John 1:29

29. τῇ ἐπαύριον. These words prevent us from inserting the Temptation between John 1:28-29. The fact of the Baptist knowing who Jesus is, shews that the Baptism, and therefore the Temptation, must have preceded the deputation from Jerusalem. S. John omits both, as being events well known to his readers. The Baptist’s announcements are not a continuous discourse. They come forth like sudden intuitions, of which he did not himself know the full meaning.

ἴδε. S. John uses this form about 20 times (John 1:36; John 1:47-48; John 3:26; John 5:14, &c.), and ἰδού only four times (John 4:35, [John 12:15,] John 16:32; John 19:5). The Synoptists use ἴδε about 10 times (not in Luke) and ἰδού more than 120 times. Both words are interjections, ‘Lo! Behold!,’ not imperatives, ‘See, Look at.’ Hence the nominative case. Comp. John 19:14.

ὁ�. The article shews that some Lamb familiar to the Baptist’s hearers must be meant, and probably the Lamb of Isaiah 53 (comp. Acts 8:32), with perhaps an indirect allusion to the Paschal Lamb (John 19:36). The addition τοῦ θεοῦ may remind us of Genesis 22:8. The figure of the Lamb for Christ appears in N.T. elsewhere only 1 Peter 1:19, and throughout the Apocalypse; but in the Apocalypse the word is always ἀρνίον, never ἀμνός (John 5:6; John 5:8; John 5:12, &c.).

ὁ αἴρων. This seems to make the reference both to Isaiah 53 esp. John 1:4-8; John 1:10, and also to the Paschal Lamb, more clear. The Paschal Lamb was expiatory (Exodus 12:13). Taketh away, rather than beareth (margin), is right; comp. 1 John 3:5. ‘Bear’ would rather be φέρω, as in the LXX. in Isaiah 53:4. Christ took away the burden of sin by bearing it; but this is not expressed here, though it may be implied. Τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Regarded as one great burden or plague.

τοῦ κόσμου. Isaiah sees no further than the redemption of the Jews: ‘for the transgression of my people—τοῦ λαοῦ μου—was He stricken’ (Isaiah 53:8). The Baptist knows that the Messiah comes to make atonement for the whole human race, even His enemies.