John the Baptist's purpose in life was to point away from himself to Jesus. His task was to prepare the way for the coming messiah, and he did this by calling on Israel to repent and to express this repentance outwardly in water baptism. In bearing witness to the coming one, the Baptist laid the corner-stone of Christian theology, namely, the atonement - the coming one is the sacrificial lamb of God.

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. 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.

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.

How would you explain the image of Jesus as "the lamb of God" to a child?