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John 1:29-37

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16Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.

17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

 

19Now this was John’s testimony when the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was.

20He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah.”

 

26“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know.

27He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

28This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

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29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

30This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’

31I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him.

33And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

34I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.

36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.

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1)      Are verses 16, 17, 19, 20 and 26-28 included in VisionCasting-John1.1-18 and VisionCasting-John1.19-28?

o  Yes.

 

2)      Why are verses 16, 17, 19, 20 and 26-28 included here?

o  They are included here to provide continuity of context.

 

3)      How did people consider John, given Matthew 14:5?

o  They considered him a prophet.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Matthew 14:5 that says,

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5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet.

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4)      According to verse 29 whom did John declare Jesus to be?

o  John declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

 

5)      Where were John and Jesus when John declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, given verse 28?

o  They were at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan.

 

6)      How had John the day before piqued the interest of the crowd in Jesus who came after him, given that they considered John a prophet?

o  John, though a prophet, stated that he was not worthy to untie the straps of the sandals of the one who came after him.

 

7)      What does Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world mean, given 1 Corinthians 5:7?

o  It means Jesus is the Passover lamb that has been sacrificed to take away the sin of the world.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud 1 Corinthians 5:7 that says,

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7…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

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8)      What does the law of Moses require of a sacrifice made to God in the form of a burnt offering, given Leviticus 22:18-20?

o  It requires that for the sacrifice to be acceptable it must be a male from the

§ Cattle.

§ Sheep.

§ Or goats.

o  That is without defect.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Leviticus 22:18-20 that says,

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18If any of you—whether an Israelite or a foreigner residing in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the Lord, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering,

19you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf.

20Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf.

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9)      What does it mean that according to 1 Peter 1:18-19 Jesus the Passover lamb is without blemish or defect, given Hebrews 4:14-15?

o  It means that Jesus is sinless.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud 1 Peter 1:18-19 that says,

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18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors,

19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

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·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Hebrews 4:14-15 that says,

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14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

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10)   What does the law of Moses require for the cleansing and forgiveness of sin, given Hebrews 9:22?

o  It requires the shedding of blood.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Hebrews 9:22 that says,

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22In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

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11)   What makes the sinless blood of Jesus acceptable for taking away the sin of the world, given the requirement of the law of Moses?

o  The sinless blood of Jesus as a sacrifice satisfies the requirement of the law of Moses for the cleansing and forgiveness of sin.

 

12)   Why did the writer of the gospel of John arrange for Jesus to be declared the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world when he made his first appearance in the gospel account, given that he said it was finished on the cross in John 19:25-30?

o  He intended to highlight the singular purpose.

o  That

o  Jesus came to take away the sin of the world on the cross.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 19:25-30 that says,

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25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,”

27and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

28Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

29A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips.

30When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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13)   How did John’s declaration of the purpose the Christ came to accomplish deviate from the prevalent expectation of the crowd?

o  They were expecting the Christ to come to deliver them

§ From the rule of the Romans.

§ Not from sin.

 

14)   In accordance with verse 30 how did John consistently make an effort to avoid giving the false impression that Jesus who came after him was inferior to him?

o  He consistently made it clear that Jesus had surpassed him because of the eternal nature of Jesus.

 

15)   Why did John consistently make an effort to avoid giving the false impression that Jesus who came after him was inferior to him?

o  He did not want the earthly relationship between him and Jesus his younger relative to cause misunderstanding of the superior and eternal nature of Jesus.

 

16)   According to verse 31 what is the relationship between John and the one who came after him?

o  He did not know the one who came after him.

 

17)   Did John really not know Jesus and why?

o  He did not know Jesus as the Christ.

o  Though

o  He had known Jesus as his younger relative his whole life.

 

18)   According to verse 31 why did John come baptizing with water?

o  He did so.

o  So that

o  He would be able to

§ Recognize the Christ.

§ And reveal the Christ to Israel.

 

19)   According to verse 32 what testimony did John give concerning what he saw happen to Jesus?

o  He testified that he saw the Spirit

§ Come down from heaven as a dove.

§ And remain on Jesus.

 

20)   When did John see the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on Jesus, given Mark 1:9-10?

o  He saw it.

o  When

o  Jesus was coming up out of the water after being baptized by him in the Jordan.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Mark 1:9-10 that says,

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9At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.

