We saw in part one of this series that John begins his great gospel by revealing Jesus as the Creator of the world. He then uses the rest of his book to prove that Jesus is in fact this Creator whose name we know as Yahweh from the Old Testament. Take hold of this idea, for this understanding can dramatically change the way you view the Scripture. Perhaps you were taught that the God of the Old Testament is Christ’s Father and is a God of Law while Christ himself is the Son of God, a God of grace. When we truly understand that Jesus is that God which revealed himself to Abraham, Jacob, and Moses we will no longer avoid the Old Testament because we deem it too “legalistic.”

John therefore begins by revealing Jesus as that creative “Word,” that omnipotent God, who “in the beginning … created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Then, before he begins to explain the particular characteristics of this God, he introduces us to his forerunner, John the Baptist.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What say you of yourself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah. (John 1:19-23)

So, before John continues explaining who Jesus is, he tells us who John the Baptist is not. He is not the Christ, the subject of his gospel. The Baptist was, though, a powerful man. Therefore the Levites pressed him.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptize you then, if you are not that Christ, nor Elijah, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there stands one among you, whom you know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s thong I am not worthy to unloose. (John 1:25-27)

First and foremost John the Baptist is not Jesus the Christ. The Baptist taught us that his life must decrease so that Jesus’ life could increase. This example set the pattern for all future true servants of his LORD, including the many martyrs in the two thousand years since Jesus’ death and resurrection. John made it clear that he did not come to make a name for himself. He came to prepare the hearts of people to receive and believe in the One who did not come in his own name, but who came in the Name of his Father.

Understanding who Jesus is reminds me of the old English Robin Hood series starring Richard Greene. Remember, Robin Hood protected the English poor from the wicked prince John when King Richard the Lionhearted journeyed to fight in the Crusades. From time to time, however, King Richard would return unexpectedly to England. Every time he revealed himself all of his loyal subjects immediately fell to their knees or upon their faces. Whenever I see this, I always think that this is how I will respond when Jesus finally reveals himself face to face to me. And thus was John. He was unworthy to even loose Jesus’ sandal strap!

I like to place spiritual titles on the first pages of books of the Bible. My copy of the Gospel of John now has two such names, “The Revelation of the Father” and “The Book of I AM.” God told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM … Say this to the people of Israel, `I AM has sent me to you.'” Hundreds of years later this same I AM took the form of a human being. He became best friends with the man he chose to write the revelation of himself, the Apostle John. The next posts in this series will look at each understanding of I AM that God gave John to reveal. By the time we finish I think you will whole-heartedly agree that this Jesus, this God who became man, truly IS Yahweh, the God of the Old Testament!