George Hutcheson
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jewes sent Priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to aske him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed and denied not: but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? and he said, I am not, Art thou that Prophet? And he answered. No.
Johns second testimony after the Baptisme of Christ, was given upon occasion of Commissioners sent unto him from the Councel at Jerusalem and expressed in way of conference betwixt them and him; Wherein, being posed concerning his person and authority, he declares negatively that he was neither the Messiah, nor Elijah in proper person; nor that great Prophet they expected, ver. 19, 20, 21. Next, being further posed, he declareth positively that he was Christs forerunner, of whom Isaiah had foreprophesied, ver. 22, 23. Thirdly, being further interrogate concerning his office and administration of Baptisme, he cleareth them in that, ver. 24, 25, 26, 27 Lastly, the Apostle John subjoyneth the circumstance of place where this testimony was given. ver, 28.
From these verses wherein he declareth what he was not, Learn. 1. Church Judicatories for managing of Christs matters, and for trial of new doctrines and opinions, are an approven Ordinance of God: And such as are entrusted with that power, ought to go very gravely and tenderly to work, when providence puts them upon the trial of any such emergent; for, these in Jerusalem, from whom these Commissioners came, were their great Councel appointed of old by God for these matters; And their carriage in not condemning John untried and unheard, and their using of him respectively, in sending grave men for descent, office (land of their most eminent sect also, as appears ver. 24.) to him, are rules of prudence, in such procedure, worthy of imitation. 2. In a corrupt and declining time of the Church, ordinarily the teachers are furthest out of course, and are not with the first to enquire after Christ, but behind many; for, notwithstanding all Johns doctrine before Christs Baptisme, yet it is after that ere the Councel of Jerusalem enquire after him or it, and but to little purpose then either, as the sequel sheweth. 3. Whatever be the purposes of corrupt men in enquiring after, or debating about truth; yet God can make use thereof to bring out more of his truth, and give occasion to his servants, to publish it yet more; for, though these came rather to quarrel and jangle, then to be edified; yet it drew out a record of John, which is of use to the Church in all ages. 4. It is not onely requisite that new doctrines be tried and examined, but the authority of men who publish the same, not upon an ordinary call, nor in an ordinary way, is subject to trial also, and that in the first place; for, their first question (which John holds himself bound to answer) is, who art thou? intimating, that if he were not an authorized person, he was bound to cease. 5. It is the duty of truly godly men to walke respectively toward Church Judicatories appointed of God, even when such as bear sway in them are corrupt: nor ought they deny a testimony to the truth when they are called to it, and so long as there is any hope or appearance of doing good by it; for, John, though he was an extraordinary man, yet is content to give an account to the Commissioners of that corrupt Councel, seeing they sate in Moses chair; and by this means he doth confirme the truth for the good of others. 6. Visible Churches and Councels, even such as have most peculiar priviledges, may erre, and have erred; And that particularly, when they look more to tradition, then to Scripture; for, these instructions do clear the Councel of Jerusalem to have erred, in that they suppose the Messiah could be come (as Johns answer to their first question understands them) without a forerunner; In that they dreamed (following tradition) that Elijah was to come in proper person (for in that sense onely John denieth that he was Elijah, though otherwise he was he, as coming in the spirit and power of Elijah, Matth. 11.14. Luke 1.17.) And, in that they dreamed from Deut. 18.15, 18. of any singular Prophet to be raised up after the succession of Prophets in the Old Testament, in the time of the Messiah, beside the Messiah himself, to whom that passage is applied, Acts 3.22. and so John denieth that also, though otherwise he was a Prophet of the Highest, Luke 1.76. 7. As Gods servants in all their Testimonies ought to be plain, bold, affectionate, ingenuous and constant; so in particular, they ought to be ingenuous and fervent in renouncing the honour due to their Master, not sleeing from it for the fashion onely, that it may follow them the faster. Therefore he confessed, and denied not, but confessed I am not the Christ, not standing on what they might do to him, not finding him to be so. 8. Such as come not to the Word to be edified, but to jangle and catch advantage, it is righteous with God to leave them lying in their errours and mistakes, without clearings; Therefore, doth John not cleare their mistakes concerning Elias, or the Prophet, nor clear in what sense he was Elias, but nakedly answers their questions according to their apprehensions of things.
