Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 3:26

"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 3:26 (ASV)

The argument between a Jewish inquirer and the disciples of John indicates that there must have been confusion over the respective merits of Jesus and John. If both were baptizing, whose baptism was valid? By popular acclaim Jesus’ influence was growing and John’s was waning. John’s interrogators felt that their friend and teacher had been eclipsed by Jesus’ sudden popularity, and they wanted an explanation.