SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:29
El que tiene la esposa, es el esposo; mas el amigo del esposo, que est en pie y le oye, se goza grandemente de la voz del esposo; así pues, este mi gozo es cumplido.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 3:29
Verse 29. He that hath the bride] The congregation of believers. Is the bridegroom] The Lord Jesus-the Head of the Church. See Matt. xxii. 2, &c., 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 29. He that hath the bride , etc.] By whom particular persons seem here to be meant, who were called, converted, and brought to Christ, and were made his disciples, and baptized, and so were openly espoused unto him; though sometimes it designs a particular church of Christ, and even the whole general assembly, and church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven; all the elect of. God, whether among Jews, or Gentiles; (see 2 Corinthians 11:2 Revelation 21:2,9). These Christ has in a conjugal relation; and he came, and comes to have them after this manner: he saw them in his Fathers purposes, and decrees, in all the glory he meant to bring them to; and loved them, and desired them of his Father, as his spouse, who gave them to him, as such; and he betrothed them to himself for ever; and in time he sends his ministering servants with his Gospel, to engage and betroth them to him; and by the power of his grace, he makes them willing to give up themselves to him; which is the open espousal of them; and at the last day, when the number of the elect are completed, the marriage of the Lamb will be publicly solemnized, and a marriage supper will be made; and all that are called, and ready, will enter into the marriage chamber, and share in the joys, and pleasures of that day: thus by virtue of the Fathers gift, Christ has them now as his own property, as his portion, his jewels, his bride, and wife; and by, and through his great love to them, he has them not only in his arms, from whence they can never be plucked; but in his heart, where they are set as a seal; and by virtue of this love, they are united to him, become one with him, are members of his body, flesh, and bones; and are one spirit with him, and nothing can be able to separate them; and he will have them all with, him to all eternity, to be where he is, and behold his glory: and now, he that has the bride in this sense, is the bridegroom ; and such is Christ; (see Matthew 9:15 25:1); and he acts, and behaves, as such; he loves the saints, as a bridegroom loves his bride, with a love prior to theirs; with a love of complacency and delight, which is single, chaste, and inviolable; free, and sovereign, wonderful, unchangeable, and from everlasting to everlasting: he sympathises with them in all their adversities, and afflictions; he nourishes, and cherishes them, and provides everything for them, for food, and clothing, for refreshment and protection; and interests them in all he has: and an amazing instance of grace this is, that such who are no better than others, children of wrath by nature; exceeding great sinners, guilty, and filthy; bankrupts, and beggars on the dunghill; and yet are taken into so near a relation to him; who is in the form of God, and equal to him, the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, the Son of God, in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells; the King of kings, and Lord of lords.
And this being the case, John suggests, that by these persons following Christ, and giving up themselves to him, it appeared that he was the bridegroom; and to whom should they betake themselves but to him? Nor did it become him, or any other, to seek to draw them from him; nor should any envy his enjoyment of them, since they were his in so peculiar a sense, and in so near a relation: but the friend of the bridegroom ; meaning himself: and such is every true minister of the Gospel; he is a lover of Christ, a friend to his interest, and seeks by all means to promote it, and to bring souls unto him. The allusion is to a custom among the Jews, who, at their marriages, used to have persons both on the side of the bride, and of the bridegroom, as companions that attended each, and were called their friends; (see Judges 14:20). Such an one is called by the Rabbins, ybw ; and this word is interpreted by bhwa , a lover, or friend, the same as here; and by wh[r , his (the bridegrooms) friend in the time of his marriage f160 .
There were two of these, one for the bride, and another for the bridegroom; for so it is said f161 , formerly they appointed two ynybw , friends, one for him (the bridegroom), and one for her (the bride), that they might minister to the bridegroom, and do all things at their entrance into the marriage chamber. And formerly, these friends slept where the bridegroom and bride slept.
