Verse 29... And he said, Behold the Lamb of God... [60] He called Him the Lamb, recalling the types of the law and the prophecy of Isaiah, and as if to say, "Behold the Lamb formed in the law and proclaimed by Isaiah." Then He adds His special, predominant attribute, namely, that He was sent by God to the slaughter for the salvation of people. Or: God's, i.e., Divine, because of His Divinity.

Verse 29... Take away the sins of the world. [61] The slain Lamb of the Law destroyed the sins of one of the people of Israel, as a shadow, a predestination, and a type of truth, but the Lamb of God that was slain destroys the sins of the whole world, and cleanses all those who dwell in the world, as the truth; this one was foolish, but this one was rational and, moreover, even Divine. By sins understand not only the impurities of the soul, from which He frees those who keep His commandments, but also the infirmities of the body, from which He frees the sick. By saying, "Take away the sins of the world," he destroyed the above-mentioned suspicion. It is obvious that He Who destroys the sins of other people Himself has no sins; and he who has no sins came to baptism for a completely different reason, which the Baptist indicates a little later.

Verse 30. This is, O Him who is: A Man is coming after me, Who was before me, as before me. [62] Again he says, "Thou shalt be before me, as before me, openly humbling Himself as a servant, and exalting Him without comparison as Lord."

Verse 31. And I did not know Him... [63] Lest it should be thought that he, having long been acquainted with Jesus Christ, gives such a testimony about Him out of favor to Him as a relative, he says: "I did not know Him before He came to the Jordan, because I was in the wilderness all the time." True, while still in his mother's womb, John recognized Jesus Christ and leaped up, as Luke wrote (1:41); but then he knew Him not according to natural laws, but naturally and in a way that no other man has. Now he recognized Jesus Christ in three ways: by sight, hearing, and prophetic knowledge; in none of these ways did John know Him before He came to the Jordan, and then He knew Him by all three. Prophetically, everything pertaining to Jesus Christ was revealed to John; wherefore he said, "He that cometh after me, shall be before me" (John 1:15). He saw Jesus Christ, and therefore he restrained Him, saying: "I require Thee to be baptized, and Thou art coming to me" (Matt. 3:14)? [64] Finally, I heard of Him: "This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased,"[65] as the other Evangelists testified (Matt. 3:17; Mk. 1:11; Lk. 3:22).

Verse 31... But let the Israelites appear, for this reason I came baptizing with water. [66] Here is the reason why he came to baptize: it was the same for both, namely, that Jesus Christ should be revealed to Israel. John was sent by God to the Jordan to preach the baptism of repentance, so that many people would flock to be baptized, and that Jesus Christ, standing in the midst of this multitude, as also wishing to be baptized, would receive a testimony on earth from John, and from heaven from the Father and the Holy Spirit, and so that, thus drawing them to Himself, He would begin to teach and work miracles. If this had not been the case, then everyone would not have come together in this way, and would not have heard this testimony in this way.

Verses 32–33. And John testified, saying, "He saw the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven, and abiding upon Him." And I did not know Him: but He who sent me to baptize with water, He said to me, "Over Him thou shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, He is baptizing with the Holy Spirit." [67] Again he says, "Thou hast not led him, that thou mayest remove all suspicion from his testimony." But when did God say to him, "Thou shalt see the Spirit descending over Him," etc.? When Jesus Christ had not yet appeared, God revealed to John everything concerning Him; at the same time he revealed all the other things and this; and then he pointed out Jesus Christ Himself, going to baptism. This Evangelist, as has already been said, omitted the events that followed the baptism of the Saviour, as recorded by the other Evangelists, while Matthew told them in more detail; therefore, it is necessary to read them for a better understanding.

Verse 34. And I saw[68]... 2 The Spirit, of course, descending and abiding upon Him.

Verse 34... And I bear witness that this is the Son of God. [69] But where did he testify to this? This is not written anywhere. Without a doubt, he testified to this, but it was omitted by the Evangelists, as well as many other things.

Verses 35–36. In the morning stood John, and two of his disciples. And when he saw Jesus coming, he said, Behold the Lamb of God. [70] It is not by chance or without necessity that John says this about Jesus Christ, but because his preaching has not yet touched the senseless Jews. Although no one asked him about Jesus Christ, yet he is forced to say the same thing again, and by repeating these words he awakens, as it were, the slumbering mind of the Jews. Just as the bridegroom does not speak to the bride about anything at first, nor does he take her himself, but the bridegroom's friend conducts all the negotiations and hands the bride over to him, and when he takes her, he will win her over so much that she forgets all that has gone before, so now Jesus Christ is silent, and John prepares everything for Him. who is therefore called His friend, as he who is present at the marriage, and arranges all things for the bridegroom; but having received from him the Church betrothed to Him, Jesus Christ so endeared it to Himself that it immediately forgot all that had gone before. And just as at a marriage it is not the bride who comes to the bridegroom, but he to her, even though he be the king's son, and she is completely simple, so it was here. The great Bridegroom Himself came to the most humiliated bride and, uniting with her, did not allow her to remain there any longer, but took her and took her to her father's house, that is, to heaven.

Стих 37. И слышаста его оба ученика глаголющаго, и по Иисусе идоста.[71] Хотя слушали многие, но услышали только эти, разумеется, ушами душевными, а другие услышали телесными. Из учеников Иоанна пошли тогда за Иисусом Христом только двое, а многие другие остались, и пошли, конечно, желая сблизиться с Ним.

Стих 38. Обращься же Иисус и видев я по себе идуща, глагола има: чесо ищета;[72] не потому, что не знал этого проникающий в самые помышления людей, но для того, чтобы вопросом этим приблизить их и внушить им смелость, так как они, вероятно, стыдились и боялись, как незнакомые.

Стих 38. Она же реста Ему: Равви, еже глаголется сказаемо учителю, где живеши,[73] Хотя они ничему еще не научились у Иисуса Христа, однако называют Его учителем, указывая этим причину, вследствие которой они следовали, именно чтобы услышать что-либо полезное, и таким образом включали сами себя в число учеников. Говорят: где живеши, желая побеседовать с Ним в жилище и спокойно.

Стих 39. И глагола има: приидита и видита.[74] Не обозначает Своего жилища, желая, чтобы они шли и чтобы еще больше ободрились.

Стих 39… Приидоста и видеста, где живяше, и у Него пребыста день той. Бе же час яко десятый.[75] Обозначает время, указывая этим на любознательность учеников и человеколюбие Учителя, так как они не были удержаны тем, что солнце было уже близко к закату, и не извинялись временем или чем-либо другим. Если в другом месте Иисус Христос говорит, что Он не имеет, где главу приклонить (8, 20), то говорит это не о жилище вообще, но о собственном; а собственного Он не имел, а пользовалися чужими. Что ученики пробыли у Него тот день, об этом евангелист сказал, а то, что они научились, пропустил, как само собою подразумеваемое; в одну ночь они настолько успели, что на следующий день сами вышли привлекать других. Необходимо поэтому и нам не отговариваться никаким временем от слушания всего Божественного, но все другое оставлять на втором плане. Все житейские дела должны иметь время, а для этого всякое время должно быть прилично.