The holy spirt comes down on jesus

THE HOLY SPIRT COMES DOWN ON JESUS
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 1:33 33And I myself did not know him, but the
one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The
man on whom you see the Spirit come down and
remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy
Spirit.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
A DisclaimerAnd A Claim
John 1:19-28
J.R. Thomson
When our Lord Jesus came into this world, he did not come as one isolated
from the race he designedto save. He condescendedto take his place - the
most honourable place - in a long and illustrious succession. He superseded
the lastprophet of the old dispensation;he commissionedthe first prophets of
the new. The herald and forerunner of our Lord perfectly comprehended his
own relation to his Master, and felt it a dignity to occupy a position of Divine
appointment, although a position of inferiority, in respectto him. The query
put to John by the leaders of the JewishChurch at Jerusalemwas natural and

proper; it was evidence of the interestwhich John's mission was exciting in
the land; and it gave the Baptist an opportunity of both declaring himself and
witnessing to his Lord.
I. JOHN'S DISCLAIMER. No doubt there was an expectation, generaland
eager, ofOne who, in accordancewith Hebrew prophecy, should be the
Delivererand Ruler of God's people Israel. From varying motives - in some
caseswith spiritual yearning, in other caseswith political expectation - the
Jews turned anxiously towards every personage ofdistinction and influence
who arose among the people. Thus they turned to John, whose characterwas
austere and inflexible as that of a Hebrew seer, and whose popular powerwas
manifest from the multitude of his adherents and admirers. In these
circumstances, John's first duty was to give an unequivocal answerto the
inquiry of the Jews. This inquiry was pointed and particular. Was John Elias,
againvisiting the people who revered him as one of their holiestand mightiest
saints? There was something in his appearance, his habits, his speech, that
suggestedthis possibility. Or was he "the prophet," less definitely designated?
Or could it be that he was none other than the Messiah? The times were ripe
for the advent of the promised Deliverer;John evidently possesseda spiritual
authority, a popular power, such as Israel had not seenfor many a generation.
To every such inquiry John had only one answer:"I am not." In this
disclaimer we recognize both the intelligence and the candour of the
forerunner. A weak mind might have been overpoweredby interest so
profound and widespread. A self-seeking and ambitious mind might have
takenadvantage of such an opportunity to asserta personalauthority and to
climb to the throne of power. John was superior to such temptations. Though
greaterthan others born of women, he did not aspire to a position for which
God had not destined him. In fact, he was too greatto wish to be aught but the
herald and the servant of him who was to come.
II. JOHN'S CLAIM. A just and admirable modesty was not, indeed never is,
inconsistentwith a due assertionofposition and duties assigned by God. He
who knows what Godhas sent him into the world to do, will neither
depreciate his own work nor envy another's. The claim made by John was
very remarkable. He affirmed himself to be:

1. A fulfilment of prophecy. The circumstances ofhis birth and education,
takenin conjunction with certaindeclarations of Old TestamentScripture,
must have suggestedto John that he held a place in the revealedcounsels of
eternal wisdom.
2. A voice. Often had God spokento Israel. In John he spake yet again. To
him it was given to utter by human lips the thoughts of the Divine mind. Not
that this was mechanicalfunction; John's whole soul was inflamed with the
grandeur and the burning necessityofthat messageofrepentance which he
was calledupon to deliver to his fellow countrymen. Nothing but the
conviction that his voice was the expressionof Divine thought, that he was
summoning men in God's Name to a higher life of righteousness and faith,
could have animated him to discharge his ministry with such amazing
boldness. Nor could any other convictionhave overcome the difficulty he must
at first have felt in publicly witnessing that Jesus of Nazarethwas the Christ.
3. A herald, and one preparing the wayof a greatSuccessor. It was his to
make straight the Lord's way. It was his to announce the Messiah's approach,
and to direct the attention of Israel to the coming in lowly guise of Israel's
King. It was his. to subside into comparative insignificance, to withdraw from
publicity, in order that he might make room for One whose presence would
bring the realization of the brightest hopes and the most fervent prayers. It
was his to administer the humbler baptism with water - the symbol of a better
baptism to be conferredby Christ, even that with the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION.
1. Learn the completenessand harmony of the Divine plan. The revelationof
God proceeds upon an order which may be recognizedboth by the intellect
and by the heart of man. The wisdomof the Eternal arranges that all
preparation shall be made for the appearance ofthe world's Saviour; the
morning star heralds the rising of the Sun of Righteousness.God's ways in
grace are as regular and as orderly as his ways in providence.
2. Learn the dignity and preciousness ofImmanuel. One so honourable as the
Baptist yet deemed himself unworthy to serve the meek and lowly . Jesus - to
act as his meanestattendant. Lowly was his attitude, and reverent his words,

when the Son of God drew near. Surely he, who was so regardedand so
heralded, demands our homage and deserves ourlove. - T.
Biblical Illustrator
This is He.
John 1:30-34
The Redeemer's identification
Prof. Croskery., G. Hutcheson.
I. IN HIS WORK as the Lamb of God.
1. 'The objectoffered in sacrifice. The Lamb of God applies to Christ(1) in His
personalcharacter.(2)In His sacrificialcharacter.
2. The object or effectof the sacrifice "takethaway," etc.!
3. The burden removed by the sacrifice:the world's sin.

II. IN HIS PERSON (ver. 30). These words meet us for the third time. The
human and Divine natures are exhibited in one sentence. How profoundly the
Baptist believed in the pre-existence ofChrist.
III. THE MODE OF IDENTIFICATION.
1. I knew Him not. He did indeed know Him, and hence hesitatedabout
baptizing Him (Matthew 3:14). The son of Elizabeth must have knownthe Son
of Mary. The Baptist means that he did not know Him as Messiah.
2. Jesus was revealedto John by the descentof the Holy Ghost.(1)The sign.
The Dove emblematized the consecrationof the Redeemerto His Divine
work.(2)The two baptisms — the one in water, the other in the Holy Ghost —
the one that Christ might be made manifest unto Israel, and unto repentance
for the remission of sins; the other not a sacramentthat Christ was to institute
for the Church, nor which any priest or minister could give; it was a baptism
of regenerating grace — such a baptism as Simon Magus never had although
baptized with water; such a baptism as the dying thief enjoyed although not
baptized with water.
(Prof. Croskery.)Notice —
1. The evidences of Christ's excellencyand Godhead when He came into the
world are not cunningly devised fables, but most certainand infallible truths,
for John bare record, saying, "I saw," etc.
2. Christ in His solemn entry to His offices was sealedfrom heaven, that so the
Church may learn to embrace Him with all respect. Therefore doththe Spirit
descendupon Him in this visible way, and the Father bear witness to Him
(Matthew 3), all the persons of the Trinity manifesting themselves on Jordan's
bank.
3. Christ is endowed with the Spirit from on high for executing of His offices,
and it is made manifest that the Spirit is to be found on Him and sought from
Him; for "I saw the Spirit descending from heavenupon Him," where the
Spirit, who filleth heaven and earth, is said to descendin respectof that visible
manifestation and sign of His presence.

