Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 1:22
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
22. Who art thou? ] They continue asking as to his person; he replies as to his office. In the presence of the Messiah the personality of His Forerunner is lost.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Joh 1:22-23
What sayest thou of thyself?
I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MADE THE MAN. John was the transition point between the old and the new. The old religion was breaking up as was evident in the multiplication of sects, like the multiplication of the sects before the Reformation showed that it was near. Four divisions of society:
1. The Pharisees. The formalists of their day they endeavoured to keep religion alive by retaining the past. It is an evidence of something gone when antiquarians collect and prize relics. Pharisaism is the religion of habit.
2. The Sadducees: Rationalists, cold of heart and clear in intellect. Sadduceeism is a reaction against Phariseeism in every age. Rationalism is a dry, critical, negative spirit which protests against all that cannot be proved. The religion of the intellect merely.
3. The Essenes: They could bear neither formalism nor scepticism. Mystics who went out into the wilderness to find God in contemplation. Their creed God must be felt, their religion one of feeling.
4. The Herodians: A political party who turned aside from religious questions to those which concerned mans social and political existence.
II. THE MAN JOHN.
1. It was impossible for John to join the Pharisees. How, with his impatience of all that was unreal and his iron earnestness, could he belong to those whose life was droned away in litanies and genuflexions?
2. Nor can we conceive him resting in mere Sadducaic negations; satisfied with their cold intellectualisms and protests against superstition?
3. Nor could that iron man dream life away with the Essenes.
4. As for the Herodians–surely for one whose life was so real, a patriots life offered what was wanted. But John yearned not for civil liberty, but a kingdom of God. He loved humanity more than men, and could find no career in mere politics. It is only in the consideration of such circumstances that Johns peculiar life becomes intelligible.
III. His MISSION.
1. The preparation. Thirty years preparation for one years work.
(1) Consider the testimony of such a life to the existence of another world;
(2) In the wilderness he measured the worth of society, with its conventionalities and parties, as one sees how the battle goes while he is in it; no one ever understood the world except by getting out of it;
(3) The Spirit of God passed into life and action in Him, and made Him intensely real. Only real men can deal witch real questions, and the real questions of to-day are not the frivolous ones discussed in religious journals, but what is God and where. What is human life? Whither are we tending?
2. The mode in which John prepared the way for Christ.
(1) He calls himself a voice: an articulate expression. Four centuries had passed and no one could speak the word Repent, if the kingdom of God is to come. Regenerated society comes not from regenerated institutions; but regenerated hearts produce both. But none till John had found the tongue to express this. He spoke out what the world wanted. Distinguish between eloquence and fluency. Fluency John had not: short, sharp, decisive words were his. No ornament or trick of oratory there. Let us not covet fluency but eloquence, the gift of speaking the right thing, at the right time, in the right way.
2. He was a voice crying Prepare, etc. He was s leveller.
(1) The mountain of caste stood in the Kings way. John said, I tell you God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham, and the mountain fell.
(2) The mountain of religious sectarianism, O generation of Vipers, levelled that.
(3) The mountain which gave impunity to wrong doing. Johns rebuke of Herod brought that down. Notice the wondrous way in which all fell together at that mighty voice. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
The answer of the Baptist
He had come
I. TO ANNOUNCE THAT GOD WAS ABOUT TO COME AS HE NEVER CAME BEFORE.
1. This was Isaiahs belief, and when John accentuated it he knew that the Divine visitation was near. Had the prophet suspected the delay he would have wondered, and knowing it, doubtless John wondered. Do we? Let us then remember that God always takes His time. If He wants to make a weed, that does not take Him long: if He wants to make an oak, that is more tedious business; if He wants to save a world it takes Him longer still.
2. The Baptist did not imply that God was absent, but that He was about to be manifested. Hitherto it had been winter; the Sun of righteousness had been comparatively hidden. Now He was to arise with healing in His wings.
3. Christ came for
(1) The worlds enlightenment;
(2) The subjugation of men;
(3) The saving of the world.
II. TO BID MEN GET READY FOR HIM. Make straight the way. That was mans work. If God had compelled men to prepare that would have ensured the frustration of His purposes. Gods will is that men should do His will willingly. Three great barriers.
