THE GOSPELS: LESSON 14:
JOHN TESTIFIES OF CHRIST ONCE MORE
TEXT: JOHN 3: 22 - 36
Jesus and his disciples have gone into Judea, near the Jordan River to teach and baptize disciples. While there, a question arises about just who John is and who this man "beyond the Jordan" is supposed to be. John gives one long final testimony of Christ before he is arrested by Herod and thrown into prison.
VERSE 22: JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES LEAVE JERUSALEM.
“After these things . . .” That is, after the Passover celebration and the discussion with Nicodemus.
“. . . came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea . . .” They left the city of Jerusalem and went into the country, which happened to be in Judea. Jerusalem actually belonged to the tribe of Benjamin, not Judah, but we are talking here not of tribal allotments, but of the Province of Judea, which was a Roman province, which superceded the old tribal boundaries.
“. . . there he tarried with them, and baptized.” There they stayed for a time, while he preached his “gospel of the kingdom” and his disciples baptized new converts by the authority of their master. Jesus himself did not baptize people, his disciples did. (See John 4: 2 .) Why would Jesus not want to personally baptize people? Think about it – “I was baptized by the Lord himself!” people would say and thereby create divisions or classes of believers. If you doubt it just look at I Cor. 1: 12 - 15. By baptizing believers, Jesus confirms the practice of baptism (immersion) in water. Jesus submitted to the rite, and now we see that he extends it to all believers as well. By claiming that baptism is unnecessary, people contradict the clear example of Jesus and plain teachings of the apostles.
VERSES 23 - 26: A QUESTION ARISES OVER JUST WHO JESUS IS.
Verse 23: John is baptizing at Aenon, near Salim. Why there? Because there was much water. Why did they need much water? Because John practiced true baptism, baptism by immersion (the only kind used in the New Testament). Why was John still baptizing? Because Jesus had not yet openly declared himself.
Note: Aenon (a spring) was either: 1. about eight miles south of Scythopolis, and two miles west of the Jordan, or 2. About 20 or 25 miles south of Scythopolis not too far from Jacob’s well. Anyway, there were very abundant springs there. The second site makes more sense if Jesus was coming back from Judea on his way to Galilee.
Verse 24: John had not yet been put in prison. That would happen soon, at the direction of Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. We will talk of this at length later.
Verse 25: A dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jewish man (?) about “purifying,” that is, who had the authority to baptize: John’s disciples or Jesus’ disciples.
Verse 26: It seems that this Jew (or Jews) were under the impression that Jesus was a disciple of John and hence was insulting John by preaching and baptizing at the same place he was. There was an old Jewish law which said no disciple could teach closer than 12 miles away from his master (yes, they had laws for everything). But, John was about to disabuse them of their assumption about who was master.
Verse 27: “A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” In other words, John gave the most eloquent and persuasive argument in favor of this “new” teacher (rabbi) that he could: Just as I was given license to teach directly from God, so has this man, who I have previously testified about.
Verse 28 - 31: Here is John’s last testimony of the Christ; this makes three times, now. Look at what he affirms about the relationship between himself and this “new rabbi.”
1. I (John) am NOT the Messiah, I am the forerunner. He had already told them this twice before.
2. Like the friend of the bridegroom, I am happy and made complete that at last the bridegroom has arrived. This, too, is a way of saying that Jesus is the promised Messiah.
3. I must decrease and he must increase. In other words, my job as forerunner is done. Now the Messiah must do what God has sent him to do – to declare the gospel of the kingdom.
4. I (John) am just a man, I am earthly; but he (Jesus) has come down from heaven and is above everyone and everything, yes even me, God’s prophet.
This is the single greatest and most complete statement of who Jesus is that was ever given by anyone during Jesus’ lifetime. No wonder Jesus said of John, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist.” (Matt. 11: 11)
Verses 32 - 35: John goes on to tell (and foretell) about the message Jesus preaches and how men will receive that message.
1. Jesus bears witness to what he has seen and heard IN GOD’S PRESENCE and yet people don’t hear him.
2. He who does receive Jesus words are true affirms that God is true.
3. Jesus teaches the WORDS OF GOD because he has received the spirit of God in full measure (as much as a human body can hold).
4. God gave all things into Jesus’ hands. In other words, Jesus was given full authority by God for everything he did and everything he said while on this earth. Compare this with Matt. 28: 19.
In short, John left absolutely NO DOUBT that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, come down to man.
Verse 36: John’s final testimony and a warning. He who believes in Jesus will be given eternal life – salvation. He who does not obey Jesus will be damned. Compare this with Mark 16: 16 and Acts 4: 12.
Notice that John equates belief and obedience. If one believes, one obeys. Conversely, if one does not obey, then he must not believe and God’s wrath (damnation) will rest on him.
Notice also that all these things are stated in the context of baptism – the original point of contention. To assume that baptism must be a part of belief and therefore a part of obedience is inescapable. Already we have seen three confirmations of Christian baptism:
– Jesus was baptized.
– Jesus told his disciples to baptize believers.
– John affirms that the baptism we must practice is Christ’s baptism, for such is part of our obedience to him.
I don’t see how anyone can honestly look at this chapter without coming to a deeper appreciation of the necessity of baptism – immersion – into Christ.
But, of course, the thing we MUST get from this section is this: John’s ministry was ending. Now all must listen to and obey the words of Jesus.
Return to Gospels Main Selection Page