Christmas Weekday, Friday – 03rd January 2020 — Gospel: John 1,29-34
God’s Lamb for remission and protection
John the Baptist opens the identification of Jesus and announced him as God’s lamb to those around him. It is a very special identity that helped to explain the role of Jesus on earth. Probably, John the Baptist used this name for two main reasons. Firstly, every morning and evening the priests sacrificed a lamb in the temple for the remission of people’s sins (Ex 29,38-42). This sacrifice was offered twice daily, because people sinned all the time. However, God provided the perfect sacrifice: his Son, Jesus. He will die on the cross as expiation for everybody’s sins and for all time. Secondly, John the Baptist thought about the Passover. At the Passover, the people killed a lamb and spread the blood on the door posts of their houses. God who had seen the lambs’ blood on their houses protected them. As this lamb’ blood had saved the people from death, so will be with the blood of Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus will be protected and saved from all dangers and death.
