Reading:
And
this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from
Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And
he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou
Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that
we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying
in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet
Esaias. And they which were sent were
of the Pharisees. And they asked him,
and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor
Elias, neither that prophet? John
answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you,
whom ye know not; He it is, who coming
after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to
unloose. These things were done in
Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Commentary:
While the Pharisees recognized John the Baptist as a
prophet akin to Elijah in the Old Testament, they did not follow nor heed
John's message concerning Christ. John's
message was overall rejected for two reasons, they didn't consider themselves
"sinners" in need of a Savior, why then would they need a baptism
which brings forgiveness of sins? That
is much our problem in the world today, many think themselves good Christians,
better than others, and they don't know they are totally and entirely dead in
trespasses and sin. Those who focus
continually on doing "good works" think the Christian life is a
matter of obeying laws, rather than salvation by grace alone. Let us not be as those Pharisees who imagine
themselves to be good keepers of the law, when instead they are entirely dead
in self-righteousness. If we truly
desire to be saved, we must look to Christ alone for forgiveness saying,
"God be merciful to me, a sinner."
God does not despise the contrite sinner who seeks His mercy. "Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but
the proud he knoweth afar off." Ps. 138:6
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