(17) ―For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him
might be saved.
(18) He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
(19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than
light, because their deeds were evil.
(20) For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved‖. (John 3:17-20)
It is significant to note that the New Covenant writers stress that a Jew is to represent all of humanity. Y‘shua
would not have been chosen by vote or democratic process, but would be sent by YHWH.
―But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are
wrought in God‖. (John 3:21)
The embodiment of the Torah in Y‘shua created a major tension. Y‘shua subordinated many central themes
of Judaism to Himself, and the New Covenant writers continued that subordination. Thus, Y‘shua became
the Temple (John 2:19-21) and the atoning sacrifice (John 1:29). At Passover, the matzah or unleavened
bread represented His body (Mark 14:22); likewise, the lamb sacrificed at Passover symbolised His death (1
Cor 5:7). In addition, Y‘shua declared Himself Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:27, 28). He also distinguished the
ritually clean from the unclean (Mark 7:1-23). The overall effect was that the First Century Jewish community
largely considered these teachings strange and anti-ritualistic, and a threat to the religious beliefs of that day.
Yochanan's testimony
(22) ―After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried
with them, and baptized.
(23) And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and
they came, and were baptized.
(24) For John was not yet cast into prison.
(25) Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.
(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.
27) John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven‖.
(John 3:22-27)
It appears that the dispute is not necessarily about purification, but who is doing it. Yochanan very correctly
tells the people that the blessing is not in the baptiser, but from heaven regardless of who is baptising. It
does not take an ordained minister to do the baptising, but a contrite heart of the candidate.
(28) ―Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
(29) He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth
and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled‖.
(John 3:28-29)
This was referred to as the ―shoshevin‖ among the Jews. These were especially selected friends of the
bridegroom that took messages from the bridegroom to the bride and ministered to the joy of the occasion.
Sometimes they conducted the bride from her father‘s house to the house of the bridegroom (Ketuboth 4:5).
The bride is always under the authority of her father until she is placed under the authority of her husband by
marriage. But, if her father surrendered her to the emissaries (the friends of the bridegroom); she is under
the authority of her husband already.
Yochanan uses a very vivid word picture to explain what is happening here. The bridegroom is a picture of
the Messiah and to Him goes the bride. Yochanan is pictured as the ―friend of the bridegroom‖, a servant to
the Messiah. Although Yochanan is not part of the bride, he is part of the guests only; therefore, his joy is still
fulfilled (see ―The Rapture of the church compared to the Jewish wedding tradition‖ below in this section)
(30) ―He must increase, but I must decrease.
(31) He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the
earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all‖. (John 3:30-31)