John 1:28 -These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. 

The location of Bethabara is unknown. The place where John was baptizing was east of the Jordan river. The oldest and most accurate manuscripts indicate the name as Bethany. Evidently, this was John’s normal place for baptizing.

John 1:29 – The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. 

In the Old Testament, the Israelites sacrificed lambs at the Passover feast, and as offerings. Jesus Christ is the Lamb that God would give as a sacrifice for the sins, not only of Israel, but of the whole world. Animals blood could only cover sin it could not take it away; but Jesus offering Himself as the Perfect Sacrifice took away the sin of the world. He not only cleansed the acts of sin, but addressed the root of sin so that humans would be truthful to themselves and not blame others for their sins. Jesus alone can remove the stain of sin.

Every morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in the Temple for the sins of the people  (Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other lamb that shalt over at even – Exodus 29:38-39). Isaiah, the Prophet prophesied that the Messiah, God’s servant, would be led to slaughter like a lamb (He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and is a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth – Isaiah 53:7). Jesus came to pay for sin, a life had to be given, and God chose to provide the sacrifice Himself. The sins of the world were removed when Jesus died as the perfect sacrifice. The “sins of the word” means everyone sins, the sin of each individual. Jesus paid the price for our sins by death. We can receive forgiveness by confessing our sins to Him and asking for His forgiveness.

John 1:30 – This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for He was before me. 

John tells them, Jesus is the One I spoke about that will cleanse man from their sin. It is He that will die for the sins of the world. Jesus was in eternity, He came before m

Although John the Baptist was a well-known preacher and attracted large crowds, he was content for Jesus to take the higher place. This is true humility, the basis for greatness in preaching, teaching or any other work we do for Jesus. When we’re content to do what God wants us to do and let Jesus Christ be honored for it, then God will do great things through us. Gifts, as well as talents, are God-given gifts from God to His people to glorify Him.

John 1:31 – And I knew Him not; but that He should be made manifest to Israel, therefore, am I come baptizing with water. 

The baptism of Jesus serves as a proof of His deity to John. The Holy Spirit came on Jesus and remained to assist in His baptismal work. Before Jesus’ baptism, John knew Him only as a good cousin, not as the Lamb of God. Not until John saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus did he realize that He was the Son of God.

“I did not know Him”, John and Jesus were cousins, so they probably knew each other, but John apparently did not know that Jesus was the Messiah. This portion of scripture appears to contradict itself, but when we take the time to search the scriptures and cross references scriptures then we will see the real meaning of the scriptures. This is why people who don’t study the Bible will say the Bible contradicts itself. All John knew was that he was to baptize with water and that the Messiah would be made known to Israel through him. God had given John a sign by which he would know the Messiah, namely, the descending of the Holy Spirit as a dove. Since Jesus and John the Baptist was related, John probably didn’t realize that He was the Messiah until Jesus was baptized. Many Christians, have been ordained and given titles by God, and people who know them aren’t aware of the title that has been given them by God, just as Jesus’s family didn’t know who He was.

John 1:32 – And John bare record (witness) saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode (remained) upon Him. 

John testifies, I saw the Spirit descending upon Him, I was given a spiritual awakening that this is the very Son of God.

John is the only one that actual saw the Holy Spirit, but he didn’t see Him in His fullness but shaped as a dove. The Holy Spirit is a spirit, which can’t be seen with the naked eye, but through the spirit. The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus and remained, He does the same with Christians who desire the fullness of God to live within them. Many think being filled with the Holy Spirit only means speaking in a language they don’t understand or running or jumping around the church, but being filled with the Spirit gives the Christians power to dominate their lifestyle by the power of God.

It gives us the power to resist Satan, if the power of God is not living within a Christian, he or she doesn’t have the power to resist sin (But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth – Acts 1:8). The Holy Spirit wasn’t just for the twelve Apostles, but for every believer and every minister ( And He gave some, apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelist, and some pastors and teachers. For the perfecting (equipping) of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ – Ephesians 4:11-12). Even though Jesus was the Son of God, He didn’t do any miracles prior to Him receiving the Holy Spirit, giving the Christian an example of what they need if they desire to be used by God, if they want the power to resist Satan’s influences, if they want to see the manifestation of the power of God being manifested in their lives as well as the body of Christ and to take the dominion God has given them to rule the earth.

John 1:33 – And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 

John tells them, the One who told Him to baptize, told Him when he sees the Spirit descending and remaining on Him would be the Son of God. Not only did John see the Spirit descend, but he also heard God say “This is My Beloved Son”.

Seven times the New Testament mentions this ministry of Jesus. Five are prophetic, one is historical, one is doctrinal. John the Baptist baptism by water was preparatory because it was for repentance and symbolized the washing away of sins. Jesus, by contrast, would baptize with the Holy Spirt. He would send the Holy Spirit upon all believer, empowering them to live and teach the message of salvation. The Holy Spirit opens our understanding when we have sinned against God, or if our behavior is contrary to the Spirit of God. Anyone that has been filled with the Holy Spirit should have a change in character and behavior, although the Holy Spirit comes to live within every believer, He doesn’t make us do right, the choice is ours. We can’t continue to practice sin if we want the Holy Spirit to remain with us.