Ep. 39: I must become less

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JOHN 3:25-30

Meanwhile, having sent his disciples off on their mission trip, Jesus himself taught and preached for a short time in the towns around Capernaum. He was successful enough to have drawn the attention of Herod Antipas, the Roman Tetrarch in the Galilee region and this was the probable reason why the disciples returned earlier than expected and also why the disciples of John the Baptist now arrived on the scene, informing Jesus of his death. Let us now backtrack a little …

It was early summertime when John was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim. Jesus and his disciples were similarly engaged in the neighbourhood. The Pharisees had arrived on the scene and had a plan to separate Jesus and John by drumming up the jealousy of the latter. John was having none of that. He was happy to defer to the greatness of Christ. In his simple Judean illustration. He was only ‘the friend of the Bridegroom’ (Shoshebheyna), not the bride.

Hours of cloud and darkness were to follow.

This is an extract from the book, Jesus : Life and Times, available for £10 here (Finalist for Academic Book of the year at 2023 CRT awards)