JOHN & JESUS: SENT BY GOD - JOHN 3:22-36

 

John and Jesus

3:22-36

“After this” in verse 22 means after the events that took place in Jerusalem during Passover, including the cleansing of the Temple and the discussion with Nicodemus. Jesus left the city and went into the countryside. He was evidently preaching, because people were coming to profess their faith in him and to be baptized. 

In verse 23, we see that Jesus’ ministry overlapped with that of John the Baptist, who was baptizing in a different place. People were still responding to his message of repentance and were being baptized. 

The parenthetical phrase in verse 24, telling us John had not yet been put in prison is interesting. Obviously, John could not preach and baptize out in the countryside if he were in prison. So, why did John provide this explanation? 

I think this shows us that John was aware of the other gospel accounts, particularly of the Gospel of Mark. Since Mark’s gospel is thought by most to be the first written, and John’s the last, it seems likely John would be aware of Mark’s gospel account and even to have read it. 

Mark’s gospel begins with the ministry of John the Baptist and proceeds quickly to his arrest in Mark 1:14. So, John the Apostle, wants us to know that all he has written about to this point occurs before the arrest of John as recorded in Mark 1:14 and that,  although he wrote about different things, there is no conflict of facts between his John’s account and Mark’s earlier account.

While John was preaching and baptizing, his followers got into an argument with a Jew over purification. The Jews had many purification rites that involved washing. We see an indication of this in the story of the wedding at Cana, where there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification. (2:6) The word translated “purification” in 2:6 is the same word used here in verse 25. So, this Jewish person may have been confused about the meaning of John’s baptism or arguing about the propriety of it in light of the purification rules of the Jews. 

This discussion must have led John’s disciples on to think about the fact that Jesus’ disciples were also baptizing and that people were going to see Jesus. There appears to be a sense of resentment here, as they say “all are going to him”. (26) We know that is not true, because John was still baptizing. So, the hyperbole likely means John’s disciples felt competitive with Jesus and his disciples and resented the rising popularity of Jesus.

John, however, does not share their resentment and shows again what a remarkable man he was. First, he reminded them that none of them worked on their own; they received their ministries from the Father. (27) John received his calling from God, from heaven, to come before the appearance of the Christ and to prepare the way for him. Jesus also received his calling from God and was sent to be the savior. John reminded his disciples that he had already testified that he was not the Christ, but the forerunner. (28) 

He was satisfied with the role given him by God. He was not jealous of the one for whom he prepared the way. 

So, we see that John embraced the doctrine of the sovereignty of God. God was sovereign over John’s calling and station in life and John was fine with that. When we are jealous of another person’s ministry or status, it is a type of arrogance on our part, wanting to elevate our judgment over God’s. 

John then used an illustration to help them understand. Jesus is the bridegroom and has the bride. His followers would know this illustration from the Scripture. For example, Isaiah 62:5 says “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall our God rejoice over you” (God’s people). 

So, as Christ is the bridegroom and the church the bride, John portrays himself as the friend of the bridegroom. We would think of this as the “best man”. He rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. He does not want to usurp the bridegroom, but to help him. 

This illustration made more sense to his followers than to us if we do not know how things worked then. At that time, the focus of the wedding proceedings was the bridegroom as opposed to the bride, as it is now. 

So, John was not resentful of Jesus’ popularity. In fact, he rejoiced that Jesus had come. His labeling of Jesus as the bridegroom shows his believe that Jesus was the Messiah and king. 

John’s joy was complete. He had fulfilled his mission and now saw it come to fruition. He was perfectly happy that Jesus would increase and he would decrease. He was an incredibly obedient and faithful servant.

John’s Summary

3:31-36

In these verses, John the Apostle provides further teaching about Jesus and his superiority to all others. Here are the things John tells us about Jesus: 

1. Jesus comes from above, from heaven. (31) Jesus himself told us he was sent by the Father about 17 times in the Gospel of John. 
2. In contrast with Jesus are all of those, including John the Baptist, who are of the earth and speak in an earthly way. (31) Jesus came from heaven and spoke of what he saw and heard in heaven. (32) Jesus spoke the words of God and acted according to the will of God.
3. God the Father gave Jesus the Spirit without measure or limitation. (34) This statement creates a contrast between Jesus and the old testament people who had the Spirit for a limited time or a specific purpose.  
4. Jesus, the Son, is loved by the Father, who has given all things into his hand. (35) The Son has all authority. As he said in Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”. 
5. Note also that we see the Trinity in action here. The Father sent the Son and gave him the Spirit. 

John also told us some things about human beings:

1. People in his time often did not receive Jesus’ message (32) Many did not believe him to be the Son of God. That is true today. It is easier for people to accept Jesus as a good man and good teacher than the God who must be obeyed.
2. Those who do receive Jesus’ message, or testimony, testify that God is true. (33) Those who reject Jesus’ claim that he is the Son of God are calling the Father a liar. 
3. Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life. (36)
4. Those who do not believe do not have eternal life and are subject to God’s wrath. (36) This is another statement to us that there will be a judgment at the end of this age which will determine where all of mankind will spend eternity in the age to come. 

If you will believe in Jesus today, you will receive eternal life and avoid the wrath to come.