John 1.29, 36: The Meaning of Ἀμνὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ and John’s Soteriology

Abstract

The phrase “Lamb of God” in John 1.29 and 36 has been explained from various Old Testament texts, but it has generally been taken for granted that the words should be understood as sacrificial terminology. Isaiah 53 comes closest because it uses the same term ἀμνός, which could be appropriated by early Christians, perhaps not so much as a reference to Jesus’ sacrificial death, but more as describing Jesus’ obedience and submission to the will of the Father. In the soteriology of the Fourth Gospel, the death of Jesus plays a less prominent role than elsewhere in the New Testament. John’s emphasis is more on the “yes” to Jesus in the encounter with him than on Jesus’ death as saving event. If we acknowledge this specific Johannine soteriology, we may need to rethink the translation of some of the key terms in the Fourth Gospel, such as the singular ἁμαρτία and the expression τίθεναι τὴν ψυχήν ὑπέρ.