Tarried (SvérpiBev). The verb originally means to rub, hence to wear away, consume; and so of spending or pass- ing time.
Baptized (¢8dmrvfev). The imperfect tense agrees with the idea of tarrying. He continued baptizing during His stay.
23. Was baptizing (jv Bamritwv). The substantive verb with the participle also indicating continuous or habitual action ; was engaged in baptizing.
Enon, near to Salim. The situation is a matter of con- jecture. The word non is probably akin to the Hebrew dyin, an eye, @ spring. See on Jas. iii. 11.
Much water (Sata onda). Lit., many waters. Probably referring to a number of pools or springs.
Came—were baptized. Imperfects. They kept coming.
24. Prison (r9v dudaxiv). See on Acts v. 18, 21.
25. Then (odv). Not a particle of time but of consequence ; therefore, because of both Jesus and John baptizing.
Question (&rnois). Rev., more correctly, questioning. Question would be $jrnwa, always in the sense of a question in debate. The word here represents the process of inquiry.
Between (x). Rev., correctly, on the part of. Lit., pro- ceeding from. The rendering of the A. V. does not show with which party the discussion originated. The Greek distinctly states that the question was raised by the disciples of the Baptist.
The Jews. The best texts read *Tovéatov, with a Jew. Pos- sibly one who asserted that John’s baptism might now be dis- pensed with.
Purifying. Probably not about the familiar ceremonial purifications, but as to whether the baptism of Jesus or of John had the greater purifying power.
26. Behold (5). Used by both Matthew and Mark, not by Luke, but very frequently by John.
Baptizeth—come. The present would be better rendered by zs baptizing, are coming.
27. Receive. Answering to given.
Be given (7 Sedouévov). Rev., more correctly, have been guven.
From heaven. Lit., owt of heaven (ék).
29. The bride. A common figure in the Old Testament prophecies, of the relation between Jehovah and His people (Ezek. xvi. ; Hos. ii. 19; Mal. ii. 11). See also on Matt. i. 21, concerning Hosea.
Friend of the bridegroom. Or groomsman. The term is appropriate to Judea, the groomsmen not being customary in Galilee. See Matt. ix. 15, where the phrase children of the bridechamber is used. (See on Mark ii. 19). In Judeea there were two groomsmen, one for the bridegroom, the other for his bride. Before marriage they acted as intermediaries between the couple; at the wedding they offered gifts, waited upon the the bride and bridegroom, and attended them to the bridal chamber. It was the duty of the friend of the bridegroom to present him to his bride, after marriage to maintain proper terms between the parties, and especially to defend the bride’s good fame. The Rabbinical writings speak of Moses as the friend of the bridegroom who leads out the bride to meet Jehovah at Sinai (Ex. xix. 17); and describe Michael and Gabriel as acting as the friends of the bridegroom to our first parents, when the Almighty himself took the cup of blessing