John Series Part 16 THE REVELATION OF JESUS, THE NEW MASTER John 3 22 36
(3:22–36) Introduction: this passage does one thing—it points to Jesus Christ as the New Master, the One whom God has set before man as the only Master worthy of serving.
1. The setting for the revelation (vv.22–26).
2. Answer 1: Jesus alone was God’s appointed Messiah (vv.27–28).
3. Answer 2: Jesus alone was the Bridegroom (vv.29–30).
4. Answer 3: Jesus alone was from above—from heaven (v.31).
5. Answer 4: Jesus alone was God’s Spokesman (vv.32–34).
6. Answer 5: Jesus alone had the Spirit without limit (v.34).
7. Answer 6: Jesus alone determines man’s destiny (vv.35–36).
1 (3:22–26) Jesus Christ, Baptized: the setting for the revelation. After His interview with Nicodemus, Jesus moved out into the country districts of Judaea.
a. Jesus and His disciples were baptizing. The word tarried (dietriben) means to spend time with. It has the idea of spending much time in sharing and ministering. Note the statement: He baptized. This is the only place in Scripture where Jesus is said to baptize, though strictly speaking it was His disciples who actually did the baptizing (Jn. 4:2). It was His baptizing that set the ground for what was now to happen.
b. John and his disciples were also baptizing in Aenon, which was near to Salim. Nothing is known about either place beyond what is mentioned here.
People began to flock from John to Jesus. This decline in John’s popularity gave the religionists an opportunity to attack John. They attacked him by asking his disciples a crucial question, and in their questioning, they stirred the two basic questions of life.
c. The religionists questioned the purifying value of John’s baptism. They thought he must be a sham, a false prophet. If John’s baptism were really cleansing the people’s hearts and giving them a sense of cleanliness, why were the people now flocking to Jesus? If his baptism were really meeting the people’s needs, they would continue to come to him for cleansing. Instead, they were deserting him and flocking to Jesus.
This charge, of course, cut John’s disciples to the core, so they asked John why all men were now turning to Jesus instead of remaining with him.
Note how the question of purifying strikes at the two basic questions of life.
1) There is the question of purifying and cleansing. Can the human heart really be cleansed? Can the need of men for cleansing really be met?
2) There is the question of supremacy, of a man’s Master in life. Who is man to follow? To whom should men turn for cleansing? To other men such as religious leaders, or to Jesus Christ?
Thought 1. Note two tragic facts.
(1) Every man seeks the cleansing of his heart from someplace. He seeks release from sensing wrong and failure; He seeks some dissolving of guilt. However, few seek cleansing in Christ. They seem to seek cleansing everywhere except in Christ:
? in religion
? in attending church enough to salve their conscience and give a feeling of acceptance by God
? in giving to charity
? in doing some good deed for others
? in being loyal to some good man’s teaching or leadership
(2) Every man follows some master and gives his allegiance to something, whether person or thing (see Mt. 6:24; Lu. 16:13; Ro. 6:16).
Thought 2. Note a significant point: only Christ can purify a man’s heart and give him true cleansing from sin.
2 (3:27–28) Jesus Christ, Messiah—Ministers: first, Jesus alone was God’s appointed Messiah. John answered the questions by pointing to Jesus Christ. He alone was Messiah, God’s appointed One.
a. God is the One who appoints men.
? He is God, so He has the right to appoint men
? He calls men to be His servants
? He appoints those men to a particular service and equips those men with gifts
No man can receive a true appointment, a true service, or a true gift unless it is given from heaven, that is, from God Himself. All appointments and gifts that have not come from heaven are false.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Js. 1:17).
“And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability” (Mt. 25:15).
“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us” (Ro. 12:6).
“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Co. 4:7).
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1 Co. 12:4).
“But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding” (Jb. 32:8).
b. God did not appoint John to be the Messiah but to be the forerunner. John was clear about this. He was not the Messiah; Jesus Christ was. Note several points:
? John’s strong witness about Christ’s being the Messiah
? John’s clear understanding of who he himself was and what his specific appointment and ministry were (the forerunner)
? John’s humility
Thought 1. Jesus Christ is the Messiah; He alone is the One appointed from heaven. This is the strong declaration of John.
“He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 16:15–17).
“But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven” (Mt. 26:63–64).
“Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” (Lu. 24:25–26).
“The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he” (Jn. 4:25–26).
“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him” (Jn. 8:28–29).
Thought 2. The true servants of God are appointed to their service and ministry by God. This says several things.
(1) The servant serves God and God alone.
(2) The servant can trust God to take care of him and his ministry.
(3) The servant should be humble.
? He should not envy others, for every servant’s ministry is special to God and necessary to His plan of salvation.
? He should be satisfied in his service and ministry, for he is there by God’s appointment.
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (Jn. 15:16).
