‘Unfit to Take Off Messiah’s Sandals’

● With reference to the Messiah, John the Baptist said: “The one coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not fit to take off.” (Matt. 3:11) In the first century C.E., it was common for people to take off their sandals upon entering a home and then to put them back on when leaving. The service of taking off a person’s sandals was viewed as very menial, to be performed by the lowest slave. Therefore, in saying what he did, John expressed great humility, representing himself as unworthy of being even a slave of the Messiah.