The Great Sending, Chapter 5
John 1:29-34
John Testifies About Jesus
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
—John 1:34
STUDY 5: Jesus is the Son of God, pp. 67-69
Scripture: John 1:29-34
by Reverand Dr. Dean Nadasdy
“Who are you?”
John the Baptist plays a prominent part in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. There is a nice back-and-forth play between what is probably an early hymn of the church and John the Baptist, setting up his introduction of Jesus as the "Lamb of God" and "the Son of God."
In the other Gospels, Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist, the dove descends on Jesus, and the voice of God declares Jesus to be his Son whom he loves. In John's Gospel, John the Baptist recounts Jesus's baptism with the dove descending, but John the Baptist is the one who gives the witness that Jesus is "the Son of God."
John clearly wants to declare, from the beginning of his Gospel, who Jesus is and the purpose of Jesus’ ministry. John points to Jesus as "the Son of God" from the creation of the world and identifies His ministry purpose as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The "Lamb of God" is only used twice in the New Testament, both in John Chapter 1. Through these two terms (“Son of God” and “Lamb of God”), John tells us what the "Missio Dei" (mission of God) is – the forgiveness of sins through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Son of God.
The title, “Son of God," appears in the first chapter of every Gospel except Matthew. Mark begins his Gospel with, "The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God." In Luke, the angel Gabriel tells Mary that she will give birth to "the Son of God." Matthew tells of Satan calling Jesus "the Son of God" in his temptation of Jesus.
Mark and John not only begin their Gospels by identifying Jesus as the Son of God; they also end their Gospels with this title. In Mark the centurion at the cross declares Jesus as "the Son of God" (15:39). John closes with the reason for his Gospel: "…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (20:21).
In John 1:31, the Baptist says the purpose of his baptizing is to reveal the one coming after him (the Messiah) to Israel. The Baptist sees the dove descend from heaven on Jesus. The two titles the Baptist uses reveals Jesus’s Missio Dei. The one coming into the world from God is not an earthly ruler, king, or wise person. The one coming from the Father is the Father’s sinless and only Son. He is the second Adam who, through his death as the Lamb, will bring life to all peoples. Jesus, our Savior, God's Son, accomplishes God's mission of salvation.
Questions to ponder with
yourself and others
- How can the statements of John the Baptist help us better understand our own witness of who Jesus is?
- How does your congregation prepare the way for people to see Jesus as the "Lamb of God" and the "Son of God?"
- How is your life influenced by believing that Jesus is the Savior of the World?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we thank You for revealing Your only Son who accomplishes Your mission of redemption and salvation. Pour out Your Holy Spirit so all believers would be bold in proclaiming Jesus as the Savior. Open the eyes of those living in darkness that they would recognize and receive the Son of God as the Lamb who died and was raised from the dead as their Savior. In the name of Jesus. Amen.