the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
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Green's Literal Translation
John 3:30
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It's his time to shine, and time for me to saddle up and ride away. My job is done.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
"He must increase, but I must decrease.
He has to become greater while I become less.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease."
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease. He that cometh from above is above all:
He must grow greater, but I must grow less.
Hee must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increace, but I must decreace.
he must advance,
Born from Above There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, "Rabbi, we all know you're a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren't in on it." Jesus said, "You're absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it's not possible to see what I'm pointing to—to God's kingdom." "How can anyone," said Nicodemus, "be born who has already been born and grown up? You can't re-enter your mother's womb and be born again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above' talk?" Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. "So don't be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above'—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it's headed next. That's the way it is with everyone ‘born from above' by the wind of God, the Spirit of God." Nicodemus asked, "What do you mean by this? How does this happen?" Jesus said, "You're a respected teacher of Israel and you don't know these basics? Listen carefully. I'm speaking sober truth to you. I speak only of what I know by experience; I give witness only to what I have seen with my own eyes. There is nothing secondhand here, no hearsay. Yet instead of facing the evidence and accepting it, you procrastinate with questions. If I tell you things that are plain as the hand before your face and you don't believe me, what use is there in telling you of things you can't see, the things of God? "No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life. "This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn't go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person's failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. "This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is." After this conversation, Jesus went on with his disciples into the Judean countryside and relaxed with them there. He was also baptizing. At the same time, John was baptizing over at Aenon near Salim, where water was abundant. This was before John was thrown into jail. John's disciples got into an argument with the establishment Jews over the nature of baptism. They came to John and said, "Rabbi, you know the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan? The one you authorized with your witness? Well, he's now competing with us. He's baptizing, too, and everyone's going to him instead of us." John answered, "It's not possible for a person to succeed—I'm talking about eternal success—without heaven's help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom's friend, his ‘best man'—that's me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start? "That's why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.
"He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease."
He must increace: and I muste decreace.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I [must] decrease.
He must become greater, and I must become less important.
He must become more important while I become less important."
Jesus must become more important, while I become less important.
He must become more important, while I become less important.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must become greater and I lesser.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must become more important, but I must become less important."
To him it must be to increase, and to me to decrease.
To him must be increase, and to me decrease.
He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
He must become more important. I must become less important.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must increase; I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease."
That One, it behoveth to increase, - but, me, to decrease.
He must increase: but I must decrease.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
It is necessary for that one to increase, but for me to decrease."
He must increace, but I must decreace.
He must become more and more important, and I must become less important.
He must increase, but I must decrease."
"He must increase, but I must decrease.
He must become more important while I become less important."
It bihoueth hym to wexe, but me to be maad lesse.
`Him it behoveth to increase, and me to become less;
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
must increase: Psalms 72:17-19, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 53:2, Isaiah 53:3, Isaiah 53:12, Daniel 2:34, Daniel 2:35, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 2:45, Matthew 13:31-33, Revelation 11:15
but: Acts 13:36, Acts 13:37, 1 Corinthians 3:5, 2 Corinthians 3:7-11, Colossians 1:18, Hebrews 3:2-6
Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 22:5 - David prepared Matthew 11:11 - he that Matthew 22:2 - which
Gill's Notes on the Bible
He must increase,.... Not in stature of body, or in wisdom and understanding of mind, as man, he being come to maturity in these things already; but in fame, credit, and reputation among men; as he afterwards did in the land of Judea, by reason of his miracles and doctrines; and after that among the Gentiles, through the publication of his Gospel; and will more and more in the latter day, when he, and he alone, shall be exalted: and he must increase in the ministry of his word, which was published by him, and his disciples, throughout all the cities of Israel; and which, after his resurrection and ascension, grew and increased mightily, notwithstanding the opposition made unto it both by their civil and ecclesiastical rulers; and which, by the means of his apostles, was spread throughout the Gentile world, and will hereafter cover the earth, as the waters do the sea: and also in his kingdom and interest, which at first were very small, like a grain of mustard seed, or like a little stone cut out of the mountain without hands; but in process of time grew exceedingly, and will, ere long, till the face of the whole earth; for the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth; and of the increase of it there shall be no end. And so likewise in the number of his followers, which at first were but few in Judea, but afterwards greatly increased, and especially among the Gentiles; and will be very numerous in the latter day glory, when the nation of the Jews will be born at once, and the fulness and forces of the Gentiles are brought in:
but I must decrease; as he did in his esteem among the people; see John 5:3; and in his work and office, which were now come to an end, Christ, whose forerunner he was, being come; and quickly after this he was put into prison, and there put to death.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
He must increase - his authority and influence among the people must grow. his doctrine shall continue to spread until it extends through all the earth.
I must decrease - “The purpose of my ministry is to point men to him. When that is done my work is done. I came not to form a party of my own, nor to set up a religion of my own; and my teaching must cease when he is fully established, as the light of the morning star fades away and is lost in the beams of the rising sun. This evinced John’s humility and willingness to be esteemed as nothing if he could honor Christ. It shows us, also, that it is sufficient honor for man if he may be permitted to point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. No work is so honorable and joyful as the ministry of the gospel; none are so highly honored as those who are permitted to stand near the Son of God, lead perishing men to his cross. Compare Daniel 12:3.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 30. He must increase — His present success is but the beginning of a most glorious and universal spread of righteousness, peace, truth, and good will among men.
I must decrease.] My baptism and teaching, as pointing out the coming Messiah, must cease; because the Messiah is now come, and has entered publicly on the work of his glorious ministry.
