John 3:22-30
"After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.
Now John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.
For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification.
And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified-behold He is baptizing, and all our coming to Him!"
John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, "I am not the Christ, but, I have been sent before Him."
He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE."

Message:
Humility is a virtue all men preach, none practice, and yet everybody is content to hear." So wrote an English jurist named John Selden, about the middle of the seventeenth century.
These words are not universally true, of course, but they are true for many people and they characterize much of human nature. Although people praise humility, most persons think of themselves much as a character in the Gilbert and Sullivan, opera RUDDIGORE, who said, "You've no idea what a poor opinion I have of myself...and how little I deserve it."
We all recognize that humility is important and desirable. It is one of the great Christian virtues, the opposite of pride. But where does it come from if it's so difficult to attain? And does anyone, in fact, possess it?
Someone has said: "If we do not learn humility, we will learn humiliation. The only way up is down on our knees. Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself. Humility is such a frail and delicate thing that the one who dares to think that he has it, proves by that single thought that he has it not."
But in our lesson today, we learn humility from John the Baptist. His closing words were, "HE MUST INCREASE AND I MUST DECREASE. We have already seen that part of the aim of the writer of the Fourth Gospel was to ensure that John the Baptist received his proper place as the forerunner of Jesus, but no higher place than that.

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There were those who were still ready to call John master and Lord; the writer of the Fourth Gospel wishes to show that John had a high place, but that the highest place was reserved for Jesus alone.
To understand the setting for these words of our text, we must recognize the fact that the Baptist had achieved a great deal of popularity as the result of his preaching. Luke tells us that "multitudes" went out to hear John. Matthew tells us that people came to him from "Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan (Matt. 3:5). And, apparently the multitudes included all segments of the population-Pharisees, Sadducees, tax collectors, soldiers, the rich, and the poor. John speaks of an official delegation from Jerusalem. We are told that on some occasions, John was praised as a reincarnation of either Elijah or another of the prophets.
In time John's popularity came to the palace of Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee. Herod called for John and listened to him preach. Mark tells us that at the beginning Herod heard John gladly, and did many good things as the result of John's preaching (Mark 6:20). Unfortunately, Herod enjoyed John's preaching only so long as John preached in generalities. When he was specific enough to speak out against the fact that Herod was then living with his brother Philip's wife, Herodias, Herod's enthusiasm cooled. John had said, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife." This so angered Herodias that eventually she succeeded in having John arrested and later killed.
At the time of which the author of the Fourth Gospel is writing, however, John's imprisonment had not yet occurred, and John was still in the midst of his ministry. Our text notes the fact that the crowds began to gather around Jesus...in fact, many who had been following John now detached themselves from him and began to follow Jesus. It seems that John's disciples were the ones most worried about it, for they did not like to see their teacher taking second place to anyone else. They did not like to see him abandoned while the crowds flocked out to hear and see this new teacher!
In answer to their complaints, it would have been very easy for John to feel injured, neglected, and unjustifiably forgotten. Sometimes a friend's sympathy can be the worst possible thing for us. It can make us feel sorry for ourselves and encourage us to think that we have not had a fair deal. But John had a mind above that.
F. B. Meyer, that great British preacher of yesterday, wrote in his book entitled: John the Baptist,
"It was as though they said, "Master, is it not too bad? See how thy generous testimony has been requited! In the day of thy glory thou wert too profuse in thy acknowledgments, too prodigal in thy testimonials. Now this new Teacher has taken a leaf out of thy program; He too is preaching, baptizing, and gathering a school of disciples." But there was no tinder in that noble breast which these jealous

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sparks could kindle. Nothing but love dwelt there. He had been plunged into the baptism of a holy love, which had burnt out the selfishness and jealousy, which were natural to him as to us all. It was as when a spark falls into an ocean and is instantly extinguished. Thus his reply will ever rank among the greatest utterances of mortal man. The Lord said that of those born of woman none was greater than John; and, if by nothing else, by these words his mortal stature and superlative excellence were vindicated."
Our text tells us:
"Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification" (v. 25).
What was this all about? Well, this verse is compressed to the point of obscurity. A little light may be shed on it however, by the Qumran scrolls. These show us that there were Essene-type sects with a deep interest in ceremonial purifications. If the suggestions that John the Baptist had had contacts with such a sect and had broken with it are well grounded, such a dispute as the one mentioned here would be very natural. It is also a natural touch that the dispute concerned John's disciples and not John himself. They would probably be more aggressive than their master, and possibly more accessible for such a dispute.
This dispute may have centered in the matter of comparing the value and authenticity of John's baptism with that of Jesus. Was John's baptism more valid than that of Jesus? Did the one who performed the baptism give it more validity than someone else? This seemed to be a problem at Corinth! (1 Cor. 1:11-17)
"For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.
Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name.
Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect."
There could have been another reason for the dispute over the subject of purification. In the Jewish mind, baptism was connected with the proselyte baptism, which was the baptismal act that brought a Gentile into Jewish fellowship and gave them the right to share in temple worship.

