John 3, Part 3

In the previous verses, John outlines the reason for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. God’s loved His creation so much that He was willing to send His Son as the perfect sacrifice and to pay the debts for our sins so we could have eternal life.

Now, there is a new point made that Jesus is also the new master. John reminds his disciples that he was only there to prepare the way, but Jesus was the way.

John or Jesus?

John 3:22–30 ESV

22 After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized 24 (for John had not yet been put in prison). 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 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.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 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. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

After His interview with Nicodemus, Jesus moved out into the country districts of Judaea. Jesus and His disciples were baptizing. The word tarried (dietriben) means to spend time with. It has the idea of spending much time in sharing and ministering. Note the statement: He baptized. This is the only place in Scripture where Jesus is said to baptize, though strictly speaking it was His disciples who actually did the baptizing (Jn. 4:2). It was His baptizing that set the ground for what was now to happen. 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.” 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.”

What was John’s response to the question? 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.’ No man can receive a true appointment, a true service, or a true gift unless it is given from heaven, that is, from God Himself. All appointments and gifts that have not come from heaven are false. God did not appoint John to be the Messiah but to be the forerunner. John was clear about this. He was not the Messiah; Jesus Christ was.

John declared that Jesus was the Bridegroom. The bridegroom is the One who has the bride (the church, the followers of God). The friend is important, but he is not the bridegroom. John said four things about Jesus as the Bridegroom. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the One by whom the friend stands. It is true that the friend (God’s servant) is important, for he takes care of matters for the bridegroom, and he has the privilege of bringing the bride to the bridegroom. But there is only one Bridegroom, and He is the focus of the friend’s attention. The Bridegroom’s (Christ’s) voice is the voice to be heard. His voice is the important voice. His will is the will to be done: serving Him and doing what He says are what is important. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the cause of joy. It is not the friend who brings joy to the bride or to the guests and community; it is the Bridegroom. Everyone’s joy is found in seeing the Bridegroom’s will done and in seeing Him pleased. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the only object of loyalty. The words “He” and “I” are an emphatic contrast (v.30). That is to say, there is a compulsion to lift up the Person and the honor of the Bridegroom. In no sense nor in any place does the servant try to draw attention, praise, or honor toward himself.

Revealing Jesus’ Divinity

John 3:31–36 ESV

31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. 33 Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. 34 For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Jesus came out of (ek) the spiritual world into the physical world, out of the heavenly dimension of being into the earthly dimension of being. Jesus testified, revealed, and proclaimed what He had seen and heard. He was the Spokesman of God who revealed heaven and the truth of it. He is the only One who can share heaven with men. Most men reject His testimony. Note the words “no man”—this simply means the vast, vast majority of men (see v.33 where some few do receive His words). So many men reject the Lord’s words that it can be said that “no man” receives His message.

The proof that Jesus was God’s Spokesman is clearly stated without any equivocation. Jesus was sent from God. He was the Apostle of God. Whatever He said was the Word of God. How can we be sure? Because God sent Him and gave His Spirit without measure to Him. He was the testimony of and for God. Those who believe in the testimony of Jesus are said to "set his seal”. A man’s seal was affixed to a document to show he agreed with it. He reckoned it as legal, binding, valid, authentic. A seal guaranteed that the record was true and genuine. When a man receives the testimony of Jesus, he shows that God is true. Conversely, the only way a man can show that God is true is to accept the testimony of Jesus. Jesus is the Apostle of God. He is God’s Ambassador, God’s perfect Spokesman. It should be noted that God poured out His Spirit without measure upon Jesus—the only apostle upon whom this was ever done.

Jesus alone had the full measure of the Spirit. The Spirit was of the same Being with Jesus, in perfect harmony, communion, and fellowship with Jesus. He was given to Jesus in a way far different than He was given to other men. There was no measure of His presence with Jesus. Jesus had the perfect and full measure of the Spirit. The purpose for the full measure was clearly stated by Jesus.

Jesus alone determines man’s destiny. There has never been a more tender statement than “the Father loves the Son.” God loves His Son beyond anything that could ever be understood. How much does God love Him? So much that He has given all things into the hands of His Son: all power, all authority, all rule, all reign, all supremacy, all dominion, all honor, all glory, all praise, all worship, all service. As clearly and as simply as can be said, all things have been given to God’s only Son. There is nothing existing that has not been given to Him.

There are four primary reasons why God loves His Son so much. ⇒ Jesus is God’s only Son, the Son in His very own bosom (see note—Jn. 1:18). ⇒ Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, the Son who willingly partook of flesh and came into the world to save men, thereby fulfilling the will of God perfectly (see notes—Jn. 1:14). ⇒ Jesus gave Himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God Himself. (See note—Ep. 5:2.) ⇒ Jesus willingly learned perfect obedience by the things which He suffered (see notes—Jn. 13:31–32; He. 5:5–10).

The man who believes on the Son has everlasting life. God will receive and honor anyone who receives and honors His Son whom He loves so much. It does not matter who the person is or what the person has done. If the person believes on God’s only Son, God gives everlasting life to him. d. The man who does not believe the Son faces two things. 1) He will not see life. He perishes (see DEEPER STUDY # 2, Perish—Jn. 3:16). 2) The wrath of God abides on him (see DEEPER STUDY # 5—Jn. 3:36).

-Wrath (orge): anger, temper, indignation. It is not an uncontrolled, unthinking, violent reaction. It is deep, permanent, settled, thoughtful, controlled anger and temper. There is another Greek word which also means wrath (thumos), and it is also used of God’s wrath. Thumos is anger that arises more quickly, blazes forth, and just as quickly cools down. It is an anger that is more turbulent, more sudden, but the agitation lasts for only a short period of time. This simply means that God does not dodge His responsibility to execute justice and to punish injustice and sin. The wrath or anger of God is aroused for four reasons 1. Men do not believe on the Son of God. They allow their hearts to become hardened and impenitent (Ro. 2:5). They spurn and wound God’s love—rejecting, abusing, cursing and denying His Son, the dearest thing to His heart (Jn. 3:36; 2 Th. 1:7–9. See notes—Jn. 3:18–20; 3:35–36.) 2. Men reject God’s mercy, which is ever attempting to reach out and save them (Ro. 2:3–6). 3. Men transgress God’s law (Ro. 1:18f; Col. 3:6). 4. Men sin and come short of God’s will, violating His holiness (Ep. 5:6). God’s wrath is real and active. God is holy, righteous, and pure as well as loving, gracious, and merciful. He executes justice as well as love. He shows wrath and anger as well as compassion. His wrath is both present and future. 1. God’s wrath is present and active in this life. His wrath abides upon men now. His wrath is manifested against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Ro. 1:18). God punishes sin in this life by giving men up … • to uncleanness • to vile affections • to reprobate minds 2. God’s wrath is future and it is to be actively executed in the next life (see DEEPER STUDY #2—Mt. 5:22; DEEPER STUDY #4—Lu. 16:24; DEEPER STUDY #1—He. 9:27). God will punish sin by giving men up … • to everlasting fire (Mt. 25:41; 25:46) • to hell (Mt. 5:22) • to outer darkness (Mt. 8:12) • to weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 8:12) • to the Lake of Fire (Re. 20:15) 3. God’s wrath will be especially manifested and active in the last days (see Re. 6:16; 11:8; 14:10; 16:19; 19:15).

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