that did not answer the question. but I must work with what I got, you said this, "“(John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ ”)"John 1:ff answers this for us.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created. Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:1–5) (HCSB)
“He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:10–13) (HCSB)
“The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) (HCSB)
“(John testified concerning Him and exclaimed, “This was the One of whom I said, ‘The One coming after me has surpassed me, because He existed before me.’ ”) Indeed, we have all received grace after grace from His fullness, for the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son — the One who is at the Father’s side — He has revealed Him.” (John 1:15–18) (HCSB)
John was the forerunner to Jesus the christ correct. ok, let's see something, John, Matthew 3:1 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Matthew 3:2 "And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 3:3 "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight".
John was to Prepare the way for the "Lord" correct, well let's see. scripture, Isaiah 40:3 "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God".
understand now? the way was Prepared for the "LORD" all caps. and in Matthew 3:3 it's the "Lord"
see dave, the Lord is the LORD in flesh. read those two verse again. it's the same person.
now the big question dave? is the Lord the same one person as the LORD, scripture don't lie. do you believe the scriptures, YES or NO?
PICJAG.