19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, 'Who art thou?' 20 and he confessed and did not deny, and confessed—'I am not the Christ.' 21 And they questioned him, 'What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, 'I am not.'—'The prophet art thou?' and he answered, 'No.' 22 They said then to him, 'Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those sending us? what dost thou say concerning thyself?' 23 He said, 'I 'am' a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.' 24 And those sent were of the Pharisees, 25 and they questioned him and said to him, 'Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?' 26 John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but in midst of you he hath stood whom ye have not known, this one it is who is coming after me, who hath been before me, 27 of whom I am not worthy that I may loose the cord of his sandal.' 28 These things came to pass in Bethabara, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing,
Matthew Henry's Commentary on John 1:19-28
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.