From 5c9d56f6d08e9d5146d9479c7fd2cff0c84299bf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Lyle Mantooth Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2026 09:01:18 -0500 Subject: [PATCH] John 3:22-36 --- content/bible_journal/john/3:22-36.md | 35 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 35 insertions(+) create mode 100644 content/bible_journal/john/3:22-36.md diff --git a/content/bible_journal/john/3:22-36.md b/content/bible_journal/john/3:22-36.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..32601f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/bible_journal/john/3:22-36.md @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ ++++ +title = "John 3:22–36" +date = "2026-01-09" ++++ + +### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John3.22-36) + +After the Passover, and presumably the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus left Jerusalem and went out to make disciples of the people in the countryside nearby. +Verse 22 says He was baptizing, but if we look ahead a little bit to John 4:2, we find that it was actually His disciples doing the baptizing and not Jesus Himself. +Regardless of who physically performed the rite, the point is that more and more people were following Jesus to learn from Him. +John's disciples noticed this, as John was preaching and baptizing somewhat nearby. + +I really want to know more details about the discussion mentioned in verse 25. +Was this Jew one of the Pharisees disciples? +(This seems most likely given that they were discussing ritual purification.) +But if so, why was this the trigger for John's disciples to come to him talking about everyone starting to follow Jesus? + +Even though his own disciples don't seem to understand, John knows precisely what he is about, and how his ministry is to relate to Jesus's. +John has an important role, but he's not the main character, as it were. +He points to the Messiah and prepares the people to receive Him, but once He shows up, John's mission is basically complete and he can leave the spotlight. + +Verses 31 to 36 may or may not be a continuation of the quote from John the Baptist. +Different manuscripts end the quote at verse 30 or verse 36. +Even though my Bible puts the quotation mark in the earlier position, I didn't notice it and thought it made sense for John to continue speaking these words. +However, the more I look at these words, I come to the conclusion that they sound more like John the Evangelist than John the Baptist. +The themes and word choices are more similar to chapter 1 than anything we have recorded of John the Baptist. +Either way, though, the words are inspired by the Holy Spirit, and we do well to pay attention to what they say even more than who said them. + +Jesus is distinguished from every other man by His descent from heaven, whereas everyone else who has lived is from the earth. +He is exalted over everyone because of this. +God has sent Him, and He gives the Spirit of God freely to those who believe in Him. + +* * * + +May You ever increase while we decrease.