Although John doesn’t tell us Jesus returned to Galilee after the Passover (John 2:13), it becomes obvious that he did, because the text mentions Jesus and his disciples came into the land of Judea, and remained there for a season baptizing (John 3:22). It seems that after the Passover, Jesus returned to Galilee, but revisited Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost, a feast of the Jews that celebrates the end of the spring harvest. It was celebrated early in the third month, fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-14),[1] which occurred during the Passover celebration (an eight-day festival), marking the beginning of the harvest season. So, after the first Passover of his public ministry, and after his discussion with Nicodemus (John 3:1-12), Jesus returned once more to Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost (John 3:22).
At this time John was baptizing at Aenon, which was near Judea’s northeast border with Samaria, on the western bank of the Jordan that also bordered Peraea (John 3:23), for John wasn’t cast into prison up to this time (John 3:24). Nevertheless, John’s imprisonment was soon to occur. In fact, it was during these very days, when Jesus was in Judea (John 3:22), that Herod seized John and had him brought to the Herodian stronghold, Machaerus (meaning black fortress), located in Peraea near the Dead Sea.[2] Without observing strict chronology, both Matthew and Mark have Jesus coming into Galilee (from Judea) to seemingly begin his preaching immediately, and this occurred after he heard John was imprisoned by Herod (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14). Luke, however, begins earlier, recording, first, that Jesus was cast out of Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30) and, then, the circumstances surrounding his picking his Apostles. These things occurred during the fall festivals, six months prior to the first Passover of Jesus’ public ministry (John 2:12).
At this point (John 3:24), John was still at liberty, but his circumstances were about to change. We are told that there arose a point of contention[3] between John’s disciples and the Jewish authorities (plural) or a Jewish authority[4] (singular) concerning purifying or ceremonial washing (John 3:25). What seems to have occurred is that John’s disciples initiated a debate with the Jewish authorities or an important Jew. We know that the Jewish authorities questioned John’s right to baptize (John 1:25), and also immediately following their debate in John 3:25, they mentioned to John that all the people were now going to Jesus’ baptism (John 3:26).[5] Therefore, the point of contention may have been one that questioned both John’s and Jesus’ right to baptize. It seemed that both their ministries were treating the Jews like Jews treated gentile God-fearers, that is, as proselytes! So, the question may have been, where would it all end? John baptizes Jews, and Jesus re-baptizes them, and many others besides. If John’s baptism made Jews pure, how much purer could Jesus’ baptism make them? And will there be another baptizer coming after Jesus to re-purify those who submitted to both his and John’s baptisms?
Therefore, in the context of the debate of John 3:25, and John’s disciples hurrying off to tell John the news that Jesus baptized more Jews than John (John 3:26), we come to John’s conclusion of it all. John, the Baptizer, didn’t engage in the debate his disciples seem to believe was necessary. He was faithful to the end. He reminded them of what he had been saying from the beginning, namely, he was not the Messiah, but was sent before the Messiah (John 3:28). That said, John, the Baptizer, rejoiced over the fact that all the Jews were at that time going to Jesus. After all, this was the point of John’s ministry, to prepare a people for the Lord (John 1:23), or the Bridegroom of the bride (John 3:29). John understood that his success wasn’t measured by the number of folks following his ministry. Rather, his success was manifest in that he would lose his ministry to the Lord (John 3:30)!
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[1] The Feast of Firstfruits always occurred on the day we refer to as Sunday. It fell on the first day of the week following the 7th day Sabbath that occurred between the two annual Sabbath Holy Days of the Passover festival (the 15th and the 21st of Abib), during the first month of the Jewish calendar. This was the first day of the harvest season and the first of fifty days counting to Pentecost.
[2] See Josephus: Antiquities of the Jews; 18.5.2 (116, 119
[3] This point of contention seems to be the kind that causes much trouble. It was used of the question of circumcising gentile believers under Paul’s ministry Acts 15:2. Paul also mentioned that such questions were not only useless but often resulted in angry striving and debate (1Timothy 6:4; 2Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9).
[4] Scholarship is divided as to whether the plural Jews or the singular Jew is meant. Many scholars assume, because the singular is odd, it must be the original. However, this is only a guess on their part. The more likely is Jews, meaning the Jewish authorities. If one authority is meant, he still represented the group of authorities in Jerusalem, so, in my opinion the point is really moot.
[5] This point may have been brought up by the Jewish authority with whom John’s disciples debated. It seems as though, immediately after they had found out this information, they went and told John (John 3:26).
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