'The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the holy Spirit.’ Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God (Jn. 1:29-34).”'
John the Baptist declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God which in OT times would have conjured up the image of a sacrificial lamb being offered up as a sin offering, an atonement for sin in accordance with Mosaic Law (2 Chron. 29:20-24; Is. 53:7; Ex. 12:6-7). John the Baptist acknowledged Jesus’ supremacy and divinity when he said, ‘he existed before me.’ John’s Gospel does not indicate that Jesus and John the Baptist were related. John the Baptist’s baptisms were not for the forgiveness of sins but to make Jesus known to Israel. John gave his version of the Holy Spirit anointing Jesus by coming down and remaining on him. This was most likely taken from a tradition different than the one used in the synoptic Gospels. Jesus could now baptize with the Holy Spirit who remained in him which confirms that he is the Son of God.
Almighty God, we give thanks to you always for calling us to do your will and sending down your Holy Spirit to strengthen us for our mission. Grant, we pray, that we may serve you as Jesus did and willingly give of ourselves for the salvation of others. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
References:
Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.
Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.
Comments