1. Thoughtlessness: It was troublesome to think about Christ sufficiently to see the validity of His claims; so now.
2. Pride: The Jews could not bring themselves to confess their need of a Saviour.
3. Worldliness. (H. W. Burgoyne, M. A.)
The voice crying in the wilderness
I. WHERE THE VOICE CRIED. In the wilderness.
1. Locally:
(1) Generally, the wilderness of Judaea (Mat 3:1);
(2) Particularly, Bethany beyond Jordan.
2. Metaphorically: in the moral desert of Judaea Israel was a wilderness, and Zion a desolation. The Hope of Israel survived only in the breasts of a Luk 1:25). The deepest corruption and the basest hypocrisy reigned among the priesthood (Mat 23:13; Mat 23:39). The people were sunk in social and moral degradation (Mat 3:8; Luk 7:7-14). The intellectual classes were ostentatiously sceptical (Mat 22:23; Act 23:8).
II. THE PROPHETIC VOICE IS SUITABLE FOR AND DEMANDED BY THE SPIRITUAL WASTES OF SOCIETY. There the prophet should cry aloud and spare not (Isa 58:1).
III. THE QUALITY OF THE VOICE.
1. Lonely.
2. Authoritative.
3. Directive.
4. Arrestive. (T. Whitelaw, M. A.)
Only a voice
Christ was a surprise to the world. God prepared the world for this by the ministry of the Baptist. The world has now become accustomed to the story of redemption. But the proclamation of the coming of the King in His glory is still a surprise. It runs counter to all human plans of development, is contradictory to the pride and self-confidence of men, and stands in the same relation to our ministry as did the coming of Christ as a Redeemer to that of the Baptist. That we may rightly fulfil this most responsible office, let us look at the outline of his work. These parallel and coincident offices are
I. AN ORDINANCE, NOT AN OUTGROWTH. Its origin is traced to mystery. It is not in harmony with the other voices of the world, but introduces a discord with other utterance, as students of history criticise the record. Heaven, not earth, is its source. It came by Divine ordinance, not through human development. The law of its appointment was such in John the Baptist, and is to be such in our living.
1. The motive of its fulfilment is of God.
2. The reward of fidelity is equally of Divine ordinance–does not come by natural outgrowth. The heralds work will have little accumulation of visible results. The reward is beyond. Soon shall we forget the ingratitude of earth.
II. IT IS THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF ANOTHERS INDIVIDUALITY. As if he had said, I am the mouthpiece of one proclaiming.
1. The breath of God is the power by which our work is accomplished. Said Paul, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
2. The words are of God, though ours be the voice. And may I add to this thought, the very tone of such a voice is of God.
III. Finally, ALL THIS IS COMBINED IN TESTIMONY. There was the simplicity of sincerity in this man. Christian workers, make it true in your own experience that ye are for Christ without qualification; and let man be helped by the testimony that springs from this deep sincerity.
1. Self-forgetful living is the first element in such testimony.
2. In such testimony there must be detaching influence. John the Baptist did not attach disciples to himself. He pointed to the Lamb of God, and his disciples left him and followed Jesus.
3. There must be plainest teaching. John the Baptist preached a single sermon, twice the same day; but while he had that sermon he needed no new one. Behold the Lamb of God, etc. It was blessed to his hearers because it was emphasized by sincerity and consecration. Peter and Andrew knew his meaning, and comprehended that there was more in his utterance than even the words had phrased. Let us enter into this harmony of service, so that our speech shall be sustained by our silence; our conscious influence be in harmony with that which is unconscious and undesigned among our fellow-men.
Conclusion: I speak to
1. Christians that they may bear their testimony to the manifested and coming King.
2. Those who are not Christians. The voice of Christ speaks to you to-day. What answer will you give? (S. H. Tyng, D. D.)
Self out of sight in the preacher
Rev. Dr. Andrew A. Bonar in Christian Growth, an address to Christians at Glasgow, said: Some years ago, a zealous and devoted eider, now gone to glory, was pushing his way one evening to be in time for a workers meeting. Taking his place in the meeting, he noticed how the conversation was going on, and rose to give a word. He said, In coming along I saw a crowd at a shop door in Argyle Street. I pressed in among the crowd to see what was attracting the attention. There was a large picture in the hands of the auctioneer; and he, with great skill, was holding it up to view; and, standing behind his picture so as to be completely hid, was inviting the attention of the company to every remarkable point in the painting. All the while I never got a glimpse of the man himself. That is the way to preach Christ. Self, out of sight–Christ held forth.
