What does "He who comes after me" reveal about Jesus' eternal nature? Setting the Scene John 1:15, 30 record John the Baptist’s startling declaration: “‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’” Although Jesus would step onto the public stage after John, John insists Jesus already “was before” him. That short phrase pulls back the curtain on Christ’s eternal nature. Why the Phrase Is Paradoxical • Chronologically, John is six months older (Luke 1:36). • Ministerially, John begins preaching first (Luke 3:2-3). • Yet John says the One arriving later actually existed first. Only an eternal, pre-existent Person makes that statement true. Jesus as the Eternal Word • John 1:1-2 – “In the beginning was the Word…He was with God in the beginning.” • Because the Word already “was” at creation, “He who comes after me” refers to One who never truly had a beginning. • John’s testimony dovetails perfectly with the prologue: Jesus exists outside the timeline into which He later stepped. Old Testament Echoes of Eternity • Micah 5:2 – Messiah’s “origins are from of old, from the days of eternity.” • Isaiah 9:6 – the promised Child is called “Everlasting Father,” revealing divine timelessness. John’s phrase shows these prophecies fulfilled in Jesus. Jesus’ Own Claims • John 8:58 – “Before Abraham was born, I am!” • John 17:5 – “Glorify Me…with the glory I had with You before the world existed.” • Revelation 22:13 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” Each claim lines up with John the Baptist’s testimony: the One appearing later already existed from eternity past. New Testament Confirmation • Colossians 1:17 – “He is before all things.” • Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” What “He Who Comes After Me” Reveals • Pre-existence: Jesus is not a created being; He lived before His birth. • Deity: Only God possesses eternal existence; therefore Jesus is fully God. • Incarnation: The eternal Son willingly entered time, following John in chronology but not in rank. • Supremacy: Being “before” means He outranks every prophet, including the greatest born of women (Luke 7:28). • Reliability: An unchanging, timeless Savior secures an unchanging, timeless salvation. Living in Light of His Eternity • Confidence in salvation—grounded in an everlasting Savior (John 10:28). • Worship that honors His infinite majesty (Philippians 2:9-11). • Hope that endures, knowing the One before all things will also be after all things (Revelation 1:17-18). “He who comes after me” is therefore far more than a chronological note—it is a window into the boundless, eternal nature of Jesus Christ, the Word who always was and always will be. |
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