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21)   According to verse 33 was it John’s own idea to baptize with water and why?

o  No, God sent him to baptize with water.

 

22)   According to verse 33 what did God tell John concerning how to recognize the man who would baptize with the Holy Spirit?

o  God told him that the man on whom he saw the Spirit

§ Come down.

§ And remain.

o  Is the one who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.

 

23)   According to verses 29 and 34 whom did John testify to be God’s Chosen One to baptize with the Holy Spirit from the observation he had made?

o  Jesus is.

 

24)   What is the reason John was able to recognize the Holy Spirit, given Luke 1:13-15?

o  John was familiar with the Holy Spirit.

o  Since

o  He was filled with the Spirit.

o  Even before

o  He was born.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud Luke 1:13-15 that says,

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13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

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25)   How had God prepared John for the task of recognizing Jesus as God’s Chosen One from among the crowd?

o  God started preparing him for the task.

o  While

o  He was still in his mother’s womb.

 

26)   Who was the first person that believed in Jesus?

o  John was.

 

27)   Because of whose testimony did John believe in Jesus?

o  He believed in Jesus because of God’s testimony.

 

28)   In accordance with verses 31 to 34 how did John reassure those who heard his testimony that he did not by his own will pick Jesus his relative to be God’s Chosen One?

o  Twice he stated that he did not know Jesus to be God’s Chosen One.

o  But God told him how to recognize his Chosen One.

o  So he based his testimony of Jesus as God’s Chosen One on his observation in accordance with God’s instruction.

 

29)   What professional ethics did John adhere to when it came to fulfilling the responsibility of his ministry that involved a relative?

o  He avoided the conflict of interest due to nepotism.

 

30)   In accordance with verse 33 how did John again point out the superiority of the one who came after him?

o  John baptized with water.

o  But the one who came after him baptized with the Holy Spirit.

 

31)   According to verse 35 who was John with when he was there again the next day?

o  He was there with two of his disciples.

 

32)   According to verse 36 what did John say when he saw Jesus passing by?

o  He said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

 

33)   What region were John and Jesus in when John again declared Jesus to be the Lamb of God?

o  They were in Judea.

 

34)   Whom was John’s testimony of Jesus intended for?

o  It was intended for his two disciples.

 

35)   According to verse 37 what did John’s two disciples do upon hearing his testimony of Jesus?

o  They followed Jesus.

 

36)   What was the implication for John when his disciples left him and started following Jesus?

o  They would be following Jesus instead of John from then on.

 

37)   Was the two disciples’ transition from following John to following Jesus smooth and congenial or rupturing and bitter?

o  It was

§ Smooth.

§ And congenial.

 

38)   Was the two disciples’ transition from following John to following Jesus premeditated or spurred by the moment and why, given John 3:25-30 and the testimonies John gave of Jesus the previous two days?

o  It was premeditated.

o  These two disciples must have heard John’s testimony of Jesus’ superiority to him two days before.

o  They must have heard his testimony of Jesus being God’s Chosen One the day before.

o  They must have talked to him about it.

o  And he must have advised them to follow Jesus.

 

·  The facilitator asks a specific participant to read out loud John 3:25-30 that says,

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25An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.

26They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”

27To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.

28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’

29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

30He must become greater; I must become less.”

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39)   Why were John and his two disciples there again the next day?

o  They were there waiting for Jesus to pass by.

 

40)   What practical purpose did John’s testimony of Jesus serve on that occasion for his two disciples?

o  His two disciples might have difficulties identifying Jesus among the crowd.

o  So he pinpointed Jesus to them with his testimony.

 

41)   Who had just come to believe in Jesus?

o  John’s two disciples had.

 

42)   Because of whose testimony did John’s two disciples believe in Jesus?

o  They believed in Jesus because of John’s testimony.

 

43)   What was the medium on which the good news of Jesus spread in the current situation?

o  It spread on the relational network.

 

44)   What is the chain of witnesses who had testified about Jesus so far?

o  God had testified to John the Baptist about Jesus.

o  John the Baptist had testified to his two disciples about Jesus.

 

45)   What do we call the personal interaction between John and his two disciples that led to the latter’s being told about Jesus and then experiencing him personally?

o  It is called personal evangelism.

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John 1:29-37

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