Reading for Aug. 1: John 6:1-4

1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near.

Comments:

Today we start chapter 6 of John, in this chapter we see the miraculous feeding of the 5000. This is one of Jesus' most important and well known miracles. This miracle not only shows us the power of God but also shows us the depravity of man. Notice as you read this week not only the awesomeness of God but also take note of how often man fails and falls short of what God requires or desires of them.

The passage begins with a brief description of the crowd that was out to hear Him. The passage states that the multitude followed Him because of what they saw Jesus do. Those who were there were there for the most part to see or receive a miracle not necessarily to worship or learn from His teachings. They were searching for the temporary, physical benefits of knowing Jesus but had no interest in the eternal, spiritual benefits.

Notice in verse 3 how Jesus, despite the gathering crowds and the surrounding commotion took the disciples aside and talk with them. I imagine it would have been very easy for the disciples to mingle with the crowd and join in on the commotion. It's important for us today also to take time away from the commotion and spend time alone with Christ.

Reading for July 31: John 5:41-47

41 "I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

Comments:

The Jews in Jesus' day (and today for that matter) were looking for a Messiah, but they were looking for one that fit their concept of what a Messiah should be. They were looking for someone to be a political King, someone to put the Jews back in a place of prominence among the world's kingdoms. What they wanted was someone like them, that believed like them, and practiced "religion" like them. When Jesus appeared and claimed to be the Messiah, they rejected Him because He was the exact opposite of what they expected. In verse 41-43 He reacts to this thinking saying that He is not after their approval. He was sent by the Father for a specific purpose and if that purpose did not fit their beliefs then they needed to change their beliefs.

Verse 44 ask a very good question, a question that anyone who claims to be a believer should ask themselves if they are finding it hard to follow the commands of God. I really like the way the NIV paraphrases the verse: "How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?" The Jews were attempting to be "Godly" by working to fulfill the "laws" as described by the Jewish leaders. These laws were based on scripture but had been perverted into a legalistic mumbo-jumbo. So the focus of the Jews then was to satisfy these laws not satisfy God's commands as dictated in the scriptures. Jesus tells them, then, how can you believe when you put all of your energy into pleasing man by following these manmade traditions and not seeking to honor God. The same is true today, how can people expect to be follows of Christ when they spend all of their energy trying to please man.

Jesus goes on to tell the Jews that He is not there to accuse them because their own trusted "father" Moses will accuse them. The Jews were mistakenly believing that they were doing exactly what Moses had written for them to do and was therefore guiltless before God, but Jesus said that in fact Moses will accuses them of their wrong doing to God the Father. Again Jesus tells them that they are not reading the scriptures with the right intent and because of that they are missing an opportunity to see Jesus for who He is.

Reading for July 30: John 5:37-40

37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.

Comments:

At the end of last week, in verses 31 – 36, Jesus tells the Jews that they don't have to just take His word for it that He is who He says He is, there are witnesses to back up His claim. First, He mentions John the Baptist and his teachings. Then He points out that the works that He has done proves He is sent by the Father. In today's verses, Jesus tells the Jews that there is another witness for His case – the Scriptures.

The Jews had a proud heritage of being God's chosen and because of this they thought that any time God spoke to man He spoke to them only. Jesus here in verses 37 and 38 is saying that in fact they have not heard from God and even with Jesus, God Himself, standing right before them, they could not take in God's message because they would not believe.

Instead, in their ignorance they studied the scripture with a blind eye denying the truth that was looking right at them. They were looking at the scriptures as a step by step instruction manual on how to earn a ticket in heaven, instead of seeing the scriptures as they are: a revelation of God. If they would have read the scriptures with an intent of seeing God instead of seeing themselves, they would have recognized Jesus for who He was without question.

Just like today, the Jews had it all wrong, they thought they could do enough good to work their way in God's Kingdom, but they could never do enough good. What Jesus was trying to tell them, as we should be trying to tell the lost today, the focus has to be on God and God's perfect plan for salvation. The Jews knew the scriptures but on an intellectual level only, they spent a great deal of time in the Temple but for selfish reasons only and because of this they missed the way, the only way, to salvation, Jesus.

Reading for July 21, 2007 Jon 5:16-18

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And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things on the sabbath day. But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

Reading for July 20: John 11-15

11 He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your bed and walk.'"
12 Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you."
15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Reading for July 19: John 5:5-6

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be made well?"
7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."
8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed."

