March 8, 2015 – John 1:28 – 37
Download discussion questions: John 1_28-37 Lamb of God
After the confrontation with the investigating committee from the Pharisees, the action turns to a narrative about the ministry of John the baptizer, mostly in his own words. Seeing Jesus, John points Him out as the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” He identifies Jesus as fulfilling his previous preaching about One coming after him, and he describes his entire ministry as relating to Jesus.
John says something that seems odd on first reading. In fact, he says it twice, “I didn’t recognize Him.” They were related, second-cousins. Both were born under unusual circumstances. John may have known his cousin, but somehow he never recognized His true status.
Like many of us trying to give a complicated explanation, John seems to get ahead of himself in the narrative. He did not recognize Jesus until he saw something amazing: the Spirit descending. But the story only makes sense to his hearers if they know about the sign he was given. So he backs up and explains: “He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him….” Then the story makes more sense. The cousin he probably saw many times as they grew up was identified and recognized by a sign that John can only describe as “descending as a dove.” Whatever John the baptizer saw was beyond human description. The best comparison he had was a gentle, pure, peaceful bird. But the sign he was given, “descending and remaining,” was unmistakable.
Now John’s narrative is a little clearer after he goes back to explain how he recognized his cousin as the Son of God. He repeats, “I did not recognize Him” in order to clarify his explanation:
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John’s Original Narrative (vs. 29-32) 29The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, |
John’s Additional Explanation (vs. 33-37)
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| 30This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ | |
| 31I did not recognize Him, | 33I did not recognize Him, |
| but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ | |
| but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” | |
| 32John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. | |
| 34I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God. | |
| 35Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. |
His main point is the purpose of his mission, why he was “sent” (a word we will see many more times in the Gospel of John, usually Jesus applying it to Himself). John explains his ministry of baptism: “so that He might be manifested to Israel.” Manifested is not a word used often in conversation. Words that are a bit unusual should get our attention in Bible study. Listing synonyms in a group discussion is helpful: shown, revealed, made evident. That was John’s mission, to display who Jesus was.
He carried out his mission. He was sent to baptize and to look for a sign, the descent of the Spirit. Very possibly the details of his mission were not as clear as he would have liked. How would he know the sign (nothing was said originally about a dove)? How would baptizing people reveal the Messiah? Did John even think of Jesus (the One he did not recognize) in relation to his mission? There is no indication that John delayed his obedience until all the questions were answered. (Maybe he had learned a lesson from his earthly father, Zacharias, about hesitant obedience – see Luke 1:18-20). John simply carried out what he knew he should do, trusting that somehow that would reveal the Messiah.
John’s mission is also ours, to manifest Jesus, to make Him clear to those around us, not in hyper-piety or religious pretense, but in living out the lives God has called us to. Part of our group discussion turned to how this works out as we face adversity. When things are going well, being a “happy Christian” is easy (or a “happy pagan” for that matter). That kind of superficial cheerfulness is not particularly convincing to anyone. But how our faith enables us to endure through difficulties can “manifest” Him in powerful ways.
That kind of endurance is not from willpower. In God’s providence, the sermon just before our group met referenced Hebrews 12:2. Jesus endured the cross because of “the joy set before Him.” Our endurance is based likewise on the joy set before us, our relationship with Him, both now and eternally. John’s ministry in making Jesus known grew as he recognized Him. The more we are able to recognize Jesus ourselves, the better we will be able to show Him to others. The more we are able to display Him to others, the better we will learn to know Him ourselves.