Lesson: John 1:29-34
Golden Text: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
INTRODUCTION. Under the Mosaic system of the Old Testament, different animals were sacrificed, such as oxen, cattle, goats, turtledoves, pigeons, sheep and lambs. The lamb was the most docile and helpless of all these animals. Lambs willingly followed their shepherd and when sacrificed they never offered any resistance. Jesus didn’t come as the “ox of God” or the “goat of God.” He was the Lamb of God. This week’s lesson reveals the importance of Jesus as the Lamb of God.
BACKGROUND FOR THE LESSON. At the time that John the Baptist began his ministry, expectations of the Messiah was very high among the Jews. While John was baptizing in the Jordan, he drew much attention causing the Jewish religious leaders to send a delegation of priests, Levites and Pharisees from Jerusalem to ask Him who he was (see John 1:19, 24). John told them that he was not the Messiah (see John 1:20). They continued to press him to find out who he was (see John 1:21-22). He finally told them that he was the voice crying in the wilderness calling on people to prepare the way for the Lord (see John 1:23). They went on to ask him why he was baptizing if he wasn’t the Messiah or some other prophet. John replied declaring that his baptism was to prepare the people for the Messiah who was already among them; the One who was greater than John (see John 1:25-28). This is where our lesson begins.
JOHN THE BAPTIST’S PROCLAMATION CONCERNING JESUS (John 1:29-31)
A. The Lamb of God (John 1:29). Our first verse says “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” The phrase “The next day” refers to the day after the delegation from Jerusalem came to question John. At that time, John saw Jesus coming to him where he was baptizing. Seeing Jesus coming, John said to the crowd “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Much has been written about what biblical imagery caused John to describe Jesus this way. Since the Bible doesn’t address this, we can only speculate. However, we can be sure that the use of this phrase “Lamb of God” was prompted by the Holy Spirit. But in addition to that, it’s also quite possible that this description was a combination of the Passover lamb whose blood protected Israel’s firstborn sons from the angel of death (see Exodus chapter 12), and Isaiah’s description of the Messiah as a suffering lamb (see Isaiah 53:7). The lamb that substituted for Isaac (see Genesis 22:8, 13) also may have influenced John’s thinking. As God’s Lamb, John said that Jesus “taketh away the sin of the world.” The word that is translated “taketh away” has the idea of lifting an object and carrying it away. John saw this action as being already done. The word “sin” here is singular viewing sin in its totality, consisting of all the individual sins of mankind. This sacrificial lamb would be a Substitute for the whole sinful world (see I Corinthians 5:7; I Peter 1:19; Revelation 5:6-10) not just for Israel as the Old Testament sacrifices were. The Apostle Paul stated it this way: “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (see II Corinthians 5:19). This doesn’t mean that everyone is reconciled, or has made peace with God through Christ’s death, but it means that reconciliation is available to everyone.
B. The One greater than John (John 1:30-31).
1. (vs. 30). After introducing Jesus as the Lamb of God, John told his audience in this verse “This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.” The phrase “This is he of whom I said” indicates that John had referred to Christ as “a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me” on more than one occasion prior to this (see John 1:15, 27). Now he could say that this was the One he had been telling them about. John was acknowledging that Jesus existed before him. From a purely human standpoint, this was not true because John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus and he also began his ministry before Jesus began His. Having said this, it‘s clear from John’s statement that Jesus “was before me” indicates that John the Baptist recognized Jesus as a divine Person who eternally existed. John the Baptist was confirming that this Lamb of God was the exalted One whose coming he had been proclaiming. Identifying Jesus as “a man which is preferred before me” was John’s way of recognizing Jesus as the preexistent One, highly honored by the Father. Because of Jesus’ divine eternal nature, John understood that Jesus had surpassed him in position, rank, and honor. Even though John had experienced widespread acclaim from many Jews and even had some disciples, he still knew his role. He gladly accepted his position as the one to introduce the Messiah. Note: It’s easy for a Christian who God has gifted with a successful ministry to get the big head from all the recognition it brings. It’s easy to take credit for ourselves instead of giving it to God, who deserves it. When we take credit for what God has done, we are headed for spiritual failure and a ruined ministry. It’s better to take a humble place just as John did who also declared “He must increase, but I must decrease” (see John 3:30).
