John 1:33

My Notes

What Does John 1:33 Mean?

"And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." John confesses he didn't initially know Jesus was the Messiah — despite being his cousin (Luke 1:36). The identification came through a specific sign: the Spirit descending AND remaining. Not just landing momentarily. Remaining — settling permanently, taking up residence. The Spirit on Jesus isn't a visit. It's an occupation. And the sign distinguishes Jesus from every prophet before him: the Spirit came upon prophets temporarily. On Jesus, the Spirit remains.

The phrase "he that sent me" establishes John's authorization: God sent him to baptize specifically so John would be in position to witness the sign. The entire baptism ministry was a setup for one identification moment.

Reflection Questions

• 1.What 'sign' are you positioned and waiting for — and are you being faithful in the positioning?
• 2.What does the Spirit 'remaining' (not visiting) teach about the difference between Jesus and every previous prophet?
• 3.How does John's entire ministry serving one identification moment reframe the purpose of your current season?
• 4.Where do you need to trust the one who 'sent you' even before the confirming sign appears?

Devotional

I didn't know him. The forerunner didn't recognize the one he was forerunning — until the sign appeared. The Spirit descended. And remained. And that remaining was the identification.

John baptized hundreds, maybe thousands, of people before Jesus walked into the Jordan. And he didn't know which one was the Messiah until God gave the sign: the Spirit descending and remaining. Not just descending (prophets had that experience). Remaining. The Spirit lands on Jesus and doesn't leave. The temporary visitation that characterized every previous prophet becomes a permanent indwelling.

Remaining. Menō — to stay, to abide, to make a home. The same word Jesus will use in John 15: "Abide in me, and I in you." The Spirit's relationship with Jesus isn't episodic. It's residential. The Spirit moves in. Sets up residence. Doesn't visit and depart. Stays.

The same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. The one the Spirit remains on is the one who gives the Spirit to others. The identification produces the function: the person permanently indwelt by the Spirit is the person who permanently gives the Spirit. What rests on Jesus, Jesus distributes. The remaining on him becomes the remaining on everyone he baptizes with the Spirit.

He that sent me. John's entire ministry — the wilderness preaching, the baptism movement, the confrontation with Pharisees, the crowds — existed for this one moment: to be in position to see the Spirit descend and remain. God designed the entire forerunner ministry as a positioning system. Get John to the river. Get Jesus to the river. Let John see the sign. The ministry of John the Baptist is the longest identification process in Scripture — months of baptizing people who aren't the Messiah, waiting for the one on whom the Spirit remains.

The sign you're waiting for — the confirmation of what God is doing in your life — might require you to be in position for a long time before it appears. John baptized many before he identified the one. The positioning was the ministry. And the sign came when the positioning was complete.

Commentary

Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.

Cross References

Related passages throughout Scripture