John 1:15

Beareth witness

(μαρτυρε). Historical (dramatic) present indicative of this characteristic word in John (cf. John 1:17). See John 1:32; John 1:34 for historical examples of John's witness to Christ. This sentence is a parenthesis in Westcott and Hort's text, though the Revised Version makes a parenthesis of most of verse John 1:14. The witness of John is adduced in proof of the glory full of grace and truth already claimed for the Incarnate Logos.Crieth

(κεκραγεν). Second perfect active indicative of κραζω, old verb for loud crying, repeated in dramatic form again for emphasis recalling the wonderful Voice in the wilderness which the Beloved Disciple can still hear echoing through the years.This was

(ουτος ην). Imperfect indicative where John throws the tense back in past time when he looked forward to the coming of the Messiah as in Acts 3:10 where we should prefer "is" (εστιν). Gildersleeve (Syntax, p. 96) calls this the "imperfect of sudden appreciation of the real state of things."Of whom I said

(ον ειπον). But B C and a corrector of Aleph (Westcott and Hort) have ο ειπων "the one who said," a parenthetical explanation about the Baptist, not the words of the Baptist about Christ.After me

(οπισω μου). See also John 1:27. Later in time John means. He described "the Coming One" (ο ερχομενος) before he saw Jesus. The language of John here is precisely that in Matthew 3:11 ο οπισω μου ερχομενος (cf. Mark 1:7). The Beloved Disciple had heard the Baptist say these very words, but he also had the Synoptic Gospels.Is become

(γεγονεν). Second perfect active indicative of γινομα. It is already an actual fact when the Baptist is speaking.Before me

(εμπροσθεν μου). In rank and dignity, the Baptist means, ο ισχυροτερος μου "the one mightier than I" (Mark 1:7) and ισχυροτερος μου "mightier than I" (Matthew 3:11). In John 3:28 εμπροσθεν εκεινου (before him, the Christ) does mean priority in time, but not here. This superior dignity of the Messiah John proudly recognizes always (John 3:25-30).For he was before me

(οτ πρωτος μου ην). Paradox, but clear. He had always been (ην ιμπερφεχτ) before John in his Pre-incarnate state, but "after" John in time of the Incarnation, but always ahead of John in rank immediately on his Incarnation. Πρωτος μου (superlative with ablative) occurs here when only two are compared as is common in the vernacular Koine. So the Beloved Disciple came first (πρωτος) to the tomb, ahead of Peter (John 20:4). So also πρωτον υμων in John 15:18 means "before you" as if it were προτερον υμων. Verse John 1:30 repeats these words almost exactly.