Wednesday 13th December
Read John 1:6-8
“There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.” (NIVUK)
John’s gospel is actually rather full of legal language. Throughout Jesus’ ministry He pointed to the witness of John, His works, the Father and he provides one of the more complete records of the trials leading up to Jesus’ death. Right at the very beginning we are also told that a prophet named John was sent as a witness.
John was not merely to record what he had seen as we might commonly consider a witness in a trial. John was sent from God as a prophet, as one who speaks God’s words. That is, after all, the most basic summary of what a prophet did. He was sent to testify and witness to who Jesus is.
That witness continued after John. Consider one of Peter’s early summaries of the good news of Jesus when the church was considering whether the good news was only for Jews and note how many witnesses are provided…
“Then Peter began to speak: ‘I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 ‘We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, 40 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. 41 He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen – by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’” (Acts 10:34-43) (NIVUK)
‘All the prophets testify about him…’ (v43a). The last of whom was John.
