They (the disciples of John) came to John, and said to him, Rabbi—the title of deep respect (verse 2), which stood in Jewish reverence high above all civil and military rank, and was here yielded in courtesy to the heroic leader—he who was with thee, apparently in entire mutual understanding with thee, receiving baptism at thy hands, and thus admitting thy right to baptize the people of God—"with thee" as we are "with thee"—beyond Jordan—at Bethany (Bethabara), at a better baptizing—place than this, on a grand historic site, the very scene of the great administration, where the Sanhedrin deferred to thy claims and the multitudes attested the hold thou hadst on their affections—to whom thou hast borne testimonies—the man who received thy homage, but who admitted also thy claims, about whom thou didst utter such strong things of unspeakable import—behold, he is now thy rival in popular esteem; this man is baptizing, and—with a pardonable exaggeration, they add—all men are coming unto him.
He is eclipsing thee; he seems to usurp the high and unique position which had been assumed by thyself. Serious questions these, which must lead to a complete disruption among the disciples of John. Before examining the reply of John to the query, it is well to observe that John had been walking in the blinding and bewildering light of new ideas; that the Fourth Gospel brings us into contact with John at the moment where the synoptic narrative draws its portraiture to a conclusion; and yet the Fourth Gospel, quite as firmly as the synoptists, shows that the fresh light which had dawned on John had not induced him to forego the preparatory mission on which his heart was set, and the zeal of which had consumed him.
If the perplexity arises—How could John have borne such ample testimony to Jesus and not at once have followed in his train? we reply that the language of John in Matthew 3:14 is just as difficult to reconcile with the message from the prison.
Thoma admits that this fact corresponds with the question, "Art thou he that should come, or look we for another?" In like manner, Hebraism itself within the bosom of the Church maintained a place after all its purpose had been fulfilled.
The destruction of the temple and of the Jewish state was necessary to abolish the force of the Hebrew tendency to ritualism of place and symbol even in the heart of Christ's disciples. Many of the mighty powers of the world, if they had not possessed an energy and vitality which refused to succumb when their work was really done, would never have done that work at all.