John 3:22-24

John's Second Testimony of Christ. John 3, 22-36.

Christ's ministry and John's baptism: V. 22. After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea; and there He tarried with them and baptized. V. 23. And John also was baptizing in Aenon, near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized. V. 24. For John was not yet cast into prison.

After the conversation with Nicodemus and after the days of the Passover Jesus left Jerusalem, but not Judea. He went out into the rural districts with His disciples, and there He spent some time with them. He had an opportunity at this time, when He was not yet so well known, to begin His special instruction of His disciples.

Incidentally, His disciples performed the rite of Baptism in His name. The ministry of Jesus was not carried out on a large scale as yet, but the work of the Baptist had yielded some fruit.

And John also continued his work, for men could still be prepared for the reception of the Messiah by his preaching and baptizing. He had at this time moved up the river into Samaria, almost to the boundary of Galilee. Here was the town of Salim, Gen. 33, 18, and some seven miles north of it Aenon, the place abounding in springs. And the people continued coming; his ministry was still very successful, they still desired to be baptized by the prophet of the wilderness.

This work John continued till he was thrown into prison by Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. Then only did the public ministry of Christ in the full sense of the term begin. The Lord indeed had shown Himself to the people, in Cana as well as in Jerusalem. But it was only after John's removal that He began His work as the Prophet of Israel on a large scale.

In the mean time, His Baptism was also one of repentance unto the remission of sins. The members of the Jewish Church should repent; they were in need of a purging from sins, which they could find in Christ. the Savior only.