John 1:20

Ver. 20. “ And he confessed, and denied not, and confessed:I am not the Christ. ”

Before pointing out the contents of the response of John the Baptist, the evangelist sets forth its characteristics: it was ready, frank, categorical. The first he confessed, indicates spontaneity, eagerness. By the negative form: he denied not, the evangelist means to say he did not for an instant yield to the temptation which he might have had to deny. The second he confessed is added in order to connect with it the profession which is to follow. This remarkable form of narrative (comp. John 1:7-8) seems to us, whatever Weiss may say of it, to be more naturally explained if we suppose an allusion to people who were inclined to give to the person of John the Baptist an importance superior to his real dignity. According to the reading of the Alexandrian authorities and Origen, we must translate: “ It is not I who am the Christ (ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμί).” This reply would have been suitable, if the question had been, “ Is it thou who art the Christ?” But the question is merely, “ Who art thou? ” and the true response is consequently that which is found in the T. R. following the Byzantine authorities: “I am not the Christ (οὐκ εἰμί ἐγώ),” that is, “I am indeed something, but not the Christ.”