The Great Commentary of Cornelius a Lapide: S. John
Now there arose , &c. The Greek for now is οὖν, therefore.
Because indeed John baptized with Jesus, since John preceded, there arose a question , that is, a strife and controversy, from John's disciples. This they raised out of zeal for the honour and authority of their master John, lest he, through the baptism given by Jesus, should be little thought of. For many were flocking to Jesus, John himself sending them, preferring Jesus to himself.
With the Jews, i.e., those following Jesus. The Complutensian Version has the word in the singular, μετὰ Ἰουδαίου, with a Jew. The Syriac has, between a disciple of John and a Jew , a reading which is followed and commented on by S. Chrysostom, Nonnus, Theophylact, and Euthymius. But the Latins, and of the Greeks S. Cyril, read with the Jews , in the plural. It may be that one raised the strife, and that, as usual, many took part in it About purifying , i.e., about the baptism of John and Jesus, whether of the twain were the better, and had greater purifying and sanctifying efficacy. “For the Jew,” says Theophylact, “preferred the baptism of the disciples of Christ, but the disciples of John the baptism of their master,” in that he had first baptized many, and even Jesus Himself, as it were a disciple. But the disciples of Jesus replied that He did many miracles, but that John did none.
They added that John himself preferred Jesus to himself, and said that He was the Christ. So S. Augustine and others.
Ver. 26. — And they came, &c. Who was with thee beyond Jordan: viz., Jesus, who came to thee to be baptized. He now ungratefully makes Himself equal to thee, and usurps thine office of baptizing. You ought therefore to restrain Him ; otherwise all will flock from thee to Him, to thy shame as well as ours. Thus Euthymius, “ He exercises thine own office against thee, and seizes on thy renown.” Wishing further to exasperate John, they added, All men leave thee, and go to Him.
Ver. 27. — John answered, &c. He openly repressed the ambition and quarrelsomeness of His disciples. Yea, he declares openly that the right is with Christ He prefers Him to himself, and gives fresh and ample testimony that He is the Messias. “ I cannot without the greatest presumption, pride, and ingratitude take a higher rank, or authority, than God has given me. And I will not do so. What then do you wish ? That I should invade the office of Messiah, and take it from Jesus ? God forbid. For if I attempted to do so, God would justly deprive me of my own office and dignity. You know that common Syrian proverb of ours, The camel demanding horns lost his ears . Far be it from me therefore that I should prefer myself to Jesus or arrogate the name and dignity of Messias. For God has given this to Jesus, not to me. God has given me enough, and more than enough, in making me His forerunner. Contented with that I will live and die, and yield gladly all other things to Jesus my Lord.” So S. Augustine, Bede, and others.
Ver. 28. — Ye yourselves bear me witness , &c. That I said I went before Him, that as His forerunner, minister, and herald, I should precede His advent. “ You know that I have always professed that I am not the Christ, but His forerunner. Why then do you urge me to revoke what I have said, and prefer myself to Jesus, and steal away from Him the name of Christ ? Truly this would be intolerable pride, inconsistency, and blasphemy. Suffer me then to live contented with my office, and with me prepare His way, and follow and serve Him the Messias, both your and my Lord and God.”
Ver. 29. — He that hath the bride , &c. “ Jesus Christ by His Incarnation hath betrothed unto Himself the Church, which is the whole company of believing people ; and God hath given her to Him as a bride to a bridegroom. Jesus therefore is the true husband of the Church, a husband which must be received, and loved, and worshipped in the highest degree by all who believe. What wonder then if all the people leave me and flock to Him ? For I am not Christ, but Christ's, the Bridegroom's, friend. Wherefore
I greatly rejoice that I should be counted worthy of so great a ministry, that I should be the paranymph of the Bridegroom, and that I should convey the bride, that is, the faithful, to Him, that all may acknowledge, love, and reverence Him as the Messias, and look for all grace and glory from Him, as the Head and Prince of the whole Church.”
