CROSSING REJECTORS INTO THE PROMISE
John 1:29-42
(Second Sunday after the Epiphany)
analysis by Jim Squire
DIAGNOSIS: Adversaries of the message
Step 1 – Initial Diagnosis: Misguided
Instead of seeing John as a messenger, his disciples (v.35), as well as his critics (v.19), give him more credence than he deserves, thinking of him as the Messiah. John knows better, and his desire is to point all in the right direction (v.29). But, interestingly, both disciples and critics are not so inclined to follow those directions. Neither are we.
Step 2 – Advanced Diagnosis: Rejecting
A good part of the reason for this common illness of being misguided may turn on the fact that John proclaims the Lamb of God as the One who brings in a whole new world order, taking away the sins of the world. When forceful messiahs are the messiahs of choice (like John), then there is no room for removing sin except by way of punishing the offenders. Of course, this rejection of the Lamb also fails to acknowledge that we may actually be culprits in the “sin of the world.”
Step 3 – Final Diagnosis: Rejected
It is not only John’s directions that are rejected, but also the One to whom John points. In the cosmic setting of things, we are the ones who can only hear the proclamation of condemnation. According to Raymond Brown, one of the originally intended meanings for the Lamb of God might have been the “apocalyptic Lamb” who comes to defeat evildoers (Anchor Bible, “The Gospel According to John,” pp.58-59). It would be a pity if those evildoers are, in fact, us, standing in the way of the Lamb’s new world order.
PROGNOSIS: Befriended by the Lamb
Step 4 – Initial Prognosis: Taking rejection upon Himself
Fortunately, promisingly, the Lamb of God does not come for us as the apocalyptic Lamb, but as the Paschal Lamb “who takes away the sin of the world” – our sin. That new order brings its own price tag – the identification of the Lamb with rejected rejectors. But that was this Lamb’s baptismal mission all along (vs.32-33). For that, the Lamb will be paschally sacrificed for the sins of the world. But his sacrifice frees us to hear his question, “what are you looking for?” (v.38) not as a word of judgment, but as an invitation to hope.
Step 5 – Advanced Prognosis: Remaining
We, like John’s disciples (and some critics? See chapter 3), may now “come and see” (v.39) what all this Lamb has to offer. He invites us to “stay” or “remain” with him, as he also has chosen to stay with us through our trial. But in the staying, our hopes are enlivened. Indeed, in our exuberance, we may claim, “We have found the Messiah.” (v.41) Maybe better, the Messiah has found us, and has renamed us in this new order – no longer simple Simon, but Cephas, the Rock (v.42).
Step 6 – Final Prognosis: Inviting
Exuberant nonetheless with our new Host, we go back into the world to enlighten those still in darkness. So Andrew fetches Simon (v.41), not by force, but by invitation. Empowered by the sacrificial and suffering-servant Lamb of God, we are sent out as fellow servants for others, winning by the winsome promise of the gospel’s invitation. Force may get you some places, but the gospel keeps you there (“remaining”), because it penetrates the heart. No wonder John points us away from himself, and to the Lamb.