John 1:15 John testifies concerning Him. He cries out, saying, "This was He of whom I spoke, `He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.'"
How was Yeshua before John the Immerser? Even though John was older and born first, Yeshua was before John because Yeshua�s divine nature had no beginning. Elizabeth (Elisheva) was 6 months along with John when Miryam found out about Yeshua from Gabriel and went to visit Elizabeth. And John leaped in his mother�s womb when Elizabeth heard the news. (Luke 1:45) This is how we know John was older.
Luke 1:56-57 And Mary (Miryam) abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
John 1:16 And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
grace for grace - There was grace before but today grace reigns.
John 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Yeshua HaMashiach (Jesus Christ).
The law given by Moshe.
Yeshua, whom was sent by the Father, gave Grace and mercy. We saw this grace and mercy mentioned in Hebrews.
John 1:18 No man hath seen G-d at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.
No man has seen the Father at any time. The Father was spirit and no man can see Him and live. Yeshua being G-d had seen Him and can declare Him. He was equal and they are also One. He is in the bosom of the Father. (Unique relationship in the tri-unity)
John 1:19-20 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art you? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Anointed One (Christ).
John declared, �he was not the �Anointed� one.
John 1:21-22 And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" And he said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet?" And he answered, "No." They said then to him, "Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"
He declared that he was not Elijah. They where waiting for Elijah to declare the coming of the day of the L-rd.
John 1:23 He (John) said, "I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the L-rd,' as Isaiah the prophet said."
Isaiah 40:3 �The voice of him that cries in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the L-RD, make straight in the desert a highway for our G-d.�
Here John tells them that His mission is to announce G-d�s (Yeshua) coming. John and Yeshua came to declare the Father�s mercy through His Son.
John 1:24-26 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said to him, "Why then are you immersing (baptizing), if you are not the Anointed (Christ), nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" John answered them saying, "I immerse (baptize) in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.
John immersed with water; Yeshua would immerse with Ruach HaKodesh
�but among you stands One whom you do not know� - Many did not realize G-d was before them.
This is the new spiritual birth or immersion of Ruach HaKodesh is described by Yeshua in Matt 5:3-16,Yeshua gives the blessings of this birth in his message to his own. Don�t miss out on them like Esau.
In Matthew (Sermon on the Mount) Matt. 5:2 -5:11 Yeshua was talking about the coming Kingdom of G-d as if it was already there. (In a way it was because He was, is, and will be the Kingdom)
The sermon has to be taken as a whole as the basis of the last phrase v. 11, "on account of me." The L-rd said to his disciples, "blessed are you.........on the account of me."
When one is indwelt by G-d, and G-d's nature is in him, he has the kingdom of G-d within him. (Lk. 17:21)
"Blessed" also means to be fully satisfied. (Isaiah 55:1-3) This satisfaction, however, is not due to the circumstances of life nor the fulfillment of the conditions prescribed in this preaching, but due to Yeshua's indwelling.
the "poor in spirit"� the first step describes one's spiritual helplessness. We need his mercy.
"Those whom mourn"�.sorrow for one's sin and the sins of others. (passive attitude)
"Humbleness", gentle not quarrelsome. (Titus 3:2, Isaiah 61:1)
"Those who hunger" (Hoi peinontes) "the hungering ones" , constant and iterative satisfaction with G-d's righteousness
"mercifulness", (eleos) empathizing with the unbeliever and suffering with him the consequences of his sin and doing everything possible to relive the tragic results. Only G-d can effect grace but we are admonished to show mercy and be "merciful" to alleviate the consequences of sin. (Isaiah 61:2)
"Peacemaker", is not only trying to stop feuding but bringing the peace of G-d that the believer had experienced to his fellow human beings.
"Persecuted for the sake of righteousness" causes a person to reach the highest rung of the satisfaction of blessedness.
Blessedness comes to believer at the moment of his new belief in Yeshua.
First you must admit you have a fallen sin nature from Adam and because G-d is just the L-rd�s wrath cannot allow your presence for the past sin of unbelief. Only G-�s mercy can cancel the wrath of G-d out, which comes through trusting in His Son�s guilt offering. Grab trustingly to this and declare it with your mouth to the Father. Yeshua willing offered himself so you will be saved from eternal separation from the Father.
John 1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
John declared he was unworthy to take off His (Yeshua�s) shoes. We are all unworthy to be His servant because we all have failed.
John 1:28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John 1:29 �The next day John saw Yeshua coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of G-d who takes away the sin of the world!�
Everyone who heard John understood the importance of the lamb sacrifice. They all knew what he was saying. Yeshua is here to take away your sin.
John 1:30 �This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for He was before me.�
John again states �He was before me.� He was before all mankind. This requires trusting like Sarah or Avraham, Isaac and Ya�akov.
John 1:31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come immersing (baptizing) with water.
Yeshua was to be revealed to Israel.
John 1:32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw Ruach HaKodesh (the Spirit) descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him.
Ruach HaKodesh abode upon Him. Just like the Spirit dwelt in the tabernacle or dwells in believers today.
John 1:33 "And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to immerse (baptize) in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see Ruach HaKodesh (the Spirit) descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit.')
John did not know Yeshua (his cousin) was the Son of G-d until now.
John 1:34 "And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of G-d."
John bears witness that this is the Son of G-d. It had been revealed to him that the one Ruach HaKodesh came upon was the Son of G-d. He declares Yeshua�s unique oneness with the Father as �Son�.
John 1:35-37 Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Yeshua (Jesus) as He walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of G-d! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Yeshua (Jesus).
Two of John disciples (talmidim) become disciples of Yeshua after John declared Him �the Lamb of G-d�. They say to him �Master�.
John 1:38-41 Then Yeshua (Jesus) turned, and saw them following, and said to them, What do you seek? They said to him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where are you staying? He said to them, Come and see. They came and saw where he was staying, and stayed with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two, which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
One of the two was Andrew and he went to his brother Peter to tell him that we have found the �Messiah� (Daniel nine declared it was the time.)
Now what did Andrew know about Yeshua?
From those four facts he deduced that Yeshua was the Mashiach.
John 1:42 And he brought him to Yeshua (Jesus). And when Yeshua (Jesus) beheld him, He said, you are Simon the son of Jonah: you shall be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.
Yeshua changed Simons name to Cephas a �stone� Yeshua would transform Peter�s character to a stone. He would become a leader in the beginning of the assembly.
We are to bring others to Yeshua too.