(John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”)
Adding to his own testimony about Jesus, John records the testimony of John the Baptist as he tells us who Jesus is.
Q: Explain what John the Baptist means by saying, “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.”
He must have meant what he said,..Jesus was before him and is after him,..Because He always was,..is,..and ever shall be.
I don’t recall Jesus baptizing anyone so it can’t mean that Jesus has surpassed in by baptizing people,..Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit
That’s my take on it
John
Thanks for joining in! It is amazing to me to think about the eternal nature of Jesus – how he existed at the creation of all things and then became part of his own creation.
Yes,.. certainly amazing,..
Jesus is the everlasting God! His ministry on earth may have just begun at this time, but His work for our salvation had been planned out beyond what we can conceive.
Amen!
We could be or can be like John the baptist, because Jesus is coming again
Hi Kevin!
Thanks for posting!!
Interesting thought, too. The Gospel is not only about the fact that Jesus was here, but also about the promise of his return.
Blessings!
John was chosen by God to herald the coming of the Messiah , Jesus Christ , who was before him ( our creator) and as the one being announced by John as coming.
We are to be like John announcing the mystery of Jesus, who has come and will come by the way we lead our lives. The truth of Christ will always confound the wise and give life to the poor.
Thanks, Ron! I really appreciate this thread. The idea of emulating John the Baptist is new to me, yet it is a very proper application of the Great Commission in Matthew 28: 19-20.
We have all been chosen by God to proclaim His gospel,..we may not all have a leather belt and eat honey with locusts,..but we can all be a voice crying out,..Make Way,.. Jesus Christ Is Coming!
I did a bit of research on this question, and found out some interesting things about John the Baptist:
He is a fulfillment of prophecy from Isaiah 40:3: A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make
straight in the desert a highway for our God.”
Jesus recognized him as that fulfillment in Matthew 7-11: As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’
Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Its is clear that Jesus hold John the Baptist in high regard as well. Jesus says in Matthew “those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.” This phrase “born of women” is an interesting statement. Job 15:14 “What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?” Jesus is literally saying that John the Baptist is a great man, but that he is still unrighteous. He then also states that “yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Jesus is saying that John the Baptist is a highly regarded man, but that doesn’t diminish the fact that God loves all his creation, and all who accept the Gift are to be with God in Heaven. It is a very good framing of the difference between salvation though works verses faith.
He is Jesus’s cousin.
He baptized Jesus (what an honor!!).
John the Baptist was given high regard in his time. So much so that he had disciples and there were those that thought of him as a messiah. John was very clear that he was a servant and messenger, and wanted to redirect attention back to Jesus.
“I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” (John 1:27)
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
“I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:34)
When John the Baptist said “He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me” he is referencing the fact that he is about 7 months older than his Earthly cousin. In the same sentence he then references the fact that Jesus is eternal, the Word, that was with God in the beginning, and is God.
Chris,
Thank you for the great study! John is a very interesting person in history. I appreciate you pointing out that Jesus valued John so highly. That, too, is an interesting point to ponder. Then, as you point to in your closing thoughts, Jesus was “before” because he is eternal. He is from heaven. That point alone is perhaps the most mind-bending aspect of Jesus.