Matthew Poole and continuators on John 3:26

26 And 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 .

The Disciples of Iohn coming unto him, give him the usual title, under which in that age, they were wont to speak to those whom they owned as their Teachers, which was Rabbi

Their business was to complain, That Christ whom they do not think fit to name, nor to give him any title, but mention him as one much inferior to their Master, one that came to him to Bethabara, and to whom he there gave testimony, ch. 1.7, 34. as if Christ had from him derived all his credit and reputation. Their Master did not go to Christ, but he came to their Master: he was not baptized of Christ, but Christ was baptized of him; he did not give testimony to their Master, but their Master gave testimony to him; now say they

he baptizeth by his Disciples, and multitudes, many of all sorts of people (for the universal particle All men, can here signifie no more) come to him; Love is jealous, they were afraid that their Masters reputation would by this means flag and be diminished. Such a passage we find, Num. 11.28. And thus Iohn, our Saviours Disciple, w[illegible: 2 letters] jealous for Christ his Master, Luke 9.49. They all sinned, as appears by the answer given by Moses to Ioshua, Num. 11.29. and Christs answer to Iohn, Luke 9.50. and by the following reply of Iohn to these Disciples, envying for his sake.