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Selected Verse: John 3:29 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 3:29 |
Strong Concordance |
He that hath [2192] the bride [3565] is [2076] the bridegroom [3566]: but [1161] the friend [5384] of the bridegroom [3566], which [3588] standeth [2476] and [2532] heareth [191] him [846], rejoiceth [5463] greatly [5479] because [1223] of the bridegroom's [3566] voice [5456]: this [3778] my [1699] joy [5479] therefore [3767] is fulfilled [4137]. |
| |
King James |
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
He that hath the bride ... - This is an illustration drawn from marriage. The bride belongs to her husband. So the church, the bride of the Messiah, belongs to him. It is to be expected, therefore, and desireD, that the people should flock to him.
But the friend of the bridegroom - He whose office it is to attend him on the marriage occasion. This was commonly the nearest friend, and was a high honor.
Rejoiceth greatly - Esteems himself highly honored by the proof of friendship.
The bridegroom's voice - His commands, requests, or conversation.
This my joy ... - "I sustain to the Messiah the relation which a groomsman does to the groom. The chief honor and the chief joy is not mine, but his. It is to be expected, therefore, that the people will come to him, and that his success will be great. The relation of Christ to the church is often compared with the marriage relation, denoting the tenderness of the union, and his great love for his people. Compare Isa 62:5; Rev 21:2, Rev 21:9; Rev 22:17; Eph 5:26-27, Eph 5:32; Co2 11:2. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
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. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| He that hath the bride is the bridegroom - He whom the bride follows. But all men now come to Jesus. Hence it is plain he is the bridegroom. The friend who heareth him - Talk with the bride; rejoiceth greatly - So far from envying or resenting it. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
He that hath the bride - The congregation of believers.
Is the bridegroom - The Lord Jesus - the Head of the Church. See Mat 22:2, etc., where the parable of the marriage feast is explained.
The friend of the bridegroom - The person whom the Greeks called the paranymph - there were two at each wedding: one waited on the bride, the other on the bridegroom: their business was to serve them, to inspect the concerns of the bridechamber, and afterwards to reconcile differences between husband and wife, when any took place. John considers himself as standing in this relation to the Lord Jesus, while espousing human nature, and converting souls to himself: this is the meaning of standeth by, i.e. ready to serve. See the observations at the end of the chapter. |
2 For [1063] I am jealous [2206] over you [5209] with godly [2316] jealousy [2205]: for [1063] I have espoused [718] you [5209] to one [1520] husband [435], that I may present [3936] you as a chaste [53] virgin [3933] to Christ [5547].
32 This [5124] is [2076] a great [3173] mystery [3466]: but [1161] I [1473] speak [3004] concerning [1519] Christ [5547] and [1519] [2532] the church [1577].
26 That [2443] he [846] might sanctify [37] and cleanse it [2511] with the washing [3067] of water [5204] by [1722] the word [4487],
27 That [2443] he might present [3936] it [846] to himself [1438] a glorious [1741] church [1577], not [3361] having [2192] spot [4696], or [2228] wrinkle [4512], or [2228] any [5100] such thing [5108]; but [235] that [2443] it should be [5600] holy [40] and [2532] without blemish [299].
17 And [2532] the Spirit [4151] and [2532] the bride [3565] say [3004], Come [2064]. And [2532] let him that heareth [191] say [2036], Come [2064]. And [2532] let him that is athirst [1372] come [2064]. And [2532] whosoever will [2309], let him take [2983] the water [5204] of life [2222] freely [1432].
9 And [2532] there came [2064] unto [4314] me [3165] one of [1520] the seven [2033] angels [32] which [3588] had [2192] the seven [2033] vials [5357] full [1073] of the seven [2033] last [2078] plagues [4127], and [2532] talked [2980] with [3326] me [1700], saying [3004], Come hither [1204], I will shew [1166] thee [4671] the bride [3565], the Lamb's [721] wife [1135].
2 And [2532] I [1473] John [2491] saw [1492] the holy [40] city [4172], new [2537] Jerusalem [2419], coming down [2597] from [575] God [2316] out of [1537] heaven [3772], prepared [2090] as [5613] a bride [3565] adorned [2885] for her [846] husband [435].
5 For as a young man [0970] marrieth [01166] a virgin [01330], so shall thy sons [01121] marry [01166] thee: and as the bridegroom [02860] rejoiceth [04885] over the bride [03618], so shall thy God [0430] rejoice [07797] over thee.
17 Elias [2243] was [2258] a man [444] subject to like passions as [3663] we are [2254], and [2532] he prayed [4336] earnestly [4335] that it might [1026] not [3361] rain [1026]: and [2532] it rained [1026] not [3756] on [1909] the earth [1093] by the space of three [5140] years [1763] and [2532] six [1803] months [3376].
14 And they [3748] came to [4334] the chief priests [749] and [2532] elders [4245], and said [2036], We have bound [332] ourselves [1438] under a great curse [331], that we will eat [1089] nothing [3367] until [2193] [3739] we have slain [615] Paul [3972].
15 And [2532] he said [2036] unto [4314] them [846], With desire [1939] I have desired [1937] to eat [5315] this [5124] passover [3957] with [3326] you [5216] before [4253] I [3165] suffer [3958]:
17 And Moses [04872] brought forth [03318] the people [05971] out of the camp [04264] to meet [07125] with God [0430]; and they stood [03320] at the nether [08482] part of the mount [02022].
19 And [2532] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], [3361] Can [1410] the children [5207] of the bridechamber [3567] fast [3522], while [1722] [3739] the bridegroom [3566] is [2076] with [3326] them [846]? as long as [3745] [5550] they have [2192] the bridegroom [3566] with [3326] them [1438], they cannot [3756] [1410] fast [3522].
15 And [2532] Jesus [2424] said [2036] unto them [846], Can [3361] [1410] the children [5207] of the bridechamber [3567] mourn [3996], as long as [1909] [3745] the bridegroom [3566] is [2076] with [3326] them [846]? but [1161] the days [2250] will come [2064], when [3752] the bridegroom [3566] shall be taken [522] from [575] them [846], and [2532] then [5119] shall they fast [3522].
21 And [1161] she shall bring forth [5088] a son [5207], and [2532] thou shalt call [2564] his [846] name [3686] JESUS [2424]: for [1063] he [846] shall save [4982] his [846] people [2992] from [575] their [846] sins [266].
11 Judah [03063] hath dealt treacherously [0898], and an abomination [08441] is committed [06213] in Israel [03478] and in Jerusalem [03389]; for Judah [03063] hath profaned [02490] the holiness [06944] of the LORD [03068] which he loved [0157], and hath married [01166] the daughter [01323] of a strange [05236] god [0410].
19 And I will betroth [0781] thee unto me for ever [05769]; yea, I will betroth [0781] thee unto me in righteousness [06664], and in judgment [04941], and in lovingkindness [02617], and in mercies [07356].
2 The kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] is like [3666] unto a certain [444] king [935], which [3748] made [4160] a marriage [1062] for his [846] son [5207],