John 3:25

25 there arose then a question from the disciples of John with [some] Jews about purifying,

John 3:25 Meaning and Commentary

John 3:25

Then there arose a question
A dispute, or controversy, occasioned by the baptism, of John and Christ: between [some] of John's disciples, and the Jews.
The Syriac and Persic versions read, "between one of John's disciples, and a certain Jew"; and Nonnus renders it, "with an Hebrew man"; and so the Alexandrian manuscript; many others read, "with a Jew": the contention between them was about purifying;
either about the ceremonial purifications, and ablutions commanded in the law of Moses; or concerning the various washings of persons, and vessels, according to the traditions of the elders, which the Jews in common were very tenacious of; and which they thought were brought into neglect, and contempt, by the baptism of John: and this seems to have been occasioned by the baptism of Christ; which the Jew might improve against the disciple of John, and urge, that since another, besides his master, had set up baptizing, who could tell which was most right and safest to follow? and therefore it would have been much better, if no such rite at all had been used by any, but that the purifications required by the law of Moses, and by their elders, had been strictly and solely attended to.

John 3:25 In-Context

23 and John was also baptizing in Aenon, nigh to Salem, because there were many waters there, and they were coming and were being baptized --

24 for John was not yet cast into the prison --

25 there arose then a question from the disciples of John with [some] Jews about purifying,

26 and they came unto John, and said to him, `Rabbi, he who was with thee beyond the Jordan, to whom thou didst testify, lo, this one is baptizing, and all are coming unto him.'

27 John answered and said, `A man is not able to receive anything, if it may not have been given him from the heaven;