The Word is Made Flesh
Study No. 3
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
1:15-18 - Christ is pre-eminent – Number One
1. Because He pre existed ‘everyone’.
2. Because all we have we owe to Him (16) One grace upon another. The meaning of grace?
3. Because He goes beyond what His Holy law did:
* God’s law clarified His demands.
* Christ’s coming provided God’s ‘supply’ so that we could satisfy the demands.
The Testimony of John the Baptist. 1:19-27
John the Baptist’s discourse regarding his identity
He is mistaken for Christ –The Messiah
Messengers (spies) were instructed to find out who he was. He first answers in negative terms. Why?
An understanding of the world in which the Jewish people lived at that time in history may help here.
From the time that Israel crossed the Jordon and conquered the land, receiving the inheritance promised to Abraham, their security was based upon their following the laws of God. When they wandered away, prophets preached and warned and called people back to Godly living. When all else failed God caused them to be taken captive to Babylon, to bring them to a place of desperation where the only way they could look would be ‘up’. Finally they were granted freedom, came back to their land … rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem and began reconstruction of the Temple. Freedom seemed to be short lived. From the close of the Old Testament to the opening of the New Testament we find them once again … repressed. Dominated by the Romans.
Once again … the outlook is dark. Where is the glory of the nation? Why is God permitting the oppression? When will the promised Deliverer appear?
So to ‘catch wind’ of a ‘crier in the wilderness’ preaching repentance … could this be the Messiah?
* “Are you the Christ?”
John the Baptist answers in negative terms:
“No, I am not the Christ.”
There are those who in a similar situation might take advantage of the climate and expectation and make claims of being the Christ. Jesus said,
Mt 24:5 "For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Mt 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Be careful when a ‘leader’ promotes himself, listing his accomplishments and pedigree. A spiritual leader’s power lies simply in the calling of God ( … a man, sent from God whose name was …) and in his delivering the message of God.
“If you are not the Christ, who are you? Are you …
* Elijah? Why would they ask this? The last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, said in 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
and Jesus said, Mt 11:13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
So it is interesting that even though John denied that he was ‘Elijah’ returned to earth, Jesus identifies him as such. John’s coming was ‘in the spirit of Elijah’ in some kind of a sense that we will only know when we arrive in heaven. John was as familiar with Malachi’s prophesy as any of the others were, and recognised that there would yet be a fulfillment of the prophecy.
* The Prophet?
De 18:15 ¶ "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
This passage was looked at by the Jews as a prophecy … but they were not sure if it referred to the Christ, some other prophet, like perhaps Jeremiah or just who … like I said, they were unsure. Whoever they thought it meant, John simply says, “No.”.
When he answers positively he does so in ambiguous terms. (23) Why?
1. He is amused to keep them guessing?
2. He wants to see if they know from scripture that the Messiah has a ‘fore runner’
3. It is his way of saying, “Since I am the forerunner, guess who is about to appear?”
“Why are you baptising then?” In their understanding, for an individual to be doing what John was doing would require special authority from God. Some commentators have said that baptism itself was practiced by the Pharisees in the case of a ‘gentile’ becoming a Jew - but that Jews would never need baptism, seeing that they were already Jews. (This practice is not mentioned at all in the Old Testament and may have been an invention of the Pharisees.) John comes along and says everybody needs to repent and be baptised. This represented a huge change in their understanding of their religion … to make such a change, one would have to be the Christ … or at least a significant prophet come back to life!
“Who gives you your authority?” the Pharisees wanted to know. In our present time, do we ever question a ‘baptiser’, asking him, “Who gives you your authority?” Does it make any difference? Would we respond, “Who really cares?”
It may seem like somewhat of a ‘non-issue’ in our time, but the matter of authority is biblically important. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. In so doing, his job was to preach and expect repentance. He would then ‘mark’ them as followers or disciples by baptising them. He was sent by God to do this; the preaching, the baptising, the teaching and the command to wait for His arrival. No one else was sent by God to do this. If any one of the followers decided to head out on their own and duplicate what John was doing … it would have caused confusion. God sent only John. (cf. Acts 18:24-26 Acts 19:3 )
Next on the list of those who were baptising based on repentance was Jesus (John 4:1)
And finally authority was transferred to the church (born again believers) (John 20:21 & Matt 28:19,20)
Is water baptism important? Yes. Does it save us? No. What is the purpose of it then? It’s purpose is not so much for you, as the recipient, as it is for other believers. It is an outward testimony of your identifying with other believers, showing yourself to be a part of them … to take up the ‘cause of Christ’ with them.
John 1:26 “John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.” He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8) and with Fire. (Mt 3:11 & Lu 3:16)
What does it mean to be baptised in the Holy Spirit?
When did the first baptism in Holy Spirit occur? ( Ac 1:5 and Ac 2:3,4 )
Ac 1:5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Did the baptism of the Holy Spirit occur often or at least regularly during the early days of Acts?
Ac 11:16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Is the baptism of the Holy Spirit something optional following Salvation? No. 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…
Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Is Holy Spirit baptism and ‘the filling’ of the Holy Spirit – one and the same? No. It is simply stated that we were all baptised into the body … that is a past tense, single occasion for each of us. It occurs at salvation. The Filling, on the other hand is commanded in Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Lu 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
What does it mean to be baptised with Fire? ( - for future discussion) see I Appendix A
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
1:15-18 - Christ is pre-eminent – Number One
1. Because He pre existed ‘everyone’.
2. Because all we have we owe to Him (16) One grace upon another. The meaning of grace?
3. Because He goes beyond what His Holy law did:
* God’s law clarified His demands.
