Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11
1 Thessalonians 5:16–24
John 1:6–8, 19–28
Lord Jesus Christ, we implore You to hear our prayers and to lighten the darkness of our hearts by Your gracious visitation; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
The Coming of the Christ Brings True Rejoicing in His Forgiveness
When he preaches repentance, John the Baptist points us to Christ Jesus. John was sent by God “as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him” (John 1:7). He baptizes with water in order to “make straight the way of the Lord,” who shall redeem His people from their sins (John 1:23). That Lord Jesus “who comes after” John now stands among us and makes Himself known to us (John 1:26–27). He has been anointed by the Holy Spirit “to bring good news to the poor” and “to bind up the brokenhearted” (Isaiah 61:1). By the washing of the water with His Word and Spirit, He clothes His Church with “the garments of salvation” and adorns her with His own righteousness “as a bride adorns herself with her jewels” (Isaiah 61:10). Therefore, we “rejoice always” in the Lord, “pray without ceasing” and “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18). For “the God of peace,” who has called you by the Gospel, will surely “sanctify you completely,” so that “your whole spirit and soul and body” will “be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24).
Prepare the Way of the Lord
Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege
“…the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”(John 1:3)
I have had (even as a pastor) several Jehovah’s Witnesses come to my door. After some small-talk I gently ask them, “Whose way did John the Baptist prepare?” Appropriately they answer, “He was preparing the way of Jesus.” I affirm their answer. Then I ask, why—as referenced in every Gospel account explaining the Baptist’s work—did Isaiah predict that John would prepare the way of the LORD, with LORD in the Old Testament prophecy being in all capital letters? Some of the less knowledgeable ask something like, “What is so important about LORD being in all capital letters?” Others, being JEHOVAH’s Witnesses, realize exactly where I am headed with such questioning: To have LORD in all capital letters in Old Testament texts is the English translator’s way of identifying the Hebrew word being used for LORD to be precisely the Holy Name of God, Jehovah. They have no answer for this; for how can John the Baptist prepare the way of Jehovah, thus identifying Jesus as Jehovah? What an opportunity to present the true God, the Triune God!
In examining Holy Scripture one can find numerous statements and descriptions wherein Jesus is identified as God. It would take dozens of pages to fully quote these texts, so briefly consider such statements and descriptions in this Sunday’s Gospel: Mark 1:1-8.
In his opening statement Saint Mark the Evangelist was inspired to write, The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God [1:1]. As explained in the New Testament, to label Jesus as Christ is to label him as God-in-the-flesh. Thus Saint Matthew would quote Isaiah 7:14 wherein the virgin-born Christ is identified as Immanuel, which is translated “God-with-us” [Mt 1:22]. Jesus is the Christ, God-with-us. As another example consider Jesus questioning the Jewish leaders as to why David (in Psalm 110) would call the Christ his “Lord.” The implication is that this coming Christ, who is indeed David’s “son”, is truly the Lord God. Many other such references identify the Christ as God.
In his brief introduction Mark further identifies Jesus as God by calling Him the Son of God. Numerous statements and descriptions in the New Testament explain that to be by nature the Son of God, Jesus must be fully God. Consider how the identity of Jesus is questioned by the Jews in John 5:18: This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because…he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. The Jews, unlike today’s Jehovah’s Witnesses, grasped the reality that for Jesus to be by nature God’s Son meant that He was truly equal with God.
When John the Baptist identified Jesus he explained, I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit [v 8]. After He rose from the dead Jesus spoke of the impending fulfillment of John’s prediction: John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now [Acts 1:8]. On Pentecost this Baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred as Jesus poured forth the Holy Spirit. In his Pentecost Sermon Peter explained that this fulfills what Joel had predicted where God says, I will pour out my Spirit [Acts 2:17,18]. Note how the prediction indicates that God would baptize with the Spirit, and John predicted that Jesus would baptize with the Spirit. Of course this identifies Jesus as God, who indeed continues to pour forth the Spirit through the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.
“He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.”(John 1:7)
John the Baptist was God’s greatest and last Old Testament prophet. The Christ (Messiah) was THE topic of the prophets before John, as attested by the highly regarded Jewish writing called the Talmud. This commentary on Scripture and Jewish belief stated, “All the prophets prophesied not but of the days of the Messiah” (Sanh. 99a). Now here stands John the Baptist (JB as opposed to John the Apostle) in the midst of those very days of the Messiah. So JB, like his Jewish prophetic predecessors, was sent by God to prophecy of the days of the Messiah (Christ); but even more, JB was sent to introduce the Christ.
The Gospel-writers John and Mark briefly introduce Jesus in their opening verses, but then their writings appropriately turn to JB, the official introducer of the Christ. Jesus is the Light, and the Apostle John says of JB, He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light (1:7). By divine mandate JB directed people to Jesus as the light of the world. JB officially pulled back the curtain, and the light of Christ shone upon mankind. It was only because JB had had been authorized to pull back the curtain that anyone could believe in Jesus, for as John would explain, …all might believe [in Jesus] through him [JB].
JB understood that he was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy that foretold a voice crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord (v 23). Isaiah was here not only predicting the days of the Messiah, but he was also predicting a voice in the wilderness which would introduce the Messiah. That voice of preparation and introduction for the Christ is none other than the voice of JB.
The very purpose of JB’s God-ordained baptism was to manifest the Messiah. He explains,…in order that He [Christ] might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water (1:31; see also Acts 19:4). JB thus fulfilled his God-given responsibility by introducing the Christ, but the introduction involved more than his baptism. To prepare people for Christ’s introduction, JB preached repentance. This preparation was necessary because only repentant hearts would be ready to hear the introduction of the Christ.
