#18 John the Baptist Testifies of Jesus

#18 John the Baptist Testifies of Jesus

Two specific scriptures:

John 1:19-28: JB preaching to the priests, Levites, and Pharisees and proclaiming he is not the Christ but is to prepare the way for the Christ who is even now among them.

   

John 1:29-37: JB testifies Jesus is the Lamb of God. There is a mistranslation in John 1:31 & 33, which read “and I knew him not.” The prophet Joseph Smith corrected these both to read “and I knew him.”

We have only a few other passages of scripture that give us a glimpse of John’s testimony of Jesus:

     Direct: Mathew 3; Mark 1; Luke 1; John 3.

     Indirect: Matthew 11; Luke 7:18-35. 

John was prepared from the beginning to be the forerunner for the Savior’s advent to the earth.  His father and mother (Zacharias and Elisabeth) knew of this calling from before John’s birth, and we can assume they raised their son to this end. Upon his reaching the age of thirty, John began his mission with great force and vigor. His signature cry for all to repent always bore testimony of the immediate coming of the long-awaited Son of God, and John’s role as the Elias, the forerunner to prepare a people to receive Him.

JB drew large crowds, many of them wondering if he is the Christ. He emphatically says “no,” he is the one sent by God to prepare the way for the Christ who is soon to come, that is, in fact, already among them!

John points out Jesus to others and says, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.” The Jews would understand that “Lamb of God” was another name for the Redeemer, the Deliverer, the Messiah, the One appointed for sacrifice as told of in their Old Testament. John is testifying here of the Atonement that Jesus will accomplish, and that he is the Son of God who will baptize them with the Holy Ghost.

JB knew that the sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world to be a witness for the Holy Ghost. He also knew it would be a promised sign to him and others of the truth of the action of JB baptizing Jesus. With all his powers the devil cannot come in the sign of the dove.

Glenn R. McGettigan

June 2012; Revised August 2014

References:

“Doctrinal New Testament Commentary.”  Volume 1. McConkie

Joseph Smith Translation

“Our Lord of the Gospels.” Clark

“Messages of the First Presidency.”  Volume 1. Clark