And so as John is here represented as the friend of Christ, the bridegroom of the church; the Jews speak of Moses as the friend of God, the bridegroom of the people of Israel. So one of their writers f162 , having delivered a parable concerning a certain king going into a far country, and leaving his espoused wife with his maid-servants, who raising an evil report on her, his friend tore in pieces the matrimonial contract, thus applies it: the king, this is the holy, blessed God; the maidens, these are the mixed multitude; and ybwh , the friend, this is Moses; and the spouse of the holy, blessed God is Israel.
The Jews say f163 , that Michael and Gabriel were the ynbw , bridal friends to the first Adam. Which standeth ; the phrase may be seen in the above parable of the Jewish writer referred to, hnybw dm[ , his friend standeth: this was the posture of servants, and is fitly applied to John, who was the harbinger of Christ, and judged himself unworthy to bear his shoes; and well agrees with the ministers of the Gospel, who stand before Christ, wait upon him, and minister in his name, and are the servants of the churches for his sake: and heareth him ; hearkens to his words; observes, and obeys them; hears his voice, so as to understand it, and distinguish it from anothers; and hears it with delight and pleasure, as every true friend of Christ does his Gospel, which is his voice, and is a joyful sound; and so rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice : such an one rejoices at the sight of his person, and in communion with him; he rejoices at the sound of his voice; and is delighted to hear him in the ministry of the word, calling to one, and to another, to come unto him, and causing them to believe in him, and give up themselves to him. This my joy therefore is fulfilled ; in Christ, he being come in person, and his voice heard in the land of Judea, and multitudes of souls flocking to him, who believing in him, were baptized; than which nothing could be a greater pleasure to John, or to any Gospel minister. This was the accomplishment and perfection of his joy, which carried it to its utmost height: this was what he wished for; and now he had the desire of his heart.
It was usual for the friend of the bridegroom to carry provisions with him, and eat and drink with the bridegroom, and rejoice with him; and this rejoicing was mutual. Hence those words, give me ynybw , my friend, that I may rejoice with him: the gloss upon it is, and eat at his marriage, even as he also rejoiced, and ate at my marriage f165 .
To this rejoicing the allusion is here.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-36 - John was fully satisfied with the place and work assigned him; but Jesus came on a more important work. He also knew that Jesus woul increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace ther would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. John kne that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. The words of Jesus were the words of God; he had the Spirit not by measure, as the prophets, but in all fulness. Everlasting lif could only be had by faith in Him, and might be thus obtained; wherea all those, who believe not in the Son of God, cannot partake of salvation, but the wrath of God for ever rests upon them __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
ο 3588 T-NSM εχων 2192 5723 V-PAP-NSM την 3588 T-ASF νυμφην 3565 N-ASF νυμφιος 3566 N-NSM εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM δε 1161 CONJ φιλος 5384 A-NSM του 3588 T-GSM νυμφιου 3566 N-GSM ο 3588 T-NSM εστηκως 2476 5761 V-RAP-NSM και 2532 CONJ ακουων 191 5723 V-PAP-NSM αυτου 846 P-GSM χαρα 5479 N-DSF χαιρει 5463 5719 V-PAI-3S δια 1223 PREP την 3588 T-ASF φωνην 5456 N-ASF του 3588 T-GSM νυμφιου 3566 N-GSM αυτη 3778 D-NSF ουν 3767 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF χαρα 5479 N-NSF η 3588 T-NSF εμη 1699 S-1NSF πεπληρωται 4137 5769 V-RPI-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
29. The bride. A common figure in the Old testament prophecies, of the relation between Jehovah and His people (Ezekiel 16; Hos. ii. 19; Malachi ii. 11). See also on Matt. i. 21, concerning Hosea.Friend of the bridegroom. Or groomsman. The term is appropriate to Judaea, the groomsmen not being customary in Galilee. See Matt. ix. 15, where the phrase children of the bridechamber is used. (See on Mark ii. 19). In Judaea there were two groomsmen, one for the bridegroom, the other for his bride. Before marriage they acted as in
