Parallel Gospels 9d - John the Baptist must decrease, Jesus must Increase

John 3:22-36 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Jesus and John the Baptist

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized,24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew[a] about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the One you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is flocking to Him.”

27 John responded, “No one can receive a single thing unless it’s given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly[b] at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.”

The One from Heaven

31 The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms.[c] The One who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33 The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. 34 For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He[d] gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

When:  before John the baptist was thrown into prison
Where: Judean countryside

John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, and Jesus and his disciples were across the Jordan.

dispute was about purification, but they mentioned Jesus baptizing.  What do the two have to do with each other?

in vs 25,26 it mentions how there was a dispute between John's disciples and a jew regarding purification and the next statement indicates that is why they brought up that Jesus was baptizing more than they.  So purification must have something to do with baptizing.