The Great Exchange
John the Baptist, the greatest prophet; the greatest not because he was great in his own right, but because he was the last Old Testament prophet and the only one of that mighty branch who pointed TO the cross. He was the only prophet who got to see the Messiah with his own eyes.
The old branch died away with the coming of the new. No more prophets would point toward the cross, from now on we would look back to it declaring to finished work of Jesus!
On seeing the Messiah, that mighty prophet declared, “Behold, the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29
Hamartia - “sin”... it’s a noun in this verse. ( vs. hamartano- “sinning” verb) The main meaning of this word is “to be without a share in”.
A share in what?
Romans 5:12 “Wherefore, as by one man sin (hamartia) entered into the world, and death by sin ( hamartia); and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned (harmartano)”.
The share we were not partakers of is Righteousness. Because of the nature of sin inherited from generation to generation since Adam, our inheritance is death- (death entered through sin.)
But that was never God’s plan for us. His plan was for us to rule and reign and have dominion over this earth. His plan was for us to have perfect right standing and perfect image- bearing relationship with him.
Christ came to restore what was lost...
2 Cor 5:21 says “ He made Him who knew no sin ( noun) to become sin ( noun) on our behalf, so that we may become the righteousness of God in Him.”
Jesus knew no sin ( noun). His nature was a righteous one. He was the only sinless Holy One.
But here’s a crazy thought... COULD Jesus sin? Well... if you remember how Adam wasn’t born a sinner and yet chose to sin, the answer would be yes.
BUT Where Adam failed, Jesus was victorious.
Could Jesus die righteous?
Romans 5: 12 tells us death entered by sin... so, no. Jesus could not die UNTIL he became sin.
And so, sin HAD to be conquered...
“Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:3