The one who comes from above is above all
There is a remarkable similarity between the words of today’s gospel and those of the gospels of the last two days, although the context is different. The last two days consisted of the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. The words of today’s gospel are spoken by John the Baptist when a dispute arises among his disciples, who is greater: John, or the man whom John bore witness to and who is now baptizing as well.
In the previous two gospels we heard that Jesus told Nicodemus that he who is from above bears witness to what he has seen and heard. Similarly, John tells his disciples that the one who is from above is above everything and bears witness to things he has seen and heard. He tells them, that he, John is an earthling and can only speak as an earthling. John must decrease while Jesus must increase. The similarity of the words of Jesus and of John the Baptist is not surprising. First of all, they are reported by the same evangelist, John, who was a disciple, first of John the Baptist and later of Jesus. He heard the two speak. Having understood his Master after so long, he might even add something of what he has understood. Secondly, they are similar because they correspond to the truth.
Peter in the first reading fearlessly bears testimony to Christ before people whom he knows can kill because they have already killed. He no longer seeks to protect his own skin.
In different ways, John the Baptist, John the Evangelist and Peter bear testimony to the same reality: the risen Christ. Their one concern is that the world gets to no Christ, no matter the consequences to themselves. Peter is ready to lose his own life in the testimony he gives. John is happy with the diminution of his reputation, provided Jesus is known. John the evangelist does not even mention his own contribution, although we know it is there. This is true discipleship.
