Behold, the Lamb of God
TRANSLATION
(29) The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (30) This is the one I meant when I said, ‘After me comes a man who surpasses me because he was before me.’ (31) I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water so that he might be revealed to Israel.” (32) Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. (33) I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘The one on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ (34) I have seen and testify that this is the Son of God.”
(35) The next day John was again standing with two of his disciples, (36) and, looking at Jesus as he walked, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (37) The two disciples who heard him say this followed Jesus. (38) Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are you staying?” (39) He said to them, “Come and see.” So they came and saw where he was staying and remained with him that day, for it was about four in the afternoon. (40) One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
OBSERVATIONS
John the Baptist clearly fulfilled his calling as the forerunner of the Messiah by identifying Jesus as “the Lamb of God” and describing how God had affirmed his ministry at his baptism. Repeated terms in this segment included “Lamb of God/Son of God” (vss. 29, 34, & 36), the phrase, “I myself did not know him” (vss. 31 & 33), “baptize/baptizing” (vss. 31, 33, & 34), “bore/borne witness” (vss. 32 & 34), “saw the Spirit descend” (vss. 32 & 33), “disciples” (vss. 35 & 37), “staying” (twice in vss. 38 & 39) along with its synonym, “remained,” and “come and see/came and saw” (vs. 39).
OUTLINE
I. John fulfilled his calling as Messiah’s forerunner by identifying Jesus for his followers. (29-34)
II. Jesus gathered his first disciples due to John’s testimony. (35-40)
IDEA STATEMENT
John’s testimony regarding Jesus’ identity led to Jesus welcoming his first disciples.
APPLICATION
Even though he was Jesus’ cousin, John could truthfully say of Jesus, “I myself did not know him.” By this statement John was referring to Jesus’ identity as God’s Son, a truth only revealed to him when he baptized Jesus in the Jordan. At that point, the Spirit of God descended on Jesus like a dove and the Father spoke those memorable words, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Mt. 3:16 & 17). Before that event, Jesus’ unique identity had not yet been publicly disclosed.
A heresy called “Adoptionism,” also bearing the label, “Dynamic Monarchianism,” held that Jesus was born as an ordinary human being but was later “adopted” as God’s Son at the time of his baptism. This view denied the Son’s eternality, his virgin birth, and the doctrine of the Incarnation. Those who held to this error pointed to John’s testimony in this passage as a key support for their error. According to Scripture, the descent of the Holy Spirit at the time of Jesus’ baptism changed nothing about Jesus’ person, that is, his identity as the God/man, the incarnate Word, God’s Son. It only served to demonstrate that he was the one for whom John had come to serve as forerunner by pointing to him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”