256: John — The One from Above

BEMA Episode Link: 256: John — The One from Above
Episode Length: 42:03
Published Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0800
Session 6
About this episode:

Marty Solomon and Brent Billings continue the journey through the Gospel of John, looking at the testimony of John the Baptist as he ratifies the identity and ministry of Christ.

Discussion Video for BEMA 256

Map of the Regions of Israel in Ancient Times

Thought of the Day: Imposter Syndrome — Marty Solomon, YouTube

sphragizo — Blue Letter Bible

Transcript for BEMA 256

Notes

*Note: The following notes are handwritten by me, Adam, and I reserve the right to be wrong.

BEMA Episode 256: John — The One from Above

Title & Source Summary

Episode: 256 - John — The One from Above Hosts: Marty Solomon and Brent Billings Focus: John 3:22-36

This episode continues the journey through the Gospel of John, focusing on the testimony of John the Baptist as he ratifies the identity and ministry of Jesus. The hosts explore the geographic setting of the baptisms, the relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist, and the profound spiritual themes of being “from above” versus being “from the earth.” The episode builds on the previous teaching by Josh Bosse about heavenly versus earthly paradigms, examining how John the Baptist models spiritual maturity and understanding of his role in God’s story.

Key Takeaways

John the Baptist demonstrates remarkable spiritual maturity by knowing his role and accepting what comes “from above” without struggling with comparison or competition
The Gospel of John juxtaposes those who are “from above” (seeing through God’s paradigm) with those who are “from the earth” (limited to earthly, religious paradigms)
John the Baptist may have served as a rabbi or teacher to Jesus, which explains why Jesus adopts similar practices and messages
The baptism locations chosen by John the Baptist correspond to significant locations in the ministry of Elijah, reinforcing John’s role as the “Elijah figure”
Geographic understanding of the Judean wilderness helps contextualize where these baptisms and teachings occurred
The “friend of the bridegroom” (best man) metaphor illustrates John the Baptist’s understanding that his role is to decrease as Jesus’s ministry increases
Trusting God’s story and seeing through His paradigm “certifies” or “proves true” what God says is true
The term “Son of God” may refer both to Jesus individually and to Israel as God’s firstborn collectively, creating layered meaning throughout John’s Gospel

Main Concepts & Theories

Geographic Context: Five Zones of the Land

The episode explores the geographic regions of ancient Israel to understand where John was baptizing:

Coastal Plain - Where pagan nations often settled
Shephelah - The foothills between the coastal plain and mountains
Judah Mountains - Where God’s people typically settled (including Jerusalem)
Judean Wilderness - Desert region between the mountains and the Rift Valley, gateway to deeper desert regions
Rift Valley - Contains the Jordan River and Dead Sea

The Judean wilderness/countryside where Jesus and John baptized was the desert region near the Jordan River, potentially near Qumran (where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found), less than three miles from where Jesus was baptized.

John the Baptist as Elijah Figure

Ray Vander Laan’s teaching (referenced by Marty) suggests John baptized at three specific locations that correspond to major Elijah stories:

Bethany beyond the Jordan - Where Elijah was fed by ravens
Anon near Salim - Where Elijah put his cloak on the water and parted the Jordan before being taken up in chariots of fire

John physically resembled Elijah (clothing, diet, mannerisms) and ministered in the same locations, fulfilling Jesus’s declaration that John plays the “Elijah part” in God’s redemptive story.

Debate Over Ceremonial Washing

The argument between John’s disciples and “a certain Jew” (or “certain Jews”/”Judeans”) reflects deeper theological divisions:

Pharisaic/Zealot baptism - Ritual ceremonial washing (mikvah) for cleansing
Essene baptism - Immersion and baptism of repentance with different theological nuances
Geographic religious divide - Northern Judaism (Galilee) versus Southern Judaism (Judea) had different practices and interpretations

The NET Bible suggests the argument may connect to Jesus turning ceremonial washing water into wine at Cana (John 2), raising questions about whether Jesus was critiquing traditional religious practices.

