John 3:26

3:26 everybody is going to him: Jesus’ popularity made some of John’s followers envious.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 3:26. Ἦλθον, came) The disciples of John were not so constantly with him as the apostles were with Christ,—ὅς, who) They do not name Jesus; they speak of Him as one, who as yet was far less known than was right.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Rabbi, &c.--"Master, this man tells us that He to whom thou barest such generous witness beyond Jordan is requiting thy generosity by drawing all the people away to Himself. At this rate, thou shalt soon have no disciples at all." The reply to this is one of the noblest and most affecting utterances that ever came from the lips of man.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 26. And they came unto John] That he might decide the question.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. To whom thou gavest testimony. By this argument they endeavor either to make Christ inferior to John, or to show that John, by doing him honor, had laid him under obligations; for they reckon that John conferred a favor on Christ by adorning him with such honorable titles. As if it had not been the duty of John to make such a proclamation, or rather, as if it had not been John’s highest dignity to be the herald of the Son of God. Nothing could have been more unreasonable than to make Christ inferior to John, because his testimony was highly favorable; for we know what John’s testimony was. The expression which they use — all men come to Christ — is the language of envious persons, and proceeds from sinful ambition; for they are afraid that the crowd will immediately forsake their master.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(26) Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan.—John’s disciples, with a natural attachment to their master, and without the knowledge of what that master’s work really was, are jealous of what seems to them the rival work of Jesus. He had been with John; the Baptist had borne witness to Him. Now He seems to usurp his work, and the throngs which had crowded to the Forerunner go to Him. (Comp. Notes on Joh_1:8; Joh_4:2.)

Barest witness.—Better, hast borne witness.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. to whom thou barest witness] Rather, to whom thou hast borne witness. This was the monstrous thing in their eyes; that One who seemed to owe His position to the testimony of John should be competing with him and surpassing him.

behold, the same] Or perhaps, behold, this fellow, expressing astonishment and chagrin, and perhaps contempt.

all men] An exaggeration very natural in their excitement. The picture is very true to life. Comp. the excited statement of the Samaritan woman, Joh_4:29; and of the Pharisees, Joh_12:19; contrast Joh_3:32 and see on Joh_6:15.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John answered and said,.... The Syriac and Arabic versions add, "to them"; the answer being made to the disciples of John, who came to him with their complaint:

a man can receive nothing; the Syriac and Persic versions add, "of his own will": some understand this of Christ, as man, who did not take upon him the character of the Messiah, nor the office of a Mediator, nor the honour of it of himself; and who received the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, without measure, and had his success in his work from above: and indeed, it is true of both Christ, and John; for as Christ, so John received his office, and honour, as the harbinger and forerunner of Christ, and all his gifts qualifying for it, and his success in it, not of himself, but of God: and since therefore the superior office, and honour, and usefulness of the one above the other, were according to the sovereign will of God, there was no room for complaint, murmuring, and envy; but there ought to be contentment and pleasure in the wise disposition of things by God. Yea, this is true of every man, who has nothing of his own; and whatever he has in nature, providence and grace, is a gift to him; and all he enjoys is in a way of receiving: nor can he receive it,

except it be given him from heaven; from God who dwells there; See Gill on Mat 21:25; who is the author and donor of every gift, temporal, spiritual, and eternal; particularly he cannot perceive, and discern spiritual things, nor receive Gospel truths; as it appeared to John his disciples could not, unless spiritual light is given from above; and such a favour is bestowed, as to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: and therefore, for every office, whether of a superior, or inferior kind, and for every degree of honour, and for whatsoever blessing and gift, whether for soul or body, for time, or for eternity, men ought to be thankful, and not glory in them, as though they had not received them; nor is there any reason to murmur against God, or envy one another, as these disciples did.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

Ver. 26. Rabbi, he that was with thee] They envied for John’s sake, as Joshua did for Moses, and with as little thank. John would have been glad they had gone after Christ, as Andrew did. Howsoever, it was good news to John that Jesus was so frequented and busied.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Came unto John - Came to him with their complaint; envious and jealous at the success of Jesus, and evidently irritated from the discussion, as if their master was about to lose his popularity.

Rabbi - Master. See the notes at Mat 23:7. Acknowledging him as their master and teacher.

That was with thee - Who was baptized by thee.

Thou barest witness - See Joh 1:29-35.

All men come to him - This was the source of their difficulty. It was that Jesus was gaining popularity; that the people flocked to him; that they feared that John would be forsaken, and his followers be diminished in numbers and influence. Thus many love their sect more than they do Christ, and would be more rejoiced that a man became a Presbyterian, a Methodist, a Baptist, than that he became a sincere and humble Christian. This is not the spirit of the gospel. True piety teaches us to rejoice that sinners turn to Christ and become holy, whether they follow us or not. See Mar 9:38-39. Let Jesus be exalted, and let men turn to Him, is the language of religion, whatever denomination they may feel it their duty to follow.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The disciples of John coming unto him, give him the usual title, under which in that age they were wont to speak to those whom they owned as their teachers, which was Rabbi. Their business was to complain, that Christ, whom they do not think fit to name, nor to give him any title, but mention him as one much inferior to their master, one that came to him to Bethabara, and to whom he there gave testimony, Joh 1:7,34, as if Christ had from him derived all his credit and reputation. Their master did not go to Christ, but he came to their master; he was not baptized of Christ, but Christ was baptized of him; he did not give testimony to their master, but their master gave testimony to him: now, say they, he baptizeth by his disciples, and multitudes, many of all sorts of people, (for the universal particle all men can here signify no more), come to him. Love is jealous; they were afraid that their master’s reputation would by this means flag and be diminished. Such a passage we find, Num 11:28. And thus John, our Saviour’s disciple, was jealous for Christ his Master, Luk 9:49. They all sinned, as appears by the answer given by Moses to Joshua, Num 11:29, and Christ’s answer to John, Luk 9:50, and by the following reply of John to these disciples, envying for his sake.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

26. Was with thee—The supposed inferiority of Jesus is implied in their phraseology. John was principal and Jesus with him. John was authenticator, and Jesus indorsed by him. They slur over in their minds how profound John’s testimony was to the superiority of Jesus.

