Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010)
Article: John The Baptist, Prophet Of The Highest, Part 5: The Completion Of John’s Ministry
Author: Kenneth C. Fleming

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EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010) p. 201

John The Baptist, Prophet Of The Highest, Part 5: The Completion Of John’s Ministry

Kenneth C. Fleming1

A Devotional Study: John 3:22-30

Ken Fleming is faculty emeritus at Emmaus Bible College. For twenty-five years he was a missionary in South Africa among the Zulu people. From 1977 to 2002 he was head of the Missions department at Emmaus. He continues an active ministry of preaching and writing.

The Morning Star Fades

The pinnacle of John’s ministry had passed when he had identified Jesus as the Lamb of God to two of his disciples. Those two disciples then left John and followed Jesus. Their action characterized the last phase of John’s ministry. His ministry would diminish and Jesus’ ministry would increase. The biblical record does not tell us of any more meetings they had. So as far as we know, John never saw Jesus again.

Following the events of John chapters 1 through 3:21, Jesus and his little group of disciples left the city of Jerusalem to engage in public ministry in Judea (3:22). All we know about this early Judean ministry is that he remained in Judea, preaching the kingdom of God and baptizing those who responded. Actually, his disciples did the baptizing (3:22, cf. 4:1). People in Judea had no doubt heard of the miracles he had done in Jerusalem (3:23). Public interest in him grew as they concluded that he

EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010) p. 202

was the one whom John had introduced as the Lamb of God and the Son of God. He preached and baptized on the Judean side (or western side) of the Jordan River.

Meanwhile, John kept on with his ministry. He was now located in Perea, preaching and baptizing in Aenon (3:23 cf. v. 26). Jesus and John were relatively near each other, so the people could see the association, but separate to mark the transition from John, the forerunner, to Jesus the Messiah. Both Jesus and John continued preaching and baptizing for some months until shortly before Herod the Tetrarch (Herod Antipas) arrested John. During this time, John’s popularity was slowly ebbing away while that of Jesus was increasing (4:1). John was like the morning star that precedes the dawn, fading away as the sun rises. John announced Jesus as the Dayspring (Sunrise), and then his star gradually dimmed (Luke 1:78).

The Question About Baptism (John 3:25-36)

The Controversy, VV. 25-36

Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. And they ca...

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