JOHN 1:29-31 NKJV

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”

JOHN 1:29-31 NKJV

John 1:29 The Lamb of God: In the OT, the Israelites sacrificed lambs at the Passover feast (Ex. 12:21) and as offerings (Lev. 14:10–25). Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice for the sins not only of Israel, but of the whole world (Is. 52:13—53:12). In one masterful sentence of introduction, John summarizes the whole redemptive program revealed throughout the OT.

John 1:30 preferred before me: Superior in rank or honor. was before me: Prior in existence.

John 1:31 I did not know Him: At first John did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. Apparently even though Mary and Elizabeth were relatives (Luke 1:36), there is no evidence of contact between them in the childhood years of John and Jesus. All John knew was that he was to baptize with water and that the Messiah would be manifested to Israel through him by that means. God had given John a sign by which he would know the Messiah—the descending of the Holy Spirit as a dove. When Christ came to be baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (v. 32), revealing to John Jesus’ identity (v. 33). Matthew’s account adds that a voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).