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The baptismal theology of the New Testament is believed to have had its origin in the Jewish understanding of proselyte baptism. The concept of dying and rising in baptism appears to be reflected in the rabbinical saying, ‘One who separates himself from circumcision is like one who separates himself from the grave.’ This dictum implies that, spiritually, heathenism equaled existence in a tomb, hence conversion meant a passage from death to life; it is presumed to be the source of the Pauline doctrine of baptism in Romans 6:1.
You can immediately see that identification in water baptism was foreign to Jewish thinking in that baptism was something that Gentiles must do, for the Jew was already a child of God by birth! The view that conversion from heathenism to Judaism implies a new life, whether a dying and rising again, or a new birth, is firmly attested in the Talmud.
The above suggestions may have been the reason for the dispute mentioned here in our text in verse 25.
Albert Barnes, in his wonderful commentary series, makes the following observations relative to this dispute:
"About the subject it seems that a dispute arose, and was carried to such a length that complaint was made to John. From this we may learn, (1) That even in the time of Jesus, when the gospel began to be preached, there was witnessed-what has been ever since-unhappy disputings on the subject of religion. (2) That such discussions are commonly about some unimportant matter or aspect of religion-something which they may not yet be qualified to understand, and which does not materially affect them if they could. (3) That such disputes are often connected with a spirit of proselytism-with boasting of the superior excellence of the sect with which we are connected, or in connection with whom we have been converted, and often with a desire to persuade others to join with us. (4) That such a spirit is eminently improper on such occasion.
Love should characterize the feelings of young converts; a disposition to inquire and not to dispute; a willingness that all should direct the dictates of their own consciences, and not to desire to proselyte them to our way of thinking or to our church."
Verse 26 of our text says: "And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you have testified-behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him."
In the spirit of jealousy and anger they purposely avoid even mentioning the name of Jesus. As they see it, Jesus and John our rivals, competitors! They make full use of the figure of speech called HYPERBOLE, "All are going to Him" i.e., soon you'll be without any follower. In harmony with the purpose of the book, the author now dwells at length on the self-effacing answer of the Baptist.

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The Baptist's answer was surprising and noble.
Verse 27:
John answered and said, ‘ A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.’
The herald of the Christ meant to say that to every one God has assigned a place in His eternal plan, and that he, the Baptist, has no right to lay claim to an honor which had not been given to him from heaven. Once given, it remains given, as the tense used in the original implies. Similarly, once withheld, it so remains. Instead of complaining about the success of Jesus, John's disciples should have rejoiced in the fact that the task of the Baptist was being fulfilled. And the nature of this task had been clearly indicated...I CALL YOU TO WITNESS THAT I SAID, I MYSELF AM NOT THE CHRIST, BUT I AM SENT AHEAD OF HIM. (For the first clause, 1:8, 20; for the second, 1:15, 23, 27).
It is beautiful to see how John conducted himself on this occasion. His reply was most becoming. First, he bows to God's sovereign will (v. 27). Second, he reminds his tempters of his previous disclaimer as noted above. Third, he declared that Israel belonged to Christ, not to himself (v. 29). Fourth, he affirms that his own joy was fulfilled in see men turning to the Lord Jesus (v. 29). Finally he insists that while Christ must increase, he must decrease.
John was not at all surprised at the lack of spiritual perception in the Jews. The things of God cannot be discerned by the natural man. Before a man can even "receive" spiritual things they must first be "given him from heaven." And in the bestowment of His gifts God is sovereign. We are fully satisfied that the contents of this twenty-seventh verse contains the key to much that is puzzling..."A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven."
Paul writes to the Corinthian church and says: (1 Cor. 2:7-16)
"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

