John 1: 29-34 – Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. It must have startled those who, for the first time, heard Jesus being called the Lamb of God. It referred to the ultimate sacrifice Jesus paid on the Cross. … he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). Someone said, “Jesus of Nazareth was the Lamb of God, who, by sacrificing himself and everything he had, could take away the sin of the world and blot it out.” The apostle Paul thought of Jesus as the Passover lamb (read 1 Corinthians 5:7). One of the most wonderful titles for Christ is the Passover Lamb. It reminds us of the love, the sacrifice, the suffering, and the victory Jesus had over death.
1:30 – This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who is preferred before me…’ Once again,John (the Baptist) makes it clear his only function was to point men to Christ. “He claimed no greatness and no place for himself; he was only the man who, as it were, drew back the curtain, and left Jesus occupying the lonely (center) of the stage” (William Barclay).
1:31 – I didn’t know him, but for this reason, I came baptizing in water… Jesus was a cousin of John (the Baptist), but he didn’t know Jesus was the “Coming One” or the “Messiah.” He didn’t know it until he witnessed the promised sign.
1:32 – John testified, saying “I have seen the Spirit descending like a dove out of heaven, and it remained on him. The Interpreter’s Bible says,“At Christ’s baptism John was as certain as if he had seen with his bodily eyes, as sure as if he had heard audible words (read Luke 3:21-22),
“The word translated ‘dove’ is loosely applied to a number of smaller species of pigeon. It is used to symbolize innocence and purity” (Young’s Bible Dictionary). (Read Leviticus 1:14 & 14:22).
1:33 – He said to me, ‘On whomever you will see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ F.F. Bruce says, “In Ezekiel’s prophecy of restoration, God promises not only to purify his people with clean water but also to impart to them a new spirit -his own Spirit” (read Ezekiel 36:25-27).
1:34 – I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God. It is a title that points to the uniqueness that exists between the Son and the Father.
-All Scripture Passages are taken for the World English Bible-