John 1:24-31

²⁴Now some Pharisees who had been sent ²⁵questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?" ²⁶"I baptize with water," John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. ²⁷He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." ²⁸This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. ²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' ³¹I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel."

Why does John baptize? That Jesus would be revealed to Israel. The Jewish leaders, seemingly content with John’s answer regarding his identity, though no doubt perplexed, probe further into his ministry. They ask why he baptizes if he is not the Christ, not Elijah, and not the Prophet. Baptisms of Gentile converts to Judaism were performed by the priests, and John was not a priest. So the leadership saw John as challenging the Jewish system of Temple and worship order. Later, Jesus will ask this question of the religious leaders to show them that John’s baptism was legitimate, as decreed by God (Matthew 21:23-27). John says, “I’m only baptizing in water, or with water, but Jesus is here, and – [from other Gospels] – He’ll be baptizing with the Holy Spirit.” Jesus is standing in their midst. They should be excited to meet and learn more about this Person John describes, but we don’t hear a response from the Jewish leaders.

Then John testifies of Jesus in v29, saying, “Look, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This was why John was baptizing, that he would baptize Jesus to signify the beginning of His ministry, that Jesus would be identified as the Messiah, not for Jesus’ benefit, but for the benefit of the Jewish people. And v31 gives a surprising truth: John says, “The reason I came baptizing with water was that [Jesus] might be revealed to Israel.” We might consider John’s baptism to have a different meaning, perhaps a more personal meaning for those engaging in its practice. And I think we’d all agree that it probably had that personal significance for all those who repented under John’s ministry. But the apostle John tells us here than John the Baptist recognized a much deeper and more important significance to his practice – that of revealing Christ.

John was revealing the Messiah by calling Him the “Lamb of God.” How amazing! A lamb to the Jewish people was synonymous with sacrifice. Think: Passover lamb. That’s Jesus. He’s the Passover Lamb, the lamb of priceless sacrifice. But it’s much more. Jesus is the Servant Lamb of Isaiah 53:7. Countless lambs were offered on altars in Old Testament times. But Jesus is The Lamb. What an honor to be able to point to Jesus of Nazareth and say, “He’s the One! He’s God’s Messiah! He’s The Prophet! He’s the Lamb; it’s His blood that’s going to forgive us our sins.” And the word “sin” is singular to convey any kind of iniquity. And “the world” is intended to convey non-discrimination of any people group. This is not just for Jews. This is for humanity in its hostility to God.