John 1:26-28 Baptizing the Anointed One

John 1:26-28

26 John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing people.

As I blogged about this scripture, I prayed to the Lord to tell me something, and I saw a word or a place. The place where John the Baptist was baptizing was in Bethany, where a special anointing happened, later in John’s gospel. Anointing a person is like a baptism, and the best example is from Psalm 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Psalm 23 verse 5 happens because a person knows and accepts the Lord as their Shepherd, Psalm 23:1. The Jewish priest did not know who permitted John to baptize. He told them, He who sent me, gave me permission, and even the Lord is among you and you don’t even know Him. John even added I am unworthy to untie Christ’s sandals. In Bethany, a similar event happened, and it is written in all four gospels; (Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50, and John 12:1-8). Jesus’ title is Christ, and Messiah, which means anointed One, the woman in Bethany, seems to have understood that more than the Jewish Priest. The priest questions if Jesus is really a prophet, if He was, He would never allow such horrible sinner like the lady, wash and kiss His feet.

Luke 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!”

The Pharisees are spiritually blind; they ask John the Baptist if he was Christ, and he says no I am not. The Pharisees question if Jesus a prophet, and if wants, He would not allow such horrible sinful woman to touch, kiss, and wash His feet. Christ. John stated he was unworthy of untying Jesus’ sandals, but the lady, who the Pharisees call a horrible sinner, lowers herself to Jesus’ feet. Then she washes with sweet-smelling perfumes, with her loving tears. With her hair and lavish his feet with kisses. Jesus tells her she is worthy of forgiveness because of her faith.

John 12:1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

The Pharisees felt like they had a God-given right to the Lord’s work; they knew the Torah, felt like biological sons of Abraham. But spiritually, they did not know the God of Abraham, Moses, Issac or Jacob, and John the Baptist. Father Abraham recognize the Lord, washed His feet, gave Him something to eat. How come the so-called sons of Abraham did not? The Jewish priest told Jesus, this woman is unworthy to be washing Your feet. She is a sinner. Do you know Jesus’ what manner of a woman she is? It was Jewish Old Testament custom to wash a guest’s feet when they enter your house. Father Abraham did it.

Genesis 18:3 “My lord,” he said, “if it pleases you, stop here for a while. 4 Rest in the shade of this tree while water is brought to wash your feet. 5 And since you’ve honored your servant with this visit, let me prepare some food to refresh you before you continue on your journey.” “All right,” they said. “Do as you have said.”

Jesus tells Simon the Pharisee whose house, since the first time I enter your house, as a guest; you did not wash my feet, or greet Me with a kiss, but his woman, you call sinner, did all that and still kissing my feet. Jesus looks at the woman they call a sinner. My daughter, your sins are no more. Then Pharisees clarify what John the Baptist told them in John 1: 26 “ I baptized with water, but there is One among you do not know.” They ask each other, who does Jesus think He is to forgive sin? Maybe that is why, throughout the gospel, the Jewish leader never recognizes Jesus as the Son of God, called Him a blasphemer, and had Him crucified. God bless you all, Jesus Christ the Messiah loves you, and so do I. His bondservant, Samuel H.

Luke 7:44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. 47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same 49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”