An uncouth messenger, but a glorious message
A lady, who was in Richmond at the time of the siege, tells of the delight with which she received a note torn from a soldiers pocketbook, and grimed all over with gunpowder; but which assured of the safety of the town. The medium was nothing; the message was everything. (H. O. MacKey.)
A ministers work
My barque is but a little fishing boat, whose business it is to fish for the souls of men; my gifts fit me only to be such a coasting vessel as may carry corn from port to port to feed those who hunger for satisfying bread. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The Baptist and the Bible
I. JOHN HAD LEARNED TO READ HIS BIBLE. It is a good thing to be able to quote from Scripture. To buy a Bible and treasure it as an ornament is good as far as it goes; but the book must be read so as to be remembered if it is to be of service. It is just possible that had we been in the Baptists place we should have had some difficulty in making our memory of Scripture serve us. The Bible is crowded out by the multiplication of books, the very best of which is not to be named beside it.
II. JOHN BELIEVED IN PROPHECY. The question arose, doubtless, as to whether the New Teacher was orthodox. His testimony, however otherwise disagreeable, showed that he was loyal to the traditions of his religion and country. It is a great trouble to some people to believe in the Jewish prophets.
III. John believing in prophecy REGARDED HIMSELF AS THE FULFILMENT OF IT. It is not every man who, being asked who and what he is, can turn to the Scripture and find the answer there. The remembrance that God was working according to a great plan, and that he was part of that plan, must have given him a noble self-consciousness. In this the Baptist was not wholly singular. Although our names may not be in the Bible, we are as much a part of Gods plan as John was. Believe, then, that as truly as God sent the Baptist He sent you. (H. W. Burgoyne, B. A.)
John in the wilderness
Losing the solaces of an earthly home, he found in God an everlasting portion. Like a single trunk of an Alpine tree rising solitary from between the interstices of some lonely rock and throwing its branches over the cataract. You look for soil, there is scarcely any to be seen; and yet that gnarled root has fastened its tenacious grasp on the bare stone, and tossed its green branches in the air, as if it needed nothing but the breath of heaven for its support. So this soul flourished where less hardy spirits would have starved, and breathed freely the atmosphere of heaven while yet upon earth. (F. W. Robertson, M. A.)
Make the paths straight
This is what the sun says. He comes to us every morning, and stays with us all day long, but if it were not for the preparation and reception in the way of opening shutters and raising blinds, we should lose very much of his blessing. All the world over, before a blessing can be enjoyed there must be a fitness to receive it. If you take a blind man into a picture-gallery, what good do you do? The beauty of the pictures is there, but the man is unaffected by it; its way into the mans soul has not been made straight. You may play all manner of beautiful music, but if your audience is deaf, you play only for yourself; the way of the music is not made straight except into your heart. And the result will be just the same if the blindness and deafness are not natural but assumed. If the man in the picture-gallery is only covering his eyes with his hands, he is as good as blind; and if the people in the concert-room are only putting their fingers into their ears, they are as good as deaf. So it was, alas! so it is, with the people and Jesus. (H.W. Burgoyne.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 22. That we may give an answer to them that sent us.] These Pharisees were probably a deputation from the grand Sanhedrin; the members of which, hearing of the success of the Baptist’s preaching, were puzzled to know what to make of him, and seriously desired to hear from himself what he professed to be.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Hitherto John had given them only a negative answer, and told them who he was not; he was neither Christ, nor the Elias, nor that prophet they expected; neither any of the old prophets risen from the dead; nor any prophet at all in a strict sense (as were the prophets of the Old Testament): they press him to a direct, plain, positive answer, that they might give an answer to those that sent them, who did not send them to inquire what he was not, but what he was. And there were various talks and discourses of the people about him, which they were not willing to take up and run away with; but they desired to have it from himself.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Then said they unto him, who art thou?…. Since, as yet, he had only answered in negatives, who he was not, that he was not the Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet; they desire he would give them a positive account who he was:
that we may give answer to them that sent us; that their labour might not be in vain; that they might not come so far for nothing, without knowing who he was; and that they might be capable of giving an account of him to the sanhedrim:
what sayest thou of thyself? they insisted on it, that he would openly, and honestly declare who he was, and what was his office and business; that from his own mouth, and not from the opinion and conjectures of others, they might represent him in a true light to those who had deputed them on this errand.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
They said therefore ( ). Second aorist active indicative of defective verb with instead of usual . Note , inferential here as in verse 21 though often merely transitional in John.