Reading for July 18: John 5:1-5

1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years

Reading for July 17: John 4:48-54

48 Then Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe."
49 The nobleman said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies!"
50 Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your son lives." So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, "Your son lives!"
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

Comments:

Here we see the Grace of Jesus. Despite the nobleman's faithlessness, Jesus heals the boy as requested by the father. Initially the father thought that Jesus was limited somehow by physical separation. Then something happened, Jesus told him to "Go your way; your son lives" and the man believed Him. There was a miraculous change in the man, a change that produced faith. Through this new faith the man was able to believe that Jesus was who He said He was and would do what He said He would do without prior physical evidence.

In the end, the man's faith was rewarded (not that the faith was from him but a gift to him). Not only was his son saved, but then his whole family came to know Jesus to.

Reading for July 16: John 4:43-47

43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.

   
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death.

 

Comments:

Two days after Jesus had revealed Himself to the Samaritan woman, He left to go back to Galilee. While in Samaria something amazing happened, many believed and were saved based on the testimony of a rejected woman. Jesus only had to show the woman her need for a savior (by pointing out her sin) and then telling her who He was and what He can do for her. There were no miraculous signs or any wondrous healings, only the gospel in its purest form. However, the Jews in Galilee were much more stubborn. Jesus says in verse 44, "a prophet has no honor in his own country." Meaning that in Galilee, where He grew up, He would never be accepted based on His testimony alone This show us a sharp contrast between the Samaritans and the Jews. One group, the Samaritans, was willing to have faith that Jesus was who He said He was; the other group, the Jews, will need to see the miracles of Jesus before they will believe. It says that the Galileans received Him, but they received Him only because they had seen what He had done at the feast. Their relationship with Jesus was purely selfish; they only wanted Jesus for what He could give them. The Samaritans wanted Jesus for who He was: the Messiah, the Son of God. And it was through that type of relationship that the Samaritans were saved.

Verses 46 and 47 set up an example of how the Jews initially approached Jesus, as a miracle worker instead of the Messiah. We will see how Jesus uses these signs to show the world, then and now, that He is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Reading for July 14: John 4:34-42

34 Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. 35 Do you not say, 'There are still four months and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: 'One sows and another reaps.' 38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors."
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did." 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word.
42 Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ,
the Savior of the world."

John 4:34-42 (NKJV)

Reading for July 13: John 4:28-33

28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat."
32 But He said to them, "I have food to eat of which you do not know."
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?" John 4:28-33 (NKJV)

Comments:

Notice what the woman did after she learned the truth of who Jesus was and what He had to offer; she went and told others. She went back to the city that had rejected her, even to the men, and told them the good news about Christ. It would have been real easy for her to say, "those people don't deserve saving" or "I just want to stay here with Jesus and 'worship'". Instead she had developed the Christ-like characteristic of love for all men no matter what the sin and she could do nothing but go and tell.

After the woman left the disciples show back up, which in itself is a divine intervention. If the disciples would have shown up earlier they probably would have interrupted the conversation, so God set the timing perfectly to allow for the truth to be told to this woman.

The disciples then have the exact problem the woman had earlier, they are unable to view what Jesus was saying as a spiritual lesson instead of a simple remark concerning physical desire. How easy it is to slip back into the ways of the world when we get away from God.

Reading for July 12: John 4:21-27

21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will -neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."
26 Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why are You talking with her?"

John 4:21-27 (NKJV)

Comments:

So far the woman at the well has gone from searching for regular water to living water, from seeing through worldly glasses to seeing things in a spiritual sense. This new outlook has caused her to start searching for God. In today's passage Jesus tells the woman He is the way. She is led down a path where she is able to see that she needs a savior, and then Christ reveals Himself to her.

Jesus also teaches us something about worship in this passage. The Jews and the Samaritans were very ritualistic but what Christ reveals is that true worship is more than that. He says that true worship is true worshipers worshiping in spirit and truth. And that The Father is seeking such worshipers.

Reading for July 11: John 4:16-20

16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here."
17 The woman answered and said, "I have no husband."
Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly."
19 The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship."

