John 1:29

The context

John the Baptist sees Jesus approaching and identifies him with a title and a mission. The scene follows the Baptist's denial that he is the Christ and his explanation of baptism. The next day he repeats the identification and adds that he saw the Spirit descend on him.

What it establishes

It establishes that Jesus' mission is described in terms of removing sin, and that the image chosen is the lamb. The saying is the Baptist's, given as testimony, and the Gospel frames it as the answer to the question of who Jesus is.

What it does not establish

It does not specify which lamb is meant. Passover, the daily offering, and Isaiah's suffering servant have all been proposed, and the text does not choose. Nor does the verse say how the removal is accomplished.

Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.

Cited in these answers

• The Old Testament commanded animal sacrifices. Isn’t that evil — and how could a good God require it?

Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.