with both aspects of Jesus and makes the transition naturally and easily. See above on v. 17.

21. Tí ov; What art thou then?' or, 'What then are we to think?'

Ηλίας εἶ σύ ; The Scribes taught that Elijah would return before the coming of the Messiah (Matt. xvii. 10), and this belief is repeatedly alluded to in the Talmud. Cf. Mal. iv. 5.

ouk elul. A forger would scarcely have written this in the face of Matt. xi. 14, where Christ says that John is Elijah (in a figurative sense). John here denies that he is Elijah in a literal sense; he is not Elijah returned to the earth.

ὁ προφήτης. 'The (well-known) Prophet' of Deut. xviii. 15, who some thought would be a second Moses, others a second Elijah, others the Messiah. We see from vii. 40, 41, that some distinguished 'the Prophet' from the Messiah; and from Matt. xvi. 14, it appears that there was an impression that Jeremiah or other prophets might return. Here as in vii. 40, the translation should be the Prophet' not that prophet.' We have a similar error v. 25; vi. 14, 48, 69.

This verse alone is almost enough to shew that the writer is a Jew. Who but a Jew would know of these expectations? If a Gentile knew them, would he not explain them?

22. elπav ovv. See on iii. 25. Their manner has the peremptoriness of officials.

Tís el; They continue asking as to his person; he replies as to his office, that of Forerunner. In the presence of the Messiah his

personality is lost.

23. ἐγὼ φωνὴ κ.τ.λ. I am a voice, dc. The Synoptists use these words of John as fulfilling prophecy. From this it seems that they were first so used by himself. The quotation is from the LXX. with the change of ἐτοιμάσατε into εὐθύνατε. John was a Voice making known the Word, meaningless without the Word. There is a scarcely doubtful reference to this passage in Justin Martyr (c. A.D. 150); οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ φωνὴ βοῶντος. Trypho, lxxxviii. Comp. iii. 3.

24. άTEσтaλμévou oav. The oi before the participle is of doubtful authority. Omitting it, we translate And they had been sent from the Pharisees, or better (as we have ẻк and not αpá), and there had been sent (some) of the Pharisees. For this use of ek Tŵv comp. vii. 40, xvi. 17; 2 John 4; Rev. ii. 10. We are not to understand a fresh deputation, as the ovv in the next verse shews. It was precisely the Pharisees who would be jealous about innovations in religious rites. S. John mentions neither Sadducees nor Herodians. Only the sect most opposed to Christ is remembered by the Evangelist who had gone furthest from Judaism.

25. Tí ovv BarTllas. What right have you to treat Jews as if they were proselytes and make them submit to a rite which implies that they are impure? Comp. Zech. xiii. 1. BaжTiw is the intensive form of βάπτω: βάπτω, ‘I dip, βαπτίζω, ‘I immerse:so opλýμaσi ßeßatтioμévos, 'over head and ears in debt,' Plut. Galb. xxi. οὐκ εἶ ὁ Χριστός. Art not the Christ.

οὐδὲ Ηλίας οὐδὲ ὁ πρ. Nor yet Elijah, nor yet the Prophet.

26. The Baptist's words seem scarcely a reply to the question. Perhaps the connexion is- You ask for my credentials; and all the while He who is far more than credentials to me is among you.'

ev Sarı. In water: note the preposition here and vv. 26, 33.

27. ὁ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος. This is the subject of the sentence ; He that cometh after me...is standing in the midst of you, and ye know Him not. 'Tueîs is emphatic; ' Whom ye who question me know not, but whom I the questioned know.'

agios iva. Literally, worthy in order that I may unloose. An instance of S. John's preferring va where another construction would have seemed more natural: see on v. 8, and comp. ii. 25, v. 40, vi. 7, xi. 50, xv. 8, &c.

auroû. This is redundant after ou, perhaps in imitation of Hebrew construction.

28. Bηlavia. This, which is the true reading, was altered to Bnoaßapa owing to the powerful influence of Origen, who could find no Bethany beyond Jordan in his day. In 200 years the very name of an obscure place might easily perish. Origen says that almost all the old MSS. had Bn@avia. This Bethany or Bethabara must have been near Galilee: comp. v. 29, with v. 43, and see on the 'four days,' xi. 17. It is possible to reconcile the two readings. Bethabara has been identified with 'Abârah, one of the main Jordan fords about 14 miles S. of the sea of Galilee: and 'Bethania beyond Jordan' has been identified with Bashan; Bethania or Batanea being the Aramaic form of the Hebrew Bashan, meaning soft level ground.' Bethabara is the village or ford; Bethania the district E. of the ford. Conder, Handbook of the Bible, pp. 315, 320. The Jordan had grand historical associations: to make men pass through its waters might seem to some a preparation for conquests like those of Joshua.

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29-34. THE TESTIMONY OF THE BAPTIST TO THE PEOPLE. 29. Tỷ πaúpɩov. These words prevent us from inserting the Temptation between vv. 28 and 29. The fact of the Baptist knowing who Jesus is, shews that the Baptism, and therefore the Temptation, must have preceded the deputation from Jerusalem. S. John omits both, as being events well known to his readers. The Baptist's announcements are not a continuous discourse. They come forth like sudden intuitions, of which he did not himself know the full meaning.

