HGM ON 22 NOV 22

 HGM 22 Nov 22

John 1:15-29

¹⁵  John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

Commentary:  Here John the Baptist communicates that which he sees (perceives) and knows by revelation.  He knows Jesus enters the world after he does , he knows Jesus when he comes unto His presence.  He knows of the pre-existence of the LORD.  He knows of the LORD's preeminence

¹⁶  And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Commentary:  Grace is that which gives and moves above that which is required or expected.  The degrees of grace are progressive. What we could not do five years ago now we can do.  The giving, the sacrifice which could not have been made 10 years ago is now being made.  The grace you have today may not be sufficient to bring you to the obedience and sacrifice which our Father is asking from us.  In its place there will come a greater grace which will enable us to give that which pleases God.  The disciples learned to reach out for grace, and for fuller grace to take the place of the lesser  grace.  How does one reach out and take grace?  Well how does the disciples do it? It is the yearning of the heart, the desire which directs and extends itself towards the Giver and His gifts.  Do we yearn for it? What price are we willing to pay?
¹⁷  For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
Commentary: The law (taste not, touch not, feel not) came by Moses.  All 619 laws, but grace and truth came by Jesus.  Rather than instruction, rules, and regulations.  Both grace and truth incorporated instruction.  Grace is first and must always be in that order to truth.  Many folks project truth without grace in most cases the result of such projection is that people are repulsed by the graceless truth.  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹  Not of works, lest any man should boast."  (Ephesians 2:8-9) we must strike the correct balance of grace and truth.

 ¹⁸  No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

Commentary:  It is entirely truthful to say some have seen God and to say no one has ever seen God.  God is unknowable is true and God is knowable is also true. One statement refers to arenas of the being and ways which one cannot now know and some areas which may never be known.  The other statement refers to that of His existence in ways which we can know.  But we can see God and Creator as He emptied Himself and came to be born of a virgin and thus became the only begotten (Son) God!  We then can declare His good works.
¹⁹  And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
Commentary: The priests and Levites were investigators.  Not that they sought truth.  They sought out people who were disruptive to their religious laws and traditions.  They figured that the totality of religious authority and valid teaching rested in themselves.  Therefore John said, "who do you think you are? What do you mean taking such authority to yourself.
²⁰  And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
Commentary:  The Jews were seeking the Anointed One or Messiah.  If John was the Messiah they wanted to know about it.  This would be their way out from Roman rule.  John did not tell them directly, but he gives them a divine disappointment to who Jesus is.  Disappointing folks with the truth has not been popular and so too today.  Withholding truth while giving false hope does more damage in the long run.
²¹  And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
Commentary: John the Baptist declares he is not Elijah. John again hands them a disappointment.  The masses come to God and want to overhaul Him so that He will conform to their ideologies.  People seek to make God their servant, but God is the Master.  
²²  Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
Commentary:  These investigators must get to the bottom of who John the Baptist is. They want to know, but knowing something often can get us into trouble.  Eve wanted to know and got us all in trouble.

²³  He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

Commentary:  John tells them he is one "crying in the wilderness."  John the Baptist often identifies with the Prophet Isaiah.  In Isaiah we read, "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. ⁴  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:"  (Isaiah 40:3-4)  John the Baptist was telling the people Jesus will set things "straight" and make life bearable.

²⁴  And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
Commentary:  The Pharisees were almost unswayable into their prevailing views and religious beliefs.  They were the law givers the religious folks of the day.
²⁵  And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
Commentary:  Here they question John the Baptist's authority to baptize people.  They questioned John's call to be the forerunner of Christ without a connection to the Old Testament (Torah) or the prophets.
²⁶  John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
Commentary:  Here John the Baptist does not argue or defend his authority while boldly letting the Pharisees know he is starting a new movement.  He openly declares he is rebelling against the old way of doing things.  John the Baptist is presenting the new way, the new light, the new truth, the new life.   
²⁷  He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
Commentary:  John the Baptist has a revelation of the exalted Christ. This is vast contrast between the established religion and the lowly servant.  Only the humble and poor and spirit will be able to enter into the kingdom of God
²⁸  These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Commentary:  Tells where John was baptizing and talking with the Pharisees.  Bethabara means "crossing over."  Bethabara is the place the people crossed the river Jordan.  It was no accident John choose Bethabara to share this new message.  The Jordan River is the place of new beginnings and now John the Baptist shares the greatest new beginning known to man.  
²⁹  The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Commentary:  After telling the Pharisees about this new beginning Jesus come on the scene.  Jesus comes to be baptized by John the Baptist to fulfill the requirement to be called a rabbi.  In the Greek it reads, "Behold (stop and pay attention) the lamb of God He who takes upon Himself the sins of the world." Jesus did something much more difficult than to remove sin (sin is still in the world) from the world he took upon Himself the sins of the world. 

Summary:  John verses 15 to 29 lays the foundation of who John the Baptist is, what is his purpose, the difference between John the Baptist and Jesus, and to announce to the religious folks and priests (Pharisees and Sadducees)  the new way, the new light, the new truth, the new life only found in the person of Jesus Christ.  They also begin to discuss the message of a new beginning for the people and the way into the kingdom of God (which is NOT heaven) and the revolutionary concepts of:   the meek shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5), blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3), and blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)