Albert Barnes Commentary John 1:26

"John answered them, saying, I baptize in water: in the midst of you standeth one whom ye know not," — John 1:26 (ASV)

I baptize – He did not deny it; nor did he condescend to state his authority. He had indeed done so. He admitted that he had introduced an important change in the rites of religion, and he goes on to tell them that this was not all. Greater and more important changes would soon take place without their authority. The Messiah was about to come, and the power was about to depart from their hands.

There standeth one – There is one.

Among you – In the midst of you. He is undistinguished among the multitude. The Messiah had already come, and was about to be manifested to the people. It was not until the next day (John 1:29) that Jesus was manifested or proclaimed as the Messiah; but it is not improbable that he was then among the people that were assembled near the Jordan, and mingled with them, though he was undistinguished. He had gone there, probably, with the multitudes that had been drawn there by the fame of John, and had gone without attracting attention, though his real object was to receive baptism in this public manner, and to be exhibited and proclaimed as the Messiah.

Whom ye know not – Jesus was not yet declared publicly to be the Christ. Though it is probable that he was then among the multitude, yet he was not known as the Messiah. We may from this learn:

1. That there is often great excellence in the world that is obscure, undistinguished, and unknown. Jesus was near to all those people, but they were not conscious of his presence, for he was retired and obscure. Though the greatest personage ever in the world, yet he was not externally distinguished from others.
2. Jesus may be near to men of the world, and yet they do not know him. He is everywhere by his Spirit, yet few know it, and few are desirous of knowing it.