Anchor My Faith

John, why are You Baptizing?

Scripture: John 1:22-27

In our previous lesson we determined that John was not the Christ, or Elijah, or the Prophet. Those who came to inquire of John about who he was were still were not satisfied, “So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”’ (John 1:22 ESV). There seems to be a growing frustration as those who were sent to get information about John have nothing positive yet to report so they press John into telling them who he is as they need an answer for those who sent them.

“[John] said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”’ (John 1:23 ESV). The response John gives to their request is made from Isaiah 40:3 (NKJV): “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”’ Isaiah spoke of one who would come and minister in the wilderness, crying out to make ready their hearts for the coming of the Lord. John was God’s messenger, sent to preach words of repentance and divine judgment in preparation for the message Jesus would bring concerning their salvation. To make straight the way of the Lord was a call for persons to reform their ways, and walk in the way of the Lord, to repent of their sins, believe in Christ, and submit to the ordinance of baptism.

“(Now [those who] had been sent from the Pharisees) . . . asked [John], “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”’ (John 1:24 – 25). A footnote for verse 24, found in the ESV Study Bible, Copyright 2008 by Crossway Bibles, describes “Pharisees as a relatively small but highly influential group of Jews who emphasized meticulous observance of God’s law (as understood both from the OT laws and from their accumulated extrabiblical traditions) as the means by which one attains righteousness before God and retains his favor.” Those who had been sent by these Pharisees wanted to know why John was baptizing if he was not someone important like the Christ, or Elijah, or the Prophet.

John doesn’t answer their question about why he was baptizing, but instead draws a comparison and points to Jesus. “John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”’ (John 1:26 – 27 ESV). In humility, John states that he baptizes with water, but then immediately points to one who stands among them who is so much greater than he is. He is the one who came to John to be baptized, who when coming up out of the water had a dove land on him and the voice of his Father identifying Jesus as his Son. Again John makes it clear that the difference of importance between he and Jesus is so great that he is not worthy to even stoop, as a servant, to untie the straps of his sandals. This person, Jesus, who stands among them, they do not know and many will never come to know him in this life.

Prayer

Father, when John was asked who he was, his response was, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” John was then asked, “Why do you then baptize?” John never answered that question but pointed to Jesus. Father, today water baptism is the believer’s witness of identifying with Jesus, which many believers are not willing to make today. In some cultures, that identify through water baptism could lead to death, but here in the west where we are free, we fail to publicly identify with our Lord. I wonder if that is because we don’t love and value him enough.