Unto penitents JB then planted the gospel-seed which identified the person and work of the Christ. Of Christ’s person JB announced not only his unworthiness to untie the sandal of the Christ, but this Christ is greater than JB because—even though JB was six months older than Jesus—Christ existed before him (v 15). The Christ is pre-existent; through Him the world was created (vv 3,10). To further set forth this divine nature of Jesus, JB had a foundational testimony: I have borne witness that this is the Son of God (v 34). To be by nature the Son of God meant that the Christ was equal with the Father, thus truly having power to save.
JB finally identifies the work of Jesus by calling Him the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (vv 29,36). Penitents could thus “see” the cross of Jesus. Andrew—a devout Jew who heard this proclamation—not only understood that this meant Jesus would be the sacrifice for sin, but this meant Jesus is the Christ. This is a key for penitents: the sin-bearer has come. It is because of this sin-bearing Lamb that JB’s baptism could offer forgiveness of sins. Now Andrew and the other disciple with him broke from following JB and began to follow Jesus; and Andrew—recognizing that JB had identified Jesus as the Christ—then shared this with his brother Simon: we have found the Messiah (v 41).
Thank God then for John the Baptist, for through him penitents come to see the light, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the sacrifice who removes the sins of the world.
John 1:6-8, 19-28
V. 6
Ἐγένετο ἄνθρωπος ἀπεσταλμένος παρὰ θεοῦ, ὄνομα αὐτῷ Ἰωάννης·
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
V. 7
οὗτος ἦλθεν εἰς μαρτυρίαν, ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός, ἵνα πάντες πιστεύσωσιν δι’ αὐτοῦ.
He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
Anyone who believes in Jesus believes through John. See 1 John "you have fellowship with us" - it's about the Word he bears. He is the ultimate witness - in Him we have eternal life.
V. 8
οὐκ ἦν ἐκεῖνος τὸ φῶς, ἀλλ’ ἵνα μαρτυρήσῃ περὶ τοῦ φωτός.
He was not the light, but came to bear witness (testify concerning) about the light.
-This is a big deal. He is NOT the one.
V.19
Καὶ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ Ἰωάννου ὅτε [a]ἀπέστειλαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐξ Ἱεροσολύμων ἱερεῖς καὶ Λευίτας ἵνα ἐρωτήσωσιν αὐτόν· Σὺ τίς εἶ;
And this is the testimony (witness) of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?"
-The temple people are the ones who came. Sent by the Pharisees v. 24 Acts 6 "a great number of the Priests became Christian."
V.20
καὶ ὡμολόγησεν καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσατο, καὶ ὡμολόγησεν ὅτι [b]Ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.
He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, "I am not the Christ."
(A jab at Peter?) This is a foundational confession, "I am NOT the Christ."
V.21
καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτόν· Τί οὖν; [c]σὺ Ἠλίας εἶ; καὶ λέγει· Οὐκ εἰμί. Ὁ προφήτης εἶ σύ; καὶ ἀπεκρίθη· Οὔ.
And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No."
-See Deuteronomy 18 - the Prophet was understood by some as another one sent. See Luke 1 John comes in the spirit of Elijah.
V22
εἶπαν οὖν αὐτῷ· Τίς εἶ; ἵνα ἀπόκρισιν δῶμεν τοῖς πέμψασιν ἡμᾶς· τί λέγεις περὶ σεαυτοῦ;
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?"
V.23
ἔφη· Ἐγὼ φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ· Εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, καθὼς εἶπεν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης.
He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,' as the prophet Isaiah said." He voiced...prepare the road for the Lord.
See Isaiah 40:3 the LXX translation is word for word. Good for Jehovah's Witness refutation. Jesus is referred to as “the Lord” and “God.”
John prepares by preaching repentance and pointing them to Christ. In John's gospel John's purpose is to make people realize this is the only Lord.
V.24.
Καὶ ἀπεσταλμένοι ἦσαν ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων.
(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.)
Clears friction of v. 19
V.25
καὶ ἠρώτησαν αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ· Τί οὖν βαπτίζεις εἰ σὺ οὐκ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς [e]οὐδὲ Ἠλίας οὐδὲ ὁ προφήτης;
They asked him, "Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
-There was an expectation of baptism. They ask why, by whose authority? Baptism of proselytes was as important as circumcision at this time. Ezekiel 36:25 understood as Messianic. Especially in Tatum and Talmud.
V.26
ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰωάννης λέγων· Ἐγὼ βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· [f]μέσος ὑμῶν [g]ἕστηκεν ὃν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε,
John answered them, "I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know,
-Literally "in the midst of you." See v. 29, "the next day..." Could Jesus have been there? All of Jerusalem was coming out. This could have been a huge crowd. 3/4 of a million?
V.27
ὁ ὀπίσω μου [i]ἐρχόμενος, οὗ [j]οὐκ εἰμὶ ἄξιος ἵνα λύσω αὐτοῦ τὸν ἱμάντα τοῦ ὑποδήματος.
even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie."
-A repeat from Advent 2 reading...
V.28
ταῦτα ἐν Βηθανίᾳ ἐγένετο πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου, ὅπου ἦν [k]ὁ Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων.
These things took place (occurred happened)in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Bethany was on the Jerusalem side of the river. Lazarus was from Bethany. Important to John's gospel.
The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
Image: Ed Riojas Higher Things
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