Lamb of God (religious)
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Lamb of God is one of the titles given to Jesus in the New Testament and consequently in the Christian tradition.
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The Gospel of John
The title is found just twice in the New Testament, in the Gospel of John:
- The next day he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)
- The next day John was there again with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, "Behold, the Lamb of God." (John 1:35f)
The Book of Revelation
The image of Christ as lamb is very prominent in the Book of Revelation, where Christ is referred to as Lamb twenty-eight times. The title and also appears in Acts 8:32, 1 Cor 5:7 (implied), and 1 Peter 1:19.
The Book of Revelation uses another Greek word for Lamb; the apocalyptic picture of a ruling and victorious lamb should probably not be read into the title "Lamb of God" in the Gospel of John. However, even if the "Lamb of God" title does not in itself imply victory, Revelation clearly identifies this victorious lamb as having been the sacrificial offering: "you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God" (Rev 5:9).
Biblical Significance
The title has to be understood against the background of:
- The paschal lamb of the Old Testament whose blood protected and saved the Israelites (Exodus 12). This link is explicit in 1 Cor 5:7. For Paul, Christians are saved by Christ as their true paschal lamb.
- The Old Testament practice of sin offerings. Lambs could be used in these offerings (e.g. Lev 4:32-34 and 5:6). This link is strongly suggested by John 1:29 and 1 Peter 1:19. Like the sin of a person could be forgiven through the offering and the pouring out of the blood of an "unblemished" lamb (cf. Lev 4:32), so Christians would be freed from sin by the blood of Christ as the unblemished Lamb of God.
- The suffering servant of Isaiah 53, who "like a lamb led to the slaughter" (53:7) was silent and "gives his life as an offering for sin" (53:10). This link is explicit in Acts 8:32 and strengthens the idea of Christ as a sin offering.
Other Uses
In heraldry, a Lamb of God (paschal lamb or Agnus Dei) is a lamb passant proper, with a halo or charged with a cross gules, and the dexter forelimb reflexed over a cross staff from which a pennon of St. George (Argent a cross gules) is flotant.
Lamb of God is also the popular name of a litany used in the Roman Catholic Mass and in the worship services of many other churches. See Agnus Dei.