The passage
      v29. As Jesus approached him, the Baptist told his disciples, "here is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." The phrase "lamb of God" is given great weight in Christian theology, although "lamb" appears only four times in the New Testament, first in this verse and then v36, followed by Acts 8:32 (a quote) and finally 1Peter 1:19. The last two quotes refer to a sacrificial lamb - an expiatory lamb (one that serves to transfer sin from the supplicant to the sacrifice). If "lamb" in this verse is a sacrificial lamb, what lamb does it represent? For example, does it represent the Passover lamb? The problem is the Passover victim did not necessarily have to be a lamb, nor was the victim called a lamb, rather the paschal victim was called "Passover". There are, of course, other possibilities, eg. the lamb led to the slaughter, Isa. 53:7, the lamb of the daily sacrifice, the scapegoat, the guilt-offering, Lev.14:12f, etc. It is quite possible that the writer is just generalizing the idea of a sacrificial lamb. Note that this lamb is "of God", that is, it belongs to God, or better, is provided by God. The Baptist tells us that this lamb "takes away sin." Although we are not told how, we are told that the lamb atones for sin in the sense of carries it right away. "Jesus bears the consequence of human sin in order that its guilt may be removed", Hoskyns. Rather than certain sins, the atonement deals with "sin" in totality, but is that the world's sin, or the sin of those who repent? What we can say is that Christ's atonement is comprehensive, although it only applies to those who seek its cover.
      v30. The ancients believed in the superiority of the previous generation - parents were wiser than their children. Yet the Baptist, whose ministry was before Jesus and therefore rightly superior to Jesus, claims an inferior position.
      v31. Given the family links, the Baptist knew Jesus well, although only at the moment of his baptism did John come to understand that he was the coming one, the messiah, lit. the "man who comes after me." Note how the Baptist depreciates the sign of water baptism; it serves only to make Christ known to Israel.
      v32. The Baptist explains how he knows Jesus is the messiah. He actually witnessed the Spirit of God descend on Jesus and "remain" (abide permanently) with him.
      v33. The Baptist knew that Jesus was the messiah because of the sign of the Spirit descending and abiding. It is this sign, in particular, that identifies Jesus as the messiah. We are told that Jesus "will baptize with the Holy Spirit." The meaning of this phrase is hotly debated. If the Spirit's function is to apply the abundance of God's grace, then this baptism is regenerative in nature. The Spirit bestows the new life consequent on Christ's removal of sin.
      v34. John's testimony may teach the divinity of Christ in that it identifies Christ's relationship with God the Father. Yet the alternate reading, "God's chosen one" NEB, is better, ie. Jesus is the messiah. The Baptist continues to observe this truth and make it known.

The lamb of God
      Amazing as it may seem, the gospel writers do not often explain the meaning of Jesus' death. The record of his death is clear enough, but not the why.
      Early in John's gospel we read of the Baptist's testimony concerning Jesus. He has finally come to understand who Jesus is, although, some time later in prison, he starts to wonder if he was right. The visible coming of the Spirt on Jesus confirmed to the Baptist that Jesus was the messiah - the "chosen one", the coming one, the Christ. Yet, the Baptist's testimony not only identifies Jesus as the messiah, but also identifies his particular messianic role. He does this in the description, "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
      There is little doubt that this "lamb" is a sacrificial lamb. The messiah will serve as a sacrificial lamb provided by God. The messiah, as God's sacrificial lamb, will take away sin; he will remove it by vicariously bearing it. The text is not quite clear whether the messiah takes sin up and carries it, or carries it off. The theologian J. Jeremias said the verb "takes away" can mean "take up and carry" or "carry off." He says "in both cases it is a matter of setting aside the guilt of others. In the former, however, the means of doing this is by a substitutionary bearing of penalty; in the latter, sin is removed by means of expiation." Either way, the Baptist has exposed the meaning of the cross. Jesus dies as a sacrifice for sin, thus enabling the sinner to stand approved in the sight of God. Finally, note whom the messiah dies for. It is not just Israel, but rather the "world."
      Set free from the guilt of sin, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Such is the gospel.

v29
      th/ epaurion "the next day" - the tomorrow. The dative feminine article with the adverb "tomorrow" expresses the sense of "on the next day".
      ide "look" - Interjection used to focus attention, "take note", "here is the lamb of God", CEV; a sacrificial lamb provided by God.
      oJ airwn (airw) pres. part. "who takes away" - the one taking away. The participle as a substantive. Either: "to take up and carry" or "to carry off", Jeremias, see above. Possibly referring to the removal of evil from the earth, therefore a futuristic present, but more likely referring to Christ's coming sacrifice as the sacrificial lamb, therefore a historic present, "who is to remove the sin of the world", Moffatt.

