John 1:19-28

John 1:19-28 

John the Baptist's ministry created quite a stir in and among the Jews. The number of people coming out to John was large enough that it could upset the status quo. Two groups sent delegations to see if this dessert preacher posed a threat. The priestly delegation would have represented the temple authorities while the Pharisees would have represented the synagogue authority. In verse 19 the author uses the term “the Jews”.  This term will be a recurring theme in this gospel and represent the antagonist in the story, and become closely associated with institutional powers. 

When the people of God morph into an institution that institution becomes self-protective. The preservation of the status quo takes precedence and priority over everything else. Institutions can't help themselves that is their nature; it is what they always become. But the people of God are not an institution and as such they are flexible and responsive to what God is doing at the moment. 

The Jews asked John who he was regarding three specific prophecies. John denied all three. He affirmed he was not the Messiah. But his denial implied that the Messiah was very near. He affirmed that he was not Elijah resurrected from the dead, but later he would be identified as an Elijah-like profit. He also denied that he was “the prophet”. This is the prophecy about the Messiah from Deuteronomy 18.15. John is essentially says “I am no one special as far as you are concerned”.

The problem was the Jews were obsessed with title, power, and possession. Institutions are almost always obsessed with these three things. John instead focused on his task and calling. What he was instructed to do was get things ready for the Messiah. John was content to be the “voice”. One thing about a voice it never lasts longer than an echo. Once the words have entered the ears the voice no longer has an independent presence. One might say that John wanted to be heard and not seen or even remembered. When we remember that the hero of the story, the main act of all history and be the only purpose of life is to know Jesus we tend to focus on our task and calling and not so much on title, power, position or institutions.

“Lord, let me be such a person that those with whom I speak will have an unobstructed view of Jesus.  AMEN