John 3:24
in John 3(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.)
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For John was not yet cast into prison.
KJV
For John was not yet cast into prison.
⋯
This verse in John 3
Commentary
14 notes on this verseFor it is evident that the three Evangelists recorded only the deeds done by the Savior for one year after the imprisonment of John the Baptist and indicated this in the beginning of their account.… They say, therefore, that the apostle John, being asked to do it for this reason, gave in his Gospel an account of the period that had been omitted by the earlier Evangelists and of the deeds done by the Savior during that period; that is, of those that were done before the imprisonment of the Baptist.
This site's exposition
into the Judean countryside
on John 3:22-24
Jesus and His disciples move out of Jerusalem into the Judean countryside and baptize there. At 4:2 John adds that Jesus Himself baptized no one and that His disciples did it, and John was at Aenon near Salim, where the water ran plentiful and people kept coming to him. Both ministries ran at once, before John was thrown into prison.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"And why, when the disciples of Jesus were baptizing, did not John cease to do so? why did he continue to baptize, and that even until he was led to prison? for to say, 'John also was baptizing in Aenon'; and to add, 'John was not yet cast into prison,' was to declare that until that time he did not cease to baptize. But wherefore did he baptize until then? For he would have made the disciples of Jesus seem more reverend had he desisted when they began. Why then did he baptize?" It was that he might not excite his disciples to even stronger rivalry, and make them more contentious still. For if, although he ten thousand times proclaimed Christ, yielded to Him the chief place, and made himself so much inferior, he still could not persuade them to run to Him; he would, had he added this also, have made them yet more hostile. On this account it was that Christ began to preach more constantly when John was removed. And moreover, I think that the death of John was allowed, and that it happened very quickly, in order that the whole attention of the multitude might be shifted to Christ, and that they might no longer be divided in their opinions concerning the two.
(Hom. xx. 1) But why did he go on baptizing now? Because, had he left off, it might have been attributed to envy or anger: whereas, continuing to baptize, he got no glory for himself, but sent hearers to Christ. And he was better able to do this service, than were Christ's own disciples; his testimony being so free from suspicion, and his reputation with the people so much higher than theirs. He therefore continued to baptize, that he might not increase the envy felt by his disciples against our Lord's baptism. Indeed, the reason, I think, why John's death was permitted, and, in his room, Christ made the great preacher, was, that the people might transfer their affections wholly to Christ, and no longer be divided between the two. For the disciples of John did become so envious of Christ's disciples, and even of Christ Himself, that when they saw the latter baptizing, they threw contempt upon their baptism, as being inferior to that of John's; And there arose a question from some of John's disciples with the Jews about purifying. That it was they who began the dispute, and not the Jews, the Evangelist implies by saying, that there arose a question from John's disciples, whereas he might have said, The Jews put forth a question.
Besides, even while he was baptizing, he did not cease continually to exhort them, and to show them the high and awful nature of Jesus. For He baptized them, and told them no other thing than that they must believe on Him that came after him. Now how would a man who acted thus by desisting have made the disciples of Christ seem worthy of reverence? On the contrary, he would have been thought to do so through envy and passion. But to continue preaching gave a stronger proof; for he desired not glory for himself, but sent on his hearers to Christ, and wrought with Him not less, but rather much more than Christ's own disciples, because his testimony was unsuspected and he was by all men far more highly esteemed than they. And this the Evangelist implies, when he says, "all Judaea and the country around about Jordan went out to him and were baptized." Even when the disciples were baptizing, yet many did not cease to run to him.
The Medieval Church2 voices
He evidently here is relating what Christ did before John's imprisonment; a part which has been passed over by the rest, who commence after John's imprisonment.
