Consider Jesus: Bridegroom

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

Jn. 3:28,29“You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full.”

John the Baptist, who came as the forerunner of Christ, knew his place. Some of his disciples reported to him that Jesus was making more disciples and baptizing many more people than he was – and man who was named for the teaching the he introduced. John’s disciples seem to think that their master should be afforded more honor than he was currently receiving. But John knew his place.  He was not the center of attention – Jesus was.  

John was like the best man at a wedding.  The best man has an important role to play, but soon fades to background.  John tried to get his disciples to consider the importance of Jesus.

Luke 5:33-35“And they said to Him, “The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers; the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same; but Yours eat and drink.” 34And Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? 35But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days.”

The leaders of the Jews did not recognize the importance of Jesus either.  They tried to force on Jesus’ disciples their ritualistic practices that were supposedly expressions of contemplation and sorrow. (These are good things to be sure, but not in the traditional, artificial ways that the Jews demanded that they be observed.) Jesus said that when the groom is with the wedding party it is not time to show sorrow, but to rejoice. The Jews did not consider the importance of Jesus being with them.