4. The Spirit's descending like a dove, a meek, harmless and affectionate
creature, pointed out what Christ is in His own nature to them that come to
Him, even meek, harmless, loving, and not dreadful; what He is in the
executionof His office, even He in whom the Fatheris wellpleasedand
pacified, and He who bringeth the good news of assuaging the deluge of wrath,
as Noah's dove of the drying up of the flood; and what He is in the operations
of His Spirit upon His people, that they are made meek, harmless, and lowly
as doves, not like birds of prey.
5. Albeit all Christ's members do receive of the Spirit in their measure, yet it
is Christ's prerogative to have the Spirit resting on Him; not only as God is
the Spirit of one essencewithHim, proceeding from the Fatherand Him, and
so is ever present with Him. But even as man by virtue of the personalunion,
the Spirit floweth and resteth on Christ, and efficaciouslyworkethin Him all
Divine gracesand virtues without measure, and immutably, so that none can
come wrong to Him at any time for receiving of His Spirit: Therefore, it is
said, "it abode upon Him" (Isaiah 11:2, 3).
6. Christ, in taking on our nature, did so coverHis glory with the veil of our
flesh and common infirmities that He could not be known by bodily sight from
another man without Divine revelation and evidences from God; for, without
this, John saith, I knew Him not (Matthew 16:17).
7. The Lord is very tender and careful of His servants, to encourage and
confirm them in their calling and message;and will not fail to perform what
He hath promised for that effectwhen He sendeth them out; for, John saith,
he saw this sign in a peculiar way, as being to him an accomplishment of that
promise given to him; for God had said to him, "upon whom thou shalt see
the Spirit descending," etc., andnow it was accomplished.
8. The Spirit restethupon Christ, and was manifestedto be on Him by a
visible sign, not only for Himself and to point out His excellency, but for the
Church's good, and to certify them that He receivedthe Spirit to
communicate unto His people.
(G. Hutcheson.)

The Dove of God
A. Maclaren, D. D., Tholuck.
We have here —
I. THE CORONATIONOF THE KING.
1. The actual descentof the Spirit. It is unnecessaryto ask what was the
objective material reality here. It is enoughthat this was no fancy, born in a
man's brain, but an actual manifestation, whether through sense or apart
from sense, to consciousnessofa Divine outpouring and communication.
2. The purpose of this descent. The anointing of the Monarch. But a man is
king before he is crowned. Coronationis the consequence andnot the cause of
royalty. And so the first purpose of this greatfact is distinctly stated as having
been the solemnpointing out of Messiahfor the Baptist first, but in order that
he might bear witness of Him to others. But this was not the beginning of His
Messianic consciousness, norof His Sonship. Before His baptism, and ere the
heavens opened, or the dove fluttered down, He from everlasting was Sonin
the bosomof the Father. Christ's baptism was an epoch in His human
development inasmuch as it was His first public assumption of His Messianic
office, and inasmuch as an advance was made in the communication to his
manhood of the sustaining Spirit as fully equipped Him for new calls. His
manhood needed the continual communication of the Spirit, and because it
was sinless it was capable of a complete reception of that Spirit. So we see in
Christ the realized ideal of manhood.
3. The meaning of this symbol. To John the coming of the King was first and
chiefly a coming to judgment. John sees two wonders:the Messiahin his
Carpenter Cousinand the Spirit, which he thought of as searching and
consuming, like a dove. The same as in Genesis 1:2, where the word employed
describes accuratelythe actionof the mother bird with her soft breastand
outstretchedwings quickening the life that lies beneath. What then does it
proclaim as to the characterof the King.(1) Purity, as the very foundation of
His royalty.(2) Meekness andgentleness, as the weapons of His conquestand

the sceptre ofHis rule. The dove will outfly all Rome's eagles, and all
rapacious uncleanfeeders with their strong wings, talons and beaks.
II. THE GIFTS OF THE KING TO HIS SUBJECTS.
1. Christ has nothing that He keeps to Himself. He receivedthe Spirit that He
might diffuse Him through the whole world. Salvationis more than escape
from wrath, more than pardon. We must rise higher and feel if we would
understand the "unspeakable gift" which is the totality of the gifts of His
indwelling Spirit.
2. Therefore Christian met, are spokenof in the same language which is used
in reference to their Master. "Sons ofGod," "Priests,""Lights of the World,"
"Anointed."
3. How full of rebuke and instruction is the symbol in reference to ourselves.
The dove-like Spirit is offeredto us.(1) Our hearts are like the wild chaos;but
He will come, if we will let Him, and brood over our nature and recreate the
whole.(2)The dove againwas pure and fit for sacrifice:the heavenly dove
comes as the Spirit of holiness, and then there is purity in the receiverand
.self-sacrifice.(3)The Dove that crownedthe King dwells in the subjects and
makes them, too, meek and gentle, and imparts the true force of Christian
character.(4)Noah's dove came back with one leaf in his beak — the prophecy
of a whole world of beauty and verdure. The Dove that comes to us, bearing
some leaf plucked from the tree of life, is the earnestof our inheritance until
the day of redemption. All the gifts of that Divine Spirit — gifts of holiness,
gentleness, wisdom, truth — are forecastsofheavenly perfectness.To us
sailing overa dismal sea, He comes bearing with Him a messagethat tells of
the far-off land and the fair garden of God in which the blessedshall walk.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)As a dove did at that time bring tidings of the abating of
the water, so doth it now of the abating of the wrath of God upon the
preaching of the gospel.
( Augustine.)The Holy Spirit manifested Himself here as a Dove;and at the
day of Pentecostin tongues of fire; in order that we may learn to unite fervour
with simplicity, and to seek for them both from Him.

( Augustine.)The dove, the symbol of innocence and purity (Matthew 10:16),
the abiding and the tranquil hovering over Christ, expressedthe tranquil and
equable movement of the power of the Spirit in Him, in contrastwith the
detachedimpulses given to the prophets (Isaiah11:2).
(Tholuck.)
The GreatA toner the GreatBaptizer
C. Clemance, D. D.
The work of Christ, according to the Baptist,was to take awaythe sin of the
world and to baptize with the Holy Ghost. It is not possible for believers to
think too much of the first part; but it is quite possible for them to think too
little of the second. These are the two pillars of our faith. The atoning sacrifice
was offeredand completed on Calvary once for all; but the baptism of the
Holy Ghostis evergoing on. Our Saviour died to be the Atoner; He lives to be
the Baptizer. And our Saviour lives and reigns to baptize us not occasionally,
but permanently; not fitfully and uncertainly, but surely. Were this baptism
fully realized, there would be a vastincrease of holiness, power, and successin
ministers and churches: of Christian unity and charity. What encouragement
have we for expecting this baptism? The announcement that Christ is as much
Baptizer as Atoner, not the one without the other, or He would have laid the
foundation and built nothing upon it. The atonement is the rock:the baptism
builds the Church. So the gospels run up to the atonement, but the Acts start
from the baptism. And so as the sinner seeksthe one for salvation, so should
the saint seek the other for service and testimony.
(C. Clemance, D. D.)
The four baptisms
J. Vaughan.

