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John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples;

And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?

He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.

One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

What does John 1:29 mean?

Explanation

John 1:29 presents a scene in which John the Baptist identifies Jesus Christ as the "Lamb of God." In this verse, as Jesus approaches, John declares that Jesus is the one who takes away the sin of the world.

The imagery of a lamb is rich with meaning, primarily denoting sacrifice.

In Jewish tradition, lambs were often used as sacrificial animals to atone for sins.

Thus, calling Jesus the Lamb of God signifies that he is the ultimate sacrifice, sent by God to cleanse humanity of its sins through his upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

This verse is set at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, following his baptism by John the Baptist.

The concept of a sacrificial lamb has deep roots in the Jewish faith, reaching back to the Passover in Egypt when the Israelites marked their doorposts with the blood of a lamb for protection from the final plague, as described in Exodus 12.

The identification of Jesus as the lamb ties back to these earlier sacrifices, indicating that the sacrifice of Jesus would have a universal, redemptive effect, transcending the repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament.

Theological Insights

Different Christian traditions draw varied theological implications from this verse. For instance:

Traditional Protestant theology may focus on the substitutionary atonement theory, where Jesus is seen as a substitute for sinners, bearing the punishment that humanity deserves.
Catholic teaching emphasizes Jesus as the Paschal Lamb, a direct link to the Passover lamb and the Eucharist, which is considered a re-presentation of Jesus' sacrifice.
Eastern Orthodox Christianity might focus on the concept of theosis, where Jesus' sacrifice enables humans to become partakers in divine nature.

Practical Applications

John 1:29 can inspire a personal reflection on the universality of grace.

Believers are called to a life of gratitude and humility, constantly aware that it is not by their works but by Jesus' sacrifice that they are redeemed.

This attitude can manifest in various aspects of life, including forgiveness, love for others, and commitment to spiritual growth.

Cross-References

Isaiah 53:7: "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth."
Revelation 5:12: "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."
1 Peter 1:18-19: "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek are crucial for understanding this passage:

"Lamb" (Ἀμνός, Amnos) conveys the idea of innocence and purity, fitting the sacrificial context.
"Taketh away" (αἴρων, airon) implies lifting up or carrying off, suggesting both the removal of sin and allusion to the manner of Jesus' crucifixion.
"Sin" (ἁμαρτία, hamartia) is used in the singular, indicating the collective sin of humanity rather than individual sins.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The idea of a divine figure taking on the sins of humanity is not unique to Christianity. In various ancient mythologies, there are figures who suffer or die for the sake of others.

However, the Christian interpretation stands out in its claim of actual historicity and the concept of a personal relationship with the divine through Jesus' sacrifice.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives typically do not intersect directly with theological beliefs, as the realms of science and faith address different types of questions about reality.

However, the concept of sacrifice can be discussed in the context of evolutionary biology, where instances of self-sacrificial behavior in animals might be seen as an indirect analogue to the self-sacrifice noted in this verse.

Commentaries

Scholars and theologians over the centuries have offered a range of interpretations on this verse:

Matthew Henry’s Commentary emphasizes the importance of the public declaration of Jesus as the Lamb of God, highlighting the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies.
The MacArthur Bible Commentary notes that John the Baptist's declaration underscores Jesus’ mission to deal with sin, which is central to the gospel message.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament highlights the Johannine themes of Jesus as both the revealer sent by God and as the redemptive sacrifice for humanity.

John 1

John 1

What does John 1:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 1:29 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?