19/01/2026
ELOHIM FAITH DAILY DEVOTIONAL
ABBA - FATHER
MATTHEW DANIELS | TUE 20/1/'26
[email protected]
ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ
ÙNVEILING MYSTERIES OF DIVINITY
ÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞÞ
TITLE: THE MYSTERIES OF CHRIST IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN CHAPTER ONE (24)
John 1:35-37: "Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And
looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus".
John 1:35-37 acts as a critical hinge in the Gospel, marking the official transfer of allegiance from the preparatory ministry of John the Baptist to the redemptive ministry of Jesus Christ. It highlights the transition from repentance to redemption, where the forerunner’s goal is realized in the followers becoming disciples of the Savior. Marking the shift from the Old Covenant preparation to the New Covenant fulfillment. These verses highlight the "Lamb of God" as the ultimate sacrifice and the initiation of true discipleship.
John the Baptist fulfills the prophecies of a "messenger" (Malachi 3:1) and a "voice" (Isaiah 40:3). His success is measured by his ability to become obsolete; his ministry "passes by" to Jesus, fulfilling his own mantra: "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). John 1:35-37 reveals deep exegetical truths about the nature of Christ and prophetic insights into the beginning of His church.
EXEGETICAL REVELATIONS
The exegesis of these verses focuses on the titles used for Jesus and the deliberate actions of John and his followers:
(1). THE PROPHETIC PATTERN OF THE "NEXT DAY": "Again the next day after..." (v35). This passage is part of a series of "days" in John’s first chapter that mirror the seven days of creation. On this "third day" of John's narrative, the focus shifts to the recruitment of the new humanity, signaling a "New Creation" beginning through the Lamb.
The verse "Again the next day" directly follows the previous day's declaration (John 1:29), indicating the third day in John's chronological account and highlighting a sustained public witness. The sequence of days described (John 1:19, 1:29, 1:35, and 1:43) serves a theological purpose: to evoke the new creation week, thereby positioning Jesus Christ as the central figure of a new spiritual order and the beginning of His public work.
(2) A POSITIONAL SHIFT: "John stood... and two of his disciples" (v. 35): The disciples were in a posture of learning ("stood" indicates staying with him). The text specifies John was "standing" (Greek: heistēkei), formal posture of readiness and steadfast witness. In a Greek exegetical context, this (heistēkei) signifies a stationary, completed ministry. John has reached his destination; he is the "friend of the bridegroom" who stands and waits for the groom’s arrival. In contrast, Jesus is "walking," signifying the commencement of His active public ministry.
● Traditionally, the "two disciples" are identified as Andrew (explicitly named in v. 40) and John the Apostle, the author of the Gospel, who typically remains anonymous in his own writing out of modesty and to invite the reader to step into the role of a follower.
(3) THE GAZE of RECOGNITION: The phrase "looking upon Jesus"(v36) uses the Greek emblepsas, which implies a fixed, penetrating gaze. This was not a casual glance but a moment of spiritual discernment where John saw the fulfillment of the sacrificial system embodied in a person. The Greek phrase implies a fixed, earnest, and intense gaze. John is not just looking; he is contemplating the fulfillment of his mission. Jesus is described "walking."
(4). THE LAMB OF AS THE NEW TEMPLE
"Behold the Lamb of God" (v36). This is a profound, concise title that summarizes Jesus' mission. Prophetically, John’s declaration points to the end of the Levitical animal sacrifices. By identifying Jesus as the Lamb while the Second Temple was still standing, John prophesied that the true atonement would no longer come from the temple altar, but from the person of Christ. The phrase implies that Jesus will bear the sin of the entire world on himself.
For first-century Jews, this title evoked several potent images. By calling Jesus the "Lamb of God," John evokes a "switchboard" of prophetic imagery:
(a) the Passover Lamb, the symbol of deliverance from death and bo***ge in Egypt, (b) the perpetual offering for sin in the Temple, now replaced by the final "once for all" sacrifice. (c) Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, who was led like a lamb to the slaughter. By using this title twice (v. 29 and v. 36), John identifies Jesus as the ultimate, sin-removing sacrifice for all humanity.
(5). THE FORETELLING OF THE APOCALYPSE: The title "Lamb" is John's most frequent designation for Jesus in the Book of Revelation (used 28 times). This early declaration prophetically links the suffering, sacrificial Lamb on Earth to the triumphant, reigning Lamb on the heavenly throne.
(6). THE WITNESS RULE: "...the two disciples heard him speak..."(v37). The presence of exactly "two" disciples provides the legal requirement of two witnesses necessary under Jewish law (Deut 19:15) to validate the testimony of John and the ministry of Jesus.
(7). THE SHIFT IN DISCIPLESHIP (FROM FOLLOWING TO ABIDING): In verse 37, the disciples follow Jesus, which is not just an act of walking behind him, but the beginning of a life of commitment. This leads to the "Come and See" invitation in subsequent verses, shifting them from simply learning about God to experiencing God.
This event underscores the effectiveness of John's ministry: his divinely appointed purpose was to direct attention to the coming Savior. The swift shift in allegiance from John's "good" instruction to the "greatest" revelation in Jesus illustrates the principle that repentance's fundamental objective is to bring individuals into a relationship with the Redeemer.
The disciples "heard him speak, and they followed Jesus." In the Greek context of discipleship, "to follow" (akoloutheō) meant a complete shift in allegiance and lifestyle, moving from learning under one rabbi to another. ). In first-century culture, "following" a rabbi meant a total commitment to learning from and emulating him.
This is a profound moment of "hand-off." The disciples immediately left the teacher (John) to follow the Subject of the testimony (Jesus). It demonstrates that true spiritual ministry directs people to Christ, not to oneself.
These verses also serve as a prophetic blueprint for the believer’s journey and the unfolding of Jesus' ministry:
• FULFILLMENT OF JEWISH LAW: Jesus is the culmination of the entire Old Testament sacrificial system. He is not merely a teacher but the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets, the one whom the ages had awaited to offer Himself as a permanent sacrifice for sin.
• PROPHETIC PATTERN OF DISCIPLESHIP: The act of "following" Jesus (Greek: akoloutheō) signifies a complete shift in allegiance. It prophetically models that faith begins with a trusted testimony but must move into a personal, walking relationship with Christ.
• A NEW KIND OF FOLLOWING: Unlike traditional disciples who followed rabbis for intellectual training, following the "Lamb of God" prophetically points toward the Cross. It implies following Jesus even unto death—a total surrender where one’s own life is exchanged for the eternal life He provides.
• INITIATION OF THE CHURCH: This moment marks the beginning of Christ’s public ministry and the gathering of the first members of His Church through personal recommendation rather than grand miracles.
《SELAH》
MARANATHA | SHALOM
MEDITATE & PRAY IN THE SPIRIT | SHARE
‐---------------------------‐--------------------------------------
NOTE: Pls send your testimony via Email.
--------------------------------------------
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
YOUR GIVING PROVIDES THE WHEELS FOR THE GOSPEL.
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●
—GIVING IS AN ACT OF WORSHIP—
SEND YOUR | OFFERING | TITHES | SEED FAITH OR SUPPORT:
First Bank: 2014478398
Zenith Bank: 1003775021