John 1:32-34

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 1:32-34

1:32-34 So John bore his witness. "With my own eyes," he said, "I saw the Spirit coming down from heaven, as it might have been a dove, and the Spirit remained upon him. And I did not know him. But it was he who sent me to baptize with water who said to me: 'The one on whom you see the Spirit coming down and remaining is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I saw it happen; and my witness stands that this is the Son of God." Something had happened at the baptism of Jesus which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:32

And John bare record ,.... The same day that he said the above things, and at the same time: saying, I saw the Spirit ; that is, of God, as is said in Matthew 3:16 and which Nonnus here expresses; and the Ethiopic version reads, "the Holy Ghost", descending from heaven like a dove ; at the time of his baptism; see Gill on Matthew 3:16 . And it abode upon him ; for some time; so long as that John had a full sight of it, and so was capable of giving a perfect account of it, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:33

And I knew him not ,.... That is, before he came to be baptized by him; when it was secretly suggested to him who he was, and the following signal was given him, to confirm him in it: but he that sent me to baptize with water ; or "in water"; that is, God; for John's mission was from God, as in John 1:6 , and his baptism from heaven; he had a divine warrant and commission for what he did: the same said unto me ; either by an articulate voice, or by a divine impulse on his mind, or... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 1:34

And I saw ,.... The Spirit descending from heaven as a dove, and lighting upon Jesus, and remaining some time on him; this he saw with his bodily eyes: and bore record ; at the same time, before all the people that were with him, when he baptized Jesus: that this is the Son of God ; the natural, essential, and eternal Son of God; who being sent in the fulness of time, had assumed an human nature, in which he became subject to all ordinances, and had the Spirit without measure... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:32

I saw the Spirit descending, etc. - See the notes on Matthew 3:16 , Matthew 3:17 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:33

He that sent me - said unto me - From this we may clearly perceive that John had a most intimate acquaintance with the Divine Being; and received not only his call and mission at first, but every subsequent direction, by immediate, unequivocal inspiration. Who is fit to proclaim Jesus, but he who has continual intercourse with God; who is constantly receiving light and life from Christ their fountain; who bears a steady, uniform testimony to Jesus, even in the presence of his enemies; and... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:32

Verse 32 32.I saw the Spirit, descending like a dove. This is not a literal but a figurative mode of expression; for with what eyes could he see the Spirit ? But as the dove was a certain and infallible sign of the presence of the Spirit, it is called the Spirit, by a figure of speech in which one name is substituted for another; not that he is in reality the Spirit, but that he points him out, as far as human capacity can admit. And this metaphorical language is frequently employed in the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:33

Verse 33 33.Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending. Here a difficult question arises; for if John did not know Christ, why does he refuse to admit him to baptism? To a person whom he did not know he would not say, I ought rather to be baptized by thee, (Matthew 3:14.) Some reply, that he knew him to such an extent as to regard him with the reverence due to a distinguished Prophet, but was not aware that he wasthe Son of God. But this is a poor solution of the difficulty, for every man... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 1:34

Verse 34 34.I saw and testified. He means that what he declares is not doubtful; because God was pleased to make him fully and thoroughly acquainted with those things of which he was to be the witness to the world; and it is worthy of notice, that he testified that Christ wasthe Son of God, because he who gives the Holy Spirit must be the Christ, for to no other belongs the honor and the office of reconciling men to God. read more

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