John 1:30-31

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 1:29-36

We have in these verses an account of John's testimony concerning Jesus Christ, which he witnessed to his own disciples that followed him. As soon as ever Christ was baptized he was immediately hurried into the wilderness, to be tempted; and there he was forty days. During his absence John had continued to bear testimony to him, and to tell the people of him; but now at last he sees Jesus coming to him, returning from the wilderness of temptation. As soon as that conflict was over Christ... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 1:29-31

1:29-31 On the next day, John saw Jesus as he was coming towards him, and said: "See! The Lamb of God who is taking away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said to you: 'There is a man who is coming after me, who has been advanced before me, because he was before me.' Even I did not know him. All the same, the reason that I came baptizing with water is that he might be shown forth to Israel." Here we come to the second day of this momentous week in the life of Jesus. By this time... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:30

This is he, of whom it is said ,.... Either the day before, as in John 1:27 , or some time before that, John 1:15 , when he first began to baptize, even before Christ came to be baptized by him, and before he personally knew him; see Matthew 3:11 . After me cometh a man ; not a mere man, but the man God's fellow: and this is said, not because he was now a grown man, or to show the truth of his human nature; but seems to be a common Hebraism, and is all one as if it had been said,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:31

And I knew him not ,.... Ομμασιν , "by sight", as Nonnus paraphrases it; personally he had never seen him, nor had had any conversation and familiarity with him; for though they were related to each other, yet lived at such a distance, as not to know one another, or have a correspondence with each other: John was in the deserts, until the day of his showing unto Israel; and Christ dwelt with his parents at Nazareth, in a very mean and obscure manner, till he came from thence to Jordan to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:31

And I knew him not, etc. - John did not know our Lord personally, and perhaps had never seen him, at the time he spoke the words in John 1:15 . Nor is it any wonder that the Baptist should have been unacquainted with Christ, as he had spent thirty years in the hill country of Hebron, and our Lord remained in a state of great privacy in the obscure city of Nazareth, in the extreme borders of Galilee. But that he should be made manifest to Israel - One design of my publicly baptizing... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:30

Verse 30 30.This is he of whom I said. He comprehends every thing in a few words, when he declares that Christ is the person who, he said, was to be preferred to him; for hence it follows that John is nothing more than a herald sent on his account; and hence again it is evident that Christ is the Messiah. Three things are here stated; for when he says that a man cometh after him, he means that he himself was before him in the order of time, to prepare the way for Christ, according to the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:31

Verse 31 31.And I knew him not. That his testimony may not be suspected of having been given either from friendship or favor, he anticipates such a doubt, by affirming that he had no other knowledge of Christ than what he had obtained by divine inspiration. The meaning, therefore, amounts to this, that John does not speak at his own suggestion, nor for the favor of man, but by the inspiration of the Spirit and the command of God. I came baptizing with water; that is, I was called and appointed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:1-51

The phrase, "according to," has been thought by some to suggest a type of doctrine or teaching with which the document might be supposed to harmonize, and therefore to set aside the idea of personal authenticity by its very form. This interpretation, seeing it applies to Mark and Luke as well as to John and Matthew, would lose its meaning; for Mark and Luke, by numerous traditionary notices, have been continuously credited, not with having personally set any special type of doctrine before... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:19-34

2. The testimony of the Baptist. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 1:29-34

Third testimony borne by the Baptist to Jesus. This incident, which occurred on the following day, must have been immediately after the temptation. The Baptist identifies Christ by implication, not by name. I. THE REDEEMER IS IDENTIFIED BY HIS WORK . "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!" This title is taken from Isaiah 53:1-12 , which the Jewish commentators themselves originally applied to the Messiah. The passage sets forth: 1 . The... read more

Group of Brands