John 1:19-34 – The Record of John

Read John 1:19-34

1) Compare John 1 verses 6-8, 15, and 19-23. How did John the Baptist view his role?

2) In what way(s) was John the Baptist’s birth unusual? (Luke 1:5-25, 57-66)

3) Why did the Jews want to know who John the Baptist was? (See Matthew 3:1-6, Mark 1:1-8)

4) If John did no miracles (John 10:41-2) and didn’t preach a “feel good” message (Luke 3:7-20), how would you explain his apparent popularity?

5) What kinds of people are represented among those named in the Luke 3 passage above? Who is not there? (see Luke 7:29-30).

6) Why did the “Jews” send others to inquire about John the Baptist instead of going out to the desert themselves? (see Luke 7:29-30 again)

7) According to Luke 3:15, why did John the Baptist think it necessary to deny that he was The Christ?

8 ) What do the questions of the priests and Levites in verse 21 reveal about what they were expecting? (see Malachi 4:5-6 and Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

9) What should John’s quotation of scripture from Isaiah 40:3 have indicated to them?

10) Baptism was one of the rituals by which Gentiles were brought into Judaism. In essence, by baptizing the Jewish people who came to him, John was treating them as though they were lost sinners, in need of salvation. Why might this have concerned a group like the Pharisees based on what we know about them so far?

11) Compare verses 15, 27, and 30 in chapter 1 of John. When were John the Baptist and Jesus born in relation to each other (see Luke 1:24-27)? How can John say that Jesus came before him, then? Are there any indications of an answer to this in the scriptures we’ve looked at so far in our study of John? Other scriptures that you are aware of?

12) What did Jesus think of John the Baptist (Matthew 11:7-15)?

13) How is it that John the Baptist can say in verse 21 that he is not Elijah, yet Jesus says that he is in Matthew 11:14? (see Luke 1:17)

14) Read Exodus 12:1-14 (or the entire chapter if you desire). What is the significance of John the Baptist referring to Jesus as the Lamb of God in verse 29?

15) According to these verses, what was true of the Passover Lamb? How was this also true of Jesus?

16) What phrases from Isaiah 53 are similar to John 1:29? How might these similarities be important?

17) How was John to recognize the Son of God? Who told him this? (v. 32-34)

18) Three times in this passage of scripture the word “record” is used by John in reference to John the Baptist’s testimony regarding himself and Jesus Christ. What does this word indicate that a word like “said” or “told” might not?

19) What differences do you see between John the Baptist and Jesus in verses 1-34 of this first chapter of John?