1:29 Behold, the Lamb of God. Compare v. 36. Whether “the Lamb” is the Passover lamb or the Servant lamb of Is. 53:7 cannot be easily determined. There is some evidence that the two figures were combined very early in Christian thought.

who takes away the sin of the world. The “world” designates humanity in its hostility to God, as elsewhere in this Gospel. Although not all persons without exception will be saved, the sacrifice is the only atonement for human sin, and its effectiveness is not limited by time or place (3:16 note).