Witham interprets it as if he had said, "all those who prophesied before, foretold the coming of the Messiah, but now John points him out as actually present with you, so that now all the types and figures of the ancient law are fulfilled and finished."
According to Witham, this passage is interpreted by him as saying that all those who had foreseen earlier had anticipated the coming of the Messiah, but now John emphasizes his presence with them, thereby bringing an end to the fulfillment of the old law's types and figures.