18. S. John uses this form about 20 times (vv. 36, 47, 48, iii. 26, v. 14, &c.), and idoú only four times (iv. 35, [xii. 15,] xvi. 32, xix. 5). The Synoptists use ide about 10 times (not in Luke) and idoú more than 120 times. Both words are interjections, 'Lo! Behold!,' not imperatives, See, Look at.' Hence the nominative case. Comp.

xix. 14.

ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. The article shews that some Lamb familiar to the Baptist's hearers must be meant, and probably the Lamb of Is. liii. (comp. Acts viii. 32), with perhaps an indirect allusion to the Paschal Lamb (xix. 36). The addition Toû coû may remind us of Gen. xxii. 8. The figure of the Lamb for Christ appears in N. T. elsewhere only 1 Pet. i. 19, and throughout the Apocalypse; but in the Apocalypse the word is always ȧpvíov, never åμvós (v. 6, 8, 12, &c.).

ó alpov. This seems to make the reference both to Is. liii. esp. vv.. 4-8, 10, and also to the Paschal Lamb, more clear. The Paschal Lamb was expiatory (Ex. xii. 13). Taketh away, rather than beareth (margin), is right; comp. 1 John iii. 5. Bear' would rather be pépw, as in the LXX. in Is. liii. 4. Christ took away the burden of sin by bearing it; but this is not expressed here, though it may be implied. Trv áuapríav. Regarded as one great burden or plague.

TOû κóσμOν. Isaiah sees no further than the redemption of the Jews: for the transgression of my people-roû Xaoû μov-was He stricken' (liii. 8). The Baptist knows that the Messiah comes to make atonement for the whole human race, even His enemies.

31. kaуw ovк Selv avтóv. I also knew Him not; I, like you (v. 26), did not at first know Him to be the Messiah. This does not contradict Matt. iii. 14. (1) 'I knew Him not' need not mean 'I had no knowledge of Him whatever.' (2) John's declaration of his need to be baptized by Jesus does not prove that he had already recognized` Jesus as the Messiah, but only as superior to himself.

al' iva. See on v. 8. This is the second half of the Divine purpose respecting the Baptist. He was (1) to prepare for the Messiah by preaching repentance; (2) to point out the Messiah.

pavepwon. One of S. John's favourite words; ii. 11, iii. 21, vii. 4, ix. 3, xvii. 6, xxi. 1, 14; 1 John i. 2, ii. 19, 28, iii. 2, 5, 8, 9; Rev. iii. 18, xv. 4. See on ii. 11.

διὰ τοῦτο. For this cause (xii. 18, 27) came I: comp. v. 16, 18, vii. 22, viii. 47, xix. 11. In translation we must distinguish dià TOûTO from S. John's favourite particle oʊv.

ἐν [τῷ] ὕδατι. Placed before βαπτίζων for emphasis, because here he contrasts himself as baptizing with water with Him who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

32. μаρT. The Evangelist insists again and again on this aspect of the Baptist: he bears witness to the Messiah; 7, 8, 15, 19, 34. Te¤éaμaι. I have beheld (vv. 14, 38; 1 John iv. 12, 14). The testimony of the vision still remains; hence the perfect.

ὡς περιστερὰν. Perhaps visible only to Jesus and the Baptist. A real appearance is the natural meaning here, and is insisted on by S. Luke (iii. 22); just as a real voice is the natural meaning in xii. 29. And if we admit the bodily shape,' there is no sound reason for rejecting the dove. The marvel is that the Holy Spirit should be visible in any way, not that He should assume the form of a dove or of 'tongues of fire' (Acts ii. 3) in particular. This symbolical vision of the Spirit seems to be analogous to the visions of Jehovah granted to Moses and other Prophets.

The descent of the Spirit made no change in the nature of Christ: but possibly it awoke a full consciousness of His relation to God and to man: He had been increasing in favour with both (Luke ii. 52). It served two purposes; (1) to make the Messiah known to the Baptist and through him to the world; (2) to mark the official beginning of His ministry, like the anointing of a king. As at the Transfiguration, Christ is miraculously glorified before setting out to suffer, a voice from heaven bears witness to Him, and 'the goodly fellowship of the Prophets' shares in the glory. For épavev see next verse.

T'avτóv. Pregnant construction; a preposition of motion with a verb of rest. Thus both the motion and the rest are indicated. Comp. v. 18, iii. 36, xix. 13, xx. 19, xxi. 4; Gen. i. 2.

33. κἀγὼ οὐκ ᾔ. αὐ. I also knew Him not. The Baptist again protests that but for a special revelation he was as ignorant as others that Jesus was the Messiah. Therefore he is here giving not his own opinion about Jesus, but the evidence of a sign from heaven.

