John 1:27 - Printer Friendly

ESV: even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

NIV: He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.'

NASB: It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.'

CSB: He is the one coming after me, whose sandal strap I'm not worthy to untie."

NLT: Though his ministry follows mine, I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandal.'

KJV: He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

NKJV: It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

In verse 27, John the Baptist (not the same John as the author of this gospel, the disciple John) gives more details about the person "standing among" the people, unrecognized. This figure is "the One who comes after," meaning the Messiah. When challenged by the Pharisees about his ministry, the Baptist made it clear that he was not the Messiah, only a "voice" preparing for the arrival of that person (Isaiah 40:3). This Messiah is so much greater than the Baptist that he doesn't feel worthy to untie his sandals. In that culture, cleaning another person's feet was considered the work of the lowliest servants. Walking the roads meant having feet caked in mud, dirt, and animal waste. This not only makes the Baptist's statement dramatic, it highlights the significance of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples in John chapter 13. Comparing John the Baptist's statement to Jesus' service is a powerful explanation of how much grace God expresses in sending Christ to us.

John 1:19–28 describes a conversation between John the Baptist (not the same John as the author of this gospel) and the local religious leaders. Baptizing converts to Judaism was common, but the Baptist was calling on Jews to repent and be baptized. The Baptist makes it clear that he is not the “Promised One,” but equally clear that his mission is to prepare the way for that One.

The first chapter of John introduces Jesus as “the Word,” from the Greek Logos. This chapter clearly describes Jesus as identical to God. After this prologue, the chapter describes Jesus recruiting the first of His disciples, as well as a conversation between John the Baptist and the Pharisees. There are seven names for Christ in this chapter, including “The Son of God,” “The Word,” and “The King of Israel.”

The first chapter of the gospel of John equates Christ with God, and introduces John the Baptist. The Baptist specifically points to Jesus as the Promised One. Jesus collects the first five of His disciples. In this chapter, Jesus is given seven descriptive names, including “The Word,” “The Son of God,” and “The King of Israel.” This chapter sets the stage for the rest of the gospel, by giving the reader a sense of who Jesus truly is, and why He has come. The rest of the gospel is an exploration of the claims made in this initial passage.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/9/2024 2:15:51 PM