John the Baptist's Disciples Speak with HimBible World
3:28John 3:28
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
John called his own disciples and hearers to remember what he had openly and plainly declared, that he himself was not the Christ or Messiah but was sent before and ahead of Him to prepare the way for Him. He said this when his disciples came to him jealous because the One who had been with him beyond Jordan was baptizing and all were flocking to Jesus while the crowds around John were lessening day by day. It was a dangerous hour of temptation as his power over the people waned and his mission seemed about to close, yet by refusing any word of sympathy, disappointment, or grief for their murmuring he kept envy and jealousy from being encouraged, kept the seeds of dissension and anarchy from springing up, and kept the gospel and the cause of God from being seriously impeded. His God-given role was to direct people and their attention away from himself to Another, the Coming One and Saviour of the world, never claiming the place, honor, or followers belonging to Christ and never competing with Him. He gladly accepted his subordinate place and obscurity and rejoiced when Christ's work prospered, and as the bridegroom's friend and not the bridegroom his joy was fulfilled in hearing the bridegroom's voice, accepting that Jesus must increase while he must decrease in a noble, unselfish humility that refused every appeal to ambition.
Testimony and Its Setting
John called his own disciples, followers and hearers to bear him witness that they themselves had already heard him openly and plainly declare that he was not the Christ or Messiah, but had been sent before and ahead of Him. What they had heard was that his work was to prepare the way for Jesus and not to claim the place or honor belonging to Him.
He spoke these words when his disciples came to him with a jealous grievance that the One who had been with him beyond Jordan was baptizing and all men were coming to Him. At that time the crowds around John were lessening day by day as people flocked to Jesus by Jordan, and the tide of popularity was turning from John to the Saviour. His disciples looked with jealousy on the growing work of Jesus and brought their complaint that attention and numbers were shifting away from their own master.
It was a dangerous hour of temptation, when John's power over the people was waning and his mission seemed about to close. Through the words of his disciples Satan brought temptation upon him to sympathize with himself and to grieve at being superseded. With evidence of his own power before him he faced the splendid bribe of ambition that stood ready for a worldly conqueror.
He refused by any word of sympathy, encouragement, disappointment or grief to justify their murmuring. Such sympathy at that moment would have created serious division, so his refusal kept that division from arising. His stand kept the seeds of dissension from being sown and kept envy and jealousy from being encouraged, so that the gospel was not seriously impeded. It kept anarchy from springing up, kept the cause of God from languishing for want of proper workers, and kept disastrous harm from the establishment of the Christian church.
Forerunner's Selfless Mission
John's God-given work was to prepare the way and prepare people for Jesus, directing them and their attention away from himself to Another, the Coming One, the promised Messiah and Saviour of the world. He had already told his disciples, followers, and hearers openly and plainly that he was not the Christ but had been sent before and ahead of Him, and that reminder answered their jealousy as Jesus drew greater attention. His mission was to point people to Christ rather than to himself.
That calling meant not claiming the place, honor, or followers belonging to Christ, not drawing people to himself, and not competing with Jesus for attention. He gladly accepted his subordinate place and obscurity and his becoming less prominent so that people would turn to Christ. He welcomed the Messiah's ministry when it began rather than seeking to keep people's attention for himself.
He rejoiced when Christ's work prospered rather than resenting the shift of attention, for he was the bridegroom's friend, not the bridegroom, and his joy was fulfilled in hearing the bridegroom's voice. He accepted that Jesus must increase while he must decrease and that his own prominence should give way. His answer showed a noble and unselfish spirit that steadfastly refused every appeal to ambition and held to his place as forerunner. Though people thought he might be the promised Messiah because of his unselfish, humble, self-denying life and courageous teaching, he did not claim honors belonging to another, and his humility matched his declaration that he was unworthy even to unloose the Master's sandals.
Study and Gospel Connections
John 3:28 is to be read carefully together with John 3:22-36, the surrounding passage of John's witness, to bring thorough conviction and a work of repentance. That careful reading calls for speaking kindly earnest words in season to erring ones rather than sporting words of reproof. It is to be done remembering that Satan in deceptive style seeks to overcome every soul. It is also to be done recognizing that angels of God are present in every establishment where business is carried on, to protect every soul from rudeness in word or action so that Satan will not triumph.
The verse belongs to the testimony concerning righteousness and truth. That testimony gives a wonderful lesson connected with being born again in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. The same lesson is connected with believing in the only begotten Son so as to have everlasting life instead of condemnation.
