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John’s Final Testimony

[PRINT HERE] John 3 (2-22-17) Lecture Notes

St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church

Wed Night Bible Study

JOHN 3:22-30

Dr. E.C. Gregory, PhD – Bible Facilitator                              1-25-17                                 Dr. H.T. Rhim, Pastor

JOHN’S FINAL TESTIMONY

John 3:22-30 (KJV) 
22  After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23  And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.
24  For John was not yet cast into prison.
25  Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
26  And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
27  John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28  Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
29  He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
30  He must increase, but I must decrease.

3:22-24. For a short time the ministry of John the Baptist overlapped Jesus’ ministry. Thus the Judean countryside must have been alive with the teaching of both these great preachers of repentance and God’s kingdom. Both John and Jesushad disciples, large crowds followed both of them, and both baptized. The statement that Jesus “baptized” (vv. 2226) probably means He was overseeing the baptizing done by His disciples (4:2).

3:25. The zealous disciples of John the Baptist found themselves at a disadvantage in an argument. A certain Jew asked why he should join John’s group. He (and others; cf. “They” in v. 26) argued about ceremonial washing. Since there were Essene baptisms and Pharisaic washings, why should Jews follow another washing, John’s baptism?

3:26. John’s disciples may have been angry and jealous. (They were interested in John’s movement and were not committed to Jesus.) They complained that Jesus, of whom John had testified, had now captured the nation’s attention. They longed for the former days when everyone went to hear John (Mark 1:5).

3:27. John’s greatness is revealed in his reply. He said, A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.  If Jesus’ movement was expanding, then it must have been in the will of God. This principle of God’s sovereignty is stressed in John (cf. 6:6519:11) as well as elsewhere in the New Testament (e.g., 1 Cor. 4:7).

3:28. John also reminded his disciples that they were forgetting part of his teaching. For he had clearly taught that he was not the promised Messiah but was only sent ahead by God to do a work of preparation for the Messiah (1:8152023).

3:29-30. In Jesus’ growing influence, John found his own joy fulfilled. The friend of the bridegroom was only an assistant, not the main participant in the marriage. The assistant acted on behalf of the bridegroom and made the preliminary arrangements for the ceremony. His joy came when he heard the bridegroom coming for his bride. John the Baptist’s work was to prepare for the arrival of Christ, the “Groom.” John baptized only with water, not with the Spirit. Therefore Jesus must become greater and John must become less. John willingly and with joy accepted Jesus’ growing popularity as God’s plan.

The Gospel Writer

[PRINT HERE] John 3 (3-8-17) Lecture Notes

St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church

Wed Night Bible Study

JOHN 3:31-36

Dr. E.C. Gregory, PhD – Bible Facilitator                             3-8-17                                   Dr. H.T. Rhim, Pastor

THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(The Gospel Writer)

John 3:31-36 (NLT) 
31  “He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else.
32  He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them!
33  Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true.
34  For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit.
35  The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands.
36  And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment’

3:31. Here John the Evangelist developed the theme about the supremacy of Jesus, which John the Baptist spoke of to his followers (vv. 28-30). Since Jesus has come from heaven, His words surpass those of any religious teacher. Each human teacher is limited by his earthly boundaries (he belongs to the earth and is from the earth). But the Logos (Jesus) from heaven is above all; He is preeminent (Col. 1:18).

3:32. What Jesus spoke came from His previous vision of and communion with the Father in heaven (cf. 1:114). Yet in spite of this clear reliable witness, mankind as a whole has rejected His message (cf. 1:11).

3:33. The message of Jesus has not been universally rejected as verse 32 by itself might indicate. One who receives it gives his attestation or certification to the fact that God is truthful (cf. v. 21). To reject this testimony is to call God a liar (1 John 5:10).

3:34. Jesus gives the perfect truth of God as He speaks the words of God, because He has the full endowment of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit without limit. The Old Testament prophets had the Spirit only for limited times and for limited purposes.

The Apostle John referred to Jesus as the One whom God has sent. Thirty-nine times the Gospel of John refers to Jesus being sent from God (vv. 17344:345:23-243036-386:2938-3944577:1628-298:16182629429:410:3611:4212:44-454913:162014:2415:2116:517:31821232520:21). This affirms Jesus’ deity and heavenly origin, as well as God’s sovereignty and love in initiating the Son’s Incarnation (cf. Gal. 4:41 John 4:9-1014).

3:35. The relationship between the Son and the Father is one of loving intimacy and complete confidence. The Son is endowed with all authority to accomplish the Father’s purposes (5:22Matt. 28:18).

3:36. Man has only two options: trust in the Son or reject the Son (cf. vv. 1618). Unbelief is tragic ignorance but it is also willful disobedience to clear light. God’s wrath is mentioned only here in the Fourth Gospel (but cf. Rev. 6:16-1711:1814:1016:1919:15). “Wrath,” God’s necessary righteous reaction against evil, remains on the unbeliever. This wrath is future but it also exists now. Endless sin and disobedience will result in endless punishment (Matt. 25:46).

The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty.