Increase and Decrease

The Passage

Jhn 3:22-36 NKJV

²² After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. ²³ Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. ²⁴ For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

²⁵ Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified--behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!"

²⁷ John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. ²⁸ "You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' ²⁹ "He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. ³⁰ "He must increase, but I must decrease.

³¹ "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. ³² "And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. ³³ "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. ³⁴ "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. ³⁵ "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. ³⁶ "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

A Little Background

Ancient Jewish weddings were three-part events.  Part one was the betrothal, when the bridegroom approached the bride’s family and offered a dowry or price paid to the family for the bride.  If the bride and family accepted, a formal agreement would be settled.  The man and woman would be known as husband and wife from that moment on, except the marriage was not yet consummated; there would be no sexual relationship.  This is known as the betrothal.  The husband would go home and prepare the home for the bride.  The husband chose two friends who would help him.  One would aid him specifically and the other would be assigned to the bride helping her to prepare for her husband.

Part two was when the bridegroom would come for the bride.  The friend of the bridegroom waited to hear the rejoicing of the bridegroom when the two came together.  The third part of the wedding was the celebration feast.

Some Explanation

“...Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized.”  As John the Baptizer and his disciples continued their ministry of baptism, Jesus’ disciples were also baptizing[1].  The Jews began to instigate a disagreement between John and Jesus.  John’s disciples seem to take the bait and come to John with this accusation, as if to say, “John, you were the one who  baptized Jesus and look!  Now He’s trying to take over your ministry, and everybody is going to Him!

John’s response is amazing.  When John baptized Jesus, he saw heaven open and heard the voice of God declaring Jesus as His beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased.  Form his own conception to the culmination of his life ministry, John knew what he was living for —to prepare the people for their Messiah, Jesus.   He saw his ministry as a friend preparing the bride for her husband.  When the husband arrived, the friend’s duty was accomplished.    Everything about John and his ministry was focused on the Lord Jesus. John’s ministry would now decrease and Jesus' ministry would increase. 

“He who comes from above is above all...”  John, who preached under the power of the Holy Spirit, echoes what Jesus said about Himself to Nicodemus.  John knew that that there was an essential difference between himself and Jesus.  John, like all of us, was from the earth.  But Jesus came from heaven; His message was from the Father.  John’s ministry was to prepare sinful earthly people to receive God’s message from heaven.  Repentance was needed to prepare their hearts for the heavenly ministry.  Jesus’ ministry was heavenly—He would be the One who would Himself be THE way to reconciliation with God the Father.

“For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.”  Giving something "by measure" implies giving a small amount.  Jesus has all the fullness of the Spirit.  John is declaring the supremacy of Jesus Christ.  Here we see the unity of the triune God.  Hebrews 1:3, Colossians 1:15 , and Colossians 2:9 affirm that Jesus is the image of the invisible God, in whom all the fullness of the godhead dwells in bodily form.  Jesus was not just a man filled with the Holy Spirit.

“...He who believes in the Son has everlasting life...”  Again, John’s message repeats what Jesus told Nicodemus.  It is black and white.  The one who has faith in the Son, Jesus Christ, has (present NOW) everlasting life.  Those who do not believe are under God’s wrath.

Observations and Insights

The lesson here can be a difficult one for anyone who volunteers in ministry.  Whether we help direct parking, prepare meals, teach a Sunday School class, or lead a mega church—our ministering is for one purpose only:  to lead people to the only One who can save them and reconcile them to the Father.  Even the best intentions—to bring glory to the Lord in excellence—can turn the focus on our own selves rather than pointing to Jesus.  Have you ever attempted any ministry service only to have your heart wounded because of someone else’s actions?  Oh, how we sheep tend to vie for supremacy!  John gave no foothold for self to rise up in defense of his ministry.  It was for Jesus Christ and Him only.

The truth of John 3 cannot be emphasized enough.  Our ministry must be like John's to point to the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross is God’s gift and way of salvation to mankind.  This is the good news—the Gospel. 

John 3:36 and John 3:16 are not contradictions.  (Note: Scroll over the references to see the verses.)   It is a deception to the church (those who identify as believers) and a damnable lie to unbelievers to teach that God is not angry, that there is no wrath of God.  We must not confuse God’s forbearance with His love.  God does indeed love the world; He is not willing that any should perish, but that all will come to repentance (John 3:16, 2 Peter 3:9).  He is also forbearing; that is holds back His wrath for now.  Romans 2:4 tells us, “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?  But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who "will render to each one according to his deeds.”

In love, God holds back His wrath.  He pours out mercy, grace, and blessing so that we may be led to repentance.  But behind that love and mercy stands a just God who will someday judge us all.  Those who believe in Jesus Christ will stand before God covered by His righteousness only.  Those who have rejected Him, will perish.

I confess two things.  I acknowledge that in my zeal for the truth, I, like many others, have expressed this truth in ways that do not show compassion and love.  But that does not change the truth.  I also admit that my own heart has at times hardened to this truth so that I have feared sharing Gospel.  I often fear offending the hearer.  But I have also, feared appearing to go against the flow of current trends in the church.  May God forgive me.  Since I have begun reading and now re-reading the Gospels, my love for the cross has renewed.  I cannot help but proclaim its truth.

Next:

Matthew 14:1-5; Mark 6:17-20; Luke 3:19-20; Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke4:14, 15; John 4:1-4

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[1] The accusation is that Jesus was baptizing, but later, John 4:2 clarifies that Jesus Himself was not performing the baptisms, but rather His disciples.

For God So Loved the World

The Passage

John 3:1-21

¹There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  ²This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

³Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

⁴Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

⁵Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  ⁶"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  ⁷"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'   ⁸"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

⁹Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

¹⁰Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  ¹²"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  ¹³"No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.  ¹⁴"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵"that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

¹⁶"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  ¹⁷"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  ¹⁸"He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

 ¹⁹"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  ²⁰"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  ²¹"But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

A Little Background

The Pharisees were a religious sect that rose up after the Jews returned from their exile in Babylon.  For more information about them, click here.  The Pharisees identity was rooted in strict adherence to the law and their power and influence among the people.

The last post discussed the background of verses 14 and 15.

Some Explanation

“...we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs...”  Not a lot is known about Nicodemus except that he is a Pharisee; we will see him two more times during Jesus’ ministry.  Reading between the lines, we might surmise that he probably came to Jesus by night because he did not want his visit to be known by the other Pharisees.  Jesus didn’t scold him.  Notice that Nicodemus acknowledges that Jesus is sent by God.  He also recognizes the signs that Jesus has done (note John 2:23).  He says, “...we know that You are a teacher come from God...”  Does this imply that there were others who were also questioning?  If so, perhaps Nicodemus was very brave after all!

"The wind blows where it wishes...so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”  With all the advanced technology of today’s computers, we still cannot forecast with accuracy when and where the breeze will blow.  It is unseen and unpredictable; likewise, the work of the Holy Spirit on and in the hearts of people is also like this.  Is it possible for us to manipulate the Holy Spirit by any human action?  Can we force conviction on anyone?  Is the power of the Holy Spirit’s move upon hearts be invoked by ritual or formulaic practice?   It doesn’t seem so according to verse 8.

"Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?... No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven” Jesus engages Nicodemus in explaining the difference between earthly and spiritual realities.  He points to the hole in the Pharisees’ philosophy.  They know the Law, but they miss the reality of Spiritual truth.  The Old Testament saints’ faith was rooted in their belief in the coming Messiah.  They trusted God for the atonement of their sins.  The Pharisees had turned simple faith into a system of rigorous requirements.  If Nicodemus, a Pharisee, could not understand the present truth, how would Jesus be able to explain the spiritual truth?

The phrase, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven” has been a challenge to theologians.  Jesus is not saying that He has “spiritually ascended” into heavenly realms and returned, and that we also must have these spiritual experiences as some teachers are now saying.  That is virtually identical to occult teachings.  Most simply verse 13 affirms that Jesus Christ is the only authoritative source of heavenly knowledge. 

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness...” In the same way that Moses erected the pole in the wilderness, Jesus would also be lifted up.  Here is a direct reference to His coming crucifixion.  The vile serpent on the pole was representative of the Israelites' sin and God’s judgment for their complaints.  Jesus death on the cross would be the final judgment against the sin of mankind for all who will believe in His atoning sacrifice by faith.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  This is the most beloved verse of all Scripture for it is the key to the gospel of salvation.  Jesus repeats the last phrase twice emphasizing the way of salvation.

When Nicodemus told Jesus that he knew that Jesus came from God, Jesus wasted no time in telling him that he must be born again.  This was a spiritual birth initiated by the Holy Spirit.  It is God's gift to all mankind because of His everlasting love.  Without the new birth, we will all perish; we will all be lost.  If we believe, we will live forever with Him beginning instantly—NOW—and for eternity!

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world...”  Jesus’ coming was most assuredly not to condemn mankind, but to save us.  However, we must not leave out verse 18, "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  The world is already condemned because of sin.  In ancient Jewish thought, a person’s name is his character, his essence.  Believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God is more than just believing that Jesus exists or a mental assent to His atonement.  Belief is embracing the truth of the person and work of Jesus Christ for oneself.

“And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world...” This point is the central problem at issue with the Pharisees.  John 1 says that Jesus Himself is the light.  The Pharisees (and all who refuse the truth) were condemned because their hearts were dark.  They rejected Jesus because they did not want the darkness of their hearts to be exposed.

Observations and Insights

John 3:16 is one of the most beloved of all verses in Scripture for it contains the heart of the Gospel.  It is not surprising, then, that it should also be one that that the enemy twists.  God most assuredly DOES love the world; He is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). 

How is this love of God shown to us?  Certainly, kindness, acts of service, blessing, and compassion are evidences of God’s love.  As believers we desire to show our faith by our works.  But let us not confuse these acts with God’s love itself.  According to Scripture, exactly how is the love of God shown?  Romans 5:8 tells us, “In this way the love of God was shown (manifested, demonstrated) to us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.”  This is the same message in the context of John 3:16.  Jesus was indeed lifted up on the cross in judgment for sin, that all who will believe (look to Him for salvation) shall not perish (from the judgment of God), but have everlasting life.

Is giving a hug, helping others, simply saying "God loves you, "or giving encouragement sharing the Gospel?  It is not the whole truth.  By all means let the message of salvation be accompanied by loving acts, but may we never lose sight of the purpose of our compassion—to share that truth that God loves the world so much that He gave His one and only unique son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in our place so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish in judgment, but have everlasting life!

Next:  John 3:22-36

Look and Live

We are taking a momentary side trail on our journey through the gospels.  Usually, when background information is necessary, I explain it in the section “A Little Background”.  Our next reading in the Harmony of the Gospels is John 3:1-18.  In that passage, Jesus references an Old Testament event.  Since this event tends to be less familiar than others, and because understanding it enriches the John 3 passage so much, I have decided to dedicate a full post on it.  I may do this from time to time as necessary to better understand a particular passage.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh.  He fulfills the Law and the Prophets (meaning the Old Testament--Matthew 5:17).  Therefore, we cannot fully know the truth of the New Testament without understanding its roots in the Old.

The topic today is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, telling us that this event is given to us as an example so that we do not fall into the same sin as the Israelites.  The entire Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to mankind.  We can see Jesus throughout the Old Testament; it is His story of redemption for us.

The Passage

Numbers 21:4-9

⁴ Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the Way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very discouraged on the way. ⁵ And the people spoke against God and against Moses: “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread.” ⁶ So the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died.

⁷ Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people.

⁸ Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.” ⁹ So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

A Little Background

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, his destination was Canaan, or the Promised Land (present-day Israel).  This was the land promised to them by God when He cut a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 15).  Abraham’s son Isaac fathered twins, Jacob and Esau.  Jacob deceived Esau, to give up his birthright.  Esau’s own fleshly weakness proved that he took God’s ways lightly.  Esau’s descendants were known as the Edomites.  Jacob’s descendants would become the Israelites, God’s chosen people.

When the Israelites left Egypt they numbered approximately 1.5 to 2.5 million people.  They traveled by foot through barren wilderness—there was no time or opportunity to plant and reap crops along the way.  Very quickly, the people began to complain against God and against Moses.  God performed an amazing miracle.  In the morning, they would go outside their tents to find little wafers of bread called “manna”.  This became their life-sustaining food their entire journey. 

