For God so Loved the World

John 3: 14-21 (March 22, 2009)

1) The Text

14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. 17“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”

2) The Context

These oft-quoted verses are part of Jesus’ monologue that flows directly from a dialogue with Nicodemus, a Jewish leader who comes to Jesus by night. The Fourth Gospel sends a mixed message about Nicodemus, a figure many readers identify with through his struggle to understand Jesus’ words.

“Lifted up” (v. 14) In Greek, the verb encompasses two meanings – “to lift up” and “to exalt” – and John uses both meanings simultaneously. The evangelist refers to Moses “lifting up” the bronze serpent in the wilderness, an act that had healing, life-giving power (see Numbers 21.8-9), then uses the same verb in relation to Jesus. In the Fourth Gospel, glory and exaltation come not only with Jesus’ resurrection, but also with the crucifixion itself – another act filled with healing, life-giving power.

“Eternal life” (v. 15-16) For John, eternal life is a present-tense reality. It is not something we wait for or hope for our future, but something we experience now as a result of faith in Jesus. As Gail O’Day writes, “To have eternal life is to live life no longer defined by blood or by the will of the flesh or by human will, but by God. Eternal does not mean mere endless duration of human existence, but is a way of describing life as lived in the unending presence of God. To have eternal life is to be given life as a child of God.”

3) Interpretation

It's easy to use the analogies of "light" and "darkness" when academic notions are discussed. "Light" is mastery of the subject. "Darkness" is ignorance. However, when we apply these analogies to faith and morality, we can no longer speak of "light" as mastery, but as commitment. "Light" becomes faithfulness. "Darkness" becomes rejection. In Jesus' discourse to Nicodemus, he spoke of "light" and "darkness." But, the light was not the believer's commitment to God. The "Light" was Christ, the Father's commitment to his creation.

This Sunday's gospel presents Jesus' final comments to Nicodemus, who visited the Master at night. John used this opportunity to contrast light from dark, salvation from condemnation. He saw the "world" as those who hid from the light (dishonorable) and those who act in the light (the honorable). Of course, the honorable look to Jesus.

The gospel opened with a parallel image about the Kingdom. Those who would live in the Kingdom ("have eternal life") would gaze upon the Son of Man lifted up (just as the dying Israelites were saved when they gazed at the bronzed snake). For John the evangelist, Jesus was lifted up on the cross and he was lifted up in the resurrection. Both were the same movement. Hence, to see Jesus lifted up, the Christian must see the crucified Jesus as the Risen Christ. When the world condemned Jesus, the Father raised him up to new life. A sign of failure and rejection became a sign of hope.

Notice the believer looked at the Son of Man lifted up. Since one can only see in the "light," the thematic scene is set for the contrast between light and darkness.

Like any good Hebrew, John did not believe in fate. All evil had its roots in the freely chosen acts of people. But, John saw there was only one way to reject evil: a trust relationship with God's Son. The Father had given the world his Son, a much greater gift than creation itself. Through the Son, God was present to his people.

John implicitly equated the "sin" of rejecting the Son to the "original sin" of Adam. Those who did not "trust in the name of God's only begotten Son" did not trust in his power to make God present. They insisted on finding their own way, like Adam. Those who chose their way condemn themselves, simply because they did not walk with their Creator.

So, the "light" came into the world and existed with God's people throughout history. He revealed himself completely as Jesus of Nazareth. But throughout history, people rejected the "light" because of the evil they did. In fact, these people feared the "light," because it would reveal what they have really done. The truth would be known. But, those who are faithful perform acts of faith and charity (deeds In "God") because of their orientation. They have nothing to hide. They stand as if the final judgment had already occurred.

As a final note, Nicodemus came to see Jesus in the dark, fearing his fellow Pharisees. In his peers' eyes, such a meeting was dishonorable. Yet, Jesus spoke to him (and us) about true honor: faith. In the end, Nicodemus would step into the daylight to bury Jesus. He would perform not only an honorable act of charity (burying the dead), he would implicitly gaze upon the cross and see his true Master (see John 19:38-42).

Throughout this study, we have seen analogies. Light vs. dark. Acquitted vs. judged. Saved vs. condemned. Analogies make understanding easier, especially in the moving themes of John. Unfortunately, analogies sometimes break down when we are faced with real life.

There is, however, one constant, unchanging factor in our faith life: God's faithfulness to us. God invites us to respond in kind. His invitation is his Son, the One he gave to the world.

4) Thought Exercise

How can we return God’s faithfulness?

How has God’s faithfulness opened your eyes and guided you?