Lesson#06

RETURN TO SYLLABUS
PARABLES OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
LESSON #06
THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS FRIEND (JOH 3:29,30)

MEMORY VERSE: ISA 62:5

READ MAT 11:1-15 BACKGROUND:

JOHN THE BAPTIST IS IN PRISON. HE SENDS WORDS TO JESUS WITH A QUESTION AS TO WHETHER JESUS IS THE MESSIAH.

JOHN UNDERSTOOD THAT JESUS WAS THE MESSIAH ABOUT A MONTH EARLIER WHEN HE BAPTIZED JESUS IN THE JORDAN RIVER.

WHY DID JOHN NOW HAVE DOUBTS?

IT IS HUMAN RESPONSE SINCE HE, HIMSELF, WAS GOING THROUGH PERSECUTION, AND JESUS DID NOT COME TO RESCUE HIM.
LIKE MOST JEWS, JOHN WAS LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH TO IMMEDIATELY SET UP HIS KINGDOM AND BRING JUDGMENT UPON ISRAEL’S ENEMIES AND FREEDOM TO GOD’S PEOPLE.

WHAT DOES JESUS USE TO PROVE TO JOHN THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH?

THE MIRACLES PROPHESIED BY ISAIAH ARE PROOF.

READ ISA 61:1-3

THE CONTEXT OF THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS FRIEND:

READ JOHN 3:22-36

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

THE BRIDEGROOM IS SOMEONE SPECIAL WHO WILL INCREASE IN IMPORTANCE. HE HAS A BRIDE. THE FRIEND REJOICES AT THIS, EVEN THOUGH THE FRIEND DECREASES IN IMPORTANCE.

THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 INTERPRETATIONS FOR WHO IS REPRESENTED BY THESE VARIOUS DESIGNATIONS IN THIS PARABLE.

THE BRIDE	THE BRIDEGROOM	THE FRIEND
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH	CHRIST	OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
THE HOLY CITY OF REV 21	CHRIST	ALL OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS
THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH	CHRIST	JOHN THE BAPTIST
ALL JEWS ISA 54:5	CHRIST	JOHN THE BAPTIST

WHO DOES THE BRIDE REPRESENT?

THE BRIDE REPRESENTS THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH.

HOW DO WE KNOW THE BRIDE REPRESENTS THE CHURCH?

READ 2COR 11:2 AND EPH 5:25-27, 32
READ REV 19:7

THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB

THE CHURCH IS UNITED WITH CHRIST AT THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH. AFTER THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, THERE IS A MARRIAGE CELEBRATION OF OUR UNITY WITH CHRIST FOR ETERNITY.

READ REV 21:2, 9-10

THE NEW JERUSALEM IS A HOLY CITY FILLED WITH BELIEVERS WHO SPEND ETERNITY WITH CHRIST.

AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FUTURE ETERNITY, THE HOLY CITY, FILLED WITH BELIEVERS, COMES TO REST ON A NEW EARTH UNDER A NEW HEAVEN.

HOW DO WE KNOW THE BRIDE REPRESENTS THE CHURCH AND NOT ALL JEWS?

READ ISA 54:5-6 AND JER 3:20

THE BIBLE CALLS ISRAEL, THE WIFE OF GOD, NOT THE BRIDE.
WE KNOW THAT ALL JEWS ARE NOT SAVED AND WILL NOT SPEND ETERNITY IN THE NEW JERUSALEM. (ROM 8:4-8, 30-32)

WHO DOES THE BRIDEGROOM REPRESENT?

THE BRIDEGROOM IS JESUS CHRIST, THE MESSIAH.

ALL FOUR INTERPRETATIONS AGREE THAT CHRIST IS THE BRIDEGROOM.
THERE IS AN INTERESTING PARALLEL BETWEEN THE JEWISH WEDDING CEREMONY AND SCRIPTURAL EVENTS INVOLVING CHRIST’S COMING FOR HIS BRIDE. (SEE THE BACK PAGE)

WHO DOES THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM REPRESENT?

READ JOH 3:28-34

JOHN THE BAPTIST SEEMS TO REFER TO HIMSELF AS THE BRIDEGROOM IN THIS PASSAGE.
WHO MUST INCREASE AND WHO MUST DECREASE? WHY?

BECAUSE JOHN THE BAPTIST’S MINISTRY WAS TO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE COMING MESSIAH, IT IS JOHN THE BAPTIST AND HIS MINISTRY WHO WILL DECREASE IN IMPORTANCE AS JESUS, THE MESSIAH, INCREASES IN IMPORTANCE.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE TO OUR LIVES:

JUST AS JOHN THE BAPTIST HAD TO DECREASE FOR JESUS, THE MESSIAH, TO INCREASE, SO MUST WE.