The Israelites were into the second year of their journey when they came to the border of Canaan.  Twelve men were sent in to spy out the land.  When they returned, ten of the spies brought a bad report causing the Israelites to fear, complain, and refuse to enter the land that God had prepared and promised them.  For their rebellion, God refused to allow them to enter for 40 years.  Until then, all the Israelites ages 20 and older would die in the wilderness.  God continued His sovereign care over them, but they would move from camp to camp in barren places.

Sometime towards the end of the forty years, during one of their travels they needed to go through the land of Edom.  Moses sent a messenger to the king of Edom requesting permission to pass through the land.  The king refused them passage.  This refusal required them to go a longer journey around Edom.  By the way, do you remember who else was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau?  Hint: By Jesus’ day, this area was called Idumea.  (Click here for the answer in a previous post.)

Some Explanation

This incident of complaining against God regarding the manna was not the first time for the Israelites.[1]  This new generation is now almost 40 years older.  They had forgotten how their parents also complained against the manna many years before.  Now after nearly 40 years, the second generation is falling into the same trap of complaining against God’s provision.  This time God sent “fiery” or biting serpents throughout the camp.  Those who were bitten died.  The Israelites realized their sin and came to Moses who cried out to God for the people.  God told Moses to make a serpent of brass and fix it up on a pole.  All those who would look at this brass serpent after they were bitten would be healed.

Observations and Insights

How do a million people survive “on the road” without a McDonald’s or service station to pick up a bottle of water?  I have to admit, like the Israelites, eating the same food day in and day out would probably get to my flesh, too.  These Israelites allowed their fleshly desire to rule them instead of trusting in the One Who had protected and sustained them. 

But the manna was more than just a sweet wafer.  We will see later in John 6:32-35 that Jesus identifies Himself as the manna in the wilderness.  1 Corinthians 10:9, explains that “they tempted Christ”.  When I read this line, my heart grips me, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread,” for they were rebelling against Jesus Himself!  Jesus, the Word made flesh, likened bread to God's Word during His own wilderness temptation, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

It didn’t take much convincing for the people to look and live.  Many scholars believe that the snake in question may have been the saw-clawed Echis viper.  Its venom is slow acting and causes massive internal bleeding.  Such suffering from a slow and painful death would have practically demanded its victim to turn to the only remedy—a gaze upon the serpent on the pole.  The healing came, not from the bronze serpent itself, but through faith in God’s command to look and live.

The Israelites ran to Moses acknowledging their sin.  Yet for us today, our hearts become so hardened by self-absorption, that we cannot see our own responsibility for our rebellion against God.  We often do not realize that the slow and painful spiritual death that we all suffer is active in us. The cross is Jesus lifted up as representative of our sin.  He took our sins upon Himself receiving the punishment from God that we deserve.  Faith requires conviction of our own guilt, and embracing of Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf.

Although I came to faith in Jesus Christ at a very young age, I often find myself in a dry place in my life.  It may be just that the mundane tasks of life have stifled vibrancy in my walk with the Lord.  But more often, I have allowed a sin or root of bitterness to grow unchecked.  The Word becomes lifeless to me, stale and seemingly “doesn’t work”.  My heart grows cold, and I fall to the temptation to look to experience and feeling to substitute for the only life-sustaining bread.  

If I am honest, I realize that I have strayed from the Shepherds fold.  Instead of complaining and calling the manna “worthless bread”, what if the Israelites had cried out their thanksgiving and praises to God for His faithfulness in providing their every need?  What if they had asked Him to renew their taste and appreciation for the manna that abundantly sustained them?  What if I confess my dissatisfaction as sin, turn to the very Word that seems unsatisfying and ask God for greater perseverance and faith to trust Him and obey Him?  Which response is full of faith? 

The truth of God’s grace is that He fully realizes our bent to sin, to self-centeredness, to wander from Him.  He stands ever ready to bring me back to the fold if I honestly confess my weakness and allow Him to be my strength.  I find that when I remind myself of what this loving and gentle Shepherd did for me on the cross, my heart is quick to respond to His gentle calling back to the fold of His Word.  And the more that I do, the softer my heart becomes.  Look to Him and live!

Next:  John 3:1-21

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[1] The Israelites quickly became tired of the manna and complained to God. In great displeasure, God dealt swiftly with their rebellion, and many died.  Numbers 11