Lexical Summary amnos: Lamb Original Word: ἀμνός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lamb. Apparently a primary word; a lamb -- lamb. HELPS Word-studies 286 amnós – a sacrificial lamb (used for sacrifice); a young sheep without blemish (especially a one-year old lamb). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a lamb NASB Translation Lamb (2), lamb (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 286: ἀμνόςἀμνός, (οῦ, ὁ (from Sophocles and Aristophanes down), a lamb: Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19; τοῦ θεοῦ, consecrated to God, John 1:29, 36. In these passages Christ is likened to a sacrificial lamb on account of his death, innocently and patiently endured, to expiate sin. See ἀρνίον. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Symbolism The term ἀμνός depicts a young lamb prepared for sacrifice. Within the New Testament it concentrates the entire sacrificial economy of the Old Covenant onto the single person of Jesus Christ, identifying Him as the long-expected, God-provided substitute who bears sin and secures redemption. Old Testament Foundations The word never appears in the Greek Old Testament for the ordinary animal in the field; it is consistently tied to cultic offering. Exodus 12 establishes the Passover lamb, chosen “without blemish” and whose blood shields Israel from judgment. Isaiah 53:7 presents the Servant of the LORD as “like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,” unresisting and innocent. These streams merge in the New Testament’s presentation of Christ as the true Paschal and Suffering-Servant Lamb. Witness of John the Baptist (John 1:29; John 1:36) John the Baptist’s twin proclamations inaugurate Jesus’ public ministry. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) John identifies Jesus not merely as a teacher or king but as the ultimate sin-bearer. By repeating the title in John 1:36 John directs his disciples to transfer their allegiance to Jesus, underscoring the sufficiency and finality of the Lamb’s work. The Evangelistic Bridge in Acts 8:32 Philip encounters the Ethiopian official reading Isaiah 53:7. The Spirit positions Philip to explain that the “lamb” foretold by Isaiah is Jesus. The narrative demonstrates how the early church employed the Lamb motif to preach Christ from the Scriptures, affirming continuity between prophecy and fulfillment and illustrating that apostolic evangelism centered on substitutionary atonement. Redemptive Emphasis in 1 Peter 1:19 Peter exhorts believers to holy living on the basis of their costly redemption: “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). The apostle fuses Passover and Levitical imagery, stressing both the purity of the Lamb and the incomparable value of His blood. The context links Christ’s pre-temporal foreordination (1 Peter 1:20) with His historical manifestation, anchoring Christian hope in an eternal, sovereign plan. Christological and Soteriological Significance 1. Substitution: The Lamb dies in place of sinners, satisfying divine justice. Canonical Harmony While ἀμνός occurs only four times, Revelation employs a related term (ἀρνίον) nearly thirty times, depicting the slain yet triumphant Lamb enthroned with God. Together the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypse present a seamless portrait: the Lamb is sacrificed, preached, trusted, and finally worshiped. Historical and Doctrinal Reception Early creeds affirmed Christ’s atoning death “for our sins.” Patristic writings (e.g., Irenaeus, Athanasius) drew directly from the Lamb imagery. In liturgy, the “Agnus Dei” prayer arose by the seventh century, confessing, “Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.” Reformation theology sharpened the legal and covenantal aspects, while hymns such as “Just as I Am” and “Worthy Is the Lamb” continue to echo the theme. Practical and Pastoral Implications • Assurance: Believers rest not in subjective merit but in an objective, once-for-all sacrifice. Summary Strong’s Greek 286 encapsulates the gospel in a single image: Jesus Christ, God’s spotless Lamb, sacrificed to remove sin, proclaimed to the nations, and adored forever. Forms and Transliterations αμνοί αμνοίς αμνόν αμνος αμνός ἀμνὸς αμνου αμνού ἀμνοῦ αμνούς αμνω αμνώ αμνών amnos amnòs amnou amnoûLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance John 1:29 N-NMSGRK: Ἴδε ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ NAS: Behold, the Lamb of God KJV: saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which INT: Behold the Lamb of God John 1:36 N-NMS Acts 8:32 N-NMS 1 Peter 1:19 N-GMS |
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