Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 1:20

"And he confessed, and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ." — John 1:20 (ASV)

“Christ” (GK 5986) is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew “Messiah,” meaning “Anointed” (see comments on Mk 3:29–30). It was the title of the prophesied deliverer, who would bring renewal and political freedom to Israel (cf. 4:25). John the Baptist disclaimed the title because he was not the Messiah and because it had political implications that would have made him appear to the Romans as a potential insurrectionist.