There are four baptisms mentioned in the Bible. The baptism of water, of
repentance, of the Holy Ghost, and of fire. The baptism of wateris the
emblem of all, but that would be nothing without the baptism of repentance
which it was intended to express;and the baptism of repentance will be
unavailing for peace, holiness, heaven, unless it is accompaniedby the baptism
of the Holy Ghost, and that is never far separatedfrom the baptism of fire.
The four make one complete whole, and are the basis of the Christian life.
(J. Vaughan.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
He that sent me - saidunto me - From this we may clearly perceive that John
had a most intimate acquaintance with the Divine Being; and receivednot
only his call and mission at first, but every subsequent direction, by
immediate, unequivocal inspiration. Who is fit to proclaim Jesus, but he who
has continual intercourse with God; who is constantly receiving light and life
from Christ their fountain; who bears a steady, uniform testimony to Jesus,
even in the presence ofhis enemies;and who at all times abases himself, that
Jesus alone may be magnified! Reformation of manners, and salvationof
souls, will accompanysucha person's labors whithersoeverhe goeth.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography

Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on John 1:33". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/john-
1.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And I knew him not,.... That is, before he came to be baptized by him; when it
was secretlysuggestedto him who he was, and the following signal was given
him, to confirm him in it:
but he that sent me to baptize with water; or "in water";that is, God; for
John's missionwas from God, as in John 1:6, and his baptism from heaven;
he had a divine warrant and commissionfor what he did:
the same said unto me; either by an articulate voice, or by a divine impulse on
his mind, or by the revelationof the Spirit:
upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the
same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost; that is, the Messiah;See Gill
on Matthew 3:11, Matthew 3:16.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on John 1:33". "The New John Gill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-
1.html. 1999.

Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
He said (εκεινος ειπεν — ekeinos eipen). Explicit and emphatic pronoun as in
John 1:8, referring to God as the one who sent John (John 1:6).
With the Holy Spirit (εν πνευματι αγιωι — en pneumati hagiōi). “In the Holy
Spirit.” Here again one needs the backgroundof the Synoptics for the contrast
betweenJohn‘s baptism in water(John 1:26) and that of the Messiahin the
Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on John 1:33". "Robertson'sWordPictures of
the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/john-1.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
The same ( ἐκεῖνος )
Rev., He. See on John 1:18. Emphasizing the personalcommunication of
Christ to the Baptist.
With the Holy Ghost( ἐν Πνεύματι Ἁγίῳ )
Better, as Rev., Holy Spirit. The preposition ἐν , in (Rev., in margin), often has
the instrumental force, with. Here, however, it would seemto signify the
element of the new life, as ἐν ὕδατι , in water, signifies the element of the

symbolic baptism, and might better be rendered in. The absence ofthe article
from Holy Spirit falls in with this, as indicating the spiritual influence of the
divine Agent rather than His personality.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon John 1:33". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/john-1.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
The Fourfold Gospel
And I knew him not1: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto
me2, Upon whomsoeverthou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding
upon him3, the same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit4.
And I knew him not. John's assertions thathe did not know Jesus are
assertions thathe did not know him to be the Messiah. He "believed" it, as
appears from his reluctance to baptize him, but he did not know it. His
language to the people show this (John 1:26). Many of the people must have
known Jesus, but none of them knew him to be the Messiah. Moreover, when
John denied that he knew Jesus as Messiahwe must not take it that he was
ignorant of the past history of Jesus. No doubt he knew in a generalway who
Jesus was;but as the officialforerunner and announcer of Jesus, and as the
heaven-sentwitness (John 1:6,7), it was necessarythat the Baptist should
receive, by personalrevelationfrom God, as here stated, an indubitable,
absolute knowledge ofthe Messiahshipof Jesus. Without this, John would not
have been truly qualified as a witness. ThatJesus is the Son of God must not

rest on hearsayevidence. John kept silent till he could testify of his own
knowledge.
But he that sent me to baptize in water, he said unto me. Thus humbly does
John claim his divine commissionas a prophet.
Upon whomsoeverthou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon him.
John seems to emphasize the abiding of the Spirit. The Spirit of God was also
bestowedupon the prophets and the apostles, but in them his powerwas
intermittent, and not constant; visions came to them intermittently, but with
Christ the fellowship of the Spirit was continuous.
The same is he that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. Christ bestows the Spirit
upon his own. If he himself received the Spirit at the time of his baptism, why
should it be thought strange that he bestows the Spirit upon his disciples at
the time of their baptism? See Acts 2:38; Acts 19:1-7;Titus 3:5.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography

J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon John 1:33". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/john-
1.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
33.Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending. Here a difficult question
arises;for if John did not know Christ, why does he refuse to admit him to
baptism? To a personwhom he did not know he would not say, I ought rather
to be baptized by thee, (Matthew 3:14.) Some reply, that he knew him to such
an extent as to regard him with the reverence due to a distinguished Prophet,
but was not aware that he wasthe Sonof God. But this is a poor solution of the
difficulty, for every man ought to obey the calling of God without any respect
of persons. No rank or excellenceofman ought to prevent us from doing our
duty, and therefore John would have shown disrespectto God and to his
baptism, if he had spokenin this manner to any other personthan the Son of
God. it follows that he must have previously known Christ.
In the first place, it ought to be observed, that the knowledge here mentioned
is that which arises from personaland long acquaintance. Although he
recognizes Christwhenever he sees him, still it does not ceaseto be true that
they were not knownto eachother according to the ordinary custom of men,
for the commencementof his knowledge proceededfrom God. But the
question is not yet fully answered;for he says that the sight of the Holy Spirit
was the mark by which he was pointed out to him. Now he had not yet seen
the Spirit, when he had addressedChrist as the Son of God. For my own part,
I willingly embrace the opinion of those who think that this sign was added for
confirmation, and that it was not so much for the sake ofJohn as for the sake
of us all. John indeed saw it, but it was rather for others than for himself.
Bucerappropriately quotes that saying of Moses,
This shall be a sign to you, that after three days journey, you shall sacrifice to
me on the mountain, (Exodus 3:12.)

Undoubtedly, when they were going out, they already knew that God would
conduct and watchover their deliverance;but this was a confirmation a
posteriori, as the phrase is; that is, from the event, after it had takenplace. In
like manner, this came as an addition to the former revelation which had been
given to John.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on John 1:33". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/john-1.html. 1840-
57.
Ver. 33. "And neither did I know him; but he who sent me to baptize with
water, he said to me: The man on whom thou shalt see the Spirit descendand
abide, is he who baptizeth with the Holy Spirit."
Not only was a sign given (John 1:32); but this signwas that which had been
promised, and the meaning of which had been indicated beforehand. No
human arbitrariness can, therefore, mingle itself with this testimony which
John renders to Jesus. κἀγώ : And I repeatit to you: When He presented
Himself, I did not know Him any more than you now know Him. I have then
placed here nothing of my own. The expressionὁ πέμψας, He who sent me,
has something solemn and mysterious in it; John evidently means to designate
thereby God Himself who had spokento him in the desertand given him his
commission. This commissionincluded: 1. The command to baptize; 2. The
promise to reveal to him the Messiahon the occasionof the baptism; 3. The
indication of the sign by which He should be manifested to him; 4. The

command to bear testimony to Him in Israel. The emphatic resumption of the
subject by the pronoun ἐκεῖνος, he, with its meaning which is so emphatic in
John, makes prominent this idea: That everything in this testimony proceeds
from Jehovah, and Jehovahonly. Weiss, who is not willing to acknowledge the
specialand commonly exclusive sense which this pronoun has in the fourth
Gospel, thinks that it serves here to place God, as the more remote subject, in
contrastwith Jesus, as the nearestobject.
But to what purpose mark a contrastbetweenJesus and God? The pronoun
indisputably signifies: "He and not another." The signhad been announced
by God Himself. The words ἐφ᾿ ὃν ἄν (on whom), indicate the most unlimited
contingency:Whoever he may be, though he be the poorestof the Israelites.
The actof baptizing with the Holy Spirit is indicated here as the peculiar
work of the Messiah. Bythe baptism of water, John gives to the repentant
sinner the pledge of pardon and the promise of sanctification;by the gift of
the Holy Spirit, the Messiahrealizes this lastpromise, and accomplishes
thereby the highest destiny of the human soul.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Godet, Frédéric Louis. "Commentary on John 1:33". "Frédéric Louis Godet -
Commentary on SelectedBooks".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsc/john-1.html.
James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE UNKNOWN CHRIST
‘There standeth One among you, Whom ye know not.… The same is He that
baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.’

