John 1:19-28
John the Baptist denies being the Christ
19Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, "I am not the Christ."
21They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?"
He said, "I am not."
"Are you the Prophet?"
He answered, "No."
22Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"
23John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' "
24Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
26"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. 27He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie."
28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John the Baptist is written about in all four Gospels...John had a following of disciples...Jesus knew John the Baptist...They were relatives (Luke 1:36)...Some of Jesus' earliest followers were also followers of John the Baptist...
Many thought John might be the Christ because of his preaching and baptism of repentance...John the Baptist told everyone he was not the Messiah...John also denied being Elijah...The prophet Micah long ago said that Elijah would come before the day of the LORD (Micah 4:5)...So many thought John might be Elijah...
John tells everyone, he is the one Isaiah wrote about...He is the voice in the desert calling to make straight the way for the LORD...
John tells us in St. John's gospel and also the other gospels that he is not worthy to untie the sandals of our LORD Jesus...
John was questioned by the Sanhedrin and Levites about him being a prophet and what he was to fulfill...We know these religious officials were not seeking to follow him and may have been somewhat jealous...John quickly became popular and was gaining disciples quickly...
John the Baptist is the forerunner for our Messiah...He is the voice in the desert telling us Jesus has arrived...