John 1:24-28

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

It was the Pharisees who came to John the Baptist to ask him questions about his baptizing people. The Pharisees claimed all religious authority, and they knew baptism was a religious ceremony. How could John be baptizing people when the Pharisees had total authority? Actually it was God who gave John his authority to baptize; that was John's ministry given to him by God Himself.

The Pharisees mention "that Christ" in verse 25, but they were not talking about Jesus. They were talking about a Messiah that they expected who was yet to come just as even today many Jews look for another Messiah besides Jesus, for John says that this Jesus, who stands among them (verse 26) they do not know, a man whose shoes he is not worthy to unloose.

This man the Pharisees did not know. They knew Jesus, but they did not know him as the true Messiah, the only begotten Son of God, the Lord of Heaven and earth, the One who can fulfill all righteousness. Most Pharisees rejected Jesus as Messiah, but a few of them, as Nicodemus, rejoiced in Him and believed in Him.

The next day after these events would be a day of introduction to this Messiah, Jesus, as the Lamb of God, which He is. He came to seek and to save the lost, and that He does well.