3:22-36 The One who comes from God

February 18, 2021

Read John 3:22-36

John the Baptist’s disciples resented the greater success of Jesus; it did not seem fair that John had affirmed Jesus generously and now Jesus was taking over. They had heard John’s witness, but not understood it (26; 1:19-26). In contrast, John showed that he truly believed his own witness, and he willingly accepted the role in ministry which God had given to him, whether or not that role be great or small (27-28). Not only did he accept it, but he rejoiced to see Jesus prospering (29-30), for John’s role was to prepare the way for that very thing.

The reason that Jesus is superior to John the Baptist (and to anyone else) is because he has come from God – he is above all because he is “the one who comes from heaven” (31; 3:13). So, he was able to reveal God with personal testimony (32a; 1:18). The prophets (including John the Baptist) spoke words from God through a limited anointing of the Spirit, but Jesus is the Word of God who has the Spirit without limit (34) and whose words must therefore be true, because “the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God” (34).

Not many accepted this testimony but those who did discovered the truth of the relationship between God and Jesus (32b-33). That truth is that Jesus is God’s beloved Son (35; Matt.3:17) who has all authority (35), especially the authority to give eternal life to those who believe (36). This echoes what was stated in 3:16-18. Jesus came to save, not to condemn, but to reject the Son and the life he gives inevitably means that we remain under “God’s wrath” (36) i.e. “the active opposition of God’s holy nature to everything that is evil” (Leon Morris). It is that wrath which Jesus came to save us from.