The term “the Jews” in 1:19, in conjunction with 1:24, indicates “the Pharisees,” the “separated ones.”24 These religious leaders had separated themselves politically from Hasmonean rule and religiously from others who were not observing the priestly laws of purity (Lev 1–15). They had vast political and social influence in Jesus’ time,25 but rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore they are identified in John with “the world,” which, in general, rejected Jesus (John 1:10; 7:7; 15:18; cf. 8:23). In response to their question, “Who are you?,” the Baptist answers, “I am not the Christ” (1:19–20). Probably the leaders suspected that the Baptist could be the long-awaited Messiah, the King and deliverer from the house of David. However, they did not dare to ask him whether he was the Messiah. The Baptist’s unreserved denial (cf. 3:28) could be a polemic against those who claimed that he was the Messiah.
In Jesus’ time, the scribes taught that Elijah should come first in order to prepare the way for Christ’s appearance (Mal 3:1; 4:5–6; Mark 9:11–12). That is why the priests and Levites asked the Baptist, “Are you Elijah?” (John 1:21). After the Baptist’s denial that he was Elijah, they asked him, “Are you the prophet?,” perhaps having in mind Deut 18:15 and 18, which speak of a prophet like Moses whom God will raise up. It is unlikely that the delegates had in mind the prophet mentioned in Qumran writings (4QTest 5–8; 1QS 9.11), as the Qumran community separated itself by revolting against Jerusalem priests and their cultic practices. There is no evidence that, besides Elijah and a Moses-like prophet, the Jews were expecting any other figure as the eschatological prophet. Nor do we have evidence that John’s community identified Christ with a prophet-like figure.26 After stating that he was not the prophet either, the Baptist explains his mission as preparing the way for the coming of the Lord (“Christ”). He was nothing but a voice that cried out in the wilderness in order to purify and prepare a group of people for God by declaring the coming of Christ, as the Scripture testifies (Isa 40:3; cf. Matt 3:3 par.).
The enquiry of the agents gives an opportunity for the Baptist to project Jesus’ greatness as the Christ who is present among them but hidden to their eyes (1:26–27).27 Without comparing his baptism with that of Jesus (Matt 3:11 par.), the Baptist discloses the spiritual blindness of the religious leaders, who, by this time, should have rightly understood such scriptural passages as Isa 40:3 and Mal 3:1; 4:5–6. Although Jesus came to the human scene chronologically after the Baptist (cf. 1:15), the latter acknowledges Jesus’ greatness by stating, “the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” In a teacher-disciple relationship in rabbinic circles, a menial job such as untying the thong of a teacher’s sandals was not assigned to any of his pupils and still less to a slave.28 The Baptist acknowledges his unworthiness even to be a slave to Jesus, who is the Christ, the Son of God (1:34), for Jesus’ mission of bringing salvation to humankind by his death and resurrection surpasses any human enterprise.
Content of the Baptist’s witness (1:29–34)
In 1:29–34, the Baptist unveils who Jesus is and implicitly what he will accomplish. For the first time the name “Jesus” appears in 1:29 after 1:17. The day after the enquiry of Jerusalem leaders, John gives a picture of the real Christ, Jesus, who was coming toward the Baptist (1:29). There is no reference in this section either to the audience to whom Jesus was introduced or to his baptism. Perhaps John intended the audience to be anyone who reads it. The Baptist bears witness to Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who removes the sin of the world.”
The book of Revelation (5:6, 8, 12, 13; 6:16; 7:9–10, 14, 17; 22:1, 3) refers to “the Lamb.” However, there Greek word used for “lamb” (arnion) is different from what is used in John (amnos), though there is not much essential difference.29 There are three OT references to the “Lamb of God” (Gen 22:8; Exod 12:3–6; Isa 53:7). In Isaac’s sacrifice (Gen 22) there is no reference to the removal of sin, although it prefigures Jesus’ death and resurrection (cf. John 3:16; Heb 11:17–19).
Exodus 12 may give a possible background to John 1:29, since Jesus was identified in Christian circles as the Lamb of God in whose death people receive deliverance just like the people of Israel were delivered from Egyptian bondage by the offering of the paschal lamb (cf. 19:36 with Exod 12:46 and Num 9:12; 1 Cor 5:7). However, Isa 53:4–7 gives a relevant background to interpret “the Lamb of God” in John 1:29, 36. Just like the Servant of the Lord who would heal people by carrying their sorrows and sins (Isa 53:4–6), by offering himself for sin (Isa 53:10), and by pouring his soul to death (Isa 53:12), so also Jesus will take away human sin by pouring himself out to death on the cross. His death will bring deliverance for people from their suffering and eternal destruction. Thus, the Baptist witnesses to Jesus as the Lamb who will be slaughtered on the cross for human sin to bring salvation for all who believe. The readers can see a shadow of the cross in the Baptist’s witness.
After publicly acknowledging the superiority of the man Jesus in rank and status as the one who was existing before him (cf. 1:15, 27; 8:58), the Baptist acknowledges twice his ignorance of the identity of Christ, the Son of God (1:31, 33). He states that he came to baptize people with water so that the pre-existent Christ might be revealed to Israel (1:31). The term “Israel” could refer to the Jews who will believe and accept the God-sent Messiah, in contrast to “the Jews” in Jerusalem.30
The Baptist could identify that it is Jesus who is the Son of God when he saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and remaining on Jesus during his baptism (1:32; cf. Matt 3:16 par.). John uses the Synoptic tradition freely with an emphasis on the “remaining” of the Spirit on Jesus (1:32–33).31 Jesus was revealed to the Baptist by God, who sent John to baptize with water, as the one who baptizes people with the Holy Spirit by means of a vision of the descent of the Spirit that remained upon Jesus (1:33). This echoes Isa 11:1–2 LXX, where the identifying mark of the Christ is the resting of the Spirit of the Lord upon him. That Jesus is “the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” implies that Jesus, the bearer of God’s Spirit, is the one who fills those who believe in him with the same Spirit. The baptism with water can purify and prepare people to accept Christ, the Son of God, but the baptism with the Holy Spirit will enable believers to experience divine life and to continue his mission in the world (4:14; 7:37–39; 20:21–23).
Soon after the Baptist saw the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus, implicitly at the time of Jesus’ baptism, he bore witness that Jesus is the Son of God (1:34). In John the title “Son of God” is spoken of equally with God the Father (5:18; 10:30; 14:9–11), in contrast to the Roman emperor, who also was called “son of God.” In this sense, Jesus’ sonship is the only of its kind. The Jews in Qumran identified the “son” in 2 Sam 7:14 and Ps 2:7 with the Messiah begotten by God (1QSa 2.11–12; 4QFlor 1.1–19), and similarly John identifies the “Son of God” with the Messiah. At first the Baptist cryptically introduces Jesus as “the one standing among you whom you do not know” (1:26), and the veil is removed for the “insiders” when he introduces Jesus as the Lamb of God (1:29), and finally he reveals the one “upon whom the Spirit descends and remains” (1:33) as the Son of God.