John called his own disciples and hearers to remember what he had openly and plainly declared, that he himself was not the Christ or Messiah but was sent before and ahead of Him to prepare the way for Him. He said this when his disciples came to him jealous because the One who had been with him beyond Jordan was baptizing and all were flocking to Jesus while the crowds around John were lessening day by day. It was a dangerous hour of temptation as his power over the people waned and his mission seemed about to close, yet by refusing any word of sympathy, disappointment, or grief for their murmuring he kept envy and jealousy from being encouraged, kept the seeds of dissension and anarchy from springing up, and kept the gospel and the cause of God from being seriously impeded. His God-given role was to direct people and their attention away from himself to Another, the Coming One and Saviour of the world, never claiming the place, honor, or followers belonging to Christ and never competing with Him. He gladly accepted his subordinate place and obscurity and rejoiced when Christ's work prospered, and as the bridegroom's friend and not the bridegroom his joy was fulfilled in hearing the bridegroom's voice, accepting that Jesus must increase while he must decrease in a noble, unselfish humility that refused every appeal to ambition.
Testimony and Its Setting
John called his own disciples, followers and hearers to bear him witness that they themselves had already heard him openly and plainly declare that he was not the Christ or Messiah, but had been sent before and ahead of Him. What they had heard was that his work was to prepare the way for Jesus and not to claim the place or honor belonging to Him.
He spoke these words when his disciples came to him with a jealous grievance that the One who had been with him beyond Jordan was baptizing and all men were coming to Him. At that time the crowds around John were lessening day by day as people flocked to Jesus by Jordan, and the tide of popularity was turning from John to the Saviour. His disciples looked with jealousy on the growing work of Jesus and brought their complaint that attention and numbers were shifting away from their own master.
It was a dangerous hour of temptation, when John's power over the people was waning and his mission seemed about to close. Through the words of his disciples Satan brought temptation upon him to sympathize with himself and to grieve at being superseded. With evidence of his own power before him he faced the splendid bribe of ambition that stood ready for a worldly conqueror.
He refused by any word of sympathy, encouragement, disappointment or grief to justify their murmuring. Such sympathy at that moment would have created serious division, so his refusal kept that division from arising. His stand kept the seeds of dissension from being sown and kept envy and jealousy from being encouraged, so that the gospel was not seriously impeded. It kept anarchy from springing up, kept the cause of God from languishing for want of proper workers, and kept disastrous harm from the establishment of the Christian church.
Forerunner's Selfless Mission
John's God-given work was to prepare the way and prepare people for Jesus, directing them and their attention away from himself to Another, the Coming One, the promised Messiah and Saviour of the world. He had already told his disciples, followers, and hearers openly and plainly that he was not the Christ but had been sent before and ahead of Him, and that reminder answered their jealousy as Jesus drew greater attention. His mission was to point people to Christ rather than to himself.
That calling meant not claiming the place, honor, or followers belonging to Christ, not drawing people to himself, and not competing with Jesus for attention. He gladly accepted his subordinate place and obscurity and his becoming less prominent so that people would turn to Christ. He welcomed the Messiah's ministry when it began rather than seeking to keep people's attention for himself.
He rejoiced when Christ's work prospered rather than resenting the shift of attention, for he was the bridegroom's friend, not the bridegroom, and his joy was fulfilled in hearing the bridegroom's voice. He accepted that Jesus must increase while he must decrease and that his own prominence should give way. His answer showed a noble and unselfish spirit that steadfastly refused every appeal to ambition and held to his place as forerunner. Though people thought he might be the promised Messiah because of his unselfish, humble, self-denying life and courageous teaching, he did not claim honors belonging to another, and his humility matched his declaration that he was unworthy even to unloose the Master's sandals.
Study and Gospel Connections
John 3:28 is to be read carefully together with John 3:22-36, the surrounding passage of John's witness, to bring thorough conviction and a work of repentance. That careful reading calls for speaking kindly earnest words in season to erring ones rather than sporting words of reproof. It is to be done remembering that Satan in deceptive style seeks to overcome every soul. It is also to be done recognizing that angels of God are present in every establishment where business is carried on, to protect every soul from rudeness in word or action so that Satan will not triumph.
The verse belongs to the testimony concerning righteousness and truth. That testimony gives a wonderful lesson connected with being born again in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. The same lesson is connected with believing in the only begotten Son so as to have everlasting life instead of condemnation.