah was... read more

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