ὁ πέμψας. In v. 6 the verb used was ἀποστέλλω. Πέμπειν is the most general word for 'send,' implying no special relation between sender and sent: άTooтéλe adds the notion of a delegated authority constituting the person sent the envoy or representative of the sender (vv. 19, 24). Both verbs are used of the mission of Christ and of the mission of the disciples, as well as that of John. 'Aπоσтéλλev is used of the mission of Christ, iii. 17, 34, v. 38, vi. 29, 57, vii. 29, viii. 42, x. 36, xi. 42, xvii. 3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; of the mission of the dis-, ciples, iv. 38, xvii. 18. IIéμTE is used of the mission of Christ (always in the aorist participle) iv. 34, v. 23, 24, 30, 37, vi. 38, 39, 40, 44, vii. 16, 18, 28, 33, &c. &c.; of that of the disciples, xiii. 20, xx. 21. ПéμжEv is also used of the mission of the Spirit, xiv. 26, xvi. 7.

ékeîvos. That one Himself and no other;' see on vv. . 8, 18. 'E' öv av. The widest possibility; whosoever he may be on whom.'

Hévov. Another of S. John's favourite words, a fact which the A.V. obscures by translating it in seven different ways. 'Abide' is the most common and the best translation (v. 32, iii. 36, iv. 40): besides this we have remain' (here, ix, 41, xv. 11, 16), ‘dwell' (i. 39, vi. 56, xiv. 10, 17) continue' (ii. 12, viii. 31), 'tarry' (iv. 40, xxi. 22, 23), 'endure' (vi. 27), 'be present' (xiv. 25). In v. 39, iv. 40, 1 John iii. 24, it is translated in two different ways; in 1 John ii. 24 in three

ST JOHN

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different ways.-The Baptist and the Prophets were moved by the Spirit at times; the Spirit of the Lord came upon' them from time to time. With Jesus he abode continually.

ὁ βαπτ. ἐν πν. ἁγ. This phrase introduced without explanation assumes that the readers are well aware of this office of the Messiah, i.e. are well-instructed Christians. Βαπτίζων is appropriate, (1) to mark the analogy and contrast between the office of the Baptist and that of the Messiah; the one by baptism with water awakens the longing for holiness; the other by baptism with the Spirit satisfies this longing: (2) because the gift of the Spirit is an out-pouring.

ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. The epithet ἅγιον is given to the Spirit thrice in this Gospel; here, xiv. 26, and xx. 22 (in vii. 39 the ayon is very doubtful). It is not frequent in any Gospel but the third; 5 times in S. Matthew, 4 in S. Mark, 12 in S. Luke. S. Luke rarely omits the epithet, which he uses about 40 times in the Acts. Here and xx. 22 neither substantive nor epithet has the article, in xiv. 26 both have it.

34. úрaка. I have seen, in joyous contrast to 'I knew Him not,' vv. 31, 33. See on v. 18. The perfects indicate that the results of the seeing and of the testimony remain: comp. v. 52, iii. 21, 26, 29.

μεμаρтúρηка. have borne witness. Our translators have obscured S. John's frequent use of μaprvρeîv, as of μéve, by capriciously varying the rendering. This is all the more regrettable, because these words serve to connect together the Gospel, the First Epistle, and the Apocalypse. Maprupeîv is translated' bear witness,' i. 7, 18, 15, iii. 26, 28, v. 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, viii. 18, x. 25, xv. 27, xviii. 23; 1 John i. 2, v. 6; 'bear record,' i. 32, 34, viii. 13, 14, xii. 17, xix. 35; 1 John v. 7; Rev. i. 2; 'give record,' 1 John v. 10; 'testify,' ii. 25, iii. 11, 32, iv. 39, 44, v. 39, vii. 7, xiii. 21, xv. 26, xxi. 24; 1 John iv. 14, v. 9; Rev. xxii. 16, 18, 20: in xv. 26, 27 the translation is changed in the same sentence. Maprupía is rendered 'witness,' i. 7, iii. 11, v. 31, 32, 33, 36; 1 John v. 9, 10; Rev. xx. 4; 'record,' i. 19, viii. 13, 14, xix. 35, xxi. 24; 1 John v. 10, 11; 'testimony,' iii. 32, 33, v. 34, viii. 17; Rev. i. 2, 9, vi. 9, xi. 7, xii. 11, 17, xix. 10: in 1 John v. 10 we have two different renderings in the same verse. Neither μαρτύ plov nor μáρtus, found in all three Synoptists, occurs in this Gospel.

ó viòs TOû BEOû. The incarnate Abyos, the Messiah (v. 18). These words of the Baptist confirm the account of the voice from heaven (Matt. iii. 17). The whole passage (vv. 32-34) shews that S. John does not, as Philo does, identify the Logos with the Spirit.

35-37. THE TESTIMONY OF THE BAPTIST TO ANDREW AND JOHN.

35. τῇ ἐπ. π. The next day again; referring to v. 29. Thus far we have three days, full of moment to the Evangelist and the Church. On the first the Messiah is proclaimed as already present; on the second He is pointed out; on the third He is followed. In each case the Baptist takes the lead; it is by his own act and will that he decreases while Jesus increases.