'… 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. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God' (John 1.33–34).

By Pastor M. Harley
A Vice-President of the Society

From the opening chapter of the Bible (Genesis 1.1–2, taken in conjunction with John 1.1) until the end (Revelation 22.16–21) the three Persons of the Trinity are gloriously revealed. The method of the Word of God (in accordance with Isaiah 28.10) is to teach a little on a certain doctrine in one place, at one time, followed by more later. It is the effective way of teaching and, perhaps without really noticing it, our minds are filled with truth.

We would not dare delve into the intimacy of the Persons of the Godhead and create a doctrine of our own devising. But God reveals His personhood constantly in the Scriptures of Truth. His Fatherhood, the Sonship of the Saviour, the Agency of the Holy Spirit—three Persons in the unity of the Godhead are constantly declared.

One such 'understated' example, powerfully revealed nonetheless, occurs in John 1.33–34. Over those two verses we find each person of the Godhead mentioned in such a way as to declare the individuality of each Person.

The First and the Third Persons concur in the inauguration of the public ministry of the Second—Jesus Christ. They publicise the inauguration of the public ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and all that this entails. It is a wonderful help to us to know that our faith in Him is not misplaced but is attested by each Person of the Godhead acting in unity.

'There was a man sent from God, whose name was John' (John 1.6). So it was God the Father who sent John and who spoke to him in the words of our text. John declares, '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 1.33)¹. The Father Himself verifies the work of the Spirit while revealing His incarnate Son.

The Holy Spirit came visibly, so as to be observed, in the form of a dove (e.g. Luke 3.22). It was therefore possible to see the descent of the Spirit and His presence as He continued upon the Lord Jesus Christ confirming an identity of purpose. The Father further confirmed the Spirit’s ministry, under the direction of the Son, to convert with power by the words 'baptizeth with the Holy Ghost'.

John heard the instruction of the Father and observed the presence of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore he baptized the Son. And the other three Gospels further testify in their own words (Matthew 3.17; Mark 1.11; Luke 3.22) that the Father at that moment acknowledged the full Godhead of His Son, and likewise fully endorsed and would take pleasure in His work. ‘There came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ (Mark 1.11).

The testimonies of both other Persons of the Godhead are intimately involved with the wonderful scene of the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Father reveals in His most holy Word that this is the true relationship within the Godhead, that it is accurate to believe that there are three Persons in one Godhead, totally at one with each other in character and purpose.

The Trinitarian Bible Society was wonderfully privileged to be raised up out of the darkness of eighteenth and nineteenth century Unitarianism to take into all the nations of the world, as the Lord leads, His precious Word which declares salvation in Jesus Christ the Lord and the true nature of the God of the whole world. It is a precious resource to be put into the hands of all pastors and teachers and their churches that they may know the truth, and that truth shall make them free.

Christ’s Jewish hearers said to Him, 'We … were never in bondage to any man' (John 8.33). They could not see their true condition as subject to Caesar and in bondage to sin. Animists, idol worshippers, and adherents to all other world religions cannot see that they too in their religious practices are engulfed in ‘all deceivableness of unrighteousness’ (2 Thessalonians 2.10), unless the Lord by this same word, the Bible, deliver them. ‘Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord’ (1 Corinthians 15.58).

First published in Quarterly Record 644. Published online in August 2023. 

Endnote:

^1. The word ‘Ghost’ is in the Greek original the same as ‘Spirit’. The reason for the difference in translation is to be found in the letter of the Translators to the Reader (pages xix, xx Westminster Reference Bible), ‘we have not tied ourselves to an uniformity of phrasing, or to an identity of words … for example, if we translate the Hebrew or Greek word once by purpose, never to call it intent: if one where journeying, never travelling’. ‘Ghost’ as equivalent of ‘Spirit’ is a place in point. You may peruse the translators’ reasoned argument, with which they themselves say that not everyone will agree, for yourselves at the reference given above.