September 28, 2025 -Baptizers

JOHN 3:1-4:45

LUKE 3:19-20

Chronological Bible Readings

John 3:22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

This caught my attention because I had always been taught that Jesus did not baptize anyone, but His disciples did the baptizing. So, when I read this at first, I thought that it was saying that Jesus baptized. But that is not the meaning of this. John's disciples had come to him and reported that Jesus was gathering more disciples than John. John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. These baptisms were ceremonial washings and were not uncommon but the fact that they were done in the name of Jesus represented them as being followers of Jesus. Jesus was the leader and overseer of the baptisms His disciples did. This becomes clarified in John 4 when John the disciple clarifies that Jesus was not the one doing the baptizing. Also, I have read that one of the reasons Jesus would not have baptized anyone Himself was to show that baptism was not the important thing but Jesus is. Faith in Him is separate from the baptism. If Jesus baptized people, those who were baptized by Him could have put a higher value on the baptisms that Jesus did. We see John's disciples starting to credit value to the baptizer and John had to set them straight.

John 3:30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

Baptist John reminds them that he has always said that he is not the Messiah. He is not the one that has come but only the one who is preparing the way. His baptism was for the purpose of bringing their sin and need for repentance to the front. For a person to turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins must first realize that they need to be forgiven. John the Baptist understood his place and purpose and was happy to become less. That is the heart of a servant that kind of heart that we all need to have especially in a position of leadership. That is the definition of humility.

John 3:31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. 34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.

Knowing that all those who followed Jesus were humans of the earth alone they could not speak or understand anything more than their earthly perspective allowed. But Jesus who was fully human but fully divine comes from heaven and is above all. Those who follow Jesus and listen and learn from His teaching will be able to accept it as truth and live it and speak it boldly. They will be able to speak that truth because then the Spirit can give them and understanding that comes from heaven. We need to be careful to speak as one from the earth when we are leading in the church. Not just in big things but in all things. Even common things. There is nothing too small that we cannot trust the one who comes from heaven to direct our speech because He will give the Spirit without limit.

John 4:1 Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— 2 although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples.

John clarifies that the report that the John the Baptists disciples had given him was not that Jesus was baptizing. That had to be an important thing if John makes sure to give that clarification. There can be many reasons why that is important. Some I listed above, but there are other if you want to dig deeper into the reasons why Jesus would not have done the baptizing himself.