Who art thou? ( ;). Same question as at first (verse 19), but briefer.
That we give answer ( ). Final use of with second aorist active subjunctive of with from , above, old substantive as in Lu 2:47.
To those that sent ( ). Dative case plural of the articular participle first aorist active of .
What sayest thou of thyself? ( ;). This time they opened wide the door without giving any hint at all.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “Then said they unto him, Who art thou?” (eipan oun auto) “They then said to him, just who are you?” If he was not either Jesus (that prophet) or Elias, in person, just who could he be? they mulled among themselves, as they feared his bold message and wide influence, Mat 14:5; Mar 6:14-20; Luk 9:7-9.
2) “That we may give answer to them that sent us.” (hina apokrisin domen tois pempsasin hemas) “In order that we may give an answer (a satisfactory reply) to those who sent us; Just give us an explanation of your real identity, as a religious man, a mover of the masses, in order that we may be able to give a formal and official reply to the high order of religious Jews who delegated us to get this information of your identity, and an abstract of your person and message, Joh 1:19.
3) “What sayest thou of thyself?” (ti legeis peri seautou) “What do you say concerning yourself?” or just who do you think you are? Would you give us an opinion of yourself and your mission? What better question could John have desired. It was like throwing a rabbit into a briar patch, a duck into a pond of water, or a fish into a river. And he bare witness of Jesus, again and again, Joh 1:6-8; Joh 1:15; Joh 1:29-34.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(22) That we may give an answer.He has given the No to all the ideas they had formed of him. There is nothing left to them but to draw the definite statement from himself, or to return to their senders empty handed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
‘They therefore said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?”. He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness – ‘Make the way of the Lord straight’ – as Isaiah the prophet said”.’
On being pressed he connected himself with the words of Isa 40:3. He claimed not to be an important personage but only to be a voice, ‘the preparer of the way’, pointing to and making ready for the coming activity of God (v. 23). Just as when great kings were making a journey men would go before them to straighten up the roads and make them passable, so John had come to prepare the way for another, by straightening up men’s lives and removing from them all the hindrances that had built up in them. This passage is applied to him in all four Gospels. Thus John is ‘the Voice’, the introducer, Jesus is ‘the Word’ the full revelation of God. (As mentioned above this same passage was cited by the Qumran community about themselves)
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 1:22-23 . Now comes the question which cannot be met by a bare negative; as in Joh 9:36 .
The positive answer to this is from Isa 40:3 according to the LXX., with the variation instead of , in unison with the second half of the words in the LXX. For the rest, see on Mat 3:3 . The designation of himself, the herald of the coming Messiah calling men to repentance, as a voice , was given in the words of the prophet, and the accompanying excludes the idea which Baur entertains, that John here intended to divest himself, as it were, of every personal characteristic. According to Hilgenfeld, Evang . p. 236, the evangelist has put the passage of Scripture applied to the Baptist by the Synoptics (who, however, have not this account at all) “at last into the Baptist’s own mouth.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
Ver. 22. Who art thou? that we may give answer ] They would not be soon said or satisfied. How much more should God’s messengers go through stitch with their errand and ambassage; binding men’s sins upon their consciences if they be stubborn or stupid; and having in a “readiness to revenge all disobedience?”2Co 10:62Co 10:6 . When the Aequi and Volsci (a certain people in Italy) bade the Roman ambassador in scorn ad quercum dicere, se interim alia acturos, tell their tale to the oak that stood by, they had somewhat else to do than to hear him. He presently replied, Et haec sacrata quercus audiat, foedus a vobis esse violatum: Let this consecrated oak hear and bear witness that you have broke your covenant, and shall dearly answer it. (Livy.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
22. ] Notice they ever ask about his person: he ever refers them to his office . He is no one a voice merely: it is the work of God, the testimony to Christ which is every thing. So the formalist ever in the church asks Who is he? while the witness for Christ only exalts, only cares for Christ’s work.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
sent. Greek. pempo. See App-174. A characteristic word in this Gospel. See note on p. 1511.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
22.] Notice-they ever ask about his person: he ever refers them to his office. He is no one-a voice merely: it is the work of God, the testimony to Christ which is every thing. So the formalist ever in the church asks Who is he? while the witness for Christ only exalts, only cares for Christs work.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 1:22. , may give an answer) The people had demanded an answer, and especially the Jewish chief priests.-, concerning) Each man himself ought) to know himself [and, if he has any undertaking in particular, he ought to have in readiness a reason [to give] of his undertaking.-V. g.]
