The words that John the Baptist chose to describe Jesus in John 1:29 are very interesting. As a matter of fact, Jesus is only specifically called the Lamb of God twice in the whole Bible—here and few verses later in verse 36. Both were used in the same context as John the Baptist directed people to Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. There is no doubt that John the Baptist used those words to describe Jesus, but what is interesting is why the Holy Spirit only inspired the Apostle John to record them. None of the other Gospel writers recorded those words because John uses that phrase to introduce us to one of the themes he carries all the way through his Gospel.
Scholars have debated the use of the phrase “Lamb of God” and have come to different conclusions as to which type of lamb John was referring. Many have concluded that he was referring to the lambs offered by the Jews as an atoning sacrifice. There is no doubt that Jesus offered Himself as our atonement, but I have come to the conclusion that John the Baptist’s reference focused on the fact that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. The Apostle John clearly uses the Passover as a thematic backdrop for his whole Gospel. John is the only Gospel writer to mention the three Passovers during the course of Jesus’ ministry. What is fascinating is how the pericopae surrounding each Passover reference is directly related to one of the cups taken during the Seder.
The first mention of Passover is in John 2:13. During that Passover season, Jesus entered the temple and drove out the moneychangers. He engaged in a very public cleansing of the temple. That act parallels the Cup of Sanctification, the first cup of the Passover. During the Seder, the ceremonial acts surrounding the Cup of Sanctification focus on cleansing, separation and holiness.
The second mention of the Passover is in John 6:4. Chapter 6 is filled with imagery designed to evoke memories of the Exodus. As God the Father provided food for the Israelites in the wilderness with manna from heaven, God the Son provided food for the 5000 with five loaves and two fish. As God the Father miraculously provided a way across the barrier of the Red Sea, God the Son miraculously provided a way for His disciples across the barrier of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:21). This event corresponds to the second cup of the Passover, the Cup of Plagues. During the Seder, one of the key events to follow the partaking of the Cup of Plagues is the pronouncement of Dayenu. It is a time of reflecting on God’s great provision for His children throughout the plagues of Egypt and the Exodus.
The final mention of the Passover in John’s Gospel is John 13:1. In the final chapters of his Gospel, John’s record of the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry is filled with Passover imagery. Interestingly, unlike other Gospel writers, John does not mention the taking of the cup and bread during that Seder. He is purposeful in leaving out that detail, because his focus is on Jesus as the third cup of the Passover, the Cup of Redemption. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus uses the Cup of Redemption to institute the Lord’s Supper. In so doing, Jesus clearly showed that, as the blood of the New Covenant, He is our redemption.
John’s Gospel leaves us with the third Passover cup. With Matthew’s eschatological focus, he records Jesus’ mention of the fourth cup immediately after taking the third cup. The fourth cup of the Passover is an eschatological cup. It is called the Cup of Elijah or the Cup of Praise. Since the destruction of the temple in AD 70 and the subsequent dispersion, Jews follow this cup with the phrase, “Next year in Jerusalem.” The words express an eschatological hope that the temple will be rebuilt and the sacrifice will be restored. Jesus gave us a better hope in Matthew 26:29. The eschatological hope of the Christian is to partake of the Cup of Praise with our Lord in His kingdom.
While John does not relate the imagery of the fourth cup to the events in his Gospel, he carries it over to another of his writings—the Revelation. Our great eschatological hope is on display as the Lamb stands, as if slain (Revelation 5:6). The Lamb is worthy (Revelation 5:9-10). And the Lamb will be worshipped (Revelation 5:13).
Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
Scholars have debated the use of the phrase “Lamb of God” and have come to different conclusions as to which type of lamb John was referring. Many have concluded that he was referring to the lambs offered by the Jews as an atoning sacrifice. There is no doubt that Jesus offered Himself as our atonement, but I have come to the conclusion that John the Baptist’s reference focused on the fact that Jesus is our Passover Lamb. The Apostle John clearly uses the Passover as a thematic backdrop for his whole Gospel. John is the only Gospel writer to mention the three Passovers during the course of Jesus’ ministry. What is fascinating is how the pericopae surrounding each Passover reference is directly related to one of the cups taken during the Seder.
The first mention of Passover is in John 2:13. During that Passover season, Jesus entered the temple and drove out the moneychangers. He engaged in a very public cleansing of the temple. That act parallels the Cup of Sanctification, the first cup of the Passover. During the Seder, the ceremonial acts surrounding the Cup of Sanctification focus on cleansing, separation and holiness.
The second mention of the Passover is in John 6:4. Chapter 6 is filled with imagery designed to evoke memories of the Exodus. As God the Father provided food for the Israelites in the wilderness with manna from heaven, God the Son provided food for the 5000 with five loaves and two fish. As God the Father miraculously provided a way across the barrier of the Red Sea, God the Son miraculously provided a way for His disciples across the barrier of the Sea of Galilee (John 6:21). This event corresponds to the second cup of the Passover, the Cup of Plagues. During the Seder, one of the key events to follow the partaking of the Cup of Plagues is the pronouncement of Dayenu. It is a time of reflecting on God’s great provision for His children throughout the plagues of Egypt and the Exodus.
The final mention of the Passover in John’s Gospel is John 13:1. In the final chapters of his Gospel, John’s record of the final days of Jesus’ earthly ministry is filled with Passover imagery. Interestingly, unlike other Gospel writers, John does not mention the taking of the cup and bread during that Seder. He is purposeful in leaving out that detail, because his focus is on Jesus as the third cup of the Passover, the Cup of Redemption. As recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus uses the Cup of Redemption to institute the Lord’s Supper. In so doing, Jesus clearly showed that, as the blood of the New Covenant, He is our redemption.
John’s Gospel leaves us with the third Passover cup. With Matthew’s eschatological focus, he records Jesus’ mention of the fourth cup immediately after taking the third cup. The fourth cup of the Passover is an eschatological cup. It is called the Cup of Elijah or the Cup of Praise. Since the destruction of the temple in AD 70 and the subsequent dispersion, Jews follow this cup with the phrase, “Next year in Jerusalem.” The words express an eschatological hope that the temple will be rebuilt and the sacrifice will be restored. Jesus gave us a better hope in Matthew 26:29. The eschatological hope of the Christian is to partake of the Cup of Praise with our Lord in His kingdom.
While John does not relate the imagery of the fourth cup to the events in his Gospel, he carries it over to another of his writings—the Revelation. Our great eschatological hope is on display as the Lamb stands, as if slain (Revelation 5:6). The Lamb is worthy (Revelation 5:9-10). And the Lamb will be worshipped (Revelation 5:13).
Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
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