John 1:6-8 - There was a man sent from God

1:6

Mark starts his gospel with John the Baptist heralding the coming of the Messiah, John has started with the pre-incarnate word of God, and now turns to John the Baptist. John is the only gospel writer who refers to him simply as “John”, rather than “John the Baptist”. This would be consistent with John being the author of this gospel, also this gospel makes no mention of John the apostle by name. John frequently refers to Jesus being sent by God, John the Baptist was “a man sent from God”. Acts 19 implies that there was a misunderstanding going around about John the Baptist. This was probably rather localised to Ephesus, but John may well have been seeking to counteract any misunderstanding as to the role of John the Baptist in God’s plans. 

1:7

John the Baptist came as a witness to testify to the light with the purpose that all might believe in Christ. He pointed people not to himself, but to the Messiah. This is something that John the Baptist himself was fully aware of. “A witness to testify” is courtroom language. John’s purpose is to prove that people should believe in Jesus. 

1:8

“He himself was not the light, he came only as a witness to the light”. This highlights the proper purpose of John the Baptist, and negates any false ideas of his purpose. John’s gospel presents John the Baptist in a very favourable light, it was not his fault that some “followers” got things wrong”