He must increase; I must decrease - Jn 3:22-30
The disciples of John could not accept the fact that their master with a thunderous voice and imperious face, the true heir of the great prophets of Israel, let the young rabbi of Nazareth gain the advantage, at first glance - more modest than him. The disciples of John the Baptist were tormented by this envy-born thought, as appears from the context of the passage of the Fourth Gospel we chose, which quotes their words: " Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you testified, here he is baptizing, and everyone is coming to him” (cf. Jn 3:26).
Anyway, the same temptation also comes to Christ's disciples: "Teacher, we saw someone (...) casting out demons in your name, and we started to forbid him, because he is not coming with us. But Jesus replied: "Stop forbidding him.... For whoever is not against us is with us” (cf. Mk 9: 38–40).
But let us return to John and the answer he gives to his zealous disciples about Jesus. Referring to the famous biblical symbol that the prophets used to describe the covenant between Israel and God, that is, the image of a wedding, John the Baptist calls Jesus the Bridegroom, to whom the bride is destined, which is the community of believers in Him. The very use of this image shows the respect that John has for Christ, recognizing Him in His Divinity, and using the prophetic wedding symbolism is evidenced of it.
As part of this recognition, he also marks a place for himself and draws his self-portrait as the friend of the bridegroom. It is not a general formulation; we could rather consider it a technical legal term. In ancient Israel, a friend of the bridegroom was required by both families to maintain the relationship between the bride and groom and to carry out all specific, legal and economic formalities related to the marriage.
Thus, John's mission is extremely important - not only in a metaphorical sense - but it is also intended to lead Israel to meeting with Jesus. In this light, John becomes a real "forerunner". As is said about him in the Prologue of St. John: "He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him" (cf. Jn 1: 7). Truly clear and bold is the confession that john the Baptist makes for this, that his disciples can rise above their spiritual narrowness: He must increase; I must decrease (cf. Jn 3:30)
This sentence is an expression of truth and humility, awareness of one's own vocation and its limitations. This is a real lesson for parents and educators, guides and masters - their task is not to put themselves at the center to bind the child or student to themselves forever, but to make them grow fully, reach maturity. We can repeat from the famous Latin philosopher of the first century B.C., Seneca, that there is a double benefit in teaching, because “Whilewe teach, we learn.”
Desire to be exalted above others, destroys love, even among ordinary people. That is why the Lord Jesus reminded his disciples that "whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave" (cf. Mt 20: 26f). To be able to rejoice when someone is good and when someone has achieved more than I am is an important sign that we are living in the spirit of the Gospel.The Lord Jesus gave us an example even more difficult: giving up your own for the good of those you love. "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends" (cf. Jn 15:13).
The attitude of John the Baptist is something else: John recognized Jesus as the Messiah who came to God's people as the Bridegroom to the Bride. Well, a man, even if it seems to him that he serves the cause of God, becomes annoyance if he seeks himself in this service.
We must be transparent to God to really serve Him. Only then is our service authentic when we really want God, and only God, to be glorified. In the service of God, we must have the attitude of John the Baptist: " He must increase; I must decrease” (cf. Jn 3:30)
Until Tomorrow
fr. george