I. John is questioned as to His identity. V19-28
A. We need to identify who was sent to question.
1. In this first verse 19 it sounds like all of Judea sent these men:
a. This word “Jew”. (Is not in reference to all who are from the tribe of
Jehudah)
b. This would be narrowed down. (And is in reference to the religious
leaders of Juhudah)
1). Look at Num. 11:16-17. (Yahweh told Moses to 70 elders and officers
of the people)
2). The word “elder”. (Heb. is min or min-nee and it means part of and
above, so it would men who are part the tribes and above)
3). The second word is. (Heb. is zaw-kane and means old, ancient or those
who are aged)
4). The word “officer”. (Heb. is sho-tare and means to write or to be a
scribe, these men were responsible for writing all of the documents
that would eventually become the Pentateuch)
5). Now look! (Moses was to take them to the Tent of Meeting and
Yahweh would take some of the Spirit that is on Moses and put that
same Spirit on them so they could serve in the same capacity as
Moses)
6). Look closely. (Their job was not to take the place of Moses, but to help
Moses bear the burden of the people, so Moses would not have to bear
it himself)
a). The word “bear”. (Heb. is naw-saw and means to lift up, and to carry
something, or to lift up something)
b). The word “burden”. (Heb. is mas-saw and is a RT word of naw-saw
and means burden, but in the sense to carry a burden or to help
carry the burden of the people)
7). Notice, this is different than Ex. 18:24-26. (Where Moses appointed able
men to judge the people, they did not receive the same Spirit on them
that had been placed on Moses)
8). So these priests and Levites. (Were elders of Israel who were sent to
find out and record who John the Baptist was)
c. Notice. (It says John did not refuse to answer them, for Him to have
done so would have been disrespectful and also breaking Torah, but
told them He was not the Messiah)
1). So, we know that one of the questions was. (Are you the Messiah who
was supposed to be sent to restore Israel)
2). Look at Is. 11:10-13. (They were sent to see if the Messianic prophecy
was in the process of being fulfilled which would have been the
restoration of all of Israel)
d. Now look at John 1:21. (They asked him are you Elijah? and his answer
was, “I am not”)
1). Now I want to talk about this. (It had been prophesied He was and
Yashua had made reference to him being Elijah)
2). Look at Mal. 4:5. (The prophecy here is that Elijah would precede the
coming of Messiah, not only His first coming but His second as well)
a). Look at Joel 2:31. (Look at Rev. 6:12-14, in Mal. 4:5 and in Joel 2:31
there is a connection between the first coming of Yashua and His
second coming showing the idea of Moses and Elijah, or the Spirit
of Moses and Elijah being on these two witnesses in Rev. 11)
3). Look at Luke 1:5-17. (First of all notice this isn’t Zechariah speaking,
this is an angel speaking, and look at V15-17, he will be filled with the
Holy Spirit while he is still in his mother’s womb)
4). He will go before Him. (Look in the spirit of Elijah and will make ready
the way of Messiah)
5). We have already seen this idea. (Yahweh took some of the Spirit that
was on Moses and placed it on the Elders and officers)
6). Look at 2 Kings 2:9-15. (Elisha asked Elijah for a double portion or two
shares of the spirit Elijah had, notice in verse 13 Elisha picked up the
mantle that had been left behind by Elijah when he was taken up)
7). The word “mantle”. (Heb. is ad-deh-reth and means something ample,
and can mean garment or robe or covering, so there the idea of a
Spiritual covering, or of the Spiritual gifts of ministry)
8). We saw this. (With Moses and the Elders remember)
9). So when Yashua spoke of this. (Look at Matt. 11:1-15, Yashua is
referring to this mantle or the Spirit of Elijah, or the gifting of the
same ministry as Elijah)
10). So when John denies it. (He is not the physical Elijah, but does walk in
the ministry of Elijah provided to Him through the Holy Spirit, as
it was with Elisha)
11). This will happen again. (Before the second coming of Yashua, and I
believe one of the two prophets in Rev. 11 to have the ministry of
Elijah and one Moses)
12). Now they also ask him if he is the prophet. (This is in reference to Deut.
18:15-19, Yahweh is going to raise up another prophet like Moses, or
with the Spirit of the ministry of Moses to remind them of all Yahweh
said, this is why I say the two prophets in Rev. 11 are those that have
the mantle of Elijah and Moses on them)
a). Notice in this passage. (They didn’t want to see His fire and judgment
any longer)
e. When asked who he was. (He quotes Is. 40:3-5 that he is that voice, it is
only as we study and as Yashua defines are we able to see that this is
really a Spiritual ministry provided by Yahweh through His Holy
Spirit)
1). Look at 1 Cor. 12:7. (Look at 1 Cor. 12:7-11, all of the Spiritual gifts
for the body are the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself through the
body so the body will be built up in Messiah)
f. When asked why he baptized. (John explains he baptizes with water but
there is another coming who is greater than himself)