v30
      opisw + gen. "after [me]" - "After" in time rather than space, "the man who is to succeed me", Moffatt.
      emprosqen mou gegonen (ginomai) perf. "has surpassed me" - before me has become. It is possible that time is again intended, but it is more likely to refer to rank, "who takes rank before me", NEB.
      oJti "because" - Causal, "for"
      ptwtoV mou hn "he was before me" - prior/prominant me he was. A bland, "he was alive before I was born", CEV, fails to capture the sense of preeminence that goes with Christ's preexistence. Like the great "I am", he is the one who was and is and will always be. Better "for before I was born, he already was", NEB.

v31
      kagw "I myself" - and I. A commonly used conjunction by John, having Aramaic overtones. The "I" is emphatic.
      ouk h/dein (oida) pluperf. "did not know him" - did not recognize him. Treated as a simple past tense. This doesn't mean that John didn't know Jesus, but rather that he didn't know that Jesus was the messiah, "I did not recognize Jesus as the coming one."
      dia + acc. "but the reason" - because of [this] / therefore.
      iJna + subj. "that" - that [he might be manifested]. Forming a purpose clause, "in order that." John may not have been aware of the identity of the messiah, but he came baptizing, "in order that he (the messiah) might be disclosed to Israel", Moffatt. The hina clause in the Greek text comes before "but the reason I came ....." so as to emphasize John's role of displaying Christ to Israel. Interestingly, the Baptist's role in this disclosure may have nothing to do with his preaching. The disclosure referred to here may well be the divine announcement made to all present when Jesus was baptized by John.
      fanerwqh/ (fanerow) aor. pas. subj. "might be revealed" - might be manifested. "To make Christ known to the people of Israel."

v32
      emarturhsen (marturew) aor. "gave this testimony" - testified, bore witness. John describes what he has seen.
      teqeamai (qeaomai) perf. "I saw" - I have seen. This is probably an example of the "dramatic historical present perfect" where the perfect is used to dramatically recall a past event, "I was there and saw ...." CEV. The seeing, of course, is with the eye. "I saw" underlines the fact that John witnessed the event.
      katabainon (katabainw) pres. part. "come down" - descending. It is unclear whether "come down" should be taken with "heaven" or "dove". Is the Spirit, "descending from heaven/sky looking like a dove", or "descending as a dove would descend from heaven/sky"? The latter seems preferable.
      emeinen (menw) aor. "remain" - remain, abide, continue. This verb is obviously a constative aorist expressing the beginning of the permanent abiding of the Holy Spirit with Jesus during his ministry on earth.
      ep (epi) + acc. "on" - This preposition with the accusative implies movement upon, or onto. If a static "on" was desired it would be followed by a genitive. The use of this preposition here continues to reflect the idea of the Spirit's coming upon Jesus, a coming which resulted in his abiding with him.

v33
      ouk h/dein (oida) pluperf. "I would not have known" - did not recognize. Although this verb is pluperfect it is best translated as a simple past, "I myself, did not recognize him", Moffatt.
      all (alla) "except" - but. Adversative.
      oJ pemyaV (pempw) aor. part. "the one who sent [me]" - the one having sent. Attributive use of the participle, "he who sent me", NEB, ie. God.
      baptizein (baptizw) inf. "to baptize" - Infinitive used to express purpose, "in order to."
      en "with [water]" - in, with. Most translators go for "with", NEB goes for "in". It is often argued that "with water" is a gloss.
      eipen (eipon) aor. "told [me]" - said [to me]. Here John reveals that he has had a direct revelation from God.
      oJn an + subj. "the man [upon] whom" - whomever. Indefinite usage, "someone", CEV
      ef (epi) + acc. "upon" - See above.
      katabainon (katabainw) pres. part. "come down" - descending. The NIV takes this participle as one of attendant circumstance, connected to the verb "remain" and linked by "and". It may also be an adverbial participle of time, "when you see the Spirit coming down on someone", NEB.
      oJ baptizwn en "he who will baptize with" - the one immersing in / the one outpouring/washing with. The image is of the promised outpouring of the Spirit of God, eg. Ezk.36:25-26. Jesus receives the Spirit and shares the Spirit, or more correctly, the Spirit descends upon and abides with Jesus, and Jesus pours out the Spirit. The question is, in what sense is the Spirit poured out? "It is the bestowal of new life in God", Morris, ie. regenerative. Other possibilities include "cleansing", Brown; "empowering", etc. cf. 7:39, 14:16f, 20:22.
      pneumati aJgiw/ "the Holy Spirit" - Translators handle this differently. Most reject "a holy Spirit" (Anchor Bible), some have "the holy Spirit", "holy" not capitalized since the Baptist would know nothing of Trinitarian theology, but most have "the Holy Spirit", given that the writer understands the full nature of the Holy Spirit's person.