John 3:28-29

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

Some people misidentified John the Baptist to be the Messiah or at least to claim to be the Messiah, but here John flatly denies that he is or that he claims to be the Messiah. His mission is a forerunner: sent before him.

John's explanation goes deeper in verse 29, when he says He that hath the bride is the bridegroom. It is Jesus who is the bridegroom. It is Jesus who is the Messiah. It is Jesus who is doing the work of redemption. It is Jesus who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, not John.

The idea of claiming that he himself is the Messiah, the Christ, is obnoxious to John. He would never do such a thing, for it is God who sent John to baptize, but Jesus was sent to seek and to save that which was lost (Matt. 18:11).

John is only a friend of the bridegroom, not the bridegroom. Therefore, John rejoices in the voice of the bridegroom, Jesus, rather than in his own words; and John's joy is fulfilled in the hearing and preaching of Jesus rather than the hearing and preaching his own words.