John’s Symbols of Christ
John’s Symbols of Christ"Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29)
When John the Baptist came to announce the Messiah, upon which set of prophecies did he draw for his preaching? A careful analysis of all the passages of John’s ministry up to the time he baptized Jesus Christ reveals the following facts: His quotations from the Old Testament are all prophecies of what we call the second coming of Christ, even though he came before the first coming of Christ. John spoke of Christ as Saviour only in one passage, and that on the day of the baptism of the Lord; and most significantly it is only in the fourth Gospel that this is recorded. "… he cried, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1: 29).
But in his earlier ministry, John spoke of the Messiah as the Judge and King Who should come. "Prepare ye the way of Jehovah; make His paths straight." This is why John spoke to the Pharisees, calling them a generation of vipers, and saying, "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" The symbols that John used were symbols of judgment. "The axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). This is parallel to the later prophecy of Christ that the tares would be gathered out of the field of wheat, and would be burned. It is clearly the definite teaching of the work of our Lord as judge of the earth, when He comes again.
Another symbol used by John in speaking of the ministry of the Lord, Whom he had come to announce, was that His "fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly purge His floor" (Matthew 3:12). This image seems strange to us, under modern conditions of agriculture, but it is easily understandable when we know the methods of preparing wheat that were used in the days of Christ; indeed, these methods are still in use in certain parts of the world today. The Lord is Master of His own winds of judgment - He is not dependent upon the moods of man or the forces of nature. His fan will do its work, and the chaff will be blown out from among the wheat. The passage concludes that He will "gather His wheat into the garner; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matthew 3:12).
Dr. Barnhouse reminds us that no simple symbol could be applied to Christ. He is the King who suffered as Savior, He is the righteous judge who will come and execute the righteous judgment of God against His enemies and ours. Through Jesus alone we can have eternal life.
Further Reading: John 1: 19-34
