John 3:22-36

Context

Further Testimony About Jesus by John the Baptist

3:22 After this,¹ Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. 3:23 John² was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim,³ because water was plentiful there, and people were coming⁴ to him⁵ and being baptized. 3:24 (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)⁶

3:25 Now a dispute came about between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew⁷ concerning ceremonial washing.⁸ 3:26 So they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River,⁹ about whom you testified – see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!”

3:27 John replied,¹⁰ “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 3:28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’¹¹ but rather, ‘I have been sent before him.’ 3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly¹² when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete.¹³ 3:30 He must become more important while I become less important.”¹⁴

3:31 The one who comes from above is superior to all.¹⁵ The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things.¹⁶ The one who comes from heaven¹⁷ is superior to all.¹⁸ 3:32 He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 3:33 The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful.¹⁹ 3:34 For the one whom God has sent²⁰ speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly.²¹ 3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority.²² 3:36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects²³ the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath²⁴ remains²⁵ on him.

[3:22] ¹tn This section is related loosely to the preceding by μετὰ ταῦτα (meta tauta). This constitutes an indefinite temporal reference; the intervening time is not specified.

[3:23] ²sn John refers to John the Baptist.

[3:23] ³tn The precise locations of Αἰνών (Ainwn) and Σαλείμ (Saleim) are unknown. Three possibilities are suggested: (1) In Perea, which is in Transjordan (cf. 1:28). Perea is just across the river from Judea. (2) In the northern Jordan Valley, on the west bank some 8 miles [13 km] south of Scythopolis. But with the Jordan River so close, the reference to abundant water (3:23) seems superfluous. (3) Thus Samaria has been suggested. 4 miles (6.6 km) east of Shechem is a town called Salim, and 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Salim lies modern Ainun. In the general vicinity are many springs. Because of the meanings of the names (Αἰνών = “springs” in Aramaic and Σαλείμ = Salem, “peace”) some have attempted to allegorize here that John the Baptist is near salvation. Obviously there is no need for this. It is far more probable that the author has in mind real places, even if their locations cannot be determined with certainty.

[3:23] ⁴tn Or “people were continually coming.”

[3:23] ⁵tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

[3:24] ⁶sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.

[3:25] ⁷tc Was this dispute between the Baptist’s disciples and an individual Judean (᾿Ιουδαίου, Ioudaiou) or representatives of the Jewish authorities (᾿Ιουδαίων, Ioudaiwn)? There is good external support for the plural ᾿Ιουδαίων (Ì⁶⁶ א* Θ Ë^1,13 565 al latt), but the external evidence for the singular ᾿Ιουδαίου is slightly stronger ({Ì⁷⁵ א² A B L Ψ 33 1241 the majority of Byzantine minuscules and others}).

[3:25] ⁸tn Or “ceremonial cleansing,” or “purification.”

[3:26] ⁹tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.

[3:27] ¹⁰tn Grk “answered and said.”

[3:28] ¹¹tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[3:29] ¹²tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).

[3:29] ¹³tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”

[3:30] ¹⁴sn Some interpreters extend the quotation of John the Baptist’s words through v. 36.

[3:31] ¹⁵tn Or “is above all.”

[3:31] ¹⁶tn Grk “speaks from the earth.”

[3:31] ¹⁷sn The one who comes from heaven refers to Christ. As in John 1:1, the Word’s preexistence is indicated here.

[3:31] ¹⁸tc Ì⁷⁵ א* D Ë¹ 565 as well as several versions and fathers lack the phrase “is superior to all” (ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν, epanw pantwn estin). This effectively joins the last sentence of v. 31 with v. 32: “The one who comes from heaven testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.” On the other side, the phrase may have been deleted because of perceived redundancy, since it duplicates what is said earlier in the verse. The witnesses that include ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν in both places are weighty and widespread (Ì^36vid,66 א² A B L W^s Θ Ψ 083 086 Ë¹³ 33 Ï lat sy^s,p,h bo). On balance, the longer reading should probably be considered authentic.

[3:33] ¹⁹tn Or “is true.”

[3:34] ²⁰tn That is, Christ.

[3:34] ²¹tn Grk “for not by measure does he give the Spirit” (an idiom). Leviticus Rabbah 15:2 states: “The Holy Spirit rested on the prophets by measure.” Jesus is contrasted to this. The Spirit rests upon him without measure.

[3:35] ²²tn Grk “has given all things into his hand” (an idiom).

[3:36] ²³tn Or “refuses to believe,” or “disobeys.”

[3:36] ²⁴tn Or “anger because of evil,” or “punishment.”

[3:36] ²⁵tn Or “resides.”