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Chapter 18—“He Must Increase, But I Must
Decrease”
This chapter is based on
John 3:22-36
.
If John the Baptist had announced himself as the Messiah and
raised a revolt against Rome, priests and people would have flocked
to his standard. Every consideration that appeals to the ambition of
the world’s conquerors Satan stood ready to urge upon him. But he
had steadfastly refused the splendid bribe. The attention fixed upon
him he directed to Another.
Now he saw the tide of popularity turning away from himself to
the Saviour. Day by day the crowds about him lessened as the people
flocked to hear Jesus. The number of Christ’s disciples increased
daily.
But the disciples of John looked with jealousy upon the growing
popularity of Jesus. They stood ready to criticize His work, and it
was not long before they found occasion. A question arose between
John’s disciples and the Jews as to whether baptism cleansed the
soul from sin; they maintained that the baptism of Jesus differed
essentially from that of John. Soon they were in dispute with Christ’s
disciples in regard to the form of words proper to use at baptism,
and finally as to their right to baptize at all. The disciples of John
came to him with their grievances, saying, “Rabbi, He that was with
thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same
baptizeth, and all men come to Him.”
Through these words, Satan brought temptation upon John. If
John had expressed disappointment at being superseded, he would
have sown seeds of dissension, encouraged envy and jealousy, and
seriously impeded the progress of the gospel.
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John had by nature the faults and weaknesses common to hu-
manity, but the touch of divine love had transformed him. He dwelt
in an atmosphere uncontaminated with selfishness and ambition. He
manifested no sympathy with the dissatisfaction of his disciples, but
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