OUR PERSONAL DESIRES, OUR WILL, OUR SELFISHNESS MUST ALL DECREASE IN IMPORTANCE AND PRIORITY FOR THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST TO INCREASE IN OUR LIVES.

HOW DOES THAT OCCUR?

IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME WE MAKE A DECISION. WE EITHER OBSERVE GOD’S WILL OR OUR OWN WILL.
IT HAPPENS WHEN WE MAKE A DETERMINATION TO LIVE BY GOD’S WILL AND NOT BY OUR OWN WILL.
IT HAPPENS IN PRAYER AND COMMUNICATION WITH GOD AS WE DISCOVER HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES.
IT HAPPENS WHEN WE FALL COMPLETELY IN LOVE WITH JESUS SO THAT WE WANT TO DO HIS WILL NO MATTER WHAT.
IT HAPPENS WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WHO GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO DO GOD’S WILL.

THE HOUSE OF THE GROOM’S FATHER	FOLLOW THE RED ARROWS	THE BRIDE’S HOUSE
THE SELECTION OF THE BRIDE BY THE GROOM’S FATHER \/ \/ EPH 1:3-4
THE BRIDEGROOM, AS A SUITOR, GOES TO THE BRIDE’S HOUSE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>	THE BETROTHAL STAGE BEGINS: >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (THE FIRST COMING OF CHRIST)	THE GROOM PROPOSES MARRIAGE, A DOWRY IS PAID, A COVENANT IS SIGNED AND A CUP OF WINE IS DRUNK 1COR 6:20 1COR 11:25 1PET 1:18-19 \/ \/
THE GROOM PREPARES A LIVING SPACE IN HIS FATHER’S HOUSE \/ \/ JOH 14:2-3	THE GROOM RETURNS TO HIS FATHER’S HOUSE JOH 6:62 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (THE CHURCH AGE)	THE BRIDE IS SET APART TO PREPARE FOR MARRIED LIFE EPH 5:25-27 COL 3:2-4 2COR 11:2-3 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
WHEN THE LIVING SPACE IS PREPARED,… >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>	THE GROOM RETURNS TO THE BRIDE’S HOUSE WITH ESCORTS. ON APPROACHING HER HOUSE, HE GIVES A SHOUT TO ANNOUNCE HIS ARRIVAL 1THE 4:16 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (THE RAPTURE )	THE BRIDE IS VEILED. THE PRESENTATION STAGE BEGINS: EPH 5:25,27 JUDE 24 REV 19:7-8 \/ \/
THE MARRIAGE IS ANNOUNCED AND PERFORMED. THEN THE MARRIAGE IS CONSUMMATED. \/ \/	THE BRIDE AND GROOM WITH ESCORTS RETURN TO THE HOUSE OF THE GROOM’S FATHER. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<	THE BRIDE IS TAKEN FROM HER HOUSE WITH THE THINGS SHE HAD PREPARED FOR HER MARRIAGE <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
THE CELEBRATION STAGE BEGINS: REV 19:7-10 THE WEDDING FEAST LASTS FOR 7 DAYS (THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB)

HOMEWORK
THE PARABLE OF FISH AND FISHERS (MAT 4:18-22 MAR 1:16-20 LUK 5:2-11)
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FOR CORRECTION.

APPLICATION OF THE PARABLE OF THE BRIDEGROOM AND HIS FRIENDS (JOH 3:29,30):

IN WHAT WAYS HAVE YOU SEEN YOUR DESIRES, YOUR PRIORITIES, AND YOUR SELFISHNESS DECREASE SINCE YOU BECAME A BELIEVER IN JESUS CHRIST?

IF YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY OBSERVING ANY CHANGE, YOU NEED TO FALL MORE IN LOVE WITH THE LORD AND SEEK HIS WILL WITH MORE DETERMINATION.

PREPARATION FOR THE PARABLE OF THE FISH AND FISHERS

READ THE ACCOUNT IN ALL THREE GOSPELS:

READ LUK 5:2-11 FOR BACKGROUND.
READ MAT 4:18-22
READ MAR 1:16-20

TO WHOM WAS THE PARABLE SPOKEN?

WHAT IS THE CENTRAL TRUTH OF THE PARABLE?

WHO IS REPRESENTED BY THE FISH?

IN THE PARABLE, WHO ARE THE FISHERMEN?

WHAT DOES THE NET REPRESENT?

COMPARE THE TWO ACCOUNTS IN MATTHEW AND MARK. WHAT DIFFERENCES DO YOU SEE?

IF YOU HAVE EVER BEEN FISHING, WHAT ARE SOME IMPORTANT PRINCIPLES TO REMEMBER IN ORDER TO CATCH FISH?

MEMORY VERSE: LUK 5:32