* Christ’s coming provided God’s ‘supply’ so that we could satisfy the demands.
The Testimony of John the Baptist. 1:19-27
John the Baptist’s discourse regarding his identity
He is mistaken for Christ –The Messiah
Messengers (spies) were instructed to find out who he was. He first answers in negative terms. Why?
An understanding of the world in which the Jewish people lived at that time in history may help here.
From the time that Israel crossed the Jordon and conquered the land, receiving the inheritance promised to Abraham, their security was based upon their following the laws of God. When they wandered away, prophets preached and warned and called people back to Godly living. When all else failed God caused them to be taken captive to Babylon, to bring them to a place of desperation where the only way they could look would be ‘up’. Finally they were granted freedom, came back to their land … rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem and began reconstruction of the Temple. Freedom seemed to be short lived. From the close of the Old Testament to the opening of the New Testament we find them once again … repressed. Dominated by the Romans.
Once again … the outlook is dark. Where is the glory of the nation? Why is God permitting the oppression? When will the promised Deliverer appear?
So to ‘catch wind’ of a ‘crier in the wilderness’ preaching repentance … could this be the Messiah?
* “Are you the Christ?”
John the Baptist answers in negative terms:
“No, I am not the Christ.”
There are those who in a similar situation might take advantage of the climate and expectation and make claims of being the Christ. Jesus said,
Mt 24:5 "For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.
Mt 24:24 "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Be careful when a ‘leader’ promotes himself, listing his accomplishments and pedigree. A spiritual leader’s power lies simply in the calling of God ( … a man, sent from God whose name was …) and in his delivering the message of God.
“If you are not the Christ, who are you? Are you …
* Elijah? Why would they ask this? The last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, said in 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
and Jesus said, Mt 11:13 "For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.
So it is interesting that even though John denied that he was ‘Elijah’ returned to earth, Jesus identifies him as such. John’s coming was ‘in the spirit of Elijah’ in some kind of a sense that we will only know when we arrive in heaven. John was as familiar with Malachi’s prophesy as any of the others were, and recognised that there would yet be a fulfillment of the prophecy.
* The Prophet?
De 18:15 ¶ "The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him you shall hear,
This passage was looked at by the Jews as a prophecy … but they were not sure if it referred to the Christ, some other prophet, like perhaps Jeremiah or just who … like I said, they were unsure. Whoever they thought it meant, John simply says, “No.”.
When he answers positively he does so in ambiguous terms. (23) Why?
1. He is amused to keep them guessing?
2. He wants to see if they know from scripture that the Messiah has a ‘fore runner’
3. It is his way of saying, “Since I am the forerunner, guess who is about to appear?”
“Why are you baptising then?” In their understanding, for an individual to be doing what John was doing would require special authority from God. Some commentators have said that baptism itself was practiced by the Pharisees in the case of a ‘gentile’ becoming a Jew - but that Jews would never need baptism, seeing that they were already Jews. (This practice is not mentioned at all in the Old Testament and may have been an invention of the Pharisees.) John comes along and says everybody needs to repent and be baptised. This represented a huge change in their understanding of their religion … to make such a change, one would have to be the Christ … or at least a significant prophet come back to life!
“Who gives you your authority?” the Pharisees wanted to know. In our present time, do we ever question a ‘baptiser’, asking him, “Who gives you your authority?” Does it make any difference? Would we respond, “Who really cares?”
It may seem like somewhat of a ‘non-issue’ in our time, but the matter of authority is biblically important. John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. In so doing, his job was to preach and expect repentance. He would then ‘mark’ them as followers or disciples by baptising them. He was sent by God to do this; the preaching, the baptising, the teaching and the command to wait for His arrival. No one else was sent by God to do this. If any one of the followers decided to head out on their own and duplicate what John was doing … it would have caused confusion. God sent only John. (cf. Acts 18:24-26 Acts 19:3 )
Next on the list of those who were baptising based on repentance was Jesus (John 4:1)
And finally authority was transferred to the church (born again believers) (John 20:21 & Matt 28:19,20)
Is water baptism important? Yes. Does it save us? No. What is the purpose of it then? It’s purpose is not so much for you, as the recipient, as it is for other believers. It is an outward testimony of your identifying with other believers, showing yourself to be a part of them … to take up the ‘cause of Christ’ with them.
John 1:26 “John answered them, saying, "I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know.” He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8) and with Fire. (Mt 3:11 & Lu 3:16)
What does it mean to be baptised in the Holy Spirit?
When did the first baptism in Holy Spirit occur? ( Ac 1:5 and Ac 2:3,4 )
Ac 1:5 "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."
Did the baptism of the Holy Spirit occur often or at least regularly during the early days of Acts?
Ac 11:16 "Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
Is the baptism of the Holy Spirit something optional following Salvation? No. 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body…
Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Is Holy Spirit baptism and ‘the filling’ of the Holy Spirit – one and the same? No. It is simply stated that we were all baptised into the body … that is a past tense, single occasion for each of us. It occurs at salvation. The Filling, on the other hand is commanded in Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Lu 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
What does it mean to be baptised with Fire? ( - for future discussion) see I Appendix A