John 1:19-51 The Lamb of God

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“The Lamb of God”

John 1:19-51

Introduction: In 1:1-18, John in essence introduced all that he would talk about in his treatise. Jesus is the Creator, the Word, the one who is the interpretation of God, and the glory of God.

Beginning at verse 19, John begins the body of the book by which he lays out testimony for the proclamation made in the introduction. At the same time, John will connect the prophetic OT pictures of God and his coming to save his people.

1. “This Is the Testimony of John” – Getting the Picture
   1. In starting our study, please notice the beginning of verse 19, then verse 29, verse 35, and 43. In verse 19, Jews are sent from the priests and Levites to discover who John is. Then the subsequent verses have the phrase, “the next day.” Therefore, John highlights four days.
   2. This sequence answers the question, “How did this all begin?” Referencing verse 14, how did we “see his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father?” Remember, John is writing “that you may believe” or, “that you may continue to believe.” John will put great emphasis on “testimony,” and he begins with the testimony of John because both Malachi and Isaiah foretold one who would announce the Messiah.
   3. On the first day, we see that the Jews sent priests and Levites to investigate John. Please notice that the Jews did not send some simple “messengers,” they sent those who would have knowledge of the Law and could therefore properly interrogate John concerning who he is in light of the prophecies.
      1. You will notice that John eliminates every possibility that they can think of concerning the prophecies. John is not the Messiah, he is not “the Prophet (Deut. 18),” and he is not a literal incarnation of Elijah (Malachi).
      2. John’s simple answer is, “I am the voice…as the prophet Isaiah said.” Apparently “the Voice” had not been a consideration. In fact, the apostle inserts, “Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.” The Pharisees would want to know what possibly could cause John to be in a wilderness baptizing is he nobody significant to the end times. 
      3. This is where John’s answer is so notable. What is a “voice?” A voice isn’t even a person. A voice is no one, and cannot be of any importance. In fact, when John’s answers their question, he gives none of the reasons that we can read in the other gospel accounts. His only point is, “I’m baptizing in water…” but that is nothing compared to the One who is in your midst and who comes after me.
      4. Therefore, this is the message of John on the first day: I am unimportant. I am only a Voice urging repentance because of the One who is coming.
   4. On the second day (29-34), John adds to his statement on the previous day. On the first day, Jesus was anonymously in their midst, but now he steps into the light and John makes the announcement: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” 
      1. From the point of view of the Jewish leaders, this a bold and shocking statement. Who among them is even looking for a “Lamb of God,” much less a “Lamb” who is taking away the sins of the world? The “Prophet,” Elijah, and the Messiah were all expected to restore their kingdom like in the days of David. Who needs forgiveness? We are from Abraham, and we have the Law! 
      2. Now John reveals a specific reason he was baptizing. He had been told to look for one on whom the Spirit descended and remained. He would be the One. John would not give evidence based on any personal knowledge of Jesus, but on the basis of the supernatural. The prophets foretold of the Spirit residing on the Messiah, and John sees a literal illumination of it, which would indicate that this is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. Again, John is nothing, the Lamb of God is everything.
   5. On the third day (35-42), John directed two of his disciples to Jesus by simply saying, “Behold the Lamb of God.” Now John is putting into action what he has been saying, turning his disciples to the one where there should be true discipleship. 
   6. The key to the text is now that John has given his testimony, we see the evidence of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus’ first words to the two disciples is unique. Not “who are you seeking,” but “what are you seeking.” Jesus’ words are also thematic in the book. People seek for the wrong reasons. Thus the important question, “What are you seeking?” I love their answer. It might seem odd, but it is great: “Where are you staying?” Their answer is obvious. What are we seeking? We want to be with you! We want you! That is always the answer, and any other answer is wrong! 
   7. And then there is Andrew. He does the natural thing after spending the evening with Jesus, he tells someone else. He brought his brother Simon. The apostle reveals one simple point about Simon meeting Jesus. “You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter). In other words, I’m calling you Rock. As Peter would have known, he was far from being a Rock. But Jesus would make him one. And please remember, you are not what you should be, but the Lord will make you what he wants you to be. 
