Lamb of God

John the Baptist, seeing Jesus coming toward him proclaimed, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John makes its clear that this is no ordinary man; He is the Son of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

28 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 He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
John 1:29-34, NKJV

Lamb of God

John the Baptist, seeing Jesus coming toward him proclaimed, Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John makes its clear that this is no ordinary man; He is the Son of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

In reading these words from John 1, we are reminded that the Apostle John wrote this book primarily for the Jews, presenting to them, Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Not being familiar with the sacrificing of animals as a representation of the taking away of our sins, we do not necessarily grasp the significance of what John the Baptist is saying. The Jews, however, knew exactly what the implications were of Jesus being the Lamb of God.

It is interesting to note that John’s baptism of Jesus came right on the heels, so to speak, of the Pharisee’s conversation with John. John readily exclaimed that this was the very One of Whom he said, “There stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.”

I am amazed at how much doctrine is uncovered in these few sentences spoken by John. I am also amazed at how people can read these simple words and not understand that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is, indeed the Son of God, and that He came to this earth for the express purpose of offering Himself as the Lamb of God, to pay our debt of sins.

John the Baptist explained it in this way, “I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’”

John knew Jesus because the Holy Spirit opened his eyes and said, “This is the One.” When Jesus came to be baptized, John saw the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove, and he knew that this was, indeed, the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the World.

Is it any different in our day? Can we not just read these verses and understand the truths they uncover? No! Unless the Spirit of God works in our hearts and reveals Christ to us, we would read these verses and only see Jesus, the man. We must remember that as we pray for our unsaved friends and loved ones. We should not pray that they would be less hard-hearted, but rather, we should pray that God will open their blind eyes so that now they may see.

Before we leave this passage, let us note a few things about John the Baptist, for his life is a powerful example of what our life should be. John the Baptist knew his purpose in life. He was not the Messiah, but he was the man sent to herald the coming of the Messiah. He was not here to bring glory to himself, but rather, he was here to point others to Christ. Jesus said of John the Baptist, in Matthew 11, “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

What, exactly, was Christ saying? He was saying that John the Baptist was clothed in humility, always pointing people away from himself and to the Lord Jesus Christ. That, in essence, is our ministry on this earth as well. We have all been given various gifts, some great and some small, but all of us are to use those gifts for the Lord Jesus Christ, clothed in humility. This life is not about us—it is about Christ!

How different would the church of Christ be today if Christians truly understood this principal? How we love the preeminence; how we love to be honored and noted by men, but let us seek, instead, to be praised by God, alone, and not by men.

J. C. Ryle expressed these truths in this way.

If we profess to have any real Christianity, let us strive to be of John the Baptist’s spirit. Let us study humility. This is the grace with which all must begin, who would be saved. We have no true religion about us, until we cast away our high thoughts, and feel ourselves sinners.—This is the grace which all saints may follow after, and which none have any excuse for neglecting. All God’s children have not gifts, or money, or time to work, or a wide sphere of usefulness; but all may be humble.—This is the grace, above all, which will appear most beautiful in our latter end.

Behold, the Lamb of God. John the Baptist’s ministry left the Jews without excuse. He presented to them Christ, the Messiah, their Savior. John the Baptist’s ministry, as given to us in the Gospel of John, leaves all of us without excuse. Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world. All who come to Him will be saved; all who reject or ignore Him will be lost.

How will you respond?

Next: Jesus' Disciples - verses 35-42