John 3:22-36 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

The Last Appearance of the Baptist. Convinced that the nation is not ripe for Messianic teaching, Jesus falls back on preparatory work similar to that of John, who was continuing his work at Æ non near Salim. In Eusebius-' time this was identified with a place on the borders of Galilee and Samaria not far from Bethshan. Modern explorers favour a place called - Aynun, north of the Salim near Nablus. The evangelist notes that John's imprisonment did not take place, as the earlier gospels (Mark 1:14) seem to imply, before the beginning of Jesus-' public work. A dispute arose between John's disciples and a Jew about purification, probably leading to a comparison of the cleansing power of the two baptisms. The disciples of John are jealous for their master's honour, hardly an impossibility (Wellhausen) after the witness borne by him to the superiority of Jesus. The splendid answer of self-denial will always appeal to men. The success of Jesus comes from above. John reminds his disciples that he himself has borne witness to his greater Follower. His own duty is that of the bridegroom's friend, to bring the bride Israel to the bridegroom. His joy will be full when that is done. It belongs to the necessity of God's plan that the forerunner should give way before the Christ. The section John 3:31-36 has so many points of connexion with the account of Nicodemus that it has been plausibly supposed to have been accidentally transferred to its present position (cf. John 2:12 *). In its present context it must be understood as (giving) the writer's reflections on the Baptist's words. John could not have spoken John 3:32 b after John 3:26. The heavenly character of Messiah's work is contrasted with the earthly nature of John's. He that comes from heaven speaks from certain knowledge, though few care to listen. John and those who accepted the Christ asserted the truth of God. For God's truth is spoken by God's Messenger. He received in full the gift of the Spirit, in contrast to the partial inspiration of the men of old. He has His Father's love, which has given Him all. So he that believes on the Son has the higher fife, which the disobedient shall never even see. As with Nicodemus, so here, the Baptist has disappeared and the writer speaks. But the view which sees in the whole paragraph nothing but a scene invented to get one more occasion for the Baptist's witness, and to justify the use of Christian baptism, is an impossible explanation of its origin. To invent a scene in which Jesus falls back on the lower plane of the Baptist's work is not the custom of the Christian apologist.