John 1:33

33 I didn't know Him, but He^[a] who sent me to baptize with^[b] water told me, 'The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on-He is the One who baptizes with^[c] the Holy Spirit.'

John 1:33 Meaning and Commentary

John 1:33

And I knew him not
That is, before he came to be baptized by him; when it was secretly suggested to him who he was, and the following signal was given him, to confirm him in it:

but he that sent me to baptize with water;
or "in water"; that is, God; for John's mission was from God, as in ( John 1:6 ) , and his baptism from heaven; he had a divine warrant and commission for what he did:

the same said unto me;
either by an articulate voice, or by a divine impulse on his mind, or by the revelation of the Spirit:

upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him,
the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost;
that is, the Messiah; (See Gill on Matthew 3:11), (See Gill on Matthew 3:16).

John 1:33 In-Context

31 I didn't know Him, but I came baptizing with water so He might be revealed to Israel."

32 And John testified, "I watched the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He rested on Him.

33 I didn't know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The One you see the Spirit descending and resting on-He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'

34 I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God!"

35 Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples.

Footnotes

• [a]. He refers to God the Father, who gave John a sign to help him identify the Messiah. Vv. 32-34 indicate that John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah until the Spirit descended upon Him at His baptism.
• [b]. Or in
• [c]. Or in