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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 1:23 mean?

Explanation

The verse found in John 1:23, "He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias," refers to the words of John the Baptist as he describes his own prophetic role.

In this context, John identifies himself as the metaphorical voice that Isaiah the prophet spoke of, one that calls out in the wilderness compelling people to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

The deeper meaning here revolves around spiritual preparation and repentance, as John's purpose was to announce the imminence of Jesus’ ministry and to ready the hearts of the people to receive Him.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The verse is rooted in the Jewish expectation of a messianic figure who would come to redeem Israel. John the Baptist lived during the 1st century in Roman-occupied Judea.

It was a time of spiritual longing and political unrest, with many Jews expecting the fulfillment of prophecies about a Messiah who would deliver them.

The quote draws from the Old Testament, specifically Isaiah 40:3, showing John’s role as a precursor to Christ and fulfilling the ancient prophecies about the Messiah’s advent.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse carries a heavy weight in Christian doctrine.

It confirms the belief that John the Baptist was the foretold forerunner to Jesus Christ, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy.

In various Christian denominations, this is seen as proof of the divinity and sovereignty of Christ and the infallibility of biblical prophecy.

Another viewpoint may interpret this more symbolically, with the "way of the Lord" being an ongoing, spiritual path that each individual should prepare within themselves.

Practical Applications

This verse inspires individuals to reflect on their own spiritual paths and to make changes that align their lives more closely with their faith and values.

Much like John the Baptist urged people to prepare for Christ, this verse can be a call for moral accounting and readiness to embrace spiritual truths.

Practically speaking, it may involve acts of repentance, service to others, or personal growth that make one's life a straighter path towards spiritual goals.

Cross-References

Isaiah 40:3 "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God."
Matthew 3:3 "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Mark 1:3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Luke 3:4 "As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

Language Study

The Greek phrase for "voice of one crying" is "φωνὴ βοῶντος" (phōnē boōntos), which literally means "voice of one shouting or calling out." The term "wilderness" in Greek is "ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ" (en tē erēmō), conveying not just a deserted place, but a spiritual desert that needs life and direction.

"Make straight the way" uses the Greek "εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν" (euthynate tēn hodōn), which means to remove obstacles and correct distortions; it promotes the idea of ethical and spiritual reformation.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The concept of a prophetic voice calling in the wilderness has parallels in other religious and cultural stories.

Many ancient myths speak of heralds and forerunners who announce the coming of gods or heroes.

In various Native American traditions, the vision quest often takes place in the wilderness as a way of spiritual preparation and transformation.

In some Eastern philosophies, the concept of preparing a way for enlightenment or greater knowledge within oneself is a common motif.

Scientific Perspectives

While John 1:23 is deeply rooted in spirituality, one could interpret the "wilderness" metaphorically as the chaos and disorder in life that can be made "straight" or ordered through understanding and applying laws of nature and human behavior.

In psychology, for instance, the idea of making one's paths straight could be akin to correcting maladaptive patterns through therapies or self-awareness techniques.

commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have offered their insights on John 1:23:

William Barclay highlights that John the Baptist's message was one of preparation and repentance, not of comfort, indicating the seriousness of Jesus' coming.
**D.A.

Carson** emphasizes the fulfillment of prophecy, as John explicitly identifies himself with Isaiah's words, confirming his role in salvation history.

Matthew Henry focuses on the humility of John the Baptist, who did not claim to be the Christ but only a voice to prepare His way, emphasizing the importance of knowing and accepting one's role in God's plans.
**Craig S.

Keener** discusses the historical context, where the wilderness was associated not only with desolation but also with a place of divine encounter, as Israel's history attests (from the Exodus to Elijah's time).

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:23 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 1:23 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?