Day 2

The Lamb of God

from the John reading plan


John 1:29-51, Deuteronomy 18:15-18, Isaiah 53:7-12

BY Melanie Rainer

When my husband and I welcomed our first child, naming her felt like the most sacred duty we had. We wrapped our baby girl in a soft hospital blanket and the names of our paternal grandmothers. And now, at almost age seven, she carries their names, their stories, and a healthy dose of their shared stubbornness. A few years later, when our second daughter was born, we gave her names from our maternal lines, matriarchs whose gifts we hope she will bear into the next generation. 

Our girls’ names act as bridges from the past to the future; they remind us we come from somewhere and someone, and that the story of our families will continue long past us. Their names fill us with emotion: with love for those long-gone, and hope for those yet to come.

In John 1:29–51, Jesus is given seven names or titles by the various people He encounters. Throughout our study in John, we’ll look at several descriptive names Jesus uses for Himself. For today’s reading, we’ll focus on these twenty-three verses in John 1, in which Jesus is given seven names which all give us specific information about Jesus’s origin and mission. Each name represents the past, present, and future of God’s plan for redeeming the world. Let’s look briefly at each name in this passage:

The Lamb of God (John 1:29)
John the Baptist, Jesus’s relative and a prophet who prepared the Jewish people for the coming Messiah, called Jesus the “Lamb of God,” a reference to the Passover event in Exodus 12, Isaiah 53:7, and several other passages in the Old Testament Law. In the Mosaic law, lambs were a sacrificial option for sin offerings to God. Jesus was the ultimate sacrificed lamb who died once and for all for the sins of His people. 

Son of God (v.34)
John the Baptist also calls Jesus the “Son of God” in this passage. Jesus is called the Son of God throughout the Gospel of John, which emphasizes His deity. Jesus was fully God and fully man. 

Rabbi, or Teacher (v.38)
Two of John the Baptist’s followers, or disciples, called Jesus “Rabbi” when they saw Him. Rabbi is the Hebrew word for teacher. This title was given to official teachers of the Jewish law as a way to show respect. 

Messiah, the Christ (v.41)
In verse 41, Andrew (John’s disciple who became Jesus’s disciple) told his brother Simon Peter that Jesus was the Messiah. Messiah (the English translation of a Hebrew word) and Christ (the English translation of the Greek word for Messiah) both mean “the anointed one.” This title referred to the promised savior of God’s people. 

The One Moses Wrote About (v.45)
Philip, after believing in Jesus upon meeting Him, calls Jesus the “one Moses wrote about.” By doing this, Philip recalls the Old Testament prophecies made incarnate in the person of Jesus. 

King of Israel (v.49)
In verse 49, Philip also introduces Nathanael to Jesus, and Nathanael believes and follows Jesus. Nathanael then calls him “Son of God…the King of Israel.” This name points back to Old Testament promises of an eternal king. 

Son of Man (v.51)
Jesus calls Himself “Son of Man” a dozen times in the Gospel of John. 

In these verses, seven names give us a rich tapestry of Jesus: His purpose, His nature, and His power. Jesus, the Lamb of God. The Son of God, the Teacher, the Messiah, the King, the Son of Man, the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. These names teach us about Jesus: they remind us who He is and why He came, and what hope we have for the future because of Him. 

Post Comments (164)

164 thoughts on "The Lamb of God"

  1. Mo ♥️ says:

    Only catching up on this study now, and this reading had some new insights. I love how I’m dissecting scripture and seeing the treasures that are in it . The 7 names Jesus is called by. What a God that can be all things and fulfil them all perfectly. The more I read about Him the more I want know Him.

  2. Corina James Scribner says:

    Great reminder of who Jesus is.

  3. Aimee Harden says:

    I love the explanation of the 7 names! So good to learn about those!

  4. Jennifer Letner says:

    So thankful for this study, and the ability to learn and grow in Christ. I LOVE how Jesus said to Nathanael, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree, ‘do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”
    It was like, just watch, you ain’t seen nothing yet!

  5. Jennifer Letner says:

    So thankful for this study, and the ability to learn and grow in Christ. I LOVE how Jesus said to Nathanael, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree, ‘do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

  6. Leslie Orellana says:

    God will provide what you need Mari V. Being a single parent is no easy feat, but continue to pray to Jesus, continue to come to him with your worries and just breathe through it. I’m a single momma of 2. So much love and prayers your way!!! You’ve got this! GODS GOT THIS!

  7. Nichole Sullivan says:

    I am praying for you Mari V! I’ve been in a somewhat similar circumstance. Look for God’s hand in even the smallest of things to keep yourself encouraged that He is with you and will come through in ways far and above what you could imagine. Timing can’t be promised, but His time is always the right time even when it doesn’t feel like it as we live in our day-to-day real life struggles. I will be praying with you!

  8. Nichole Sullivan says:

    Thank you for this, Kristen!

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