John 1:26; John 1:33
Is the charge still true. Is Christ still unknown in His specialprerogative as He
that baptizeth with the Holy Ghost?
I. Christ is not an absent force.—He is unseen. His bodily presence is removed
from us for a time, but He is still in our midst the Captain of our Salvation,
the Leaderand Commander of His people. But just as among the crowd that
gatheredon the banks of Jordan the Carpenter of Nazarethwas
unrecognised, and few realisedthe new and immense spiritual leverage that
was for them in Jesus Christ, so it is still very often in the present day.
Historically He is better known, we worship Him as the Christ, the Messiahof
God. Theologicallywe know Him and acknowledgeHis Godhead, His
mediatorial work, His sacrificialdeath, His glorious Resurrectionand
Ascension. But practically He stands is the midst unrecognised, unknown,
unsought.
II. With the outside world we are not surprised to find it so.—Theyhave left
no room for Christ in their counsels. It would interfere with their gambling
and money-making. It suits them better to pretend that Christianity is a spent
force, that the teaching of Christ is old-fashioned, a beautiful ideal, but quite
impossible under present circumstances.
III. But what about the Christian Churches?—Surelythey know that the
living Christ is among them waiting to baptize with the Holy Ghostand with
fire? The Apostles, in the Holy War they wagedagainstsin and heathenism
and corrupt Judaism, only knew two remedies for human depravity, the
Bloodof the Lamb and the Fire of the Holy Ghost. But the Church of the
twentieth century is getting ashamedof the blood and fire of the Gospelof
Christ; her confidence is being placed in intellectual attainments, and so,
though there never was so much Christian enterprise as in the presentday, it
is too much on the human level; there is so little of the supernatural, so little of
the powerof the Holy Ghost, in it, and even our Christian workers seemto
forgetthe Christ Who stands among us waiting to baptize with the Holy
Ghost.

IV. There is often the same lack in the daily life and experience ofGod’s
children.—Their present life is full of weaknessand failure, of sadness and
complaint. And yet Christ is among them, able to save to the uttermost,
waiting to baptize with the Holy Ghost. But, alas!they see Him not.
—Rev. F. S. Webster.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nisbet, James. "Commentaryon John 1:33". Church Pulpit Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cpc/john-1.html. 1876.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same
said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining
on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
Ver. 33. And I knew him not] i.e. Notso perfectly till I heard that testimony
from heaven. Christ is not knownall at once:but as by steps and stairs men
went up to Solomon’s temple; and as the trumpet in the mount sounded lower
at first, and then louder and louder, till at lastit was heard all the camp over;
so is it here. "The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfectday," Proverbs 4:18.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on John 1:33". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/john-1.html.
1865-1868.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
John 1:33. John’s recognitionof Jesus as the Messiah(whom he had not
before known as such) restedupon a revelation previously made to him with
this intent; and this he now states, solemnlyrepeating, however, the
declarationof his own ignorance ( κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν αὐτόν).
ἐκεῖνος] in emphatic contrastwith his ownreflection.
εἶπεν] i.e. by express revelation. We cannottell the precise time or manner of
this prior revelation. By it John was referred to some outwardly visible
σημεῖον( ἴδῃς) of the Spirit, in a generalway, without any definition of its
form. He was to see it descending, and this descenttook place in the form of a
dove, and after that divine intimation there was no room for doubt. Comp. on
Matthew 3:17, note.
ἐφʼ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς] that is, when thou baptizest Him with water. This is not
expresslystated in the divine declaration, but John could not fail so to
understand it, because, being sentto baptize, he would naturally expect the
appearance ofthe promised sign while fulfilling his mission; comp. John 1:31.
He therefore describes the giver of the revelationas ὁ πέμψας με, κ. τ. λ., and
the evangelistputs the statementin the conditional form: ἐφʼ ὃν ἂν, κ. τ. λ.,

i.e., according to the connectionof the narrative: “When, in the fulfilment of
this your mission, you shall see the Spirit descending upon one of those whom
thou baptizest, this is He,” etc.
ἐν πνεύμ. ἁγίῳ] by communicating it to those who believe upon Him. See on
Matthew 3:11. The designationof this communication as a baptism very
naturally arose from its close relationto the work of the Baptist’s mission
(comp. Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16), because
the gift of the Spirit, according to the prophetic figure (Joel3:1; Isaiah44:3),
had been promised under the form of an outpouring (comp. Acts 2:33). The
contrastitself distinctly sets before us the difference betweenthe two
baptisms: the one was a preparation for the Messianic salvationby μετάνοια;
the other, an introduction thereto by the divine principle of life and salvation,
the communication of which presupposes the forgiveness ofsins (see on Mark
1:4).
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Meyer, Heinrich. "Commentary on John 1:33". Heinrich Meyer's Critical
and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hmc/john-1.html. 1832.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
John 1:33. οὐκ ᾔδειν) I knew Him not, before that I saw the Spirit
descending.— ὁ πέμψας με, He that sent me) God.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on John 1:33". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/john-1.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
And I knew him not; I was a stranger to him; I knew him in a sense, whenI
leaped in my mother’s womb, upon his mother’s coming to see my mother,
Luke 1:41; but that (as impressions made upon infants use to do) wore off. I
had some impression upon me at that time when he came towards me to be
baptized, which made me say to him, {as Matthew 3:14}
I have need to be baptized of thee, and comestthou to me? But yet I was not
certain, though I knew he was in the crowd of people, that he was the person
designed, and whose work it should be to baptize with the Holy Ghost, until
the same God that had given me that sign fulfilled it to me.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon John 1:33". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/john-1.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament

I knew him not; John may have had a personalacquaintance with Jesus, but
he did not know him as the one that was to baptize with the Holy Ghost. He
was not authorized to say of Jesus, This is the one of whom I spoke, till he had
receivedfrom God the signnamed in this verse.
He that sent me; God.
Which baptized with the Holy Ghost; whose it is to give both the ordinary and
the miraculous influences of the Spirit.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on John 1:33". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/john-1.html.
American Tract Society. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
33. κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔ. αὐ. I also knew Him not. The Baptist againprotests that but
for a specialrevelationhe was as ignorant as others that Jesus was the
Messiah. Therefore he is here giving not his own opinion about Jesus, but the
evidence of a sign from heaven.
ὁ πέμψας. In John 1:6 the verb used was ἀποστέλλω. Πέμπειν is the most
generalword for ‘send,’ implying no specialrelation betweensenderand sent:
ἀποστέλλειν adds the notion of a delegatedauthority constituting the person
sent the envoy or representative of the sender(John 1:19; John 1:24). Both
verbs are used of the missionof Christ and of the mission of the disciples, as
well as that of John. Ἀποστέλλειν is used of the mission of Christ, John 3:17;
John 3:34, John 5:38, John 6:29; John 6:57, John 7:29, John 8:42, John 10:36,

