John 1:19-21 19And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem in order to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He confessed and did not deny, and confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
The Jewish people were expecting the Messiah because of Old Testament prophecy and the crises of the time. The Romans had dominated and controlled Israel and surrounding nations. They taxed the people terribly. They imposed certain regulations and practices that went against Jewish faith and practice. The time was ripe for something new. When John showed up on the scene with a powerful message of truth calling people to repentance and preparation, it raised people’s hopes that perhaps he was the Messiah.
The religious leaders in Jerusalem had caught wind of this strange man and his effective message that was drawing people to him. The priests represented the political force of the Sanhedrin, and the Levites represented the temple structure and its worship. These were the two primary pillars of the Jewish religion in the first century. Their question was significant and specific: Who are you? They needed to know for several reasons, which are unstated but assumed in this passage.
John the author may have included the story of John the Baptist to highlight more the identity of the Word and to build expectation in the identity of this person who is still unnamed. John made it very clear to the religious leaders that he was not the Messiah. John had strong conviction about his place in the divine plan. The surprise is his response to the next two questions in verse 21. The first question has background in the prophecy of Malachi 4:5-6, which predicts that someone like Elijah would come before the Messiah. John’s negative response to this second question suggests humility and likely not ignorance. The third question has in the background Deuteronomy 18:15, which predicts a prophet who would come one day who would lead the people to God. John’s ministry was doing that also, but he was not the primary one to do that.
John did not deny the questions but answered them in a way that prepared for the greater One to be revealed. The religious leaders asked Jesus the same question, “Who are you?” in 8:25. This is the most important question for us to ask also. Will we be prepared for the answer?
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