“Behold, the Lamb of God.”
John's mission was always to point beyond himself to the one who was to come. He was a voice that cried out so that people would be prepared for the coming of one who was greater than himself. But when this person arrived, how surprising it was that he was not identified primarily by his greatness, but rather as the Lamb of God. John had told his disciples of one whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. And John did consider Jesus to be this person, one greater than himself, who must increase while he decreased. He was one whom John would not have baptized if left to his own devices, since he did not feel himself worthy, nor Jesus in need. Yet here John defined Jesus as a Lamb. This did not point primarily to the honor or to the power of Jesus but rather to the nature of his mission as sacrifice. Insofar as it pointed to his character it revealed his meekness and humility. This seemed to be in tension with the powerful figure to which he had at other times referred.
The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus.
Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
John demonstrated his willingness to decrease while Jesus increased by sending his own disciples to Jesus. After all, what was the point of John's ministry if not to do this? Yet how human it would have been for John to try to reinforce his own ministry rather than yield to the coming of Jesus. But there was never a sign of such selfishness. John only ever evinced humility and docility. Perhaps his own character helped his disciples appreciate a little more why God would send a Lamb when the world needed salvation. In any event his disciples seemed prepared to follow the Lamb once he was revealed. Maybe John's teaching extended even to what would be the sacrificial character of the mission of Jesus. However, although John's disciples were willing to follow the Lamb, they seemed unclear on exactly what that meant. They couldn't articulate exactly what they were seeking. Instead they merely asked to remain near Jesus so they could learn more.
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
So they went and saw where he was staying,
and they stayed with him that day.
They had been prepared by the one whose entire mission was to prepare people for Jesus. But they still needed their own encounter with him to make all the pieces fall into place for their own understanding. We do not know what happened while they remained with him, but we do know it led them to express faith in their own terms, not just reciting what they were taught: "We have found the Messiah". They not only confessed it but were obviously so excited about it that they couldn't help but invite others to share it. This was the nature of encounter, where faith became personal, and disciples became witnesses.
Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil.
Jesus was the Lamb of God because his mission was to restore a world broken by sin and thus destroy the works of the Devil. The Devil had power and claim over the world insofar as the world was enslaved by sin (see Luke 4:5). And so the gift of the life of Jesus as sacrifice would atone for sin and open the possibility of true freedom in the life of the Spirit.
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (see John 8:32).
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed (see John 8:36).
John the Evangelist wanted his readers to realize that freedom in Christ needed to be protected and cherished in order to be maintained. Christians would need to live from the power of the divine seed planted in their souls rather than allowing themselves to slip back into habits of sin. Even Christians could not sin without in some measure surrendering the freedom won for them by Christ. But even if Christians did commit sin Jesus would not abandon them. He instituted the sacrament of confession whereby he could, whenever necessary, "destroy the works of the Devil" in any penitent soul.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
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