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These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.
For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ."
On the other hand, there is no excuse for ignorance in many of the things of God. God has plainly made known His mind. His blessed Word is available to all. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to guide us into all truth. And it is for our learning: "And if any man think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know" (1 Cor. 8:2). Nevertheless, there is the Divine side, too; and this is what is before as herein John 3:27. What did the Lord Jesus say in response to the unbelief of the cities wherein His mightiest works were done? "Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight." (Matt. 11:25, 26)
What did He say to Peter, when that apostle bore such blessed testimony to His Messiahship and Deity? "Jesus answered and said unto him, "Blessed art now, Simon Bar-Jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16:17). And what is recorded of Lydia? "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, That (in order that) she attended unto the things which were spoke of Paul" (Acts 16:14).
Verse 28 reads:
"You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but, I have been sent before Him." You remember that at first I told you. I was not the Messiah. As he had been witness to Jesus-as he came for no other end but to point him out to the Jews, they ought not to suppose that he was his superior. It was but reasonable to expect that Christ Himself would be more successful than his forerunner. "I came, not to form a separate party, a particular sect, but to prepare the way that He might be more successful, and that the people might be ready for His coming, and that He might have the success which He has actually met with." You should rejoice, therefore, at that success, and not envy it, for his success is the best proof of the greatness of my work, and of its success also."
The success at Jesus is not at all difficult to explain if John was truly sent from God.

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So far from being downcast at what is happening, John rejoices. He now employs the illustration of a wedding to bring this out.
Verse 28 says:
"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled." At a wedding the bridegroom is the important man. His friend may stand by him, and rejoice with him. Indeed in the Jewish scene he could do more. "The friend of the bridegroom was important person. He was responsible for many of the details of the wedding, and in particular was he who brought the bride to the bridegroom. But when he had done this his task was over. He did not expect to take the center of the stage."
"He that hath the bride is the bridegroom." But a wedding is a happy occasion for others than the bridegroom. The bridegroom's friend also "rejoiceth greatly". The joy of his friend brings joy to him, too. In the same way, says John, his own joy, not simply that of Jesus, is filled to the very brim! The news his disciples brought him was what he had been longing to hear...the crowds were flocking to Jesus! This filled his cup of joy to the full.
Elsewhere Jesus used the wedding illustration to explain why His disciples did not fast (Mark 2:19)
"The disciples of John and the Pharisees were fasting. Then they came and said to Him, "Why do the disciples of John of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?"
And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."
The Baptist would have been well aware that in the Old Testament Israel is regarded as the bride of Jehovah.
Isaiah 54:5 "For your Maker is your husband, The Lord of hosts is His name; And your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel."
As the bride of God Israel was called into a spiritual relationship marked by absolute fidelity and devotion. She pledged herself unconditionally to him, and waited for his coming with confidence and expectant hope. Any disobedience to His word, or any difference allegiance or devotion, was therefore to be seen as spiritual adultery-perhaps the most serious of all sins, involving the gravest of consequences. God had called them to himself, blessed them with his gifts, enriched them with his glory, and yet they had, so frequently throughout history, gone after other lovers who would offer them nothing of real and lasting value.
John is telling us that the bridegroom has come!

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This imagery of the bridegroom and the bride made its appeal as a way of referring to the Messiah, and we find it, for example applied to Christ in 2 Corinthians 11:2 and Ephesians 5:32.
"For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.
This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church."
At the time the Evangelist records the saying it would be impossible to miss the overtones that Jesus, not the Baptist, is the Bridegroom. The church is His bride, not that of His forerunner.
In closing, the final factor in John's humility was his knowledge of the fact that whatever might happen in this world, whatever glory the world might or might not give him, the ultimate outcome would be increase of the glory given to Jesus Christ and the bowing of every knee before Him. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE. When William Carey, one of the great pioneer missionaries to India, lay dying he turned to a friend and said, "When I am gone, don't talk about William Carey; talk about William Carey’s Savior. I desire that Christ alone might be magnified."
For John...Jesus must grow, while he must continue to diminish. Note the MUST, indicating that this is in accordance with God's eternal plan. Of what use is a herald after the king has arrived? Why should crowds continue to surround the forerunner after his task has been accomplished? When he lays aside his responsibilities, let the multitude depart. Let them follow the king!
Blessed climax was this to the lovely modesty of John, and well calculated to crush all party feeling and nip in the bud any jealousy there might be in the hearts of his own disciples. HE MUST INCREASE, I MUST DECREASE.
Ah! What lessons to be learned! I cannot be occupied with two objects at one and the same time. To "decrease" is, we take it, to be less and less occupied with ourselves. The more I am occupied with Christ, the less shall I be occupied with myself. Humility is not the product of direct cultivation, rather it is a byproduct. The more I try to be humble, the less shall I attain unto humility. But if I am truly occupied with that One who was "meek and lowly in heart," if I am constantly beholding His glory in the mirror of God's Word, then shall I be "changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
In witnessing to the manifold glories of his Master, John the Baptist draws some beautiful contrasts: John was one who could receive nothing, except it were given him from heaven, whereas Christ was the One to whom the Father "hath given all things." John was the Servant, Jesus was the Savior!