John was preaching near the Bethany that is on the east bank of the Jordan River, not the Bethany that is in Judea not far from Jerusalem. Hearing of all the commotion, Jerusalem's Jewish elite sent experts in Scripture to question him.
"Who are you?" they demanded to know.
He told them he was on a mission to bring Jews back to God and godliness. But, that mission did not mean he was the Anointed. John denied that idea.
"So then are you Elijah?"
Some Jewish scholars at the time thought that in order for the Messiah to come, Elijah had to come back from heaven first.
John had no such conception of himself, and answered, "No."
But, Jesus later said that John had filled the role of Elijah, though Jesus realized that few at the time could understand what he was implying.
"Well, explain yourself," his interrogators demanded. "We have to have something to tell those who sent us."
John replied, "I am 'the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord' – as Isaiah the prophet said."
"So you also aren't the Prophet," they said, referring to the Deliverer forecast by Moses. [jsi.1] "Well, if you aren't the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, then why are you immersing people?"
That question showed that the influential Pharisees were offended, as they believed in extensive ceremonial dunkings and washings that were done by their sect's members in order to fulfill their interpretations of scriptural law.
John replied, "I immerse with water. But among you is one coming after me whose shoe I am not worthy to unfasten." [jsi.2]
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and bellowed out: "Look there! The Lamb of God who takes away the world's sin!
"He's the one I was talking about when I said a man is coming after me who is before me – because he is ahead of me."
John added, "I didn't even know it was him until I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from above and rest on him. He's the whole point of my ministry of water baptism, so that he would be declared to Israel. [jsi.3a]
"I got the word: The one on whom you see the Spirit descend, that's the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Now that I have seen that happen with my own eyes, I am reporting it to everyone!" [jsi.3],[jsi.4]
"Who are you?" they demanded to know.
He told them he was on a mission to bring Jews back to God and godliness. But, that mission did not mean he was the Anointed. John denied that idea.
"So then are you Elijah?"
Some Jewish scholars at the time thought that in order for the Messiah to come, Elijah had to come back from heaven first.
John had no such conception of himself, and answered, "No."
But, Jesus later said that John had filled the role of Elijah, though Jesus realized that few at the time could understand what he was implying.
"Well, explain yourself," his interrogators demanded. "We have to have something to tell those who sent us."
John replied, "I am 'the voice of one shouting in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord' – as Isaiah the prophet said."
"So you also aren't the Prophet," they said, referring to the Deliverer forecast by Moses. [jsi.1] "Well, if you aren't the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet, then why are you immersing people?"
That question showed that the influential Pharisees were offended, as they believed in extensive ceremonial dunkings and washings that were done by their sect's members in order to fulfill their interpretations of scriptural law.
John replied, "I immerse with water. But among you is one coming after me whose shoe I am not worthy to unfasten." [jsi.2]
The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and bellowed out: "Look there! The Lamb of God who takes away the world's sin!
"He's the one I was talking about when I said a man is coming after me who is before me – because he is ahead of me."
John added, "I didn't even know it was him until I saw the Spirit descend like a dove from above and rest on him. He's the whole point of my ministry of water baptism, so that he would be declared to Israel. [jsi.3a]
"I got the word: The one on whom you see the Spirit descend, that's the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. Now that I have seen that happen with my own eyes, I am reporting it to everyone!" [jsi.3],[jsi.4]
Next Page: Section 7
https://secretpath108.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-great-test-immediately-on-being.html
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