The following readings take place after John’s Prologue and the introduction of John the Baptist’s Ministry. The Baptist has been baptising near the Jordan and he has been questioned by the Jewish leadership about whether he was the Messiah. He confesses that he is not but says that someone present who they do not know is greater than he.
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
A lot of the crowd, including the Jewish leadership, assumed that the Baptist was the Messiah or was at least positioning himself to be perceived as the Messiah. The day previous, as this is “the next day” the Baptist says there is one present who he is not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandal. This individual the leadership nor the people know about. To make this clear, the Baptist upon seeing Jesus who is the true Messiah, proclaims before him. “Behold, the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the World”.
Sin offerings were a common part of the Jewish liturgy and a lamb was a the standard animal for such a sacrifice. The Baptist here though is pointing toward a man, who is the sin offering himself also instead of a sin offering for an individual or the people, he is the Lamb offered by God himself, to wipe sin from the entire world. These words are so common to us that we regularly do not take in exactly what is being articulated by the Baptist but it is extremely profound. When Abraham and Isaac are on Mount Moriah, Isaac asks “where is the lamb?” His father tells him God will provide the lamb. A lamb of God will be provided.
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
The Baptist continues referring back to his previous statement of one who is to come who he is not worthy to even untie the straps of his sandal. Jesus comes after in the sense of chronology of narrative but he ranks before him and also the existed before him.
31 I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John the Baptist says he did not know Jesus, this is referring to them not being acquaintances. This might sound odd since they were cousins but Jesus grows up in Nazareth and John grows up in the wilderness, most likely with the Qumran Community. This means they did not grow up knowing each other despite being cousins.
The Baptist says despite not knowing him this is why his ministry exists, he comes baptising in water so that “he” (being Jesus) would be revealed to Israel.
32 And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
The Baptist now makes a public declaration of divine revelation. He saw the Holy Spirit descend as a dove and rest on him. The spirit resting on someone is a repeated sign of someone being favoured by God. The imagery of a dove would hearken back to Noah at the Flood, the dove being the bird that shows Noah the type of a New Earth and New Heavens after the deluge, here the true New Heavens and New Earth are in the person of Jesus.
33 I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
The Baptist continues, reaffirming his declaration that he did not know Jesus before this moment, but the one who sent him, which would be God, told him that this sign of the Holy Spirit and the dove would reveal who he was to be waiting for. He will be the one who will baptise with the Holy Spirit,
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
The Baptist gives his witness that he has seen and proclaims that this individual, this Lamb of God, this new Passover, Sin offering, one who baptises with the Holy Spirit is the Son of God.
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