The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."
Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One." The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" (John 1:29-36)
Look, the Lamb of God! I myself did not know him! In this short passage, John repeats these cries of wonder twice. I can hear John exclaim this in amazement. He was Jesus' relative, after all. He must have at least heard about him and the family stories about their shared miraculous births. But here his eyes are opened to who Jesus actually is. "I didn't know! I didn't see! Look! Look!"
Further on in the chapter, as the disciples' eyes are opened, they each exclaim their own revelation -
We have found the Messiah! (John 1:41)
We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote! (John 1:45)
Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel! (John 1:49)
And as Jesus walked the earth with them the Spirit continued to open hearts and minds to his true identity.
He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:15-17 (ESV)
The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he" ...
Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." John 4:25-26, 39-42 (ESV)
When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" Matthew 27:54 (ESV)
He asked her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" John 20:15-16
When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him ... Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:30-31, 45
One example of the revelation of the Christ always sticks out to me, the example of blind Bartimaeus.
Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David [a Messianic title], have mercy on me!" Matthew 20:30
The blind man "saw" who Jesus really was even before his physical eyes were healed. The eyes of his heart beheld Jesus as Son of David, Messiah, the Christ. Even so Lord, open my eyes to see who you truly are in all your glory, all your authority, all your awesome wonder, more and more, deeper and deeper.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord
Open the eyes of my heart
I want to see You
I want to see You
-- song Open the Eyes of My Heart by Paul Baloche, sung by Michael W. Smith
Image, detail from John the Baptist by Jack Baumgartner. Used by permission of the artist. See more at his blog here The School of the Transfer of Energy
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