John 3:25-27

“²⁵ Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. ²⁶ And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’ ²⁷ John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.’”

            In the previous passage we saw how both Jesus and His disciples are baptizing and John is baptizing. This act of baptism by both groups shows the parallel and unified message between John and Jesus. In this passage we see a contrast happening and disunity between John the Baptist’s disciples and a Jew, but also a disagreement between John the Baptist’s disciples and himself.

            The first verse states John the Baptist’s disciples were having a discussion with a Jew over purification. This seems to be related to baptism as that is what the overarching context of the passage is. Nothing more is mentioned about how friendly the conversation was or what part of purification was discussed, but this is not the real question we should be looking at in this verse. It is more important to note how strange it is to see these men described as disciples of John when the man John serves is also baptizing in the area. Why does John the author not describe these men as disciples of Jesus? This would be a perfectly good description of John the Baptist, but John the author describes these men specifically as disciples of John—which indicates they are not following Jesus but John.

            We can further see the motives and heart of these men by what they ask John in the next verse. They said that the man John bore witness to is baptizing and people are going to Him! We see something in these men that is all too common. Jealousy. They do not want people going to Jesus; they want people to come to them. In context, the last verse becomes clearer. These disciples are being lumped in the same group with the Jew from the first verse to highlight their similarity. This is why John the author explains them as John’s (the Baptists) disciples. They are not followers of Jesus. They have no desire to follow Jesus, but wish to be elevated themselves.

            John the Baptist shows his wisdom by his rebuke in the last verse when he says, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” John is saying that what Jesus has comes from God. He is saying the people who came to him and now go to Jesus came from God, and that what he did he did not do in his own power but through the power of God. Like Paul will explain later in 1 Corinthians 4:7, he cannot be prideful at what he was given when it starts to go away. He does not entertain the foolish thoughts of these disciples but like a good disciple of Jesus points them to Jesus and thus points them to God.

            Christians, who are you following? If the first answer you give is not Jesus, or if you would be considered a disciple of someone else before Jesus, then reconsider your position, your priorities. As John explains, his gifts were given by God and God gives gifts to everyone from heaven and it is not his place or our place to be jealous of what Jesus receives. Often, we can be like John’s disciples, jealous of others who we think haven’t been around long enough or do not deserve what they are given. Instead we should understand that these gifts come from God and reassess who we are disciples of—man or Jesus?

            Non-Christians, who are you following? If it is not Jesus, then there is no hope to find God. As John points his disciples towards the gifts given to Jesus from heaven, so he also points you to Jesus. You should not be a disciple of a religion or of a special person. You must be a disciple of the only one who can save you, the God-man Jesus Christ.