Thomas Aquinas

Having set down the manifestation of the Word by which it became known to the apostles themselves through sight, the Evangelist consequently sets down its manifestation according to which it became known to others besides the apostles through hearing, namely, through the testimony of John himself, and so forth. And concerning this he does three things. For first the witness is introduced; second, the manner of testifying is indicated, there, "and crieth"; third, the testimony is set down, there, "This was he of whom I spoke," and so forth. He says therefore: we indeed "we indeed have seen his glory, as of the only-begotten of the Father," but this is not believed by us, because perhaps we are held to be suspect: let that witness come forward, namely, John the Baptist, who bore testimony to Christ; for he is a faithful witness, who will not lie; Proverbs XIV, 5: "A faithful witness will not lie," and so forth. Below, V, 33: "You sent to John, and he gave testimony to the truth." For here John bears testimony; as if to say, he perseveringly fulfills his office, because he himself "came for a testimony." Proverbs XII, 19: "The lip of truth shall be steadfast forever."

Then when he says "and crieth, saying," the manner of testifying is set down, which is done with a cry. And therefore he says "crieth," inasmuch as freely, without fear; Isaiah XL, 9: "Lift up thy voice with strength (...) behold our God." Ardently and out of great fervor; because, as is said in Ecclesiasticus XLVIII, 1, "his word burned like a torch"; Isaiah VI, 3: "The Seraphim cried one to another," by which the more inward ardor of the mind is expressed. Also, through the openness of the cry it is shown that the discourse of the one testifying is not directed under figures, nor secretly to a few; but the truth is declared and proclaimed openly and manifestly, now not to a few, but to many; Isaiah LVIII, 1: "Cry, cease not."

Then when he says "This was he of whom I spoke," he adds what he testified. Here he does two things. For first he describes the continuity of his testimony; second, he describes the one to whom he bears testimony, there, "He that shall come after me is made before me." The testimony of the Baptist was therefore continuous, because not only once but many times, and even before Christ had come to him, John bore testimony to him: and therefore he said "This was he of whom I spoke," that is, before I had seen him bodily, I bore testimony to him. Luke I, 76: "Thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High." And this is so because he showed him present and future. His testimony is also certain, because he not only foretold that he was to come, but pointed him out present with his finger, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." From which it is intimated that Christ was bodily present to John; for he was accustomed to come often to John, before he had been baptized.

He then consequently describes the one to whom he bears testimony, saying, "He that shall come after me is made before me." Where it is to be noted that John does not at once preach to his disciples that Christ is the Son of God, but leads them gradually to higher things: first preferring to himself the one who nevertheless was of such fame and authority that he was believed to be the Christ, or someone of the great prophets. Now he compares Christ to himself, first as to the order of preaching; second, as to the order of dignity; third, as to the order of duration. As to the order of preaching, John preceded Christ as a servant the master, and as a soldier the king, and as the morning star the sun; Malachi III, 1: "Behold I send my angel, and he shall prepare the way before my face." "He therefore who came after me," namely, into the knowledge of men by preaching. And it is to be noted that this word "came" is of the present tense, because in the Greek there is put a participle of the present tense.

Now John preceded Christ for a twofold reason. First, according to Chrysostom, because John was a kinsman of Christ according to the flesh; Luke I, 36: "And behold thy cousin Elizabeth," and so forth. If therefore he had borne testimony to Christ after he had known him, he could have had his testimony held suspect, and therefore John came to preach not yet having familiarity with Christ, so that his testimony might be more effective. Whence he said below: "I knew him not; but that he may be made manifest in Israel, therefore am I come baptizing in water." Second, because in those things which proceed from potency to act, the imperfect naturally precedes the perfect: whence it is said, 1 Corinthians XV, 46: "That which is spiritual was not first, but that which is natural." And therefore the more imperfect doctrine of John ought to precede the perfect doctrine of Christ, which was in a certain manner intermediate between the doctrine of the law and the prophets, which announced Christ as to come from afar, and the doctrine of Christ, which was manifest, and announced Christ manifestly.

He compares to himself as to the order of dignity, when he says "is made before me": whence it is to be known that from this the Arians took occasion for their error. For they said that this, that he said "he came after me," is understood of Christ according to the flesh assumed, but this which he adds, "is made before me," cannot be understood except of the Word of God, which pre-existed the flesh; and therefore that Christ, inasmuch as he is the Word, was made, and is not coeternal with the Father. But, according to Chrysostom, this exposition is foolish, because, if this were true, the Baptist would not have said "is made before me, because he was before me," since no one is ignorant that if he was before him, he was made before him; but rather he would have said conversely: he was before me, because he was made before me. And therefore, according to Chrysostom, it is to be understood of priority of dignity, that is, he is preferred to me, and set before me. As if to say: although Jesus came after me to preach, nevertheless he is made before me, that is, more worthy, and superior in authority, and in the estimation of men; Job XXVIII, 17: "Gold shall not equal it," and so forth. Or "is made before me," that is, in my presence, as is held in the Gloss, and the text in the Greek sounds this. As if to say, in my presence, that is, in my sight, because he appeared to me, and became known to me.

Likewise he compares him to himself as to the order of duration, saying "because he was before me." As if to say: he himself is God from eternity, I am from time a fragile man; and therefore, although I preceded him in preaching, nevertheless he is reasonably set before me in the fame and opinion of men, he who by his eternity precedes all things. Hebrews, last chapter, 8: "Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today; and the same forever"; and below, VIII, 58: "Before Abraham was made, I am."

It can also be expounded that what was said, "is made before me," may be referred to the order of time according to the flesh. For Christ in the instant of his conception was perfect God and perfect man, having a rational soul perfect in powers, and a body distinct in all its lineaments, yet not according to perfect quantity; Jeremiah XXXI, 22: "A woman shall compass a man," namely, a perfect one. Now it is established that Christ was conceived before John was born, and a perfect man; and therefore he says "is made before me" because he himself was a perfect man before he had been born from the womb.