He Must Increase, But I Must Decrease

The Conviction of the Baptizer About Jesus’s Ministry in John 3:30

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John the Baptist had a major role to play. He was the prophesied forerunner of the Messiah (Isa. 40; Mal. 4). He came to prepare the way of the Lord. This preparation involved calling people to confess their sins and be baptized.

But John knew that his own ministry wouldn’t last. There was One who would come after him, and this One was so great that John wasn’t worthy to handle the man’s sandal straps (Mark 1:7). Near the end of John 3, the Baptizer makes a statement that summarizes his perspective, and at the same time, his words are a paradigm for us to embrace as well.