John the Baptist as Jesus’s Rabbi

Marty proposes (based on Ray Vander Laan’s suggestion) that John the Baptist may have served as Jesus’s rabbi or teacher:

Jesus adopts John’s practices (baptizing with disciples)
Jesus proclaims John’s message verbatim: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”
Jesus begins this proclamation after John is beheaded
The relationship explains the discipleship dynamic and why people questioned who was greater

Whether formal or informal, this relationship shows Jesus following a rabbinic pattern of learning from and emulating his teacher.

Friend of the Bridegroom

John uses the wedding metaphor to explain his role:

The bridegroom’s friend (best man) waits outside the consummation room
He listens for the proclamation that the marriage is consummated
He then announces this to the assembly, and the celebration intensifies
His role is crucial but limited - the wedding is not about him

John declares: “He must become greater; I must become less” - demonstrating that his role was to prepare the way, not to be the center of attention.

From Above vs. From the Earth

Building on Josh Bosse’s teaching from Episode 255, this passage explores dual paradigms:

Those From the Earth:

Limited to earthly, finite logic
Stuck in religious paradigms
Cannot see what God is doing
Like Nicodemus struggling to understand being “born again”
Speak as one from the earth

Those From Above:

See through God’s paradigm
Fluent in “second language” of Kingdom perspective
Born again/illuminated/awakened
Hope and resurrection become second nature
Testify to what they have seen and heard from God’s perspective

The passage echoes John 1’s light and darkness motif - those in darkness cannot comprehend the light coming into the world.

Certifying God’s Truthfulness

The word “certified” (Greek: sfragizo, Strong’s G4972) means to seal, prove, confirm, authenticate, or attest.

When someone accepts the testimony of the one from above, they:

Prove true what God says is true
Ratify God’s paradigm over earthly logic
Trust the story (callback to BEMA Session 1)
Choose self-sacrificial love over self-preservation
Enter into and see the Kingdom of God

This acceptance is an active choice to live not in fear but in trust, stepping into God’s way of seeing the world.

The Wrestling with “Son of God”

Josh Bosse’s previous teaching raised the question: Does “Son of God” refer to Jesus individually or to Israel as God’s firstborn son?

Evidence for Israel as firstborn:

Exodus 4:22-23 - “Israel is my firstborn son”
John 3 references Passover, Exodus, and God’s people
John the Baptist’s testimony is about God’s people understanding their calling

Evidence for Jesus specifically:

“The one whom God has sent speaks the words of God”
Language has a Jesus-specific flair
“The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands”

Possible synthesis:

John may be using layered meaning
Jesus as Israel’s firstborn incarnate
Both individual and collective identity work simultaneously
Requires ongoing wrestling and study

Imposter Syndrome and Spiritual Maturity

John the Baptist models freedom from imposter syndrome:

Knows exactly who he is and who he is not
Knows the part he’s called to play and the part he’s not called to play
Ready to accept what God wants to do through him and what God doesn’t want to do through him
Declares: “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven”
Understands he doesn’t control what God does with his ministry

This contrasts with the competitive, territorial thinking of his disciples who worry that Jesus is baptizing more people.

Examples & Applications

Real-World Application: Ministry and Calling

John the Baptist’s response to his disciples’ concern about Jesus’s growing ministry provides a model for:

Vocational ministry - Avoiding competition with other churches or ministries
Personal calling - Understanding your unique role without comparison
Spiritual gifts - Recognizing that God distributes gifts and roles as He wills
Success metrics - Trusting God with outcomes rather than measuring by earthly standards

Modern equivalent: When another church plants nearby and seems more successful, the response should be celebration rather than jealousy, recognizing that “a person can receive only what is given them from heaven.”

Trust Over Fear

The antidote to living “from the earth” (in fear, limited by circumstances) is choosing to trust God’s story:

When facing impossible situations, choosing to see from God’s perspective
Believing in goodness, redemption, and resurrection when circumstances suggest otherwise
Living in self-sacrificial love rather than self-preservation
Becoming “people of the ears” (trusting God’s word) rather than “people of the eyes” (trusting only what we can see)

The Nicodemus Journey

Nicodemus represents someone transitioning from earthly to heavenly paradigm:

Starts unable to comprehend being “born again”
Stuck in religious practice and paradigm
By the end of the Gospels, has “tasted and seen” that the Kingdom of God is good
Models the journey from darkness to light, earth to heaven

This journey is available to all who will accept the invitation to see through God’s lens.