3 (3:29–30) Jesus Christ, Bridegroom—Humility—Ministers, Purpose: John declared that Jesus was the Bridegroom. The bridegroom is the One who has the bride (the church, the followers of God). The friend is important, but he is not the bridegroom. John said four things about Jesus as the Bridegroom.
a. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the One by whom the friend stands. It is true that the friend (God’s servant) is important, for he takes care of matters for the bridegroom, and he has the privilege of bringing the bride to the bridegroom. But there is only one Bridegroom, and He is the focus of the friend’s attention.
b. The Bridegroom’s (Christ’s) voice is the voice to be heard. His voice is the important voice. His will is the will to be done: serving Him and doing what He says are what is important.
c. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the cause of joy. It is not the friend who brings joy to the bride or to the guests and community; it is the Bridegroom. Everyone’s joy is found in seeing the Bridegroom’s will done and in seeing Him pleased.
d. The Bridegroom (Christ) is the only object of loyalty. The words “He” and “I” are an emphatic contrast (v.30). That is to say, there is a compulsion to lift up the Person and the honor of the Bridegroom. In no sense nor in any place does the servant try to draw attention, praise, or honor toward himself.
? The servant draws back and shrinks from attention, decreasing himself in the eyes of all. He does nothing for himself but does all for the Bridegroom, for His honor and increase.
? The servant focuses attention upon the Bridegroom: pushes Him out front, increases His presence and stature before everyone.
“All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him” (Jn. 5:23).
“For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living” (Ro. 14:9).
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name” (Ph. 2:5–9).
“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence” (Col. 1:18).
“For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house” (He. 3:3).
“And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and blessing” (Re. 5:13).
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Re. 19:7).
“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness” (Ps. 29:2).
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together” (Ps. 34:3).
“Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders” (Ps. 107:32).
“O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth” (Is. 25:1).
“Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD” (Obad. 4).
4 (3:31) Revelation—Heaven: third, Jesus alone was from above, that is, from heaven. Note two things.
a. The meaning of “from above” is significant
b. The words “above all” are mentioned twice; they are very important. They mean superior and preeminent. Jesus, who came from heaven (out of the dimension of heaven), was the Superior and preeminent One. He was above all. The reasons He was “above all” are twofold.
1) His origin was “from above.” He was not of the earth, not earthly. Men are. Men are born of the flesh, that is, they are born of a man and woman who live on earth. Therefore, men are of the earth and are earthly. But not Jesus. He was “from heaven”—out of God Himself. Therefore, He was superior and preeminent.
2) A man can only speak of the earth and of earthly things. He comes only out of the earth; therefore, he can know only earthly things. When he speaks of heavenly things, he only shares his ideas and speculations, for he has never been to heaven. Therefore, the only conceivable way for man to know anything about heaven is for Someone from heaven to come and tell him.
DEEPER STUDY # 1
(3:31) “From Above”—Jesus Christ: Jesus came out of (ek) the spiritual world into the physical world, out of the heavenly dimension of being into the earthly dimension of being. Jesus came out of …
• the incorruptible world into the corruptible world
• the glorious world into the dishonorable world
• the powerful world into the weak world
• the spiritual world into the natural world (see 1 Co. 15:42–44.)
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” (Jn. 3:13).
“For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.… For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (Jn. 6:33, 38).
“The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?” (Jn. 6:41–42).
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (Jn. 6:50–51).
“This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (Jn. 6:58).
“What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?” (Jn. 6:62).
“And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world” (Jn. 8:23).
“Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me” (Jn. 8:42).
“Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God” (Jn. 13:3).
“Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God” (Jn. 16:30).
“And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” (Jn. 17:5).
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven” (1 Co. 15:47).
5 (3:32–34) Jesus Christ, Apostle; God’s Spokesman: fourth, Jesus alone was God’s Spokesman. Jesus was “from above,” out of the dimension of heaven; therefore, He had seen and heard the truth of heaven.
a. Jesus testified, revealed, and proclaimed what He had seen and heard. He was the Spokesman of God who revealed heaven and the truth of it. He is the only One who can share heaven with men.
b. Most men reject His testimony. Note the words “no man”—this simply means the vast, vast majority of men (see v.33 where some few do receive His words). So many men reject the Lord’s words that it can be said that “no man” receives His message.
c. Some few men do receive and seal the Lord’s testimony
d. The proof that Jesus was God’s Spokesman is clearly stated without any equivocation.
? Jesus was sent from God. He was the Apostle of God
? Therefore, He spoke the Words of God. Whatever He said was the Word of God. How can we be sure? Because God sent Him and gave His Spirit without measure to Him.
1) He was the Apostle of God.
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (Jn. 6:38).
“But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me” (Jn. 7:29).
“I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me” (Jn. 8:42).
“Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” (Jn. 10:36).
“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (Jn. 17:21).
2) He is the Spokesman of God.
“He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God” (Jn. 3:34).
“It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (Jn. 6:63).
“Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (Jn. 6:68).
“Never man spake like this man” (Jn. 7:46).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death” (Jn. 8:51).
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (Jn. 12:48).
“He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (Jn. 14:24).
“For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me” (Jn. 17:8).
“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Mk. 13:31).
“And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Lu. 4:22).
“And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power” (Lu. 4:32).
