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John 1:22

in John 1

So they said to him, “Who are you? We need an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

KJV

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

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This verse in John 1

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

That we may give an answer to them that sent us - These Pharisees were probably a deputation from the grand Sanhedrin; the members of which, hearing of the success of the Baptist’s preaching, were puzzled to know what to make of him, and seriously desired to hear from himself what he professed to be.

This site's exposition

this was John’s testimony

on John 1:19-23

Priests and Levites come from Jerusalem to question John, and the trial shape of this Gospel begins with a witness under oath. He refuses the three titles they offer, the Christ, Elijah and the Prophet. He answers from Isaiah, a voice and nothing more.

This site's exposition

We need an answer for those who sent us

We need an answer shows men acting under orders. Adam Clarke thinks they were probably a deputation from the Sanhedrin, whose members had heard of the Baptist's success and wanted his account of himself. Asked for his claim, John gives Isaiah's words instead.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Hippolytus of Rome

Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments · Written before 235.

proposed

But we, who know the economy, adore His mercy, because He hath come to save and not to judge the world. Wherefore John, the forerunner of the Lord, who before knew not this mystery, on learning that He is Lord in truth, cried out, and spake to those who came to be baptized of him, "O generation of vipers," why look ye so earnestly at me? "I am not the Christ; " I am the servant, and not the lord; I am the subject, and not the king; I am the sheep, and not the shepherd; I am a man, and not God. By my birth I loosed the barrenness of my mother; I did not make virginity barren. I was brought up from beneath; I did not come down from above. I bound the tongue of my father; I did not unfold divine grace. I was known by my mother, and I was not announced by a star. I am worthless, and the least; but "after me there comes One who is before me" -after me, indeed, in time, but before me by reason of the inaccessible and unutterable light of divinity. "There comes One mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." I am subject to authority, but He has authority in Himself. I am bound by sins, but He is the Remover of sins. apply the law, but He bringeth grace to light. teach as a slave, but He judgeth as the Master. I have the earth as my couch, but He possesses heaven. I baptize with the baptism of repentance, but He confers the gift of adoption: "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." Why give ye attention to me? I am not the Christ.

A commentator

John Chrysostom

Homily on the Gospel of John 16 · Written in the 5th century.

proposed

"Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?" Observe them pressing him more vehemently, urging him, repeating their questions, and not desisting; while he first kindly removes false opinions concerning himself, and then sets before them one which is true. For, saith he, "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." When he had spoken some high and lofty words concerning Christ, as if (replying) to their opinion, he immediately betook himself to the Prophet to draw from thence confirmation of his assertion.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Bonaventure

Commentary on John, Chapter 1 · Written in the 13th century.

proposed

"They therefore said to him: Who are you?" Still they press on and state the reason for their insistence: "That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" It seemed foolish to them to return to those …

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on John · Written before 1274.

proposed

Then he shows how he declared who he was. First, the question of the messengers is given; secondly, his answer (v 23). They said, Who are you? We must take back an answer to those who sent us. As if to say: We were sent …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Then said they unto him, who art thou?....
2 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

The verses we have now read begin the properly historical part of John's Gospel. Hitherto we have been reading deep and weighty statements about Christ's divine nature, incarnation, and dignity. Now we come to the plain narrative of the days of Christ's earthly ministry, and the plain story of Christ's doings and sayings among men. And here, like the other Gospel-writers, John begins at once with "the record" or testimony of John the Baptist. (Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:2; Luke 3:2.) We have, for one thing, in these verses, an instructive example of true humility .
The verses we have now read begin the properly historical part of John's Gospel. Hitherto we have been reading deep and weighty statements about Christ's divine nature, incarnation, and dignity. Now we come to the plain narrative of the days of Christ's earthly ministry, and the plain story of Christ's doings and sayings among men. And here, like the other Gospel-writers, John begins at once with "the record" or testimony of John the Baptist. (Matt. 3:1; Mark 1:2; Luke 3:2.) We have, for one thing, in these verses, an instructive example of true humility . That example is supplied by John the Baptist himself. John the Baptist was an eminent saint of God. There are few names which stand higher than his in the Bible calendar of great and good men. The Lord Jesus Himself declared that "Among those who are born of woman there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist." (Matt. 11:11.) The Lord Jesus Himself declared that he was "a burning and a shining light." (John 5:35.) Yet here in this passage we see this eminent saint lowly, self-abased, and full of humility. He puts away from himself the honor which the Jews from Jerusalem were ready to pay him. He declines all flattering titles. He speaks of himself as nothing more than the "voice of one crying in the wilderness," and as one who "baptized with water." He proclaims loudly that there is One standing among the Jews far greater than himself, One whose shoe-latchet he is not worthy to unloose. He claims honor not for himself but for Christ. To exalt Christ was his mission, and to that mission he steadfastly adheres. The greatest saints of God in every age of the Church have always been men of John the Baptist's spirit. In gifts, and knowledge, and general character they have often differed widely. But in one respect they have always been alike—they have been "clothed with humility." (1 Pet. 5:5.)

The words behind it

15 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

2 in all, six open

The walk

5 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    2 Samuel 24:13

    So Gad went and said to David, “Do you choose to endure three years of famine in your land, three months of fleeing the pursuit of your enemies, or three days of plague upon…

    it leads to

    • 1 Chronicles 21:12

      between three years of famine, three months of being swept away before your enemies and overtaken by their swords, or three days of the sword of the LORD—days of plague upon the land, with…

    • 2 Samuel 21:1

      During the reign of David there was a famine for three successive years, and David sought the face of the LORD. And the LORD said, “It is because of the blood shed by Saul…

    • 1 Kings 17:1–7

      Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was among the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As surely as the LORD lives—the God of Israel before whom I stand—there will be neither dew nor rain in…

    • Leviticus 26:25

      And I will bring a sword against you to execute the vengeance of the covenant. Though you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague among you, and you will be delivered into…

    • Deuteronomy 28:22

      The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, and with blight and mildew; these will pursue you until you perish.

Where this verse is studied

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About John

The Word Made Flesh — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
The Word Made Flesh — Gustave Doré (engraving), public domain
John: the study guide →Read John 1 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 1; Hippolytus of Rome, Hippolytus Dogmatical and Historical Fragments; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, John; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 16; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748) and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.

Read on in John 1 →