“And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.”
They asked him, 'Then who are you? Are you Elijah?' He said, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' He answered, 'No' — the interrogators probe alternative messianic figures (Elijah as Malachi's promised forerunner, the Prophet as the eschatological figure like Moses). The Baptist's repeated denials create suspense and define his role by elimination. Each "I am not" clears the way for the affirmative identification of Jesus.
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