John 3:25 through 30 say, “There arose therefore a questioning on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, He who was with you across the Jordan, of whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him. John answered and said, A man cannot receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves testify of me that I said, I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before Him. He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices with joy because of the bridegroom’s voice. This joy of mine therefore is made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
We have to join verse 29 to verse 30. In verse 29 there is the bride, and in verse 30 there is the increase. This shows us that the bride is the increase of Christ, just as Eve, the wife of Adam, was the increase of Adam. Originally Adam was single, a bachelor, but later an increase came out of him. That increase was the increase of Adam himself, who became his counterpart, a bride. Even in type it is very clear that the bride, or the wife, is always an increase of the bridegroom, the husband. In John 3, John the Baptist says that the increase of Christ is His very bride.
In chapter three, however, we cannot see the way to have the increase of Christ. The way is revealed in chapter twelve. John 12:20 to 23 say, “And there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the feast. These then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. Philip came and told Andrew; Andrew came, and Philip too, and they told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” If we stop here, we may think that to be glorified is to be put on the throne. We have to realize the situation. All the people at this time welcomed Jesus. They rendered the biggest, warmest welcome to Him. Even the Gentiles, the Greeks, came to greet Him and the disciples, such as Philip, Andrew, and the others. I believe that they must have been excited. If you and I had been there, we would have been excited. This was something that never had happened in those three and a half years. However, while the disciples were excited and came to tell it to the Lord, He said “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
Verse 24 says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” Fruit here refers to the many grains. To be glorified is to undergo the process of death and resurrection. Verses 25 and 26 continue, “He who loves his soul-life loses it; and he who hates his soul-life in this world shall keep it unto eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there also My servant will be. If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Then verses 32 and 33 say, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself. But He said this signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.” Do not think that to be lifted up is to be enthroned. Rather, this lifting up was His being put to death. John 12 reveals the way of increase. The increase of Christ is brought forth and produced by the process of death and resurrection.
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