HE NEVER SAID
Opening Prayer
Almighty Lord God, you are worthy of honor far greater than anything I can offer you. Thank you for welcoming my words of praise. My heart’s desire is to bring you glory in all that I say and do.
Read JOHN 1:19–28
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
19 Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders[a] in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”
21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?”
He said, “I am not.”
“Are you the Prophet?”
He answered, “No.”
22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’”[b]
24 Now the Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
26 “I baptize with[c] water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Footnotes
- John 1:19 The Greek term traditionally translated the Jews (hoi Ioudaioi) refers here and elsewhere in John’s Gospel to those Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus; also in 5:10, 15, 16; 7:1, 11, 13; 9:22; 18:14, 28, 36; 19:7, 12, 31, 38; 20:19.
- John 1:23 Isaiah 40:3
- John 1:26 Or in; also in verses 31 and 33 (twice)
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way’ (Psalm 25:9). If possible, kneel before God in humility now.When you really want a particular job, you may encounter the temptation to claim more about yourself than you properly should. The need to ‘sell yourself’ to a prospective employer can lead to some very creative expressions of professional and personal achievements!
John the Baptist must have been similarly tempted when it came to responding to the questions of the priests and Levites (v. 19), and Pharisees (v. 24), regarding his status. Since they were asking, why not suggest, at least, that he might indeed be Elijah, or a prophet (v. 21), or even the Messiah (v. 20)? John, however, resisted the temptation, identifying himself emphatically as only the ‘support act’ to the ‘headlining’ Christ to follow (vv. 23, 26, 27).
The spiritual insight and humility of John is contrasted with the spiritual ignorance and pride of the religious leaders who question him and who, by virtue of their office, really should have perceived that God was at work in his activities. They were in the dark when it came to the Light about whom John testified (v. 19). God is not
constrained by our proudly held prescriptions for how he must work, and through whom he will work.
Apply
Where are areas that you might be tempted to not let God be God, where he may be acting in ways foreign to your experience?
Closing prayer
I confess, Lord, that there are times when I question your activities. Open my heart and mind to the fact that you are the God of infinite possibilities.
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