1:19
And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?
1:20
And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
1:21
And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.
1:22
Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
1:23
He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
1:24
And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
1:25
And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
1:26
John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;
1:27
He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
1:28
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing
The Jewish people sent priests and levites to ask John who he was. 22 He told them plainly that he was not The Christ. He said he was not Elias. The Jewish people must have been expecting a prophet ,namely Elias to come to them before Christ. In Matthew 11. verses 7-14 Read ...
11:7
And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
11:8
But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.
11:9
But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet.
11:10
For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
11:11
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
11:12
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
11:13
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
11:14
And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
the prophecy concerning the coming of John the Baptist is from Isaiah 40:3 The voice crying in the wilderness.
** note..I've been there,not a good hunting placeLOL It is a big desert.I'm sure you have seen pictures of the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found..That is the wilderness.You can't use a Summit thereLOL lots of tasty gazelle though.
John proclaimed he was baptizing them by water but there is one among yo whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. Also notice they were at Bethabara because of much water. While there in Israel I saw the Jordan River and was blessed to be baptized in it. I can see why they had to find a place big enough to baptize. The river is like a small trout stream.Most places only around 20 ' wide .
St.John 1: 19-28 John the Baptist
