Joh 1:19-36. The Baptist's Testimony to Christ
19. record--testimony.
the Jews--that is, the heads of the nation, the members of the Sanhedrim. In this peculiar sense our Evangelist seems always to use the term.
20. confessed, &c.--that is, While many were ready to hail him as the Christ, he neither gave the slightest ground for such views, nor the least entertainment to them.
21. Elias--in His own proper person.
that prophet--announced in [De 18:15], &c., about whom they seem not to have been agreed whether he were the same with the Messiah or no.
25. Why baptizest thou, if not, &c.--Thinking he disclaimed any special connection with Messiah's kingdom, they demand his right to gather disciples by baptism.
26. there standeth--This must have been spoken after the baptism of Christ, and possibly just after His temptation (see on [Joh 1:29]).
28. Bethabara--Rather, "Bethany" (according to nearly all the best and most ancient manuscripts); not the Bethany of Lazarus, but another of the same name, and distinguished from it as lying "beyond Jordan," on the east.
29. seeth Jesus--fresh, probably, from the scene of the temptation.
coming unto him--as to congenial company ([Ac 4:23]), and to receive from him His first greeting.
and saith--catching a sublime inspiration at the sight of Him approaching.
the Lamb of God--the one God-ordained, God-gifted sacrificial offering.
that taketh away--taketh up and taketh away. The word signifies both, as does the corresponding Hebrew word. Applied to sin, it means to be chargeable with the guilt of it ([Ex 28:38]; [Le 5:1]; [Eze 18:20]), and to bear it away (as often). In the Levitical victims both ideas met, as they do in Christ, the people's guilt being viewed as transferred to them, avenged in their death, and so borne away by them ([Le 4:15]; , [21, 22]; and compare [Is 53:6-12]; [2Co 5:21]).
the sin--The singular number being used to mark the collective burden and all-embracing efficacy.
of the world--not of Israel only, for whom the typical victims were exclusively offered. Wherever there shall live a sinner throughout the wide world, sinking under that burden too heavy for him to bear, he shall find in this "Lamb of God," a shoulder equal to the weight. The right note was struck at the first--balm, doubtless, to Christ's own spirit; nor was ever after, or ever will be, a more glorious utterance.
31-34. knew him not--Living mostly apart, the one at Nazareth, the other in the Judean desert--to prevent all appearance of collusion, John only knew that at a definite time after his own call, his Master would show Himself. As He drew near for baptism one day, the last of all the crowd, the spirit of the Baptist heaving under a divine presentiment that the moment had at length arrived, and an air of unwonted serenity and dignity, not without traits, probably, of the family features, appearing in this Stranger, the Spirit said to him as to Samuel of his youthful type, "Arise, anoint Him, for this is He!" ([1Sa 16:12]). But the sign which he was told to expect was the visible descent of the Spirit upon Him as He emerged out of the baptismal water. Then, catching up the voice from heaven, "he saw and bare record that this is the Son of God."
35. John stood--"was standing," at his accustomed place.
36. looking--having fixed his eyes, with significant gaze, on Jesus.
as he walked--but not now to him. To have done this once (see on [Joh 1:29]) was humility enough [Bengel].
Behold, &c.--The repetition of that wonderful proclamation, in identical terms and without another word, could only have been meant as a gentle hint to go after Him--as they did.
Joh 1:37-51. First Gathering of Disciples--John Andrew, Simon, Philip, Nathanael
38. What seek ye--gentle, winning question, remarkable as the Redeemer's first public utterance. (See on [Mt 12:18-20].)
where dwellest thou--that is, "That is a question we cannot answer in a moment; but had we Thy company for a calm hour in private, gladly should we open our burden."
39. Come and see--His second utterance, more winning still.
tenth hour--not ten A.M. (as some), according to Roman, but four P.M., according to Jewish reckoning, which John follows. The hour is mentioned to show why they stayed out the day with him--because little of it remained.
40. One ... was Andrew--The other was doubtless our Evangelist himself. His great sensitiveness is touchingly shown in his representation of this first contact with the Lord; the circumstances are present to him in the minutest details; he still remembers the Very hour. But "he reports no particulars of those discourses of the Lord by which he was bound to Him for the whole of His life; he allows everything personal to retire" [Olshausen].
Peter's brother--and the elder of the two.
41. have found the Messias--The previous preparation of their simple hearts under the Baptist's ministry, made quick work of this blessed conviction, while others hesitated till doubt settled into obduracy. So it is still.
42. brought him to Jesus--Happy brothers that thus do to each other!
beheld him--fixed his eyes on him, with significant gaze (as [Joh 1:36]).
Cephas ... stone--(See on [Mt 16:18]).
43. would go ... into Galilee--for from His baptism He had sojourned in Judea (showing that the calling at the Sea of Galilee [Mt 4:18] was a subsequent one, see on [Lu 5:1]).
Follow me--the first express call given, the former three having come to Him spontaneously.
44. the city of Andrew and Peter--of their birth probably, for they seem to have lived at Capernaum ([Mr 1:29]).
45. Nathanael--(See on [Mt 10:3]).
Moses--(See [Joh 5:46]).
son of Joseph--the current way of speaking. (See [Lu 3:23]).
46. any good out of Nazareth--remembering Bethlehem, perhaps, as Messiah's predicted birthplace, and Nazareth having no express prophetic place at all, besides being in no repute. The question sprang from mere dread of mistake in a matter so vital.
Come and see--Noble remedy against preconceived opinions [Bengel]. Philip, though he could not perhaps solve his difficulty, could show him how to get rid of it. (See on [Joh 6:68]).
47. an Israelite indeed ... no guile--not only no hypocrite, but with a guileless simplicity not always found even in God's own people, ready to follow wherever truth might lead him, saying, Samuel-like, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth" ([1Sa 3:10]).
48. Whence knowest thou me--conscious that his very heart had been read, and at this critical moment more than ever before.
Before Philip called thee--showing He knew all that passed between Philip and him at a distance.
when ... under the fig tree, &c.--where retirement for meditation and prayer was not uncommon [Lightfoot]. Thither, probably--hearing that his master's Master had at length appeared, and heaving with mingled eagerness to behold Him and dread of deception--he had retired to pour out his guileless heart for light and guidance, ending with such a prayer as this, "Show me a token for good!" (See on [Lu 2:8]). Now he has it, "Thou guileless one, that fig tree scene, with all its heaving anxieties, deep pleadings and tremulous hopes--I saw it all." The first words of Jesus had astonished, but this quite overpowered and won him.
49. Son of God ... King of Israel--the one denoting His person, the other His office. How much loftier this than anything Philip had said to him! But just as the earth's vital powers, the longer they are frost-bound, take the greater spring when at length set free, so souls, like Nathanael and Thomas (see on [Joh 20:28]), the outgoings of whose faith are hindered for a time, take the start of their more easy-going brethren when loosed and let go.