24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
John 1:24-34
Those who asked John the Baptist who he was were sent by the Pharisees, religious leaders of the day. Since John was neither Messiah nor the prophet like Moses nor Elijah and so had no official title, they asked him why he was baptizing. John stated he did not profess to speak with ultimate authority. He was preaching repentance (Luke 3:3) and was calling for baptism as a confession of repentance in expectation of the greater person who was yet to appear. This One coming after John was so important he was not even worthy to undo the strap of His sandal.
When John saw Jesus the next day, he told his followers Jesus was the Lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world. Lamb of God was a reference to the Jewish requirements for forgiveness of sin. Only the blood of the spotless Lamb of God could take away sin completely and permanently (Hebrews 9:14, 9:22, 10:4). John knew the destiny of Jesus right from the beginning. John then said even though Jesus was younger, Jesus had a higher rank because He existed before John. This verse not only emphasizes Jesus’ eternal nature as God, it denies that humans existed in any form prior to their conception in the womb.
John came to Israel baptizing so he might recognize Jesus and be able to show Israel their Savior. He knew Him now because when he baptized Him, the Holy Spirit came upon Him in the form of a dove. God the Father had told John the One on whom the Holy Spirit came in the form of a dove and stayed with would be the One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit. He had seen this happen and he now testified Jesus was the Son of God.
*How do you know Jesus is God?
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