01 January 2012
John 1:19-34
Jan/01/12 14:04
In verse 19 of the first chapter the story finally enters human history. We hear the testimony of John the baptist. This testimony is that of an eyewitness. John begins his first letter with this affirmation,
“We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—“
John is writing at the end of the first century, between 80 and 90 A.D. John was the only remaining eyewitness to the events of Jesus life. The gospel is the eyewitness to the truth about Jesus. Not truth as we think of it. For us truth is known when everybody looks at an event and sees the same thing. For John, many people saw Jesus but could not see the truth. The truth is revealed by God to those who live by faith. For John the truth is clear, Jesus us the Son of God. That is what John the Baptist sees.
At first John confesses that he is NOT the messiah, not Elijah and not a prophet. In verse 29 he sees Jesus and then confesses, “And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The author of John records what the eyewitnesses have seen so that we also might have the truth revealed to us and we might also have faith in the truth that Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world.
“We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—“
John is writing at the end of the first century, between 80 and 90 A.D. John was the only remaining eyewitness to the events of Jesus life. The gospel is the eyewitness to the truth about Jesus. Not truth as we think of it. For us truth is known when everybody looks at an event and sees the same thing. For John, many people saw Jesus but could not see the truth. The truth is revealed by God to those who live by faith. For John the truth is clear, Jesus us the Son of God. That is what John the Baptist sees.
At first John confesses that he is NOT the messiah, not Elijah and not a prophet. In verse 29 he sees Jesus and then confesses, “And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
The author of John records what the eyewitnesses have seen so that we also might have the truth revealed to us and we might also have faith in the truth that Jesus is the Son of God who takes away the sin of the world.