   8. On the fourth day (43-51) Jesus moved to Galilee and found Philip, who found Nathaniel. Nathaniel’s response is both a bit humorous, but seriously important. Nazareth is a nothing town. Culturally speaking, it is lowest of the low. Is it appropriate that the Son of God would grow up in Nazareth? Truly, the one who was foretold to be despised and rejected would most appropriately come from Nazareth. The one who is meek and lowly of heart can only be depicted as a Nazarene.
      1. What changed Nathaniel? Apparently he had been alone under a fig tree and there was no chance that any human had seen him. But Jesus not only saw him, but knew him. “An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” What a compliment! Most of us might have argued with Jesus on that point. But it was true, and Nathaniel believed. 
      2. It would seem natural to think that Nathaniel was contemplating the story of Jacob when he was at his lowest point, and he dreamed of a ladder with the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Jesus simply ties it together. “If you think me seeing you under the fig tree is evidence, wait till you see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
2. Key Messages from Each Day 
   1. “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness…” John’s answer should have been all they needed to know. Isaiah 40 began the introduction to the Messiah. And even more, the very quote itself stated who was coming. John was the voice, the One who was coming was the Lord himself, and the picture was restoration. Isaiah 40:5 states, “And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed” (Cf. John 1:14).
      1. “Wilderness” was Isaiah’s description of the condition of the nation – a desolation because of their sins and the Lord’s rejection. 
      2. The cry to “make straight the way of the Lord,” was a call to repentance because the King was returning to take his throne and conquer his enemies. If they were called to repent because the King was coming, how much more now that the King is reigning!
      3. We need to be reminded that the arrival of the kingdom of the Messiah was not a new kingdom, but the beginning of the restoration of God kingship over the world. The kingdom wasn’t “established” in the sense that on the day of Pentecost it was built and finished. As Peter said in Acts 3:19-23, the kingdom is in the process of being restored, a restoration that will not be complete until the second revelation of Jesus.
   2. “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”
      1. We cannot read “Lamb of God” without thinking of God’s Passover during the Exodus and the yearly commemoration of that event with the Passover Festival. Therefore, first consider that this is God’s Lamb, indicating that all other lambs that were offered were not sufficient for taking away sins or saving the people from death. As in Isaiah 59:15-16, God was disturbed that there was no one to intercede for his people and therefore his own arm brought him salvation.
      2. We take this label of Jesus so simply: the Lamb of God. It is a direct reference to Isaiah 53 where the suffering Servant was pictured as a lamb taken to the slaughter. No one else could save us. We had absolutely no hope. Therefore, God himself became the Lamb so that the angel of death would pass over us.
   3. “This is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” Again, this has an Isaiah connection.
      1. We need to be reminded that all four gospel accounts begin with the announcement that Jesus has come to “baptize with the Holy Spirit.” The Jews would certainly have understood this to be the restoration of Israel, God bringing his people and his kingdom back to life.
      2. Isaiah 32:15 states that Israel would be a wilderness “until the Spirit is poured out from on high.” The pouring out of the Spirit would come from God himself.
      3. Isaiah 44:3-5 offers a similar picture of God bringing life to his people by pouring out his Spirit. “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams. This one will say, ‘I m the Lord’s,’ another will call on the name of Jacob, and another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and name himself by the name of Israel.” 
   4. “You will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 
      1. First, notice the words, “Truly, truly.” John is the only one who uses this double superlative. It is the same word that is translated “Amen” and is used by Jesus to affirm an absolute certainty to what he was about to say. 
      2. We must appreciate the original setting of Jacob’s dream. Through deceit he had lost everything: his mother, his father, his brother, and the presence of his home. Instead of trusting in God, he tried to take the coveted birthright and blessing by his own ingenuity.  But now he has absolutely nothing.
      3. Jacob is a picture of all mankind. Try as we will to attain fullness by our own strength is always, ultimately a failure. The only hope is God. Did you notice the difference between Jacob’s dream and Jesus’ interpretation of it? In the dream, the blessings of God through angels ascend and descend on a ladder. In Jesus’ interpretation the blessings ascend and descend “on the Son of Man.” Two thousand years previous, Jacob had seen heaven opened and a ladder. Now the fulfillment. Heaven is opened, the Son of Man has come down to bring the blessings of God. Why look any place else! Jesus is the only source of eternal blessings.

Berry Kercheville