John 5:35

He was a lamp that was burning and shining, ¹  and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time ²  in his light.

Eze 33:31; Mt 3:5-7; Mt 11:7-9; Mt 11:11; Mt 13:20,21; Mt 21:26; Mr 6:20; Lu 1:15-17,76,77; Lu 7:28; Joh 1:7,8; Joh 6:66; Ga 4:15,16; 2Pe 1:19

¹ sn He was a lamp that was burning and shining. Sir 48:1 states that the word of Elijah was “a flame like a torch.” Because of the connection of John the Baptist with Elijah (see John 1:21 and the note on John’s reply, “I am not”), it was natural for Jesus to apply this description to John.

² tn Grk “for an hour.”