Scripture Spot Logo

Verse of the Day

WEB

Author Spotlight

Loading featured author...

Report Issue

See a formatting issue or error?

Let us know →

They said therefore to him, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?"

Verse Takeaways

1

An Official Demand

Commentators explain that the delegation from Jerusalem was on an official mission. Having exhausted their own theories about John's identity (Messiah, Elijah, the Prophet), they were left empty-handed. Their persistent question, "Who are you?" was born of a duty to provide a definitive answer to the religious authorities who had sent them.

See 3 Verse Takeaways

Book Overview

John

Author

Audience

Composition

Teaching Highlights

Outline

+ 5 more

See Overview

Commentaries

11

AT Robertson

AT Robertson

On John 1:22

They said therefore (ειπαν ουν). Second aorist active indicative of defective verb ειπον with α instead of usual ο. Note ουν, infe…

Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott

On John 1:22

19th Century

Bishop

That we may give an answer.—He has given the “No” to all the ideas they had formed about him. There is nothing left to them but to…

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon

On John 1:19–23

19th Century

Preacher

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied no…

Premium

Go Ad-Free

Go ad-free and create your own bookmark library

Expositor's Bible Commentary

Expositor's Bible Commentary

On John 1:22

The suggestion that John the Baptist might be identified with Elijah reflected the Jewish expectation that the return of Elijah would precede the a…

John Gill

John Gill

On John 1:22

17th Century

Pastor

Then said they to him, who are you ?
&c.] Since, as yet, he had only answered in negatives, who he was not, that he …

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry

On John 1:19–28

17th Century

Minister

John denies being the Christ, who was then expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. J…

Subscriber

Join Our Newsletter

Get curated content & updates