John 3:29

“He who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. This my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase and I must decrease.”

In the Old Testament Israel was regularly pictured as God's bride (Isaiah 62:4; Ezekiel 16:8; Hosea 2:19), so when John says that it is right that she should listen to the bridegroom, there is an implication of Jesus' status as Son of God. The bridegroom's helper can only be glad at hearing the Bridegroom's voice, because it means that he has been carrying out his duties successfully. The depiction of Jesus as the Bridegroom is another indication of His status, for in the Old Testament God was the bridegroom and Israel the bride. John gladly recognises the total superiority of Jesus as a unique divinely chosen figure.

‘The friend of the bridegroom'. Not strictly ‘the best man' but with a fairly similar function. He would make all arrangements for the success of the bridegroom. Thus having prepared the way John is delighted that the One has come Who  is  the Way (John 14:6). Just to hear His voice brings joy to John's heart and he is fully satisfied.

‘He must increase, and I must decrease'. John does not hide the truth from himself, nor does he wish to. These words should be written on all our hearts. We are most successful when we are seen as unimportant because men's eyes are turned on Jesus. John is content to become unimportant, so that the One to whom he testifies is recognised for what He is. The very fact that Jesus is the Christ makes His increase certain, and John accepts that this  must  lead to he himself being put into the background. These verses bring out John's greatness, and the even greater greatness of Jesus.