Vincent Word Studies - John 3:29 - 3:29

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Vincent Word Studies - John 3:29 - 3:29


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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:

The bride

A common figure in the Old testament prophecies, of the relation between Jehovah and His people (Ezekiel 16; Hos 2:19; Mal 2:11). See also on Mat 1:21, concerning Hosea.

Friend of the bridegroom

Or groomsman. The term is appropriate to Judaea, the groomsmen not being customary in Galilee. See Mat 9:15, where the phrase children of the bridechamber is used. (See on Mar 2:19). In Judaea 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 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 (Exo 19:17); 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 and spoke the benediction. The Baptist represents himself as standing in the same relation to Jesus.

Rejoiceth greatly (χαρᾷ χαίρει)

Literally, rejoiceth with joy. A Hebrew idiom. See on Luk 22:15, and compare Act 23:14; Jam 5:17. Only here in John's writings.

This my joy (αὕτη ἡ χαρὰ ἡ ἐμὴ)

A very emphatic expression: this, the joy which is mine. The change of style in the following verses seems to indicate that the words of the Baptist break off at this point, and are taken up and commented upon by the Evangelist.