John 11:42, John 17:3; John 17:8; John 17:18;John 17:21; John 17:23;John
17:25;of the mission of the disciples, John 4:38, John 17:18. Πέμπειν is used of
the missionof Christ (always in the aoristparticiple) John 4:34, John 5:23-24;
John 5:30; John 5:37, John 6:38-40;John 6:44, John 7:16; John 7:18; John
7:28; John 7:33, &c. &c.;of that of the disciples, John 13:20, John 20:21.
Πέμπειν is also used of the mission of the Spirit, John 14:26, John 16:7.
ἐκεῖνος. ‘That one Himself and no other;’ see on John 1:8; John 1:18. Ἐφ' ὃν
ἄν. The widestpossibility; ‘whosoeverhe may be on whom.’
μένον. Another of S. John’s favourite words, a fact which the A.V. obscures by
translating it in sevendifferent ways. ‘Abide’ is the most common and the best
translation (John 1:32, John 3:36, John 4:40): besides this we have ‘remain’
(here, John 9:41, John 15:11;John 15:16), ‘dwell’ (John 1:39, John 6:56, John
14:10;John 14:17)‘continue’ (John 2:12, John 8:31), ‘tarry’ (John 4:40, John
21:22-23), ‘endure’ (John 6:27), ‘be present’ (John 14:25). In John 1:39, John
4:40, 1 John 3:24, it is translated in two different ways;in 1 John 2:24 in three
different ways.—The Baptistand the Prophets were moved by the Spirit at
times; ‘the Spirit of the Lord came upon’ them from time to time. With Jesus
he abode continually.
ὁ βαπτ. ἐν πν. ἁγ. This phrase introduced without explanation assumes that
the readers are well aware ofthis office of the Messiah, i.e. are well-instructed
Christians. Βαπτίζωνis appropriate, [1] to mark the analogyand contrast
betweenthe office of the Baptistand that of the Messiah;the one by baptism
with waterawakens the longing for holiness; the other by baptism with the
Spirit satisfies this longing: [2] because the gift of the Spirit is an out-pouring.
ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. The epithet ἅγιονis given to the Spirit thrice in this Gospel;
here, John 14:26, and John 20:22 (in John 7:39 the ἅγιονis very doubtful). It
is not frequent in any Gospelbut the third; 5 times in S. Matthew , 4 in S.
Mark 12 in S. Luke. S. Luke rarely omits the epithet, which he uses about 40
times in the Acts. Here and John 20:22 neither substantive nor epithet has the
article, in John 14:26 both have it.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on John 1:33". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/john-1.html.
1896.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
33. The same is he—ThoughJohn may have recognizedJesus, evenas the
Messiah, atthe moment before his baptism, by spiritual insight or divine
prophetic impulse; yet he was bound to wait the divine sign, which marked
the Christ out from all the race as the very one and no other, before he could
officially know him as Messiah.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on John 1:33". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/john-1.html.
1874-1909.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
John 1:33. κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔδειν … ἐκεῖνός μοι εἶπεν. Because ofthe importance of
the identification of the Messiahthe Baptist reiterates that his proclamationof

Jesus was not a private idea for which he alone was responsible. On the
contrary, He who had sent him to baptise had given him this sign by which to
recognise the Christ.— ἐφʼ ὃν ἂν ἴδῃς … πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Lk. (Luke 3:16) adds
καὶ πυρί, which occasionsthe well-knownutterance in Ecce Homo: “Baptism
means cleansing, andfire means warmth. How can warmth cleanse?The
answeris that moral warmth does cleanse. No heartis pure that is not
passionate;no virtue is safe that is not enthusiastic. And such an enthusiastic
virtue Christ was to introduce.” In affirming that the Christ baptises with the
Holy Spirit, and that this is what distinguishes the Christ, the Baptist steps on
to grouud where his affirmations can be tested by experience. This is the
fundamental article of the Christian creed. Has Christ power to make men
holy? History gives the answer. The essenceofthe Holy Spirit is
communication: Jesus being the Christ, the anointed with the Spirit, must
communicate it.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on John 1:33". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/john-1.html. 1897-1910.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
see. Greek. eidon. App-133.
remaining. Greek. meno, John 1:32.
on = upon, as in John 1:32.
the Holy Ghost= holy spirit. Greek. pneuma hagion. No articles. See App-101.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on John 1:33". "E.W. Bullinger's
Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/john-1.html. 1909-1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
And I knew him not: but he that sentme to baptize with water, the same said
unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
1:33". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/john-
1.html. 1871-8.

Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
I knew
31; Matthew 3:13-15
the same
3:5,34;Matthew 3:11,14;Mark 1:7,8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; 2:4; 10:44-47;Acts
11:15,16;19:2-6;1 Corinthians 12:13;Titus 3:5,6
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on John 1:33". "The Treasury of Scripture
Knowledge". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/john-1.html.
Ver. 33. "And I knew Him not: but He that sentme to baptize with water, the
same said unto me. Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and
remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."
That which John saw receives its full significance only in this, that he had
learned the meaning of this appearance by a preceding Divine revelation. We
perceive from our text, that the Baptistwas esteemedworthy of immediate
Divine communications, and that it is therefore wrong to measure his

declarations by the standard of the then current Jewishtheology, to twist and
interpret them by this, or to deny their genuineness becausethey will not
agree with it. On the words, "Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit
descending," Meyercorrectlyremarks:"Namely, while thou art baptizing
Him with water. John, sentto baptize, must, in fulfilment of this calling, await
the promised revelation." The sign, moreover, stands to the thing designated
in an inner and essentialconnection, which is only discoveredby the
revelation made to the Baptist. The Spirit coming down and resting on Christ,
is the source from which He baptizes with the Holy Ghost. As certainly as the
one takes place, so certainly, also, must the other ensue. The expression,
baptize with the Holy Ghost, for overflow therewith, is called forth by the
antithesis to the baptism with water. It has its foundation in the passagesof
the Old Testamentwhich speak of the pouring out of the Spirit in the times of
the Messiah:Joel2:28, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour
out My Spirit upon all flesh." Isaiah 44:3. He who pours out, is in these
passagesGod;and, in fact, the baptism with the Holy Ghostis far above the
sphere of man—being a Divine prerogative:nowhere in Holy Scripture is
there such a declarationwith regard to a man. The Berleb. Bibel remarks,
with perfect correctness,"He baptizes in the Holy Ghost—therefore must the
Holy Ghostproceedfrom Him also, and He must be the Son of God."
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Sermon
John 1:29-34
Lamb of God
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John 1:29-34
Lamb of God
By Dr. Philip W. McLarty
If you were here last Sunday, you know that we celebratedJesus’baptism
with a renewalof our own baptismal vows. The text for the day was from
Matthew’s gospel, the third chapter.
Today’s text from John’s gospelcontinues the story of Jesus’baptism story
from a different perspective. Here the focus is on John the Baptist and his
prophetic role in announcing Jesus as the PromisedMessiah. WhatI’d like for
us to think about this morning is the description John uses of Jesus as the “the
Lamb of God, who takes awaythe sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
To appreciate what this means we need to go back to the Old TestamentBook
of Leviticus. That’s where we getthe biggestdose of offerings and sacrifices.
In a word, Jews were taught to offer sacrifices forjust about every aspectof
life. For example, there were the burnt offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings,
guilt offerings, wave offerings, thank offerings, elevationofferings, ordination
offerings and offerings of well-being … and I may have overlookedone or
two.
Sacrifices were necessaryin order to make the offerings. Sacrificialanimals
included bulls, cattle, calves, oxen, rams, goats, sheep, pigeons and
turtledoves.
Naturally, when an animal was sacrificed, there was a lot of blood shed. The
blood was thought to have a specialeffectin appeasing God. In some
instances, the Torahstipulated that, not only was the animal to be burned as a
“pleasing odorto the Lord,” (think of grilling steaks ona charcoalfire), the
priest was to dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seventimes on the
curtain behind the altar. In other instances, he was to place blood on the
horns of the altar; and, at other times, he was to pour the blood out on the
ground in front of the altar.

