What words did John the Baptist use to identify Jesus when he spoke about Him?

• A. Behold, the Son of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
• B. (NIV) John 1:29 ...Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
• C. Here is the Prophet who has come into the world.
• D. Listen, the Messiah has appeared among us.

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. In John 1:29, John points to Jesus and proclaims, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This labels Jesus as the perfect sacrifice who bears humanity’s sin, aligning with how the Old Testament pictured atonement and setting up the Gospel’s message that Jesus redeems people from sin.

Why this wording matters: calling Jesus the Lamb of God highlights his role in atonement, not just his identity as a person. It signals that Jesus is the substitute who bears sin for others, making reconciliation with God possible. The other phrases, while referring to Jesus in different ways, aren’t the exact identification John makes in that moment. He isn’t saying “the Son of God,” “the Prophet,” or “the Messiah” in that particular proclamation; the emphasis here is on Jesus as the sacrificial Lamb who removes sin.