2. (vs. 31). John the Baptist went on to say in this verse “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.” Just as the authorities in Jerusalem had not known Jesus (see John 1:26), at one time John had not known Him either. It’s true that John and Jesus were relatives and that John therefore knew Him as such, but they had grown up in opposite ends of the land and probably had seldom seen each other. But more importantly, John had not known that his relative, Jesus was the Messiah. John came to realize the difference between knowing that Jesus grew up in the home of Joseph and Mary (see John 6:42) and knowing Him as Lord and Saviour. What John did know was that the reason for him “baptizing with water” was to prepare for the Messiah’s manifestation or making Him known to Israel. But up until the time John baptized Jesus the identity of the Messiah had been withheld from him. John’s baptism was an outward sign of repentance for those who wished to be prepared for the Messiah’s coming.
IV. THE SPIRIT’S WITNESS CONCERNING JESUS (John 1:32-34)
A. The Holy Spirit’s descent upon Jesus (John 1:32). This verse says “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.” The phrase “And John bare record” means that what is about to follow was John’s testimony and introduces how John knew that Jesus was the Messiah. In this verse, John the Baptist relates what took place when he baptized Jesus. He said “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.” This was a crucial sign to John. He had not known the Messiah’s identity up to that point, but this divinely given sign clearly identified Him. The Holy Spirit has no visible bodily form, but He appeared as a dove in order to show His presence in the life and ministry of Jesus. John saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and “it abode upon him.” The term “it” is better translated as “He” because the Holy Spirit is a Person not a thing. The fact that the Spirit “abode upon him” reveals that the Holy Spirit remained on Jesus visibly for a period of time, indicating His permanent presence with Jesus (see John 3:34). Note: From the way Matthew and Mark describe this scene, it appears that the Spirit lighting on Christ like a dove could only be seen by Jesus and John the Baptist. For Jesus, it was confirmation of the Father’s approval and empowerment for His ministry. For John the Baptist, this sight confirmed that Jesus was without doubt the One for whom John had prepared the people.
B. The significance of the event (John 1:33-34).
1. (vs. 33). In this verse, John the Baptist said “And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” Repeating that he didn’t know Jesus as the Messiah before he baptized Him, John then explained how he came to know Jesus was the Messiah. The phrase “he that sent me to baptize with water” refers to God the Father who gave John his ministry of baptism. At some point earlier, God had informed John the Baptist that the Person “Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” In other words, the Person whom John saw the Spirit descending and remaining on was the One who would baptize with the Holy Ghost, the Messiah. Note: John’s baptism, using water, identified repentant sinners with him and others who stood ready to receive the Messiah. However, the Messiah would identify believers with Himself and other believers through the baptism of the Holy Spirit by giving divine power for a new life. The baptism of the Holy Spirit first occurred on the Day of Pentecost forming the unique spiritual body, the church (see Acts 1:5; 2:1-3). Since then, everyone who trusts Jesus as Saviour is baptized with the Holy Spirit and becomes a member of the body of Christ, the church. This happens at the very moment a person is converted or saved (see Acts 11:15-16; I Corinthians 12:12-13).
2. (vs. 34). In our final verse John the Baptist said “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” John the Baptist here gave a statement summarizing that what he had seen convinced him that Jesus “is the Son of God.” This description of Jesus as “the Son of God” does not mean that Jesus is less than the Father, because the title itself speaks of His deity. As such, Jesus is the eternal living Word who created all things and is the source of all life and light (see John 1:1-4). He is the final revelation of what God is like (see John 1:18) and only He has direct knowledge of the Father (see John 6:46; 10:15). It’s the Father’s will that the Son receive the same honor that He does (see John 5:23). Note: All three Members of the Trinity are equal in essence, but each One has certain roles in relationship to the other two. Just as the Holy Spirit calls attention to Christ and glorifies Him (see John 14:26; 15:26; 16:13-14), Christ obeys and glorifies His Father (see John 5:30; 6:38; 17:4). It should be noted that Jesus’ enemies understood completely that the phrase “Son of God” was a claim to be God and therefore they accused Him of blasphemy and wanted to stone Him (see John 10:33-36).
V. Conclusion. John the Baptist’s description of Jesus is a wonderful testimony of who He is and His work. As the Lamb of God, He provided redemption for mankind. As the One who baptizes with the Spirit he provides the foundation for the Christian church. And as the Son of God, Jesus deserves all faith, worship, and obedience. Jesus came to earth as God’s Lamb to give His life for our sins so that we could become children in God’s family by faith in Him, and enjoy His presence forever.
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