John 1:19-28

Public testimony of the Baptist to Jesus in reply to a deputation from the Sanhedrin. The independence and fulness of the account of the Baptist in this Gospel renders it highly probable that the evangelist had once been the Baptist's disciple. He knows, for example, the exact places where John baptised (John 1:28; John 3:23); the exact day and even hour when certain things were said (John 1:29; John 1:35; John 1:39); the contemporary disputes with the Jews about purifying (John 3:25); the relations, not always friendly, between the disciples of John and those of Christ (John 3:26); the exact time when John was cast into prison (John 3:24). His account of the Baptist's testimony agrees with that of the Synoptists, but he adds to it important particulars. He mentions, for instance, that John actually saw the dove descending upon Jesus, and was thus enabled to recognise Him (John 1:32), that he applied to Him the titles Lamb of God (John 1:29; John 1:36) and Son of God (John 1:34; John 3:36), the latter clearly in a superhuman sense, for he declares His preëxistence (John 1:15; John 1:30), and says that to believe in Him is to have eternal life (John 3:36). For the historical difficulties, see on these passages and on Matthew 11:2. The Synoptists record the Baptist's testimony before our Lord's baptism, and St. John his testimony afterwards, when the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus, and the voice of the Father, had convinced the Baptist that Jesus was truly the Son of God.