They Must Decrease

25Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. 26And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. 27John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. 28Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29He 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. 30He must increase, but I must decrease. 31He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

Decrease:

to diminish or lessen in extent, quantity, strength, power, etc...

This is a word that is hard to accept. Nobody likes to take the lower seat, especially in this society where we are taught that in order to be successful, you must have more, be more, achieve more, even to the extent of taking from someone else what doesn’t belong to you.

In Jesus’ time, those Chief Priests, those Sadducees, the Pharisees, the scribes, they were loving those higher positions, manipulating what was written for their own selfish gain, until the Living Word entered the scene, often calling these religious leaders out for their hypocrisy and their ravenous thirst for power the people’s worship, wanting to be seen of men and regarded as holy. In the 14th chapter of Luke, Jesus is found at the home of one of the chief Pharisees, eating bread on the Sabbath, all eyes on him, Jesus uses this as an opportunity to teach those in attendance a lesson on humility with a parable. I’m sure they just loved that.

7And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, 8When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.