John 3:25

Ver. 25. “ There arose therefore a dispute on the part of John's disciples with a Jew, touching purification. ”

The occasion of the following discourse was a discussion provoked by the competition of the two neighboring baptisms. Οὖν, therefore, marks this relation. The expression on the part of the disciples, shows that John's disciples were the instigators. The reading of the greater part of the Mjj. ᾿Ιουδαίου, a Jew, instead of ᾿Ιουδαίων, some Jews, is now generally preferred. I accept it, without being able to convince myself altogether of its authenticity. Should not the substantive ᾿Ιουδαίου have been accompanied by the adjective τινός ? And would an altercation with a mere unknown individual have deserved to be so expressly marked? The three most ancient Versions agree in favor of the reading ᾿Ιουδαίων, Jews.

The Sinaitic MS. also reads in this way. The two substantives in ου, before and after this word, might have occasioned an error. The subject of the discussion was the true mode of purification. Of what purification? Evidently of that which should prepare the Jews for the kingdom of the Messiah. Meyer thinks that the Jew ascribed to the baptism of Jesus a greater efficacy than to that of John. Chrysostom, followed by some others, holds that the Jew had had himself baptized already by the disciples of Jesus. Hofmann and Luthardt suppose, on the contrary, because of the term Jew, that he belonged to the Pharisaic party, hostile both to Jesus and to John, and that he had maliciously recounted to the disciples of John the successes of Jesus. The use of this term scarcely allows us, indeed, to suppose in this man kindly feelings, either towards Jesus or towards John. Perhaps in response to the disciples of John who invited him to have himself baptized, reminding him of the promises of the Old Testament (Ezekiel 36:25, etc.), he answered ironically that one knew not to whom to go: “Your master began; here is a second who succeeds better than he; which of the two says the truth?” The question was embarrassing. The disciples of John decide to submit it to their master. This historical situation is too well defined to have been invented.