THE BRIDEGROOM’S FRIEND
“An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – look, He is baptising, and everyone is going to Him.’
“To this John replied, ‘A person can receive what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but am sent ahead of Him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.'” John 3:25-30.
What beautiful imagery and what a gracious response!
John was a hugely popular preacher. He had drawn crowds into the desert to hear his fiery sermons, and the people were not even offended when he said some rather derogatory things about them. “Basket of snakes! Fatherless people!” A polite way of insulting them! He baptised many, initiating them into repentance and an expectation of the Messiah whose arrival he had been sent to announce.
Popularity could have gone to John’s head like it has to many preachers whose charisma has gathered a large following. Slowly but surely, they lose their focus, bask in their fame and begin to gather a following around themselves. They subtly alter the message to suit the ears of their followers and the scene is set for yet another cult.
John’s popularity was a test for him. What was he preaching and teaching while his ministry ran parallel with the ministry of Jesus? Did he still point people to the Messiah and away from himself? He was a rabbi. It was legitimate for him to have a following of disciples. It seems that they were more protective of John than he was of himself.
On this occasion, some of them got into an argument about baptism (ceremonial washing) with a Jew, probably one of the religious leaders because John, the author, put a certain connotation on the word “Jew”. We don’t know what the argument was about, but to settle it, they asked their rabbi, John. We can gather from his reply that it was probably about the increasing popularity of Jesus.
Both Jesus and John were baptising their followers. Which one was right? Should they follow John or should they follow Jesus? Using the imagery of a wedding from the culture of his day, John put their query into perspective. After their betrothal, the bride and bridegroom have preparations to make before the wedding. The bride’s task was to separate herself from all other men and to prepare her bridal gown (Revelation 19:6-8). The bridegroom was to return home to his father’s house to build the bridal chamber in preparation for the consummation of their marriage (John 14:2, 3).
Both the bride and the groom had attendants who waited for the groom to return, and attended them during the wedding ceremony. John saw himself as the attendant or friend of Jesus, the bridegroom, who was there to announce His arrival and to see to His needs during the celebrations. The attention was not to be on him but on the bridegroom. His was only a support role.
John’s ministry was unique. No one else has ever been assigned the role of “groomsman” in the history of the church. Believers in Jesus together form the corporate bride, but we do well to take note of John’s attitude, especially those of us who are in the limelight because of our position as leaders in the church. How easy it is to be carried away by popularity and to forget that we are not the bridegroom!
Throughout John’s short ministry, he had only one passion – to point people to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” ‘I am not the Messiah,’ he insisted when he was questioned about his identity. He did not even see himself as a person but as a “voice” calling in the desert, “Prepare the way for the Lord.”
To those who were debating his and Jesus’ popularity, John’s firm response was, ‘He must become greater; I must become less.’ It was fitting that he disappear off the scene, even in an ignominious way, so that all the focus would be on Jesus, the Messiah, whose arrival he had faithfully declared.
Acknowledgement
Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.