Lambs were commonly used in ritual sacrifice and, when a lamb was
specified, it was to be a “lamb…without blemish.” Sometimes a single lamb
would be sacrificed;at other times, it could be as many as twelve or more.
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As Christians, we don’t practice ritual sacrifice. In part, this goes along with
what Jesus taught his disciples when he said,
“But you go and learn what this means:
‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’
for I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.” (Matthew 9:13)
More to the point, we don’t offer sacrificesin the church today because we
believe that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in dying, once and for all, for
the forgiveness ofsins. He died for us that we might live for others. When we
make an offering today, it’s in response to the freedom and forgiveness we’ve
already received.
You may not be aware ofthis but, as Presbyterians, we take pride in pointing
out that we have no altar in the church. Did you know that? The communion
table is just that – the communion table, not an altar. The sacrifice was made
long ago.

When we come to the table, it’s in response to what God has already
accomplishedin the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Brian Wren said
it best:
I come with joy to meet my Lord,
forgiven, loved and free;
In awe and wonder to recall
His life laid down for me.
Back to the image of the Lamb of God, we find this most poignantly expressed
in the Passover. You remember the story: God sent Moses andAaron down to
Egypt to plea with Pharaoh, “Let my people go.” (Exodus 5:1) Pharaoh
refused, and that led to a series ofplagues designedto break the Pharaoh’s
will. The last plague was the plague of death. Godtold Moses,
“Yet one plague more will I bring on Pharaoh, and on Egypt;
afterwards he will let you go.
When he lets you go,
he will surely thrust you out altogether.” (Exodus 11:1)
God said he would unleashhis Spirit at midnight and take the lives of every
first-born Egyptian,
“…and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die,
from the firstborn of Pharaohwho sits on his throne,
even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the mill;
and all the firstborn of livestock.”
God promised:
“There shall be a greatcry throughout all the land of Egypt,
such as there has not been,

nor shall be any more.” (Exodus 11:5-6)
As for the Hebrews, Godpromised to pass over their homes and so, spare
them from the angelof death. And, as a sign to distinguish their homes from
the Egyptians, God commanded them to kill a lamb and smearthe blood of
the lamb on the doorposts oftheir homes. It became knownas the “paschal
lamb,” the lamb of sacrifice. Here’s whatGod told Moses:
“Speak to all the congregationof Israel,
saying, ‘On the tenth day of this month,
they shall take to them every man a lamb,
according to their fathers’ houses, a lamb for a household…
Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male a year old…
and you shall keepit until the fourteenth day of the same month;
and the whole assemblyof the congregationofIsrael
shall kill it at evening.
They shall take some of the blood,
and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel,
on the houses in which they shall eat it.
They shall eat the flesh in that night…
it is Yahweh’s Passover.
For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night,
and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt,
both man and animal…
The blood shall be to you for a tokenon the houses where you are:
and when I see the blood, I will pass over you,

and there shall no plague be on you to destroyyou,
when I strike the land of Egypt.” (Exodus 12:3-13)
The Hebrews did what they were told and, as the angelof death crept through
the streets ofthe city, they heard the cries of their Egyptian neighbors
mourning the loss of their first-born children. Before the sun came up the next
day, Moses and Aaron were summoned to the Pharaoh’s palace where
Pharaohhimself was grieving the death of his son. He told them,
“Rise up, get out from among my people,
both you and the children of Israel;
and go, serve Yahweh, as you have said!
Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said,
and be gone…” (Exodus 12:31-32)
To this day, the Jewishpeople observe Passoverand celebrate the dramatic
way in which God delivered them from the yoke of slavery.
As Christians, this is where we make the connectionbetweenJesus and the
PaschalLamb: His blood was shed as an atonement for sin – and, as John is
quick to point out – “… not for ours only, but also for the whole world.” (1
John 2:2) We have the assurance ofeternal life through faith in him. As Jesus
told his disciples, so it’s true for us today:
“I am the resurrection and the life.
He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.
Whoeverlives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)
No one has ever expressedthis thought more beautifully than Isaac Watts,
who wrote:
“I’ll praise my Makerwhile I’ve breath,”

And when my voice is lost in death,
Praise shallemploy my nobler powers.
My days of praise shall ne’er be past,
While life and thought and being last,
Or immortality endures.
As for sheep, I’ll be the first to admit I don’t know all that much. Basedon
what sheepI’ve seenup close, they’re not as pretty as you see in pictures.
Their woolis often matted and muddy. Plus, I’ve been told they’re not very
bright. They’re also passive. If attackedby a predator, they won’t fight back.
It’s this passive nature of sheepthat inspired the prophet Isaiahto write,
“He was oppressed,
yet when he was afflicted he didn’t open his mouth.
As a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and as a sheepthat before its shearers is mute,
so he didn’t open his mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
Just before that, Isaiahsays:
“Surely he has borne our sickness, andcarried our suffering;
yet we consideredhim plagued, struck by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions.
He was crushed for our iniquities.
The punishment that brought our peace was on him;
and by his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheephave gone astray.
Everyone has turned to his own way;

and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)
One of the greatold spirituals describes Jesus’passionand death this way:
They crucified my Lord,
and he never said a mumblin’ word;
They nailed him to a tree …
they pierced him in the side …
He bowed his head and died,
and he never said a mumblin’ word.
But if this sounds overly submissive and wimpy, think again. It wasn’tas if
Jesus rolled overand played dead. In fact, he voluntarily surrendered to the
Roman authorities in order to fulfill God’s will for his life. Paul told the
Philippians:
“…who, existing in the form of God,
didn’t consider equality with Goda thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant,
being made in the likeness ofmen.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death,
yes, the death of the cross.”(Philippians 2:6-8)
Surrender is not a word we like to hear. Yet, this is preciselywhat Jesus did –
he laid down his life for the sins of the world, and that setthe stage forthe
greatestmiracle the world has ever known – his resurrection from the dead.
This is why, wheneveryou see the PaschalLamb portrayed, it’s anything but
a young lamb frolicking in the meadow;it’s a mature lamb with horns,