The time is indicated when he says, John had not yet been thrown into prison. He says this so that we may know that he began his narrative of Christ's life before the other Evangelists. For the others began their account only from the time …
7 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
Therefore Christ especially began to preach at the time when John was imprisoned, on account of the jealousy of the Baptist's disciples. I think that John's death was also permitted to happen very soon so that all the devotion of the people would transfer to …
"For John had not yet been cast into prison," because then his baptism ceased, the master being absent, for it was temporal. Concerning the imprisonment of John, Matthew 14: "Herod seized John and bound him and cast him into prison."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For John was not yet cast into prison. As he afterwards was by Herod, for the sake of Herodias, because he reproved Herod for taking her to be his wife, when she was wife to his brother Philip; see Mat 14:3; and this circumstance shows, that these things were done before that journey of Christ into Galilee, mentioned in Mat 4:12.
Let it not be said that all Christ's followers are unlearned and ignorant men. The principles of the Pharisees, and the peculiarities of their sect, were directly contrary to the spirit of Christianity; yet there were some in whom even those high thoughts were cast down and brought into obedience to Christ. The grace of Christ is able to subdue the greatest opposition.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
For John was not yet cast into prison - See Luk 3:20. The mention of this shows that John was not imprisoned until some time after our Lord entered on his ministry. The design of John was to call men to repentance, and to prepare them for the Messiah, and this he continued to do after our Saviour commenced his work. It shows that a minister of religion should be industrious to the day of his death. John still toiled in his work not the “less” because the Messiah had come.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1869)
proposed
The one who comes from heaven is superior to all. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. The one who has accepted his testimony has confirmed clearly that God is truthful. For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life. The one who rejects the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him. On one account, this passage deserves the special attention of all devout readers of the Bible. It contains the last testimony of John the Baptist concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. That faithful man of God was the same at the end of his ministry that he was at the beginning. the same in his views of self—the same in his views of Christ. Happy is that church whose ministers are as steady, bold, and constant to one thing, as John the Baptist! We have, firstly, in these verses, a humbling example of the petty jealousies and party-spirit which may exist among professors of religion. We are told, that the disciples of John the Baptist were offended, because the ministry of Jesus began to attract more attention than that of their master. "They came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you barest witness, behold the same baptizes, and all men come to him." The spirit exhibited in this complaint, is unhappily too common in the Churches of Christ. The succession of these complainers has never failed. There are never lacking religions professors who care far more for the increase of their own party, than for the increase of true Christianity; and who cannot rejoice in the spread of religion, if it spreads anywhere except within their own denomination.
The words behind it
9 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| οὔπω | oupo | Not yet | G3768 → | 26 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἦν | en | were | G1510 → | 2333 times |
| βεβλημένος | beblemenos | cast | G906 → | 121 times |
| εἰς | eis | into | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὴν | ten | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| φυλακὴν | phulaken | prison | G5438 → | |
| ὁ | ho | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| Ἰωάννης. | ioannes | John. | G2491 → | 134 times |
οὔπωNot yet
oupoG3768 →26 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἦνwere
enG1510 →2333 times
βεβλημένοςcast
beblemenosG906 →121 times
εἰςinto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὴνthe
tenG3588 →19766 times
φυλακὴνprison
phulakenG5438 →
ὁ<the>
hoG3588 →19766 times
Ἰωάννης.John.
ioannesG2491 →134 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Matthew 4:12When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
it leads to
- Mark 1:14
After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.
- Luke 3:20
Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
- Matthew 14:3
Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
- Luke 4:14
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.
- Mark 1:14
Through
Mark 6:17For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.
it leads to
- Luke 3:19–20
But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 11:2
Meanwhile John heard in prison about the works of Christ, and he sent his disciples
- Luke 3:19–20
Through
Matthew 14:3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,
it leads to
- Mark 6:17
For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Matthew 4:12
When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Mark 6:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
- The Binding of Isaac (Genesis 22)
- Born of the Spirit
- The Bronze Serpent
- Entering the Kingdom
- Eternal Life
- Irony in Scripture: More Than the Speaker Knows
- Jesus on Salvation
- Miracles of Jesus
- Nicodemus at Night. John 3
- Born Again
- Type-Scenes: the Stories Scripture Tells Twice
- Whoever Believes
- Wordplay: the Puns of the Prophets
About John
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bonaventure, Commentary on John, Chapter 3; Eusebius of Caesarea, ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 3.24.8-12; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Chrysostom, Homily on the Gospel of John 29; John Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on John and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on John.