John 1:22

22 So they said to him, "Who are you? -- so that we can give an answer to the people who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"

John 1:22 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:22

Then said they unto him, who art thou?
&c.] Since, as yet, he had only answered in negatives, who he was not, that he was not the Christ, nor Elias, nor that prophet; they desire he would give them a positive account who he was: that we may give answer to them that sent us;
that their labour might not be in vain; that they might not come so far for nothing, without knowing who he was; and that they might be capable of giving an account of him to the sanhedrim: what sayest thou of thyself?
they insisted on it, that he would openly, and honestly declare who he was, and what was his office and business; that from his own mouth, and not from the opinion and conjectures of others, they might represent him in a true light to those who had deputed them on this errand.

John 1:22 In-Context

20 he was very straightforward and stated clearly, "I am not the Messiah."

21 "Then who are you?" they asked him. "Are you Eliyahu?" "No, I am not," he said. "Are you `the prophet,' the one we're expecting?" "No," he replied.

22 So they said to him, "Who are you? -- so that we can give an answer to the people who sent us. What do you have to say about yourself?"

23 He answered in the words of Yesha`yahu the prophet, "I am The voice of someone crying out: `In the desert make the way of ADONAI straight!'"

24 Some of those who had been sent were P'rushim.