Bible Study With The Bishops: In The Shadow

Reading Plan Text for March 4: John 3:22-30.

Poor John the Baptist. Even before his birth he lived in the shadow of his more important, more famous, more everything cousin. Of course, the story of Mary's visit to Elizabeth and John leaping in Elizabeth's womb is in Luke's Gospel and not John's, but that subtext is evident here. John the Baptist has been proclaiming his cousin's coming whenever he appears in John's Gospel. In his own words, John the Baptist says, "I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal." Not even important enough to do a servant's duty to his cousin. How many families have been torn apart when one member outshines the others? Yet John the Baptist has not only survived, but flourished. He did what he was called to do, and now he is content to not only let Jesus do what he is called to do, but to proclaim loudly that he is here!

Burridge spends quite a bit of his commentary about this passage on the bridegroom/best man imagery. He points out how familiar this image would have been to John's audience. Even today, once the best man performs his prescribed duties, he fades into the background so that all attention is on the bridegroom and the bride. And after this last witness, John the Baptist will disappear from the stage of John's Gospel.

Peace,
Jeffri