John 1:16-34

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1:15

So who is John the Baptist?

Who does John speak of in the latter part of this verse?
Jesus.

Why according to the Baptist does Jesus surpass him? And in what way does he surpass him? 

Jesus is over the Baptist in that He is from eternity, thus He came before him, and Jesus outranks the Baptist because Jesus is the promised Messiah of the OT. The Baptist was merely a way preparer for Jesus and his ministry would give way to Jesus. 

1:16

“Out of his (Jesus') fullness…” meaning the fullness/complete/perfectness of His love, power, wisdom. 

Grace in grace already given? Means what? God gave life at birth and now gives eternal life? 

The grace of revealing himself once to Israel now reveals himself to all. God gave us grace by revealing Himself to Israel and then more fully revealing Himself by the Word. IE The animal/ritual sacrifices were a grace of God; now in Jesus God gives a full grace by giving us the ultimate sacrifice. 

1:17 

The law of Moses. it was given through Moses and it was good and holy yet it was a law of condemnation. Its purpose was to bring men to trust in God and not themselves. it was given to show that they could not be or earn their righteousness. But Jesus brought the favor of God which man could not, nor cannot, earn. We have in Jesus grace without which we stand condemned by the law. We have in Jesus truth. which is the reality of all the shadows/types that were cast in the OT by the stories, ceremonies, sacrifices. Everything in the OT was meant to point us to Jesus; including the law of Moses. 

What is grace and truth? Moreover, how did they come through Jesus? 

Grace= “the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it, not necessarily because of anything we have done to earn it” Or rather God giving us what we didn’t earn. 

Truth= Jesus (Jn 14:6) and His ministry/what He did. Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. That is the biblical meaning of truth. Because the definition of truth flows from God, truth is theological.

(Truth is also ontological—which is a fancy way of saying it is the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. Therefore God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth. Of course, there cannot be any discord or difference of opinion between the written Word of God (Scripture) and the incarnate Word of God (Jesus). In the first place, truth by definition cannot contradict itself. Second, Scripture is called “the word of Christ” (Colossians 3:16). It is His message, His self-expression. In other words, the truth of Christ and the truth of the Bible are of the very same character. They are in perfect agreement in every respect. Both are equally true. God has revealed Himself to humanity through Scripture and through His Son. Both perfectly embody the essence of what truth is.)

Thus, Jesus is the grace of God because God gave us a sacrificial lamb when He didn’t have to. And truth because He has shown us who God is. 

1:18 

apart of Jesus, no one knows/sees God. God is spirit and thus apart from Jesus can’t be seen. and Jesus is continually in perfect intimacy with the father. And through Jesus incarnation, we know God or are shown God by Him. 

1:19-22

So here the Jewish leaders/Pharisees demanded to know whether the Baptist is the Messiah, Elijah or a prophet. And John denies all 3. 

Why did these leaders ask if Baptist was the Messiah? Elijah? The prophet? 

The Pharisees learned of this radical preacher in the desert and decided to pay him a visit. The Pharisees were, at the time, in fear of an up raising/revolt from the ppl. There had been several thus far and all failed. The Pharisees were trying to remain in power so they could continue to keep the ppl under control of them and not in full control of the Romans. So the Pharisees take matters into their own hands before the Romans have to take action. The consequences of that would be deadly! 

Elijah?

Who was Elijah in the OT? What did he do?

The Pharisees knew that Elijah was supposed to precede the Messiah. They expected a literal flesh and blood Elijah. But Baptist was just a type/kind of Elijah. 

The Prophet?

Moses had promised the ppl the Prophet like himself. (Deut. 18:15). Moses was their great deliver so, likewise, the Jews were in captivity yet again and yet again looking for a deliverer. 

1:22 

They didn’t seek truth or the message of John. They only wanted to please their higher-ups. Be careful not to cast pearls before swine in our day and age. 

1:23-28

So here, the Baptist answers the Jew’s question and says “I am the prophecies ‘way-preparer’ for the Lord” Then the Baptist claims that Jesus is the one they seek and stand unrecognized in the midst. 

1:23

the Baptist takes Isaiah’s prophet (Isa. 40:3-5) and applies it to himself. Which it did speak of the Baptist. The Baptist here is saying that Jesus was coming. Jesus is a king and often before a king would come there would be way preparer’s that would flatten and straighten the roads/path for the king and his journey. But remember Jesus is a spiritual king not earthly so the Pharisees weren’t looking for a spiritual preparer but an earthly one. 

What was the message that Baptist was preaching/Crying out with? 

REPENT, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Whats repentance? Why do we repent? Do we still preach repentance now? The reason for repentance as Baptist states is “FOR the kingdom of heaven is at hand” why is that a reason to repent? 

Jesus is already Lord of all anyone who hasn’t ended their rebellion/anyone who hasn’t repented will suffer the just punishment of rebelling against the true king. Thus we are to surrender and submit to the King. 

1:24-28

So why was Baptist demanding purity of life and practice of baptism? 

The Baptist answers. Baptize=in greek baptizo meaning dipped or immerse. Thus, scripture clearly states that baptisms is to be done by immersion. 

The Baptist states that he is too unfit to perform even the lowest of tasks for this for Him. The practice of removing/cleaning sandals was reserved for the lowest of servants. 

Bethany other side of Jordan= is probably where Joshua and the Israelites crossed at to get into Israel and take the promised land. Thus, God’s promises in the OT are about to be fulfilled. 

1:29-34

Here, the Baptist points the multitudes to Jesus as the Lamb of God. the Baptist then tells his God-given evidence of his testimony.

What does Baptist mean when he says that Jesus is the ‘Lamb of God”?

The lamb was a sacrifice but this Lamb was of God and could take away the sin of the world. Meaning that any kind of alienation from God is taken away by Jesus. 

Notice he says world, not Jews/Israel. So this action of Jesus is enough to bring any sinner to God.

Dove. There is always a correspondence between the sign and the reality. God here chooses to make a public representation of Jesus and his meekness by choosing a Dove. 

It would seem before Jesus' baptism that John didn’t know of Jesus divinity and thus it was shown to him at that time. Or at least, didn’t know His divinity. 

By this act of Jesus Baptist sees his divinity and knows him and His mission in that He is the chosen one/literally messiah of God.