22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized— 24 for John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him.” 27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven. 28 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. 30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.
31 “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 “What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 “He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true. 34 “For He whom God has sent speaks 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 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Interesting Words
spending time
diatribó – rub hard, rub away, to spend time, tarry, continue, stay in a place.
• Acts 14:3, 27-28;
• Acts 15:35;
all
pas – “all” in the sense of “each (every) part that applies.” The emphasis of the total picture then is on “one piece at a time.”
• John 3:16; John 6:45; John 12:32;
• John 13:3-4; John 14:26; 15:15, 17:21;
receive
lambanó – receive, get, take, actively lay hold of to take or receive, lay hold by aggressively, “accept with initiative“, emphasizes the volition (assertiveness) of the receiver.
• Matt 7:8; Mark 10:29, 30; John 14:2-3 17;
• Matt 8:17 [ took=lambanó, seized]
• Acts 1:8; Rom 5:17;
wrath
orgé – anger, wrath, passion; punishment, vengeance, from orgáō, “to teem, swelling up to constitutionally oppose”) – properly, settled anger (opposition), i.e. rising up from an ongoing (fixed) opposition, not a sudden outburst, but rather (referring to God’s) fixed, controlled, passionate feeling against sin.
• Rom 1:18, 2:5, 5:9;
• Eph 5:6; 1Thes 1:10;
Cross References
• Prov 27:17 – Spending time in fellowship, rubbing shoulders with other Christians helps us learn and experience God’s Kingdom today.
• John 1:12-13 – How a person responds to the Gospel is the primary indicator of how God is working in their lives and their state in the future.
• 1John 5:11-12 – Eternal life is a result of God working in our lives and giving us the assurance that we will escape the coming day of judgement for sin.
Discussion Questions
- What do you think was Jesus’ purpose in spending time in Judea (John 3:22)?
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• - How does this section enhance your understanding of the people and customs of this period?
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• - What insight does this section provide with reference to John the Baptist?
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• - What does John_3:27-36 indicate about John the Baptist’s core theologies?
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• - Who is speaking in the last paragraph, John the Baptist, or the John the Apostle?
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• - How is the hierarchy in heaven and earth portrayed in John 3:31-32, and how would that play out in court?
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• - What does John 3:31-32 indicate about the character of Christ and the reception He got by His creation?
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• - Compare John 3:33-34, 35-36 to John 1:12-13. What are the similarities and differences?
Similarities:
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Differences:
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• - How does this influence your understanding of the salvation of the believer?
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