Beyond Jordan—These words show that Enon and Salim, where this converse is held, are west of the Jordan.

All men come to him—Their mortification appears in their exaggerated language, All men. Perhaps they borrowed this strength of language from the Jew with whom they had the question.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

They (the disciples of John) came to John, and said to him, Rabbi the title of deep respect (ver. 2), which stood in Jewish reverence high above all civil and military rank, and was here yielded in courtesy to the heroic leaderhe who was with thee, apparently in entire mutual understanding with thee, receiving baptism at thy hands, and thus admitting thy right to baptize the people of God thee" as we are "with theebeyond Jordan at Bethany (Bethabara), at a better baptizing place than this, on a grand historic site, the very scene of the great administration, where the Sanhedrin deferred to thy claims and the multitudes attested the hold thou hadst on their affections to whom thou hast borne testimonies the man who received thy homage, but who admitted also thy claims, about whom thou didst utter such strong things of unspeakable importbehold, he is now thy rival in popular esteem; this man is baptizing, and with a pardonable exaggeration, they addall men are coming unto him. He is eclipsing thee; he seems to usurp the high and unique position which had been assumed by thyself. Serious questions these, which must lead to a complete disruption among the disciples of John. Before examining the reply of John to the query, it is well to observe that John had been walking in the blinding and bewildering light of new ideas; that the Fourth Gospel brings us into contact with John at the moment where the synoptic narrative draws its portraiture to a conclusion; and yet the Fourth Gospel, quite as firmly as the synoptists, shows that the fresh light which had dawned on John had not induced him to forego the preparatory mission on which his heart was set, and the zeal of which had consumed him. If the perplexity arises How could John have borne such ample testimony to Jesus and not at once have followed in his train? we reply that the language of John in Mat_3:14 is just as difficult to reconcile with the message from the prison. Thoma admits that this fact corresponds with the question, "Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?" In like manner, Hebraism itself within the bosom of the Church maintained a place after all its purpose had been fulfilled. The destruction of the temple and of the Jewish state was necessary to abolish the force of the Hebrew tendency to ritualism of place and symbol even in the heart of Christ"s disciples. Many of the mighty powers of the world, if they had not possessed an energy and vitality which refused to succumb when their work was really done, would never have done that work at all.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26. ᾧ σὺ μεμ. To whom thou hast borne witness. This was what seemed so monstrous; that One who appeared to owe His position to John’s testimony should be competing with him and surpassing him: σύ and οὗτος are in emphatic opposition.

ἴδε οὗτος. Lo (see on Joh 1:29) this fellow, expressing astonishment and chagrin, and perhaps contempt: they regard baptizing as John’s prerogative. In Mat 9:14 we find them cavilling again.

πάντες. An exaggeration very natural in their excitement: the picture is thoroughly true to life. Comp. the excited statement of the Samaritan woman, Joh 4:29; of the Pharisees, Joh 12:19; contrast Joh 3:32, and see on Joh 6:15.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

26.] Compare ch. 1:28.

πάντες ἔρχ.] Not, probably, any who had been baptized already by John; but multitudes of persons. The baptism now carried on by the disciples appears to have stood very much in the same position as that of John. It was preparatory to the public ministry of our Lord properly so called, which began in Galilee after the imprisonment of John. It was not accompanied with the gift of the Spirit, see ch. 7:39. As John’s commission was now on the wane, so our Lord’s was expanding. The solemn cleansing of the temple was its opening; and now it is proceeding onwards, gathering multitudes around it (see ch. 4:1).

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Behold [ιδε] . Used by both Matthew and Mark, not by Luke, but very frequently by John.

Baptizeth - come. The present would be better rendered by is baptizing, are coming.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ver. 26. “And they came to John and said to him: Master, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, he baptizeth, and all men come to him.”

There is something of bitterness in these words. The words: “to whom thou hast borne witness” make prominent the generosity which John had shown towards Jesus: “See there, how thou hast acted, thou (σύ); and see here, how He is acting, He (οὗτος).῎Ιδε, behold, sets forth the unexpected character of such a course: “He baptizes, quite like thyself; thus, not content with asserting Himself, He seeks to set thee aside.” Baptism was a special rite, introduced by John, and distinguishing his ministry from every other. By appropriating it to Himself, Jesus seemed to usurp the part peculiar to His predecessor and to desire to throw him altogether into the shade. And what is more poignant in this course of action is, that it succeeds: “All men come to him.” This exaggeration, all, is the result of spite. Mat 9:14 shows us John’s disciples in Galilee, after the imprisonment of their master, animated by the same hostile disposition and combining more or less with the adversaries of Jesus.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.