He must increase, I must decrease

theological

John 3:22-36 wrote:

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.”

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. He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. 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.

I've been in this passage quite a bit in the last few months. It's becoming one of my favourites.

In John's gospel it immediately follows Jesus speaking to Nicodemus who came to Him in the middle of the night about the hope of the gospel and showing him that he doesn't understand who He is if he thinks that he is just a good teacher who came from God. Nicodemus refused to accept the testimony of Jesus (3:10). Jesus explains that people prefer to live the darkness so that Jesus doesn't expose their sin. In verse 21 Jesus explains that whoever does what is true comes to the light so that it may be seen that his work is done in God.

Then after this we see this passage with John the Baptist baptising. It always seemed like a strange fit in John. We see John the Baptist baptising while Jesus is baptising further down the river. His disciples ask him if he's worried about Jesus taking his business away and John the Baptist gives a wonderful illustration of a friend watching his best friend getting married and rejoicing with gladness for him. He then says he must increase and I must increase.

At the end of the passage John the gospel writer seems to be doing a compare and contrast with the proud response of Nicodemus who refuses to come to the light compared with John the Baptist. The underlying point is that our decisions have consequences.

Questions:

What do you think about the idea of decreasing for Jesus' glory? How does that make you feel? Is that your response to Jesus this morning?

John the Baptist rejoices at the sight of Jesus. Is that your feeling? Why or why not?

John refers to Jesus' ministry as being like a wedding. Other parts of the Bible speak of the church as being His bride. How does this illustration make you feel?

How does the warning at the end of the passage challenge us?