This is an allusion to paranymphs, who were the most intimate and familiar friends of the bridegroom, insomuch that, all others being excluded, they were admitted to the bridegroom’s nuptial chamber.
Observe that John in the first chapter calls himself the servant of Jesus, and declares that he was not worthy to unloose His sandals. But here he calls himself His friend. For this is the condescension of Jesus, our God, that He calls, and adopts His faithful servants to be His friends, yea, and His sons. John here calls himself a friend rather than a servant , because the servants of heroes often envy their felicity, but their friends never, — but rather promote it, and rejoice and exult in it. The meaning is, “I, John, for this reason do not grieve, nor envy Jesus, that all the people flock to Him, because I am His intimate friend, and love Him above all things. It has ever been my great object to draw the people from myself to Him, as a bride to her bridegroom.” So S. Chrysostom. Let all true teachers, pastors, and preachers do the same, and not seek to draw, or attract, the faithful to themselves, but to Christ.
He who standeth , &c. “ I, John, stand at Christ the Bridegroom’s side as His attendant, and in silence hear his voice, as He lovingly converses with His bride. I do not covet the bride for myself, but I rejoice unspeakably that I am counted worthy to hear His voice.” John here intimates that he was about to be put to silence; that having fulfilled his office, he must cease from preaching and baptizing, and give place to Christ, that his own course being, as it were, finished, he must hand on the lamp to Him, which happened shortly afterwards, when Herod cast him into prison.
This my joy, &c. “ I began to rejoice when I knew by the revelation of God that the advent of Christ was at hand. I rejoiced still more when I saw and heard Him present. But when I perceived all the people flocking to Him, then my joy was fulfilled and perfected. For by His grace alone I have preached and baptized, and passed my whole life.”
Ver. 30. — He must increase , viz., by the flocking of the people to Him, by the abundance and glory of His miracles, in adoration and worship, that the whole world may love and worship Him as Christ So S. Cyril, to whom listen. “ So long as the profundity of the aether is obscured by the shades of night, every one speaks with the greatest admiration of the morning star, as it shines with the full glory of its golden splendour. But when the sun is seen to hasten to his rising, and when his light somewhat illumines this our earth, the day star yields gradually to the greater luminary, and the words of John might not improperly be applied, He must increase, but I must decrease.” Likewise S. Chrysostom says, “ Christ increases in that He by degrees manifests Himself by signs and miracles : not because He makes increase in virtue, — God forbid ; for this would be the madness of Nestorius.”
But I must decrease : not in virtue, wisdom, or merit. For in these John constantly increased until he received the crown of martyrdom, but as regarded the honour which he received in the people flocking to him. “I have fulfilled my office, now I will cease,” as S. Chrysostom says of him. As a symbol of this, John was born shortly after the summer solstice, when the days begin to decrease ; but Christ was born shortly after the winter solstice, when the days being at the shortest, begin to increase, as S. Chrysostom remarks, (Hom. de Nativ.), and others.
‸He who is from above, &c. He gives the reason why Jesus must increase; because He was from above, from heaven, out of the bosom of the Father, as the Only Begotten Son of God. Wherefore He is above all , not only me, John, but far above all angels and creatures whatsoever, forasmuch as He is the Creator and the Lord of all, and so by all to be worshipped and adored.
Ver. 32 . — He that is of the earth , &c. John prefers Christ to himself , as what is heavenly to what is earthly. As much therefore as heaven is higher than the earth, so greatly is Christ superior to John, according to the words, “The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is of the heaven, heavenly” (1 Cor. xv. 47, Vulg.)
The meaning is, “ He that is born of the earth, as I John am formed from it, as Adam was, he is earthy, and of the earth he speaketh, i.e., of earthly things. Now this was true of John (1.) if you have regard to his bare nature, as apart from the grace and calling of God. For apart from that, John was only earthy, and savoured of the earth. “For if thou hast heard anything Divine from John, it is of Him who gave him the light, not of him who only received the light,” as S. Augustine says.