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John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What does John 1:21 mean?

Explanation

John 1:21 depicts a dialogue between John the Baptist and a group questioning him about his identity.

When asked if he is Elijah, John denies it.

Then they ask if he is "that prophet," a reference to the prophet Moses spoke of in Deuteronomy 18:15, again he replies, "No." The literal meaning is that John the Baptist rejects being identified as either Elijah or the expected prophet like unto Moses.

The deeper meaning lies in the expectation of Jewish tradition at that time, which anticipated the return of Elijah before the coming of the great and terrible "day of the Lord" (Malachi 4:5) and the rise of a prophet in the spirit of Moses who would guide the people as Moses did.

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Historical Context

John 1:21 is part of the New Testament, contained within the Gospel of John, written in the late 1st century CE.

At this time, there was a strong messianic expectation among the Jewish people.

This expectation included the belief that key figures from Jewish scripture would return or appear to signal the onset of the Messianic Age.

Elijah, based on prophecies in Malachi, was expected to return before the Messianic era.

In addition, Deuteronomy 18:15 mentions that God will raise up a prophet like Moses, leading to the expectation of a "Mosaic" figure who would hold a similar authority.

Theological Insights

Different theological traditions hold various interpretations of this verse.

From a Christian perspective, John the Baptist often is seen as a forerunner to Jesus, preparing the way for the Messiah but not embodying the return of Elijah or the new Moses himself.

John's responses emphasize a clear distinction between himself and these expected figures, indirectly pointing to Jesus as the one who fulfills such prophecies.

In contrast, some Jewish interpretations may view this verse as John plainly negating the claims of being either Elijah or the Prophet. To them, it is an indication that he was not the herald of the Messiah, which is congruent with the continued Jewish anticipation of the Messiah.

Practical Applications

This verse teaches the importance of humility and truthfulness when it comes to identity and accomplishments.

John the Baptist sets an example by acknowledging his role without falsely claiming honors not due to him.

People can apply this principle by being honest about their capabilities and roles, particularly when dealing with expectations and when in positions of influence or leadership.

Cross-References

Malachi 4:5 - "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:"
Deuteronomy 18:15 - "The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;"
Matthew 11:14 - "And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come."
Matthew 17:12-13 - "But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed.

Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the term "Elias" (Ἠλίας) refers to Elijah, a towering Old Testament prophet associated with the coming of the Messiah.

The term "prophet" (προφήτης) in "Art thou that prophet?" refers to the expected prophet like Moses from Deuteronomy 18:18. A closer look at the original language underscores the distinct roles these figures were expected to play.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Religions and cultures around the world have their prophecies and expectations of returning or coming figures.

For example, in Islam, there is an expectation of the Mahdi, a messianic figure.

In Buddhist tradition, the coming of Maitreya, a future Buddha, is anticipated.

In Judaism, Elijah returns to herald the Messiah.

John the Baptist's role in the Christian narrative can be compared to these figures as someone who prepares for a significant divine intervention.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse may not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings as the concepts of prophecy and spiritual identity are more theological and metaphysical than empirical.

However, from a psychological perspective, John the Baptist's confidence and clarity about his role despite societal expectations can be associated with a strong sense of self-awareness and psychological resilience.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse.

Some suggest that John's denial to being Elijah is a denial of being the literal Elijah, allowing for Jesus' later identification of him as Elijah in spirit (Matthew 11:14).

Other commentaries focus on John's humility and the importance of knowing one's role in God's plan, John the Baptist as the voice preparing the way for the Lord, not the fulfillment of those prophecies himself.

Overall, the consensus is on the significance of John’s mission as being not the climax, but the herald of the coming Messiah.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 1:21 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?