standing erectwith head held high, looking you in the eye, holding a staff by
its right leg with a victory banner waving in the breeze.
It’s also why, in musical settings of the Mass, the final movement before the
closing Benedictionis the Agnus Dei:
Lamb of God, who takestawaythe sins of the world,
have mercy upon us. Lamb of God, grant us thy peace.Themessageis clear:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ has won the victory, once and for all.
The assurance ofsalvationis ours, through faith in him.
This is what I hope you’ll take home with you today: His dying and rising are
a paradigm for us to follow. He told his disciples:
“If anyone desires to come after me,
let him deny himself, take up his cross, andfollow me.
For whoeverdesires to save his life will lose it,
but whoeverwill lose his life for my sake,
the same will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24)
It’s in dying to self that we’re born againto eternallife. Only as you’re willing
to get your own ego out of the way will you be able to experience life in all its
abundance.
The GoodNews is that God has a plan for eachof us – a destiny to fulfill. As
you surrender your will to God’s goodand perfect will for your life, you’ll
experience the fullness of life God has in store for you.
Charlotte Elliott was a just a young woman the night she went to some
friends’ home for dinner. The year was 1835.The home was in the WestEnd
of London. There she met a brash young minister named CésarMalan.
During the course of the meal, he askedher if she were a Christian. She took
offense and said she’d rather not discuss the matter. He apologizedand the
conversationmoved on. Three weeks later, their paths crossedagain. This
time it was she who brought it up. She said ever since he’d askedthe question

she’d been trying to find the Savior, but to no avail. “So, you tell me,” she
said, “How does one come to Christ?” He saidsimply, “Justcome to him as
you are.” That, she did. Not long after, she wrote this hymn:
Just as I am, without one plea,
But that Thy blood was shedfor me,
And that Thou bidst me come to Thee;
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming his way, he told his disciples,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes awaythe sin of the world!” As you see
signs of his presence in the trials and tribulations of everyday life, dare to let
him come more fully into your heart and invite others to know him, as well.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
Copyright 2010, Philip McLarty. Used by permission.
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONSare from the World English Bible (WEB), a
public domain (no copyright) modern Englishtranslation of the Holy Bible.
All Rights Reserved| © 1997-2018 RichardNiellDonovan
This Is He Who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit
Resource by John Piper
Scripture: John 1:25–34 Topic:The Holy Spirit
They askedhim, “Thenwhy are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ,
nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answeredthem, “I baptize with water,

but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me,
the strap of whose sandalI am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took
place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next
day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God,
who takes awaythe sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me
comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did
not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might
be revealedto Israel.” 32 And John bore witness:“I saw the Spirit descend
from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know
him, but he who sent me to baptize with watersaid to me, ‘He on whom you
see the Spirit descendand remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy
Spirit.’ 34 And I have seenand have borne witness that this is the Sonof
God.”
Last time we focusedon one of John the Baptist’s testimonies about Jesus. He
said that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes awaythe sin of the world. John
1:29: “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold, the
Lamb of God, who takes awaythe sin of the world!’” This is the best news:
The eternalSon of God came into the world not to judge us, but to take away
our sin. I hope that you are enjoying this freedom from the guilt of your sin.
Today we focus on anothergreat testimony that John gave about Jesus,
namely, that he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. John 1:33: “I
myself did not know him, but [God] who sent me to baptize with watersaid to
me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descendand remain, this is he who
baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” That’s our focus today — what is meant by
Jesus’s baptizing with the Holy Spirit. Why did John make this part of his
message? Ofall the things he could have said about Jesus and his ministry,
why did he saythis? Why is it that saying this is, in fact, a greattestimony to
Jesus? Why isn’t it mainly a testimony to the Holy Spirit?
ContrastBetweenJohn’s and Jesus’s Baptism
Notice first that John the Gospel-writersets up a contrastbetweenJohn’s
baptism with waterand Jesus’s baptism with the Spirit. Let’s watch how he

does this. First, verse 31: “I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I
came baptizing with water, that he might be revealedto Israel.” So Johnis
emphasizing again the greatnot that is over his life: Not the Christ. Not the
prophet. NotElijah reincarnate. Notthe greatknowerof Jesus. Justa voice
saying, Get ready to meet the God of Isaiah 40 in human form. And I’m just a
baptizer in mere water so that I canget some people ready to recognize Jesus.
Spirit Like a Dove
Then verse 32: “And John bore witness:‘I saw the Spirit descendfrom
heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.’” Amazingly, the Gospelof John
does not report the baptism of Jesus. We know from the other Gospels that
the decentof the dove happened at Jesus’s baptism(Matthew 3:16). But John
simply says that the Spirit came like a dove — without mentioning Jesus’s
baptism.
Why a dove? The dove was one of the clean animals that you could sacrifice if
you were too poor to afford a lamb (Leviticus 5:7). So it stoodfor purity and
lowliness or humility. So, of all the birds that connectheavenand earth by
their flying and landing, the dove was the one that seemedthe most suitable
symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is holy! The Holy Spirit is pure.
And the Holy Spirit, we will see in a few minutes, is the most self-effacing (that
is, lowly or humble) person of the Trinity.
The Spirit Remained on Jesus
So John’s Gospelomits the baptism of Jesus without a mention in order to
focus all attention on one thing: The pure, meek Holy Spirit came upon Jesus
and remained on him. Look at that phrase at the end of verse 32:“And it
remained on him.” Don’t stumble over the “it” as though the Holy Spirit were
a thing and not a person. The “it” is referring to the dove. But in reality it’s
the Holy Spirit himself who remains. And we will see plenty of evidence that
the Holy Spirit is a person in his own right. A person, not an “it,” came upon
Jesus.

The point of stressing that the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus and remained on
him is that this makes it clearthat he can baptize in the Holy Spirit. That’s
where John is going. Isn’t it amazing that John the Gospel-writernot only
doesn’t report Jesus’s baptism, but he also doesn’tsay a word about the
meaning of John’s baptism — like that it’s a baptism of repentance (Mark
1:4)? He only says that it’s meant to reveal Christ (verse 31). The reasonfor
this lean reporting is that John is riveted on one thing: John-Watervs. Jesus-
Spirit.
Vast Superiority of Jesus
He wants us to feel the vastsuperiority of Jesus in this contrast. Baptizing
with the Spirit and baptizing with wateris the difference betweenlightning
and a lightning bug. It’s the difference betweena person and a painting,
betweena marriage and a ring, betweena birth and a birth certificate,
betweenimmersion in waterand immersion in God.
So what John is saying in this contrastis what he has been saying all along: I
am nothing compared to this one. What I do and what he does are in two
radically different categories. Idare not untie his sandals. He was absolutely
before me. He ranks infinitely above me. I am the voice. He is the Message.I
am the temporary pointer. He’s the eternalPerson. I am mere man. He is the
God-man.
Days of the MessiahAre Here!
And the focus of Christ’s superiority in this passageis the fact that he baptizes
in the Holy Spirit, while John merely baptizes with water. Why? Why did
John choose to mention this here at the beginning of his Gospel? Here is one
reason.
The Old Testamentmakes plain that the long-awaitedMessiahwouldbe
empoweredby the Spirit of God, and that in his day the Spirit would be
poured out on all his people in wonderful new ways.

The Spirit and God’s Messiah
For example,
Isaiah11:1–2:“There shall come forth a shootfrom the stump of Jesse, anda
branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest
upon him.”
Isaiah42:1: “Beholdmy servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my
soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the
nations.”
Isaiah61:1: (This is the text Jesus quoted about himself in Luke 4:18) “The
Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to
bring goodnews to the poor.”
This is why God said to John in John in 1:33, “He on whom you see the Spirit
descendand remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” In other
words, the prophets said it would be this way; so when you see it happen,
know that the one who baptizes with the Spirit has come.
The Spirit and God’s People
And the Old Testamentdescribedwhat would happen for the people of the
Messiah. Forexample,
Joel2:28: “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit
on all flesh.”
Isaiah44:3: “I will pour wateron the thirsty land, and streams on the dry
ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your
descendants.”
Ezekiel36:27:“And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in
my statutes and be carefulto obey my rules.”

