John 3:22-36
Today’s Passage: John 3:22-36
In Matthew 11:11, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Today’s passage gives clear evidence for Jesus’ high praise. More importantly, as the Gospel of John unfolds, we gain a clearer picture of who this Jesus is and how we should respond to him.
First, when asked about Jesus’s disciples baptizing more than John’s, John’s response showed affection and honor for Jesus. In verse 29 John said, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”
It’s fun to witness a wedding of committed Christians. It’s awesome to be with the groom and groomsmen in the moments before the service to pray and commit this man to the role of husband. The role of groomsman, and especially Best Man, couldn’t be more misunderstood by the world. It’s not about the party before you surrender your freedom to the ol’ ball and chain. It’s about standing beside a brother in Christ to celebrate, encourage, and support a lifelong commitment.
Second, it’s here that John gives the quintessential line in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” There is no better definition for the Christian life. Christ’s Name must be magnified in our hearts and minds. The degree to which a person turns their hearts heavenward is the degree to which a person will live in obedience to the commands of Christ. God is not a cosmic-killjoy. Once we understand His character and great love for us, obedience comes easier.
Finally, verses 31–36 give an incredible insight into the nature of Christ. He comes from above and is above all, He bears witness, He utters the words of God, the Father has given all things into his hand, and most notably, verse 36, “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
Depending on your translation, 31–36 may or may not have quotation marks around them. The NASB and NLT have quotation marks, the ESV and NIV do not. Back in verse 27, John, the gospel writer (a.k.a. the evangelist), said that “John [the baptizer] answered.” That is, the evangelist was recording the baptizer’s quoted words. However, there are no quotation marks in Greek and it’s up to the interpreter to determine when the baptizer stopped speaking. The NASB and NLT, by using quotation marks, suggest that the baptizer continued to speak through the rest of the chapter—indicating an incredible insight into Jesus and his ultimate ministry. Or, by not using the quotation marks, the ESV and NIV suggest that it’s John the evangelist who supplied the summary implications of chapter 3—meaning these words were not spoken at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, but decades after his death, burial, and resurrection.
At the end of the day, the truth of verses 31–36 is as relevant for us today as it was for its original audience—whoever that may have been. Likewise, no matter where we’re at in our study, John’s words must echo in our hearts, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Written By: Tyler Short
In Matthew 11:11, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist.” Today’s passage gives clear evidence for Jesus’ high praise. More importantly, as the Gospel of John unfolds, we gain a clearer picture of who this Jesus is and how we should respond to him.
First, when asked about Jesus’s disciples baptizing more than John’s, John’s response showed affection and honor for Jesus. In verse 29 John said, “The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete.”
It’s fun to witness a wedding of committed Christians. It’s awesome to be with the groom and groomsmen in the moments before the service to pray and commit this man to the role of husband. The role of groomsman, and especially Best Man, couldn’t be more misunderstood by the world. It’s not about the party before you surrender your freedom to the ol’ ball and chain. It’s about standing beside a brother in Christ to celebrate, encourage, and support a lifelong commitment.
Second, it’s here that John gives the quintessential line in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” There is no better definition for the Christian life. Christ’s Name must be magnified in our hearts and minds. The degree to which a person turns their hearts heavenward is the degree to which a person will live in obedience to the commands of Christ. God is not a cosmic-killjoy. Once we understand His character and great love for us, obedience comes easier.
Finally, verses 31–36 give an incredible insight into the nature of Christ. He comes from above and is above all, He bears witness, He utters the words of God, the Father has given all things into his hand, and most notably, verse 36, “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
Depending on your translation, 31–36 may or may not have quotation marks around them. The NASB and NLT have quotation marks, the ESV and NIV do not. Back in verse 27, John, the gospel writer (a.k.a. the evangelist), said that “John [the baptizer] answered.” That is, the evangelist was recording the baptizer’s quoted words. However, there are no quotation marks in Greek and it’s up to the interpreter to determine when the baptizer stopped speaking. The NASB and NLT, by using quotation marks, suggest that the baptizer continued to speak through the rest of the chapter—indicating an incredible insight into Jesus and his ultimate ministry. Or, by not using the quotation marks, the ESV and NIV suggest that it’s John the evangelist who supplied the summary implications of chapter 3—meaning these words were not spoken at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, but decades after his death, burial, and resurrection.
At the end of the day, the truth of verses 31–36 is as relevant for us today as it was for its original audience—whoever that may have been. Likewise, no matter where we’re at in our study, John’s words must echo in our hearts, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Written By: Tyler Short
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