Jesus and his disciples went out to the Judean countryside to baptize. John the Baptist was also baptizing people at Aenon near Salim. There was plenty of water there and no shortage of people wanting to get baptized. There an agument broke out among some of John's disciples and "a certain Jew". They came to John and told him that "the one you testified about" was also baptizing and a lot of people were going to him. John told them that a man can only receive what is given from heaven. "I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him. The bride belongs to the bridegroom." Then John says something very memorable here. "He must become greater; I must become less". John tells his disciples that the one who comes from heaven is above all. He says that Jesus is offering his testimony, but nobody is listening and no one accepts it. But, "the man who has acccepted it has certified that God is truthful". John then tells his disciples that the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, "for God gives spirit without limit". John goes on to say that the Father loves the Son and has put everything in his hands. "Whover believes the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him".
Problems:
The problems I see in this passage comes from followers of John. For so long John the Baptist has been prophesying and paving the way for Jesus, that now his followers must be handed off to the Messiah, the Christ, and the true Son of God. It's alost as if there were two different camps. One for John and the other for Jesus. I think John did a good job of letting his followers know that the real Son of God was walking among them and that they needed to heed his words.
Parallels:
Matthew 28:18
The perils in this passage hinge on a divided view of things. It would be easy for John's disciples to just keep following him out of love and dismiss everything Jesus had to offer. On the other hand, John was well known and accepted for being a prophet. So, if John the Baptist was saying that the Christ was actually here and now, people would have probably listened.
Precepts:
The major precept I'm getting from this passage is that I am to believe that Jesus is the Son of God. And, if I accept his words spoken by God as truth, then I will have eternal life.
Applicatons:
I can apply this message in my life today by believing that Jesus is truly the Son of God sent to earth to die for my sins. He is my intercessor for God and through Him I can speak directly to God. No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ
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