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Behold the Lamb of God: John's Witness

John 1:19–34 · Beginning of the ministry

Scripture

John 1:19–34

nd this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? 20And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. 21And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 23He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. 24And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? 26John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. 28These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 30This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. 31And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 32And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 34And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

King James Version · public domain

Joani 1:19–34

dhe ky është dëshmimi i Joanit, kur dërguanë Judhenjtë nga Jerusalimi priftër edhe Levitër që t’a pyesënë, cili je ti? 20Edhe rrëfeu, edhe nukë mohoj; edhe rrëfeu, Se unë nukë jam Krishti. 21Edhe e pyetnë Çë pra? Ilia je ti? edhe thotë, Nukë jam. Profiti je ti? edhe upërgjeq, Jo. 22I thanë pra, Cili je? që t’u përgjigjemi atyreve që na kanë dërguarë? ç’thua për vetëhenë t’ënde? 23Tha, “unë jam zër’ i ati që bërtet ndë shkretëtirët, Drejtoni udhën’ e Zotit.” sikundër tha profiti Isai. 24Edhe ata që qenë dërguarë ishinë prej Farisenjet; 25Edhe e pyetnë e i thanë, Përse pra pagëzon, kur nukë je ti Krishti, as Ilia, as profiti? 26Joani i upërgjeq atyre, dyke thënë, Unë pagëzonj me ujë; po ndër mest t’uaj rri ay që ju nuk’ e njihni; 27Ay është ay që vjen pas meje, i-cili është më i-math se unë; të-cilit unë s’jam i-zoti t’i sgith rripin’ e shollësë. 28Këto ubënë ndë Vithavara përtej Jordhanit, atje ku ishte Joani dyke pagëzuarë. 29Ndë të-nesërmet Joani sheh Jisunë dyke ardhurë tek ay, edhe thotë, Na Qëngji i Perëndisë, që ngre fajin’ e botësë. 30Ky ësht’ ay, për të-cilinë unë u thashë, se Pas meje vjen një burrë, i-cili është më i-math se unë, sepse ishte përpara meje. 31Edhe unë s’e njoha; po që të dëftenetë ndë Israilt, përandaj erdha unë dyke pagëzuarë me ujë. 32Edhe Joani dha dëshmim, dyke thënë, Se pashë Frymën’ e-Shënjtëruarë dyke sbriturë nga qielli posi pëllump, edhe ndënji mbi atë. 33Edhe unë nuk’ e njoha; po ay që më dërgoj të pagëzonj me ujë, ay më tha, Ay përmbi të-cilinë të shohç Frymën’ e-Shënjtëruarë dyke sbritur’ e dyke ndënjurë mbi atë, ky ësht’ ay që pagëzon me Frymë të-Shënjtëruarë. 34Edhe un’ e pashë, edhe dhashë dëshmim, se ky është i Bir’ i Perëndisë.

Kristoforidhi, Dhiata e Re Toskërisht 1879 · zotërim publik

In their own words

He calls Him "Lamb," to remind the Jews of the prophecy of Isaiah, and of the shadow under the law of Moses, that he may the better lead them from the type to the reality. That Lamb of Moses took not at once away the sin of any one; but this took away the sin of all the world; for when it was in danger of perishing, He quickly delivered it from the wrath of God.

St. John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homily 17 (on John 1:29)

Behold the Lamb of God: John's Witness (John 1:19–34)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of John, Homilies 16–17 (on John 1:19–34) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.toc.html

On the Baptist's refusal of the honour the crowds pressed upon him:

This is the part of an honest servant, not only not to take to himself his master's honor, but also to reject it when given to him by the many.

On why he names Christ "the Lamb," leading the Jews from the type to the reality:

He calls Him "Lamb," to remind the Jews of the prophecy of Isaiah, and of the shadow under the law of Moses, that he may the better lead them from the type to the reality. That Lamb of Moses took not at once away the sin of any one; but this took away the sin of all the world; for when it was in danger of perishing, He quickly delivered it from the wrath of God.

St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Books I–II (on John 1:26–29) Source: trans. P. E. Pusey, Library of Fathers, 1874. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_01_book1.htm

On "I am not worthy to unloose His shoe-latchet":

For the Giver of the greater and most notable gifts and Supplier of all perfection of good things, standeth among you, unknown as yet by reason of the veil of flesh, but so much surpassing me the Baptist, that I must deem myself not to have the measure even of a servant's place in His Presence. For this I deem is the meaning of, I am not worthy to unloose His shoe-latchet.

On the one spotless Lamb led to the slaughter for all:

Behold, therefore, saith he, the Lamb of God Which taketh away the sin of the world, Whom the Prophet Isaiah did signify to us, saying, He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb ... but now He Who of old was dimly pictured, the very Lamb, the spotless Sacrifice, is led to the slaughter for all.

Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

Explanation of the Gospel of John (on John 1:29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On why He is called the Lamb of God, who has taken away the sin of the whole world:

He is called the Lamb of God, because God the Father accepted His death for our salvation, or, in other words, because He delivered Him up to death for our sakes. ... And whereas that typical lamb did not take away any man's sin, this one has taken away the sin of the whole world, rescuing it from the danger it was in from the wrath of God.

Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book VI (on John 1:26) Source: trans. in the Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol. 9. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf09/anf09.xv.iii.v.xv.html (Certain speculations of Origen were later condemned in 553; the passage cited here is his sober reading of the Baptist's answer.)

On how "there standeth one among you" exalts the hidden nature of Christ:

I, he says, "baptize with water;" this is his answer to, "Why baptizest thou." And to the second part of their question, "If thou art not the Christ," he answers by exalting the superior nature of Christ, that He has such virtue as to be invisible in His deity, though present to every man and extending over the whole universe. This is what is indicated in the words, "There standeth one among you."

Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 4 (on John 1:19–34) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107/npnf107.iii.v.html

On John as the friend of the Bridegroom, humble in his acknowledgment of the Lord:

You have very often heard, holy brethren, and you know well, that John the Baptist, in proportion as he was greater than those born of women, and was more humble in his acknowledgment of the Lord, obtained the grace of being the friend of the Bridegroom; zealous for the Bridegroom, not for himself; not seeking his own honor, but that of his Judge, whom as a herald he preceded.

On why He alone is the Lamb, conceived without sin:

Alone, then, was He, the Lamb who came, not so. For He was not conceived in iniquity, because not conceived of mortality; nor did His mother conceive Him in sin, whom the Virgin conceived, whom the Virgin brought forth; because by faith she conceived, and by faith received Him.

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Forty Gospel Homilies (on John 1:19–23) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on John. Public domain. Full text: https://isidore.co/aquinas/english/CAJohn.htm

On the Baptist who denied what he was not, yet did not deny what he was:

He denied directly being what he was not, but he did not deny what he was: thus, by his speaking truth, becoming a true member of Him Whose name he had not dishonestly usurped.

On John the voice, going before the Word of the Father:

Now we know, in the case of our own utterance, the voice first sounds, and then the word is heard. Thus John declares himself to be the voice, i.e. because he precedes the Word, and, through his ministry, the Word of the Father is heard by man.

Patristic sources

Read the sources: Chrysostom on John (CCEL, NPNF1-14) · Cyril on John, Book I (tertullian.org) · Cyril on John, Book II (tertullian.org) · Origen on John, Book VI (CCEL, ANF 9) · Augustine, Tractates on John (CCEL, NPNF1-7) · Catena Aurea on John (isidore.co)