John 1:35-39 The two disciples heard him speak and they followed Jesus

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?"  They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"  He said to them, "Come and see."  They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).
 

Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.  This "next day" is the third of three consecutive action-packed days.  The Baptist had been carrying on his ministry across the Jordan for approximately one year in advance of Christ's baptism.  Then suddenly the Jewish leadership of Jerusalem demanded answers as to John's prophetic identity and his divine authority.  John's identification and certification of Jesus as the true Christ occurred on that second day of this trilogy.  The details of Jesus' baptism are omitted by our gospel writer because they had already been documented in the previously written synoptic gospels.  Let us review the events of that second day as recorded by Matthew.
 

 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.  And John tried to prevent Him, saying, "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"  But Jesus answered and said to him, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness."  Then he allowed Him.  When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.  And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” - Matthew 3:13-17
 

And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  The prior day, John had recognized Christ by the sign of the dove and declared the ministry of Christ Jesus, proclaiming, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  Now, the third day, John called the people's attention to Jesus with the cry, "Behold the Lamb of God!"  This pronouncement, and subsequent announcement, is reminiscent of the wedding ceremony in which a couple is first declared to be married; and shortly thereafter presented as husband and wife.
 

The Baptist introduced the newly certified Christ to his disciples, and those who had come to be baptized, as "The Lamb of God," once again stressing the purpose of Christ's first earthly mission.  Christ's testifier not only verified that Jesus was the Son of God; he also rightly associated Christ's role as our sacrificial Lamb.  Christ's offering of Himself on the cross is the only remedy which will ever be provided to resolved mankind's helpless and hopeless state of sin.  Yet how often do scoffers (who are obviously unfamiliar with the Bible) claim that Jesus was merely a good man, a good teacher, or a fine example to follow?
 

The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.  Two young men went out to the Jordan in the tradition of the Old Testament School of the Prophets.  They sought not only to be baptized but also to sit at the feet of the Baptizer.  These two may have come to John looking for the resolution of their own sins.  But rather than return to their normal occupations, they were moved to reside with John by the river, and to grow even closer to God through the words of the prophet.  They were familiar enough with the ancient writings to know that the Messiah would possess all knowledge and wisdom.  So once these two heard the Baptist testify that Jesus was the Christ, they were compelled to follow Jesus.  And all of the New Testament writings indicate John's full approval in their new pursuit.

 

 

Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?"   Jesus asked the two who had been followers of John, "What do you seek?"  This was in fact a question of commitment.  In response, the two might have asked for further assurance; or even for a sign to prove that Jesus really was the Son of God.  Or they might have asked Jesus to explain some perplexing theological issue, so that they might perfect their own personal theology.  But instead what they really wanted was just to be with Jesus.
 

He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour).  "Come and see", was the invitation from the Lord God of heaven; who had come to earth in the form of man.  The King of kings, and the Lord of lords extends this same invitation throughout the age to whosoever would come. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." - Matthew 11:28-30
 

It was about the tenth hour, that is, about four o'clock in the afternoon, when these two disciples of John the Baptist joined Jesus for the remainder of that day.  It would be several more months before Jesus officially gathered and appointed His own disciples.  But these two, who had been the first to follow Jesus, were indeed chosen to be among the Twelve.

John 1:29 Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

 

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him  The importance of this notation might be overlooked as superfluous information.  We must, however, remember that John was a disciple of John the Baptist and shared in the events of daily life.  John might have expanded this comment about the next day in an oral conversation as follows:  "Just yesterday three different groups of inquirers from the priests, the Levites, and the Pharisees, all came to inquire whether John held himself out to be the Prophet or the Christ.  And can you believe it?  The very next day!  The Christ, Himself came to Bethabara - the long awaited Hope of Israel came by, the very - next - day!"

 

John the Baptist had spent most of the day before proclaiming, by divine knowledge, that the Christ had indeed come.  And the next day there He was!  Right there in Bethabara.  But isn't this just the way God works in the lives of His people?  How often the Lord directs the thoughts on our minds, or leads us into discussion with others, about something special that He is about to do.  And how much more does God magnify His presence in our lives when we have left all to follow Him - like John, the disciple of the Baptist; and soon to be the disciple of Christ.  This little "coincidence" might have gone unrecorded, but it was evidently a precious jewel to John.  A personal treasure that has been faithfully shared through this gospel.

Ottavio Vannini - The Baptist, Jesus (left), Andrew, & John

 

"Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! "  Not only did the prophetic Baptist know Christ when he saw Him; he also understood the mission of Christ's first coming.  Even after Jesus' own disciples had been with Him for three years, they still did not realize that Jesus would have to suffer and die as a sacrifice for our sins.   The crowds who followed Jesus also expected their Messiah had come to rule the kingdom of Israel; and the whole world.  They were ready to crown Him by force after He had multiplied the loaves and fishes.

 

But John the Baptist knew from the beginning that Jesus would lay down His life for His sheep.  The writer of Hebrews explains the two distinct earthly ministries of Jesus as follows: And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. - Hebrews 9:27,28  (This salvation apart from sin is the glorification in bodily form of those who have already been saved from their sins through faith in Christ.)

 

The first ministry of Christ was clearly established through the prophet Isaiah over 700 years before Jesus was born.  Isaiah described Christ's general mission as the vicarious sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.  But he also submits particular details about the circumstances in which Christ: would enter the world in humility, would appear as any other man, would be considered a fool, would be rejected, would suffer - being scourged and bruised, would be the peace-offering for every wayward soul, would give up His life for the sins of others, would not speak dishonestly nor conquer by force, would not speak up to escape the unjust judgment of men, would be designated a burial among the wicked - but would instead be buried in an honorable tomb, would not remain dead, but would rise to receive the fruit of His labor.

 

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him.
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.
And they made His grave with the wicked
But with the rich at His death,
Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.

 

The whole sacrificial system of the Old Testament from Abel's sacrifice until the destruction of Herod's Temple all foreshadowed Jesus' sacrifice of Himself on the cross.  In fact the Law declares that without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.  This might seem harsh, but all sins are ultimately sins against God, and bear the same consequences as the sin of Adam - "you shall surely die."
 

The sacrifice of an animal's life recognized the true cost of sin, and satisfied the requirements under the old covenant.  But the sacrifice of God's beloved Son has made atonement for all sin, and has also provided new life, eternal life, to all who believe.  As the Apostle John stated in his first letter; And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. - 1st John 2:2

 

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. - Hebrews 10:20-23