Bearing Fruit

Referenced from John 15 (not yet covered in the series): God is responsible for bearing fruit, not the individual. This connects to:

John the Baptist’s statement about receiving only what comes from above
Impact Campus Ministries’ vision of partnering with God
Releasing control over outcomes and trusting God’s work

Potential Areas for Further Exploration

Textual criticism - Understanding manuscript variations in John 3:31-36 regarding quotation marks and whether John the Baptist or John the author is speaking
Essene theology and practice - Deeper study of how Essene baptismal practices differed from Pharisaic and Sadducean approaches
Galilean vs. Judean Judaism - The significant theological and practical differences between northern and southern Jewish practice in the first century
Elijah typology - Comprehensive study of how John the Baptist fulfills and embodies the Elijah role throughout the Gospels
Wedding customs - First-century Jewish wedding practices and how they illuminate biblical metaphors
Son of God language - Tracing how “son of God” is used throughout Hebrew Scripture and the New Testament, examining individual vs. corporate meanings
Imposter syndrome in Scripture - Other biblical figures who struggled with or overcame comparison and identity issues
Light and darkness motif - Comprehensive study of this theme throughout John’s Gospel
Born again/from above - The Greek word anothen can mean both “again” and “from above,” creating wordplay in Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus
Geographic influence on theology - How physical location (desert, mountains, valleys) shaped theological understanding and practice

Comprehension Questions

How does John the Baptist’s response to his disciples’ concerns about Jesus’s ministry demonstrate spiritual maturity? What specific attitudes or beliefs does he express that counter typical human responses to competition?
Explain the difference between being “from above” and being “from the earth” as described in this passage. How does this concept connect to Jesus’s conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:1-21?
What is the significance of John the Baptist choosing to baptize at locations associated with Elijah’s ministry? How does this reinforce his identity and calling?
What does it mean to “certify” or “prove true” that God is truthful (John 3:33)? How does trusting God’s story accomplish this certification?
Why is there ongoing debate about whether “Son of God” in this passage refers to Jesus individually, Israel as God’s firstborn, or both? What evidence supports each interpretation?

Personalized Summary

This episode of BEMA presents John the Baptist as a model of spiritual maturity and proper understanding of one’s role in God’s story. Rather than competing with Jesus or struggling with comparison, John demonstrates profound freedom by recognizing that “a person can receive only what is given them from heaven.” His use of the bridegroom’s friend metaphor perfectly captures his understanding: he plays a crucial but limited role in a story that’s ultimately about someone else.

The teaching explores the geographic context of the Judean wilderness where these baptisms occurred, connecting John’s location choices to significant moments in Elijah’s ministry. This reinforces John’s identity as the prophesied Elijah figure who prepares the way for the Messiah.

The core theological theme examines the difference between being “from above” versus “from the earth” - seeing through God’s paradigm versus being limited to earthly, religious thinking. This builds on the previous episode’s teaching about heavenly versus earthly perspectives, showing how those who are “born again” can see and enter the Kingdom of God while those stuck in earthly logic cannot comprehend what God is doing.

The episode introduces fascinating complexity to understanding “Son of God” language, questioning whether it refers exclusively to Jesus or also encompasses Israel as God’s firstborn son. This layered interpretation opens new avenues for reading John’s Gospel and understanding how individual and corporate identity intersect in biblical theology.

Ultimately, the passage calls listeners to trust God’s story over earthly appearances, to find their identity in God’s calling rather than comparison with others, and to choose the “second language” of hope, resurrection, and Kingdom perspective over the native tongue of fear and limitation. When we accept this invitation and live from this paradigm, we certify - prove true - what God declares about reality, participating in the ongoing story of redemption.

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S6 256: John — The One from Above

John the Baptist Ratifies the Identity and Ministry of Christ [42:03]