ETERNAL AND EVER-PRESENT WORD OF GOD
SAINTS BASIL THE GREAT AND GREGORY NAZIANZEN, BISHOPS, DOCTORS 1 Jn 2:22-28; Ps 98:1-4; Jn 1:19-28 One Who Existed Before Me The Evangelist, in his adept manner, brings John the Baptist to bear witness for Jesus Christ in the Gospel passage. The purpose is to help us grasp, to an extent, the mystery of the One who existed from the beginning. Because the Word has eternal existence, we all experience him in one way or another, only that we do not know him objectively. Since the Baptist was anointed for that purpose, to reveal him to the people of Israel when he appears visibly to human eyes, he is the best person to witness to his presence among us. He makes the Baptist certify the veracity of his testimony by rejecting the lofty ideas people had about him and his ministry in the wilderness. The pre-Messianic era was marked by the expectation of the return of Elijah the Prophet, the Prophet like Moses who would save the people, etc. These expectations informed the questions t...