by Fr. Tommy Lane
When John the Baptist saw Jesus he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) What does John mean by describing Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world?” Just as the Passover Lamb saved the Hebrews in Egypt, Jesus saves us from our sins:
On the last night in Egypt, the Hebrews killed a lamb and put its blood on the doorframes of their houses as protection from the angel who would pass through Egypt that night taking the firstborn of the Egyptians. (Ex 12:3-14) In the Gospel of John, Jesus dies on the cross while the Passover lambs are being slaughtered in the temple by the Jewish priests. John’s Gospel wants us to understand that Jesus has replaced/fulfilled the Jewish rites and liturgies of the Old Testament.
The Hebrews used a branch of hyssop shrub to smear the lamb’s blood on the doorframes of their houses the night before they left Egypt (Ex 12:21-23). When Jesus was dying on the cross, John tells us “a bowl full of vinegar stood there so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth.” (John 19:29).
Not a bone of the Passover Lamb was to be broken (Ex 12:46). No bone of Jesus was broken during all his Passion:
Since it was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. (John 19:31-33)
The Gospel of John wants us to understand that God has done a new thing for us in Jesus. There is a totally new way of relating to God in Jesus. Now the way to the Father is through Jesus; all the ceremonies and sacrifices of the Old Testament have come to an end. Now Jesus is our way to the Father. Just as the lamb’s blood spared the Hebrews before they left Egypt, now the blood of Jesus that saves us from our sins. Therefore, John the Baptist proclaimed: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)
When we read the first reading today (Isa 49:3, 5-6) in combination with the Gospel (John 1:29-34), we could see Jesus as the servant in that reading, and Jesus is the light of the nations that salvation might reach the ends of the earth. (Isa 49:6) In the second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that they are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor 1:2) You can read that as written to you also: you are “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We have been sanctified by Jesus the Lamb of God and now with the Church all over the world we call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is the light of the nations.
God has done a new thing for us in Jesus; there is a totally new way of relating to God in Jesus. Now the way to the Father is through Jesus. Take Jesus as your best friend. He is the Passover Lamb whose blood was shed to save you. We are reminded of this at every Mass before receiving Holy Communion when the priest holds up the Sacred Host and proclaims:
Behold the Lamb of God,
behold him who takes away
the sins of the world.
Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Jesus, Lamb of God, we thank you for dying for us and shedding your blood to take away our sins. May we live as your faithful followers.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world. Have mercy on us.
Copyright © Fr. Tommy Lane 2008
This homily was delivered in a parish in Maryland.
More homilies for the Second Sunday of Year A
Behold Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away our sins 2020
Baptism changes the quality of our souls forever 2011
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins
Can you see Jesus in the crowd?
Related Homilies: The dove at Jesus’ baptism 2018
On taking away the sins of the world: homilies on the Sacrament of Reconciliation