DEEPER STUDY # 2
(3:33) Seal: a man’s seal was affixed to a document to show he agreed with it. He reckoned it as legal, binding, valid, authentic. A seal guaranteed that the record was true and genuine. When a man receives the testimony of Jesus, he shows that God is true. Conversely, the only way a man can show that God is true is to accept the testimony of Jesus (see Jn. 6:27).
DEEPER STUDY # 3
(3:34) “God has Sent”—Jesus Christ, Origin: Jesus is the Apostle of God. He is God’s Ambassador, God’s perfect Spokesman. It should be noted that God poured out His Spirit without measure upon Jesus—the only apostle upon whom this was ever done. See Jn. 4:34; 5:23–24, 30, 36–37; 6:38–40, 44, 57; 7:16, 18; 8:16, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 11:42; 12:44–45, 49; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5; 17:3, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21.)
6 (3:34) Jesus Christ, Fullness of Spirit: fifth, Jesus alone had the full measure of the Spirit. There was no limit to the Spirit’s …
• presence
• call
• equipping
• blessings
• fullness
• appointment
• work
The Spirit was of the same Being with Jesus, in perfect harmony, communion, and fellowship with Jesus. He was given to Jesus in a way far different than He was given to other men. There was no measure of His presence with Jesus. Jesus had the perfect and full measure of the Spirit. The purpose for the full measure was clearly stated by Jesus.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord” (Lu. 4:18–19).
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Ac. 10:38).
7 (3:35–36) God, Love for Christ—Man, Destiny: sixth, Jesus alone determines man’s destiny.
a. There has never been a more tender statement than “the Father loves the Son.” God loves His Son beyond anything that could ever be understood. How much does God love Him? So much that He has given all things into the hands of His Son: all power, all authority, all rule, all reign, all supremacy, all dominion, all honor, all glory, all praise, all worship, all service. As clearly and as simply as can be said, all things have been given to God’s only Son. There is nothing existing that has not been given to Him.
“[Jesus Christ] who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him” (1 Pe. 3:22).
b. There are four primary reasons why God loves His Son so much.
? Jesus is God’s only Son, the Son in His very own bosom (see note—Jn. 1:18).
? Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, the Son who willingly partook of flesh and came into the world to save men, thereby fulfilling the will of God perfectly (see notes—Jn. 1:14).
? Jesus gave Himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God Himself. (See note—Ep. 5:2.)
? Jesus willingly learned perfect obedience by the things which He suffered (see notes—Jn. 13:31–32; He. 5:5–10).
c. The man who believes on the Son has everlasting life God will receive and honor anyone who receives and honors His Son whom He loves so much. It does not matter who the person is or what the person has done. If the person believes on God’s only Son, God gives everlasting life to him.
d. The man who does not believe the Son faces two things.
1) He will not see life. He perishes
2) The wrath of God abides on him
DEEPER STUDY # 4
(3:36) Believe Not (ho apeithon): to obey not. If a person does not obey, he does not really believe. Conversely, if a person really believes, he obeys.
DEEPER STUDY # 5
(3:36) Wrath (orge): anger, temper, indignation. It is not an uncontrolled, unthinking, violent reaction. It is deep, permanent, settled, thoughtful, controlled anger and temper.
There is another Greek word which also means wrath (thumos), and it is also used of God’s wrath. Thumos is anger that arises more quickly, blazes forth, and just as quickly cools down. It is an anger that is more turbulent, more sudden, but the agitation lasts for only a short period of time. This simply means that God does not dodge His responsibility to execute justice and to punish injustice and sin (see Ro. 1:22). His wrath is His …
• anger against sin
• reaction against unrighteousness
• opposition to the injustices of men
• punishment of evil and wicked men
The wrath or anger of God is aroused for four reasons
1. Men do not believe on the Son of God. They allow their hearts to become hardened and impenitent (Ro. 2:5). They spurn and wound God’s love—rejecting, abusing, cursing and denying His Son, the dearest thing to His heart (Jn. 3:36; 2 Th. 1:7–9. See notes—Jn. 3:18–20; 3:35–36.)
2. Men reject God’s mercy, which is ever attempting to reach out and save them (Ro. 2:3–6).
3. Men transgress God’s law (Ro. 1:18f; Col. 3:6).
4. Men sin and come short of God’s will, violating His holiness (Ep. 5:6).
God’s wrath is real and active. God is holy, righteous, and pure as well as loving, gracious, and merciful. He executes justice as well as love. He shows wrath and anger as well as compassion. His wrath is both present and future.
1. God’s wrath is present and active in this life. His wrath abides upon men now. His wrath is manifested against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Ro. 1:18). God punishes sin in this life by giving men up …
• to uncleanness
• to vile affections
• to reprobate minds
2. God’s wrath is future and it is to be actively executed in the next life God will punish sin by giving men up …
• to everlasting fire (Mt. 25:41; 25:46)
• to hell (Mt. 5:22)
• to outer darkness (Mt. 8:12)
• to weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mt. 8:12)
• to the Lake of Fire (Re. 20:15)
3. God’s wrath will be especially manifested and active in the last days (see Re. 6:16; 11:8; 14:10; 16:19; 19:15).
Leadership Ministries Worldwide. (2004). The Gospel according to John. Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