This is at leastpart of what would be included in this baptism with the Holy
Spirit. So John mentions the Holy Spirit and his coming upon Jesus, and
Jesus’s baptizing with the Spirit, to emphasize that the days of the Messiah
are here. The long-awaitedpromises are being fulfilled.
What Does Jesus’sBaptismwith the Holy Spirit Mean?
So what does it mean? What does John the Gospel-writerhave in mind when
he tells us what John the Baptist says in verse 33, “This is he who baptizes
with the Holy Spirit”? What does baptism with the Holy Spirit mean?
1) The Spirit Comes Through Jesus
First, it means that from now on — now that Godhas come in the flesh — the
Holy Spirit will come to people through Jesus Christ. The Spirit came upon
Jesus and remains upon Jesus, and therefore Jesus is the one who gives the
Spirit (John 15:26). The Holy Spirit will not do his redemptive work apart
from Jesus. Jesus willbe the means by which anyone receives the Spirit.
Whateversaving work the Spirit does, he does because ofJesus. The Spirit
does not flow like a fluid through the world unattached to Jesus. Everywhere
he moves he moves with Jesus and for Jesus. That’s the first thing it means to
say that “Jesus baptizes with the Spirit.”
2) Jesus Immerses People in the Spirit
Second, it means that Jesus immerses people in the Spirit. That’s what the
word baptize means. There are pictures in the Bible of the Spirit being poured
out. But when the idea of baptism (that is, dipping or immersion) is brought
in, the point is that the Spirit is poured over us to such an extent that we are
enveloped in him.
The point of this image is that the Spirit becomes profoundly and pervasively
influential in our lives. When you are immersed in something, it touches you
everywhere. So when John says that Jesus is going to baptize with the Spirit,
he means that the day is coming when the lives of God’s people will be
plunged into the life of the Spirit with profound and pervasive effects.
3) Baptism Signifies All That the Spirit Does forUs

Third, what are those effects? Now here we could let ourselves go straightto
the debate about whether the term “baptism with the Spirit” refers to a
secondblessing in the Christian life sometime after conversionmarkedby
speaking in tongues, or whether it refers to the point of conversion. But I
don’t think the way that question is posedwill help us yet.
As I have tried to let John define for us what he means by baptism with the
Spirit, it seems to me that the term is a broad, overarching one that includes
the whole greatsaving, sanctifying, and empowering work of the Spirit in this
age. I don’t think it is a technicalterm that refers to one part of the Christian
life — say conversion, orspeaking in tongues, or a bold actof witness. It is the
continual, and sometimes extraordinary, outpouring of the Holy Spirit on
God’s people. It immerses them not just in one or two, but in hundreds, of his
powerful influences.
In other words, if you are not born again, one way to describe your need is
that you need to be baptized with the Spirit. That is, you need to be plunged
into God’s Spirit with the effectthat you will be born againand come to faith
in Christ. If you are born again, but you are languishing in a seasonof
weakness andfear and defeat, one wayto describe what you need is to be
baptized in the Spirit. That is, you need a fresh outpouring of his Christ-
revealing, heart-awakening, sin-defeating, boldness-producing power. Every
spiritual need that we have before and after conversionis supplied by Christ
immersing us in greaterand lesserdegreesin the Holy Spirit.
So I don’t take baptism with the Spirit in John as a technicalterm for one
experience of the Christian life, but as a generalterm for all that the Holy
Spirit does for us because ofChrist.
Four Effects of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives
Let’s get specific and see from the rest of the Gospelwhy I think this is the
way John saw it. Here is a quick survey of the rest of the Gospel. I’ll mention
four effects of the Holy Spirit in our lives. There are more.
1. The Spirit gives new life.

John 6:63: “It is the Spirit who gives life.” How? By causing the new birth.
“Jesus answeredhim, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born againhe
cannot see the kingdom of God. . . . That which is born of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:3, 6). The first great
saving effectof being baptized in the Holy Spirit is to be born again.
2. The Spirit makes us live-givers, not just life-getters.
John 7:38–39:““Whoeverbelieves in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his
heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit.” The
Spirit not only makes us alive; he makes us life-giving. He flows out of you like
a brimming spring.
3. The Spirit witnessesto Jesus.
John 15:26: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness
about me.” We will have much to sayabout this glorious internal witness of
the Spirit to Jesus Christ, but suffice it sayfor now, that if any of you sees
Christ as compellingly worthy and true, it is because of the work of the Spirit
in your life. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:3, “No one can say ‘Jesus is
Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”
4. The Spirit glorifies Jesus.
John 16:14: “Whenthe Spirit of truth comes . . . He will glorify me, for he will
take what is mine and declare it to you.” The all-integrating work of the Holy
Spirit is to cause us to see Jesus as magnificent.
MostSelf-Effacing Member of the Trinity
These lasttwo points (3 and 4) give an answerto one of the questions we asked
but haven’t quite answered. We asked, Whyis it that saying Jesus baptizes
with the Holy Spirit is testimony mainly to Jesus, and not mainly to the Holy
Spirit? In other words, why does saying this exalt Jesus and not the Spirit? It
could sound like Jesus is just a stepping stone to the really greatperson,

namely, the Spirit — that Jesus is greatbecause he pours out the really great
one.
But what have we seenin John 15:26 and 16:14? When the Spirit comes, he
will witness to Jesus!When the Spirit comes, he will glorify Jesus!This is why
I said at the beginning that the Holy Spirit is the most self-effacing, “humble”
person of the Trinity. When he comes, he comes to witness to Christ and to
glorify Christ.
Jesus:Ground and Goalof Spirit-Baptism
So back to John the Baptist. John says that Jesus will baptize you with the
Holy Spirit. Now we see why that is a greattribute to the greatness ofJesus.
It’s not just because Jesusis the ground of all the goodthat the Spirit does in
us and for us. If Jesus were not first the Lamb of God who takes awaysin by
dying, he could never be the baptizer who gives the Spirit by rising. But he is
not just the ground of the Spirit’s work.
Jesus is also the goalof all that the Spirit does in us and for us. He immerses
us in the Spirit, and no one else cando it. And then the one in whom he
immerses us witnessesback to Jesus and glorifies Jesus. Jesus is the ground
and goalof the baptism in the Spirit.
All Things from Jesus and for Jesus
So the ultimate point of John’s testimony is that, under Godthe Father, all
things are from Christ and all things are for Christ, including even the Holy
Spirit.
The main reasonwe need the baptism of the Holy Spirit — the great
outpouring of the Spirit, the greatimmersion of every part of our lives in the
Spirit — is because God’s aim in every part of our lives is the glory of Jesus
Christ. Is your life magnifying Christ in every part? If not, pray, as I do so
often, for a fresh, fuller baptism in the Holy Spirit. O Holy Spirit, come. O

risen Christ, for your greatname’s sake, grantus a fresh baptism in your
Holy Spirit.

The holy spirt comes down on jesus

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