John 4:16-20 (NKJV)

Comments:

Yesterday, Jesus told the woman what He had to give, living water, but she could not understand what He meant. She could not see past the physical. Today, Jesus takes her to a place where the spiritual is important. He takes her there by confronting her with her sin. When the woman is confronted with her sin she immediately begins to see things through spiritual glasses, seeing Jesus now as more than a usual traveler and she begins to contemplate how she can approach God.

One of the issues of contention between the Jews and the Samaritans was that the Jews restricted worship to Jerusalem but the Samaritans, because they only recognized the Pentateuch, accepted worship at Mt. Gerizim overlooking the place where Abraham built his first alter. The woman, now being convicted of her sin, realizes that she needs to find the right path to God. Jesus is going to tell her in tomorrow's passage.

Reading for July 10: John 4:9-15

9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water."
11 The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?"
13 Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
15 The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." John 4:9-15(NKJV)

Comments:

Verse 9 begins with the woman responding back to Jesus with shock that He (a Jew) would speak to her (a Samaritan). Jesus answers her saying that He is the source of "living water" and if she knew Him she would have asked for it. Isn't that still true today; if people knew who Jesus is and what He has to offer then they would be asking for it. That's why it is so important for those of us who know to go and tell.

The woman, however, doesn't get it. She can't get past her earthly desires; she can only see what her heart will allow her to see. So Jesus begins by explaining to her her need for a new kind of "water," a "water" that is eternal and a "water" that will provide everlasting life. The woman still looks at the situation through earthy eyes and can only see what will be good for her now.

Tomorrow we will see what Jesus has to do to her so she can understand the full meaning of what He is saying.

Reading for July 9: John 4:1-8

1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria.
5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.

John 4:1-8(NKJV)

Discussion Question:

• What group of people is for you what the Samaritans were for the Jews – a group that you don’t understand and even fell an aversion for? (people of a different race, the homeless, young people in Gothic dress, other)

Comment:

Today we start one of my favorite stories in Bible, Jesus and the women at the well. This event is an amazing display of what Jesus is all about, a full display of His purpose. I also think I like it so much because of the irony that runs through it. Almost every aspect, from the setting to the conclusion, is just the opposite of what the world at that time was expecting from the Messiah.

It begins in the usual fashion, giving us the setting for the coming events. Jesus and His disciples left Judea to go to Galilee. To get to Galilee, they would need to go through the land of Samaria (see map). Samaria and the people who lived there (the Samaritans) were hated by most Jews; in fact, the most pious Jews would not even travel through Samaria, instead taking roads going all the way around. But Jesus "needed to go through Samaria." He needed to because He had work to do there, with His diving knowledge, He knew that the events that we are going to read about was going to take place.

As they approached the divinely arranged location, Jesus began to fatigue. The is a nice picture for us to see the humanity of Jesus as well as the divinity. So, they stopped at Jacobs well. While waiting at the well at about noon, a single woman approached. This was odd because: one the women usually travelled in groups to get water and two because they came earlier in the morning or later in the evening when it was cooler. This indicates that this woman was a social outcast even among her own people, not to say what the Jews would think of her. So, right from the beginning this encounter is atypical: the wrong place and the wrong person.

Jesus then does something, which the world would have viewed as a no-no; He speaks to a woman in public. And not just any woman but to a Samaritan woman; and not just a Samaritan woman but an outcast Samaritan woman. What a wonderful lesson we can learn from this. Who should we be taking Jesus to? Well, so far we've seen Jesus talking to a rich educated Jewish ruler and now a poor rejected Samaritan. I think it is safe to say everyone, without restriction to race, gender, nationality, or even their particular sin.

Reading for July 7: John 3:35-36

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:35-36(NKJV)

Comments:

Sorry for the lack of comments yesterday, I was having computer issues. I'll just put yesterday's and today's all in one.

What we have seen in these last few verses of this chapter is John providing evidence of Jesus' absolute supremacy. First we saw that Christ has a heavenly origin. Then yesterday in verse 32 we were told that because Christ has that heavenly origin, the Truth He teaches is firsthand. In other words, He did not have to learn it from another earthly teacher: "He has seen and heard" in the heavenly realm. Verse 33 goes on to say that what He teaches, or testifies, always agrees with God. In fact, says verse 34, that He actually "speaks the words of God" and that He does this with the power of the Holy Spirit. This power in Jesus is not like the power we have from the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature limits what the Spirit will do through us, but with Christ that power is without measure, meaning limitless. Finally, in verses 35 and 26, we are told that the Father loves the Son and has given all things to Him, including the authority to save the lost. John goes on to say that He who believes this fact, that Jesus can/will/did save them, has eternal life.

