Strange
and unfamiliar language and images pervade this passage and gospel. What does
"Lamb of God" mean, for example, to post-modern listeners and seekers? Or what
about the Lamb’s accomplishment: "who takes away the sin of the world?"
What associations did these early Christian make with such terms? What associations did
they make with terms like "Spirit," "Son of God," or
"Messiah?" What associations do people not grounded in a church background have
with these same terms?
• Why does the writer repeat specific words, phrases, or titles in such a short
passage? Do these words carry heavier weight? Are they code words? For example, "Lamb
of God" is repeated twice; "I myself did not know him," appears twice;
"I saw [see] the Spirit," likewise makes two appearances.
• Had we never heard about the Holy Spirit, what could we learn of the Spirit from
must this passage? That the Spirit assumed an earthly, recognizable, non-human form? That
the Spirit came and rested permanently upon Jesus? That the descent of the Spirit signaled
and confirmed the Messiah’s identity? That Jesus would later baptize with the Holy
Spirit?
Who is John conversing
with? General public? Or does John actually direct his statements to someone
specifically? The initial reading seems to indicate that John is responding and answering
the questions raised by the religious entourage that has arrived on a fact-finding mission
the previous day. These persons were priests and Levites from Jerusalem along with
Pharisees.
• What theme/s are within this lesson? Possibly the Holy Spirit is portrayed among
the beloved disciple’s community as the Great and Epiphanic Revealer; ("I myself
did not know him . . . but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me . . . that
he might be revealed to Israel.") Perhaps evangelism? ("The two disciples heard
him say this, and they followed Jesus;" and "He [Andrew] brought Simon to
Jesus"); or maybe this is about a pattern of primitive Christianity’s view of
how people came to faith-a weaving of revelation / confession / evangelism.
• What do we know about the genre? Probably closest to narrative theology. A story
with an embedded teaching for the Church.
• What do we learn about Jesus in this passage? Does the halo ride above his head
in this story? Was their any indication of who he was-prior to the Spirit’s
illumination? Did he stand distinguished from the rank and file of Jewish society?
• How have artists attempted to capture the theology of this scene in John? [E.g.
in the Raphael-styled portraits, we have golden patina or disk that teaches us precisely
who Jesus is, that no one will have any doubt. Other representational art is more subtle
and subdued].
I notice the questions that emerge in
the lesson; the questions the text asks the Baptist-and by extension us-is illuminating.
Like the suspect sitting in a smoke-filled room with a 40-watt bulb dangling overhead
while a bunch of tough detectives interrogate him:
- Who are you?
- What then?
- Are you Elijah?
- Are you the Prophet?
- Who are you?
- What do you say about yourself?
- Why then are you baptizing if you are neither Messiah/Elijah/Prophet?
• It is an arresting to note that John’s response is almost muted. He
wouldn’t do well in an interview with David, Jay, or Conan O’Brien. Just yes/no
type answers. In fact, John seems to give no substantive answers at all; he defers his
answers to day two:
- I am not Messiah.
- I am not.
- No.
- I am a voice in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the Lord."
- He is standing among you. You do not know him . . ."
• Day Two stands in stark relief to Day One. John moves from yes/no responses to
solid answers. From definition by negatives to positive proclamation and identification.
John proclaims Jesus and makes a positive identification. The rest of the week consists of
stories of how people came to faith directly or indirectly as a result of John’s
testimony.
