John 1:35-51 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.”
“When E. F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens”. If you are not familiar with that commercial line, then you are not even close to my age! God spoke and the world was created. Satan lied and humanity was cursed. Martha complained and Mary listened. The Judged fumed while the old woman railed. A Donkey spoke and a Prophet was saved, (Numbers 22:4-20; 2 Peter 2:16). Jesus speaks and people follow.
Some of the people that followed Christ were approached by him directly. When he called out to them, they recognized him as a Rabbi, and followed him. Other people were brought to Christ by someone who had seen and heard him speak. People connect what they saw and what they heard in Christ as fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. John the Baptist knew Jesus was coming before he arrived. The Book of Isaiah gives clear teaching about the coming of Messiah and the events to precede and accompany his arrival, see Isaiah 40:1-11.
