The Lamb of God
A sacrificial title for Jesus rooted in Old Testament lamb offerings.
AI-generated artistic depiction (no historical imagery exists)
The phrase 'Lamb of God' appears explicitly in John 1:29, where John the Baptist identifies Jesus as 'the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.' This title draws on a rich background of Old Testament sacrificial lambs. The Passover lamb, required to be 'without blemish, a male of the first year' (Exodus 12:5), was killed to spare Israel's firstborn (Exodus 12:21). The daily burnt offering consisted of 'two lambs of the first year day by day continually' (Exodus 29:38), one in the morning and one at evening (Exodus 29:39). Lambs were also used for sin offerings (Leviticus 4:32) and trespass offerings (Leviticus 5:6), and could be redeemed for a firstling donkey (Exodus 13:13).
Lore & Background
The concept of a lamb as a sacrificial substitute is woven through the Torah. In Exodus 12, each household took a lamb for the Passover (Exodus 12:3), and if a household was too small, they shared with a neighbor (Exodus 12:4). The lamb was killed and its blood applied to the doorposts, though the passages provided do not describe that application. The lamb had to be 'without blemish' (Exodus 12:5), a requirement repeated for burnt offerings (Leviticus 9:3) and sin offerings (Leviticus 4:32). The daily burnt offering of two lambs (Exodus 29:38-41) was a continual sacrifice 'for a sweet savour' (Exodus 29:41). In Genesis, Abraham's words 'God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering' (Genesis 22:8) foreshadow the idea of divine provision of a lamb, though the passage does not state that a lamb was actually sacrificed there. Isaiah 53:7 describes a suffering servant who 'is brought as a lamb to the slaughter' and 'as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth,' linking silence and submission to a sacrificial lamb. John 1:29 directly applies this imagery to Jesus, calling him 'the Lamb of God' who takes away sin. Other uses of lambs include redemption: a lamb could redeem a firstling donkey (Exodus 13:13; Exodus 34:20). Lambs were also used in purification rituals (Leviticus 12:6), and if a woman could not afford a lamb, she could bring two pigeons instead (Leviticus 12:8). In Genesis 30:40, Jacob separated lambs for breeding, and in Genesis 21:28-30, Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs as a witness for a well. These passages show lambs as both sacrificial and practical assets.
Reader's Guide
The passages portray 'the Lamb of God' as a sacrificial figure whose role is defined by substitution and atonement. The Passover lamb (Exodus 12:5,21) was a substitute for the firstborn, sparing them from death. The daily lambs (Exodus 29:38-41) were a continual offering for the nation. Sin offerings required a lamb without blemish (Leviticus 4:32) to make atonement (Leviticus 4:35). The lamb could be a female for sin offerings (Leviticus 4:32; Leviticus 5:6), and if a person was poor, they could substitute birds (Leviticus 5:7; Leviticus 12:8). Isaiah 53:7 connects the lamb's silence to the suffering servant, and John 1:29 identifies Jesus as that lamb who takes away sin. The passages do not explicitly state that Jesus was without blemish or that his death was a direct fulfillment of any specific lamb sacrifice, but the typology is clear: lambs were used for redemption, atonement, and daily worship, and Jesus is presented as the ultimate embodiment of that sacrificial role.
Did You Know?
- The Passover lamb had to be a male of the first year and without blemish (Exodus 12:5).
- A lamb could redeem a firstling donkey, but if not redeemed, the donkey's neck was broken (Exodus 13:13; Exodus 34:20).
- If a woman could not afford a lamb for purification, she could bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons instead (Leviticus 12:8).
- Abraham said 'God will provide himself a lamb' (Genesis 22:8), but the passage does not record that a lamb was actually sacrificed in place of Isaac.