John 3:22-30

After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing.    John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized    (for John had not yet been put in prison).
   Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.    And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”    John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.    You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’    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.    He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:22-30

Moving on to the second half of John 3 we enter into a new scene.  Jesus and his disciples go to the Judean countryside and are baptizing there.  John the Baptist is also baptizing there.  Suddenly, a discussion arises between John the Baptist's disciples and  Jew.  They are talking about "purification" or "ceremonial cleansing" (NLT).  They begin to ask John the Baptist about Jesus and how "all are going to him".  It's as if they were concerned how nobody is coming to John the Baptist anymore and suddenly this new person in town is gaining all the popularity.  Once again, we see John the Baptist point away from himself and toward Jesus.

In his response John the Baptist makes some very interesting points.  First, he points out that "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven".  What is happening right now with Jesus falls within this category; it can only be something that is given from heaven.

Next, John the Baptist reminds them of what he had said previously.  He said, "I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him".  Though his disciples are followers of him and obviously think well enough of him to be his disciples, we must remember that he clearly stated that he is not the Christ.  John the Baptist is merely one who has been sent before him.  With reference to this, John the Baptist paints a picture of a wedding.  At a wedding, the bride and the groom are the center of attention.  It is the groom who marries the bride, not anyone else.  So, what is the job of the friend of the groom?  The friend of the groom is happy and rejoices.  John the Baptist is describing himself as the friend of the groom and I think it's obvious that Jesus is the groom in this picture.

The last point that John the Baptist makes is a wonderful phrase.  He says, "He must increase, but I must decrease".  I love that verse and it is one that I had memorized long ago.  It reminds me who is the one who is supposed to get the glory and what my job is.  John the Baptist had the right attitude.  He always pointed away from himself and towards Christ.  Jesus gets the glory and John the Baptist simply rejoices.