John 1:29-34
“The Testimony of John(cont.)”
1. The Lamb of God (29)
• Vs. 29 Significance of the Lamb
o Genesis 4:2-5
o Genesis 22:7-8
o Exodus 12:3-5, 12-13
o Isaiah 53:7
o 1 Peter 1:19
• takes away lit. means “to destroy.”
• sin means “state of sinfulness;” also the “moral consequences of sin(guilt).”
o Faith in Christ takes us from being sinners to being saved, even removing the guilt of sin.
• We see the completeness of our salvation in that the sacrifice of Christ delivered us from the penalty of sin, is delivering us from the presence of sin, and will deliver us from the presence of sin.
• world – is not universal salvation; but it is referring to the scope of Christ’s atoning power.
2. Higher than the Prophets (30)
• Vs. 30 The Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God, but also as the one whom he was describing in verse 27.
• Once again reaffirming the pre-existence of Christ.
3. The King of Israel (31)
• Vs. 31 John could be saying that until now he never even knew who Jesus was despite the fact they were cousins; however he most assuredly is saying that before now he did not know Jesus was the Messiah.
• John’s ministry of baptism was so that Jesus would be manifest to Israel.
Matthew 10:5-6 -- 5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
4. The Chosen One (32)
• Vs. 32 Why did Jesus need the Holy Spirit?
o Philippians 2:7, some say when Jesus emptied Himself, he gave up His deity in order to become man, and so needed the Holy Spirit in order to perform miracles.(This could not be, Jesus could not stop being God even though He took on the form of man)
o It was a fulfillment of prophecy, another sign given to men (us) validating Jesus as the Messiah.
Isaiah 11:2 -- 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.
o The Holy Spirit was and is for our benefit, not Christ’s. Just as the Spirit revealed to John who Jesus was (vs. 31), it is still the Holy Spirit who reveals Jesus to us.
o John 16:8-14
o That is why Jesus said the only sin that will not be forgiven is not believing the Holy Spirit when He reveals the truth about who Jesus is, the Lamb of God, the only begotten Son that takes away the sin of the world.
Matthew 12:31-32 (NASB95)
31 “Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 “Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.
5. The Son of God (33-34)
• Vs. 33 Again John restates that he had no foreknowledge that Jesus was the Christ.
• John was given a revelation from God that this would be the sign that identified the one who was going to baptize by the Spirit (vs. 26), John proclaims that He is “the Son of God” (vs. 34).
o The very thing that God would not allow Abraham to do to Isaac, God Himself was going to do; that Jesus, His Son, was willing to do.
o John 10:17-18
