According to Pesch, he who is mightier
cannot be an indirect reference to God himself; in that case, the human references in verse 7 would have been avoided.1 However, we can also put this differently: the concrete metaphorical language in verse 7 (about stooping down to untie sandals) indicates that the mightier one comes in human form with sandals on his feet. Nonetheless, he is more than a human being, since John hesitates doing even this slave labour for the mightier one. The one who is mightier than John is the man Jesus, who has been provided with sandals. His earthly sandals do not take away from the fact that he is entitled to divine adoration. John already knew from his father Zechariah that Jesus is the Lord who comes, the Angel of the Lord, the promised horn of salvation (Luke 1:69, 78). In his preaching John does not yet use the name of Jesus, but he does already mention the highness of his person.2
7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.