John 1:29 – Verse of the Day 8/28/14

Do you ever pay attention to just how often the New Testament refers us back to the Old Testament in order to understand who Jesus was and what he did for us? Old Testament stories like the Passover, and Old Testament prayers like the ones in the Psalms and prophets are powerful examples of passages that help us to see Jesus more fully.

When John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan river, he recognized Jesus for who he really was: the ultimate Passover lamb (Exodus 12:1-11) and the prophesied suffering servant (Isaiah 53), and that is what this verse is about. Jesus is the eternal Son of God, who took on flesh in order to take away the sins of all who place their trust in him.

Just as the sins of Israel were placed on the lamb sacrificed in the Passover celebration, Jesus came in order to take the penalty for sin that should have belonged to us. The only difference is that the Passover lamb was a mere shadow pointing to the ultimate sacrifice that was to come, and Jesus’ sacrifice was fully sufficient for all our sin. Praise the Lord that Jesus defeated sin in order to save all those who repent and place their trust in Him.