With these 5 facts (Christ has a heavenly origin, Christ knows the truth firsthand, Christ's testimony always agrees with God, Christ experienced the power of the Holy Spirit without limit, and Christ receives all authority from the Father) John declares the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and His unique ability to save sinners from the consequences of their disobedience. This is the new covenant.

Reading for July 6: John 3:32-34

32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. John 3:32-34(NKJV)

Reading for July 5: John 3:31

31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. John 3:31(NKJV)

Comments:

In the remaining verses of this chapter John is going to give five reasons to accept the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ. The first of the five is that Christ has a heavenly origin. He says twice in this verse that He, meaning Jesus, is from above or from heaven. And because of that fact, He is above all, that is He is sovereign over the universe and all men in particular.

Reading for July 4: John 3:28-30

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent before Him.' 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:28-30 (NKJV)

Discussion Question:

• Are you increasing or decreasing? Is what you do around others increase or decrease Jesus?

Comments:

These verses show even more of John's willingness to "step aside" for the Son of God. He refers to himself as not the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom. The responsibilities of the "friend of the bridegroom" included: serving as the master of ceremonies announcing the bride and bridegroom to the guest and bringing the bride to the bridegroom. In this analogy, as it is throughout the Bible, the bride refers to the Church and the bridegroom is Christ. John goes on to say that as the "friend" he rejoices at the sound of the bridegroom's voice, meaning that he has nothing but happiness that the bridegroom has arrived. Because John is only the "friend" he says that he must decrease and because Jesus is the bridegroom, He must increase.

Just like yesterday, we are left with a statement that we should be constantly reminding ourselves: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

With these statements, John is signaling an end to his ministry to make room for One greater, which signals an end of the old covenant to make room for the new. For the remainder of the week we will read about this new beginning.

Reading for July 3: John 3:25-27

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!"
27 John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven."
John 3:25-27 (NKJV)

Comments:

Here we see that John's disciples were a little confused about the relationship of John to Jesus. Apparently, they imagined some sort of competition between the two, with their "team" losing popularity fast. John, however, had the correct view of what was going on, in fact he had already stated it once before (see 1:29-30). The first thing John does to set his disciples straight is to let them know that everything he (John) is has come from heaven. In other words, everything he (and they) has is a gracious gift from God. With this statement he prevents any form of pride in self and in turn cuts away jealousy.

I think we all need to remind ourselves occasionally that, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven."

Our new pastor's first message....

is now available online here: My Type of Church.

Enjoy!

Reading for July 2: John 3:22-24

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison
John 3:22-24 (NKJV)

Comments:

This week we are going to read John the Baptist's last testimony concerning Jesus. We will see how John the Baptist fading into the background and Jesus coming to the forefront also signifies the passing from the old covenant to the new covenant. The old covenant displayed God's holiness and man's sinfulness through the law. The new covenant ushered in by Jesus provides the salvation that is proven to be needed by the old covenant. The transition between those two occurs as the last prophet under the old covenant, John the Baptist, steps aside for the One that he had came to prepare the way for, Jesus Christ.

These first three verses give us the setting for the coming events. "After these things," indicates that the coming events happened some unspecified amount of time after Jesus' ministry during the Passover in Jerusalem (cleansing the Temple, doing miraculous sign, and teaching). It says that from Jerusalem they went in the land of Judea. Jesus and His disciples went there for two reasons. First it says, "He remained with them." The NASB translates that as "He was spending time with them." This was probably a time of considerable teaching and training. The disciples were learning how to be disciples. The other thing they were doing in the land of Judea was baptizing. Remember that this is a baptism of repentance only (just like John the Baptist was doing) not the Christian Baptism that we know because the Christian Baptism could only be performed after the death and resurrection of Christ.

Next we see the where and what of John the Baptist. He was also baptizing at a place called Aenon (name means "springs"). He continued in his ministry of preparing people for the messiah through repentance. And it says that people were still coming to be baptized by John.

At this point people could not tell much difference in Jesus and John, but John in this passage is going to clarify how vastly different they are. It is very important for Christians to understand the difference, not only in John and Jesus' ministries but more importantly the differences between the old and the new covenants.