What Would You Have Said?

Today, as we continue our study into the life of Christ, we’ll look into the testimony of John the Baptist regarding Jesus that begins in John 1:19. In fact, it’s hard to read the question they ask him without having the CSI theme song, the Who classic from 1978, playing in my head. “Who are you?”

Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” (John 1:19)

What we have before us is the testimony of John the Baptist. And the word “testimony” (marturía) means “a witness, certification, record, that which someone witnesses or states concerning a person or thing.”  It is a declaration by a witness who speaks with the authority of one who knows, like an expert witness. John is very familiar with this word and uses it over 75 times in his writings. But there is more.

Just think, John the Baptist is the first witness the Apostle John calls to testify of the Lordship of Christ. Later he writes:

This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true. And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen. (John 21:24-25)

But there is more.

Who Is This Guy?

John the Baptist was one remarkable individual. Consider the following:

•  He was the subject of an Old Testament prophecy found in Isaiah 40.

•  His birth was due to direct supernatural intervention (Luke 1:7,13).

•  He was filled with the Holy Spirit before his birth (Luke 1:15). I can’t recall the Scriptures saying that of anyone else.

•  He was a man “sent from God” (John 1:6). What an amazing epitaph for a life well-lived.

•  He was sent to “prepare the way of the Lord” (Matt. 3:3), and nothing else. In fact, when he got off point, it cost him his life.

•  He was the last of the Old Testament prophets (Matt. 11:13), on the same par with Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah.

•  Jesus said he was the greatest man who ever lived (Matt. 11:11), hands down, bar none.

So let’s take a look at it together, shall we?