The next day, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)

The image the Baptist uses – Lamb of God – immediately harkens the Passover lamb. Recall the use of the sacrificed lamb by God’s Chosen People, by means of which they, following God’s instruction, established their union and renewal with God and among each other. The Jewish ritual slaying of the lamb asked God for pardon for sin and to restore right relationship with all.

Jesus is identified as the LAMB, but not of the same order. That is, Jesus is not a cultic offering taken from among us and slain like the Passover lamb. Jesus is GOD among us, giving Himself in love unto death because He so loved the world and came not to judge and condemn, but to restore and save!

The old rites of the Passover sacrifice, so central to God’s Chosen People, now are transcended by God’s action, first recognized for us by John the Baptist!