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 1:22
Joh 1:22
They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?-They wished him to define his mission, if neither the prophet nor Elijah [so that on their return to Jerusalem they could give an intelligent report to those who had sent them].
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
that: 2Sa 24:13
Reciprocal: Joh 8:25 – Who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2
The negative answers did not furnish these messengers with a satisfactory report to take back with them. They insisted that John take the affirmative line and give them a specific answer as to his identity. veryone knew the personal and family name of John, and hence this inquiry did not pertain to that. What the messengers wanted to know pertained to his connection with the vital affairs of the Jews.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 1:22. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? The Baptist has disowned the three suppositions that have been made. He is not the Christ, not Elijah, not the prophet. The deputation now appeal directly to himself to state who he is.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 22, 23. They said then to him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23. He said, I am a voice crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.
The deputies have now exhausted the suppositions which were furnished by the accepted Messianic programme of their time. Nothing remains for them but to propose to John again the question which shall make him abandon the negative attitude to which he is limiting himself: Who art thou? that is to say, What personage art thou? For his extraordinary conduct must be occasioned by an exceptional mission. John replies to it by a passage from Isaiah, which contains at once the explanation asked for and the guarantee of his mission. The sense of the prophetic passage is this: Jehovah is on the point of appearing in order to manifest His glory. At the moment which precedes His appearance, without the appearing of any person on the scene, a voice is heard which invites Israel to make straight the way by which the Lord is to come.
The question in this description is not of the return from the captivity, but of the Messianic appearance of Jehovah. As in the East, before the arrival of the sovereign, the roads are straightened and leveled, so Israel is to prepare for its divine King a reception worthy of Him; and the function of the mysterious voice is to engage her in carrying out this work of preparation, lest the signal grace of which she is to be the object may turn into judgment. John applies to himself so much more willingly these words of Isaiah, because it fully accords with his desire to put his own person into obscurity and to let nothing but his message appear: A voice. The words in the wilderness can be referred, in Hebrew as in Greek, either to the verbto cry, or to the verb to make straight. As regards the sense, it amounts to the same thing, since the order sounds forth in the place where it is to be executed. The reference to the preceding verb is more natural, especially in the Greek. The wilderness designates in the East uncultivated lands, the vast extents of territory which serve for pasturage, and which are crossed by winding paths, and not by roads worthy of a sovereign. Such is the emblem of the moral state of the people; the royal way by which Jehovah is to enter is not yet prepared in their hearts. The feeling of national repentance is still wanting. The sojourning of the forerunner in the wilderness indicated clearly, through this literal conformity to the prophetic emblem, the moral accomplishment of the prophecy. Does the formula of citation, as said, also belong to the reply of the Baptist? Or is it a remark of the evangelist? What makes us incline to the first alternative is, that the forerunner had more need of legitimating himself than the evangelist had of legitimating him so long afterwards. To reply as John does was to enunciate his commission, and to declare his orders. It was to say, in fact, to these deputies, experts in the knowledge of the law and the prophets, that, if he was not personally one of the expected ancient personages, his mission was, nevertheless, in direct connection with the approaching manifestation of the Messiah. This was all which the Sanhedrim and the people practically needed to know.
The inquiry had borne, at first, upon the office of John the Baptist. The deputation completed it by a more special interrogation respecting the rite of baptism, which he is allowing himself to introduce into the theocracy without the authorization of the Sanhedrim. The evangelist prepares the way for this new phase of the conversation by a remark having reference to the religious character of the members of the deputation.
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
In response to the leaders’ question, John the Baptist claimed to be a prophet who was preparing the way for the Lord’s coming. He quoted Isa 40:3, which is part of a messianic prophecy (cf. Mat 3:3; Mar 1:3; Luk 3:4). In that prophecy Isaiah predicted the manifestation of God’s glory when Messiah appeared (Isa 40:5; cf. Joh 1:14). Significantly John did not claim to be the Word but only a voice.