Daily Devotional • March 4
A Reading from John 1:19-28
19 This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said,
“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,
‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’”
as the prophet Isaiah said.
24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, “Why, then, are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, 27 the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.” 28 This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Meditation
John the Baptizer is all about Jesus. Our introduction to him came earlier, where we learn that John was “sent from God” (1:6). “He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light” (1:7-8).
With verse 19, we turn to that testimony. Jewish leaders have been sent to ask John, “Who are you?” In response, “He confessed and did not deny it, but he confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah’” (1:20).
At first glance, both 1:20 and 1:7-8 seem unnecessarily repetitive. We’re told twice in 1:20 that the Baptizer “confessed” that he wasn’t the Messiah, and we’re told twice in 1:17-8 that the Baptizer’s role was to be one who merely testifies to the light. But given that the repetition happens twice in respect to the same topic, I’m inclined to think that the gospel’s author intended the repetition to bring our attention particularly to these passages.
My guess as to why is that the author wanted us to adopt the Baptizer’s attitude toward Jesus and toward himself. We as Christians need to readily confess that Jesus is the savior, the only one who offers light and life. Sometimes we slip into offering “salvation” of ourselves, even under the banner of Christ’s name. But there should be no confusion in our testimonies about who help comes from.
We, like John, need to understand our identities and work in light of Jesus’s exclusive identity and work as savior. John knows he’s announcing the coming of someone much greater than he is, someone whose sandal he is not worthy to untie (1:27). We, like John, have one job—to point to the God revealed in Jesus Christ. We cannot save ourselves or anyone else. All we can do is turn to God and implore others to do the same—and we need God’s help for this, too.
Laura Howard is a writer from Dallas, TX, now based in Wheaton, IL, where she works in Student Wellness at her alma mater, Wheaton College. Laura’s portfolio of writing, teaching, and artwork can be found at letmebeheavy.substack.com.
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Daily Devotional Cycle of Prayer
Today we pray for:
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Houston
The Diocese of Makamba – The Anglican Church of Burundi
