In the Gospel, John the Baptist is portrayed as a "witness" to Jesus. His witness consists in proclaiming to the Israelites that Jesus existed before all eternity and that Jesus is the lamb of God, and the Son of God. John's witnessing is linked to his own special experience given to him by God, that is, a divine revelation where he "saw" in faith the Holy Spirit descend and "remain" on Jesus. Jesus is the Messiah who possesses the Spirit in fullness, and therefore, a permanent source of the Spirit for all Christians. Jesus, therefore, baptises with the Spirit. John communicates this mystery of the person of Jesus to others and invites them to commit themselves in faith to Jesus.

As John the Baptist witnessed to Jesus, we as Christians are to witness to Jesus as well. How do we do this? Only Jesus is the Son of God, and we are the children of God by virtue of our own baptism. In the first letter of John, the writer states that it is by the holiness of our lives that we prove that we are God's children. Looking at God is likened to looking at our own reflection in the mirror. The more we see God as He is and grow into His likeness, we will become more intimately His children. Therefore, it is through our lives that we witness as to who God is to others, and invite them to commit themselves to Him. It reminds us that it is indeed a privilege to be a child of God and a witness of Jesus.