Church Fathers Commentary John 3:22-26

"After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized. And John also was baptizing in Enon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John`s disciples with a Jew about purifying. And they came unto John, and said to him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou hast borne witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." — John 3:22-26 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: Nothing is more open or bold than truth. It does not seek concealment, avoid danger, fear snares, or care for popularity. It is subject to no human weakness.

Our Lord went up to Jerusalem for the feasts, not for show or love of honor, but to teach the people His doctrines and perform miracles of mercy. After the festival, He visited the crowds gathered at the Jordan. After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He stayed with them and was baptizing.

The Venerable Bede: “After these things” does not mean immediately after His discussion with Nicodemus in Jerusalem, but after His return to Jerusalem following some time spent in Galilee.

Alcuin of York: By “Judea” is meant those who confess, whom Christ visits. For wherever there is a confession of sins or the praise of God, Christ and His disciples—that is, His doctrine and enlightenment—come there. And there He is known by cleansing people from sin: And there He stayed with them, and was baptizing.

St. John Chrysostom: As the Evangelist says later that Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only His disciples, it is evident that he means the same thing here: that is, that only the disciples baptized.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Our Lord did not baptize with the baptism with which He had been baptized. He was baptized by a servant as a lesson of humility for us and to bring us to the Lord’s baptism—that is, His own—for Jesus baptized as the Lord, the Son of God.

The Venerable Bede: John still continued baptizing even though Christ had begun, for the shadow still remained; nor must the forerunner cease until the truth is manifested. And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim. Aenon is Hebrew for “water,” so the Evangelist gives, as it were, the derivation of the name when he adds, because there was much water there. Salim is a town on the Jordan where Melchizedek once reigned.

St. Jerome: It does not matter whether it is called Salem or Salim, since the Jews very rarely use vowels in the middle of words, and the same words are pronounced with different vowels and accents by different readers and in different places.

The Venerable Bede: John's baptism, coming before Christ's, conveyed the same kind of benefit that catechumens receive from instruction before they are baptized. Just as John preached repentance, announced Christ’s baptism, and drew all people to the knowledge of the truth now revealed to the world, so the ministers of the Church first instruct those who come to the faith, then reprove their sins, and finally, drawing them to the knowledge and love of the truth, offer them remission of sins through Christ’s baptism.

St. John Chrysostom: Even though the disciples of Jesus were baptizing, John did not stop until his imprisonment, as the Evangelist’s language indicates: For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

The Venerable Bede: He is evidently relating here what Christ did before John’s imprisonment, a part that has been passed over by the other evangelists, who begin their accounts after John’s imprisonment.

St. Augustine of Hippo: But why did John baptize?

Because it was necessary that our Lord should be baptized.

St. John Chrysostom: But why did he continue baptizing now? Because if he had stopped, it might have been attributed to envy or anger. By continuing to baptize, however, he gained no glory for himself but instead sent his listeners to Christ. He was better able to perform this service than Christ’s own disciples were, since his testimony was so free from suspicion and his reputation with the people was so much higher than theirs.

He therefore continued to baptize so that he would not increase the envy his own disciples felt toward our Lord’s baptism. Indeed, I think the reason John’s death was permitted, and Christ was made the great preacher in his place, was so that the people might transfer their affections entirely to Christ and no longer be divided between the two.

For John’s disciples became so envious of Christ’s disciples, and even of Christ Himself, that when they saw the latter baptizing, they treated that baptism with contempt, as if it were inferior to John’s. Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. The Evangelist implies that it was they who began the dispute, not the Jews, by saying that a discussion arose from John’s disciples, when he could have said that the Jews put forth a question.

St. Augustine of Hippo: The Jews, then, asserted that Christ was the greater person and that His baptism was necessary to receive. But John’s disciples did not yet understand this and defended John’s baptism. At last, they came to John to resolve the question: And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing.”

St. John Chrysostom: They meant, “He whom you baptized is now baptizing.” They did not say explicitly, “Whom you baptized,” because they did not wish to be reminded of the voice from heaven. Instead, they said, “He who was with you,” that is, “the one who was in the position of a disciple, who was no more than any of us—He now separates Himself from you and baptizes.”

They added, “To whom you bare witness,” as if to say, “The one you revealed to the world, the one you made famous, now dares to do the same as you.” They said, “Behold, the Same baptizes.” In addition to this, they stressed the likelihood that John’s teachings would fall into discredit: “And all are coming to Him.”

Alcuin of York: Meaning, “Passing by you, all people are running to the baptism of Him whom you baptized.”