23 He said , "I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS , 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE Lord ,' as Isaiah the prophet said ." 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees . 25 They asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you baptizing , if you are not the [1]Christ , nor Elijah , nor the Prophet ?" 26 John answered them saying , " I baptize [2]in water , but among you stands One whom you do not know . 27 "It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie ." 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan , where John was baptizing .

Behold the Lamb of God

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said , "Behold , the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ! 30 "This is He on behalf of whom I said , ' After me comes a Man who [3]has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.' 31 "I did not recognize [4]Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel , I came baptizing [5]in water ." 32 John testified saying , " I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven , and He remained upon Him. 33 "I did not recognize [6]Him, but He who sent me to baptize [7]in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes [7]in the Holy Spirit .' 34 "I myself have seen , and have testified that this is the Son of God ."

The First Disciples

35 Again the next day John was standing [9]with two of his disciples , 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked , and said , "Behold , the Lamb of God !"

37 The two disciples heard him speak , and they followed Jesus . 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following , and said to them, "What do you seek ?" They said to Him, " Rabbi (which translated means Teacher ), where are You staying ?" 39 He said to them, "Come , and you will see ." So they came and saw where He was staying ; and they stayed with Him that day , for it was about the [10]tenth hour . 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew , Simon Peter's brother . 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah " (which translated means [11]Christ ). 42 He brought him to Jesus . Jesus looked at him and said , "You are Simon the son of [12] John ; you shall be called Cephas " (which is translated [13] Peter ).

Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 1:23-42

Commentary on John 1:19-28

(Read John 1:19-28)

John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized the people with water as a profession of repentance, and as an outward sign of the spiritual blessings to be conferred on them by the Messiah, who was in the midst of them, though they knew him not, and to whom he was unworthy to render the meanest service.

Commentary on John 1:29-36

(Read John 1:29-36)

John saw Jesus coming to him, and pointed him out as the Lamb of God. The paschal lamb, in the shedding and sprinkling of its blood, the roasting and eating of its flesh, and all the other circumstances of the ordinance, represented the salvation of sinners by faith in Christ. And the lambs sacrificed every morning and evening, can only refer to Christ slain as a sacrifice to redeem us to God by his blood. John came as a preacher of repentance, yet he told his followers that they were to look for the pardon of their sins to Jesus only, and to his death. It agrees with God's glory to pardon all who depend on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. He takes away the sin of the world; purchases pardon for all that repent and believe the gospel. This encourages our faith; if Christ takes away the sin of the world, then why not my sin? He bore sin for us, and so bears it from us. God could have taken away sin, by taking away the sinner, as he took away the sin of the old world; but here is a way of doing away sin, yet sparing the sinner, by making his Son sin, that is, a sin-offering, for us. See Jesus taking away sin, and let that cause hatred of sin, and resolutions against it. Let us not hold that fast, which the Lamb of God came to take away. To confirm his testimony concerning Christ, John declares the appearance at his baptism, in which God himself bore witness to him. He saw and bare record that he is the Son of God. This is the end and object of John's testimony, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. John took every opportunity that offered to lead people to Christ.

Commentary on John 1:37-42

(Read John 1:37-42)

The strongest and most prevailing argument with an awakened soul to follow Christ, is, that it is he only who takes away sin. Whatever communion there is between our souls and Christ, it is he who begins the discourse. He asked, What seek ye? The question Jesus put to them, we should all put to ourselves when we begin to follow Him, What do we design and desire? In following Christ, do we seek the favour of God and eternal life? He invites them to come without delay. Now is the accepted time, 2 Corinthians 6:2. It is good for us to be where Christ is, wherever it be. We ought to labour for the spiritual welfare of those related to us, and seek to bring them to Him. Those who come to Christ, must come with a fixed resolution to be firm and constant to him, like a stone, solid and stedfast; and it is by his grace that they are so.