For God So Loved -- John 3:16 in Context
It's perhaps the most well-known verse in all of scripture. "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” (John 3:16). From the crazy colored-hair guy who always showed up at sporting events to the black strips under Tim Tebow's eyes, the shorthand for this verse is etched into our minds.
But what does it mean? How are we to understand these words?
When we step back and read the entire section of John 3, we find a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a highly placed Jewish teacher and leader. Nicodemus is in the dark (figuratively, perhaps), and he is curious about "the signs" Jesus has been performing. These signs indicate that Jesus must be from God, but Nicodemus doesn't understand who Jesus is.Jesus begins to talk about rebirth as a prerequisite for entrance into God's kingdom. Nicodemus doesn't understand spiritual rebirth--it apparently wasn't a part of Jewish thinking. He only knows physical birth and that it's impossible to go back into a mother's womb.
Jesus isn't talking, however, about physical rebirth. He is speaking of a life change that comes through spiritual rebirth. In order to be alive physically, one must be born physically. In order to be alive spiritually, Jesus says, one must be born spiritually.
Then he references an odd story from Numbers 21. God sent a plague to punish his people for their lack of faith. The punishment was a plague of venomous snakes, and the poisonous bites kept killing Israelites. Moses asked God for help, so God told him to make a bronze serpent and to set it up on a pole in the middle of the Israelite camp. Whenever someone was bitten, they just had to look at the bronze snake to be saved. God didn't remove the curse, but he did provide a cure. Their sin brought death, but God's love and grace provided life to all who turned to him for help.
Jesus goes on in John 3:15-17 to say that he is like the bronze snake. God is putting him up in the midst of the world. Anyone who turns to him and believes can experience rescue from death and new life in the kingdom of God.
We needn't think that John is oversimplifying conversion. He's not advocating a quick or cheap "decision" for Christ. The context of John 3:1-20 makes it clear that turning to Jesus refers to deep belief that requires life change (cf. John 1:12; 20:29).
But God's love for the WHOLE world compels him to provide salvation for everyone. He sent Jesus so that we could escape the curse of sin. Jesus is the cure that is available to all people.
In Leadership magazine, Tom Tripp told the story of Joan Black, a nurse at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. In August 1993, a crazy-eyed young woman named Sopehia Mardress White came storming into the hospital looking for a nurse named Elizabeth Staten who she accused of stealing her husband. She pulled out a .38 and fired 6 shots, hitting her target in the stomach and wrist. When Elizabeth ran toward the ER, Sopehia chased her and fired more shots. At this point, Joan Black stepped in. Black walked calmly toward the gun-toting woman -- and hugged her. Black spoke comforting words. The assailant said she didn't have anything to live for, that Staten had stolen her family. "You're in pain," Black said. "I'm sorry, but everybody has pain in their life. . . I understand, and we can work it out." As they talked, Sopehia kept her finger on the trigger. Once she began to lift the gun as though she would shoot herself. Nurse Black just pushed her arm down and continued to hold her. At last Sopehia White gave the gun to the nurse. She was disarmed by a hug, by understanding, by compassion. Black later told an AP reporter, "I saw a sick person and had to take care of her."
God sees the world, sees our sickness, and loves us. God has compassion. And to heal us, he lifts up his Son, so that all who look to Jesus may be saved.
But what does it mean? How are we to understand these words?
When we step back and read the entire section of John 3, we find a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, a highly placed Jewish teacher and leader. Nicodemus is in the dark (figuratively, perhaps), and he is curious about "the signs" Jesus has been performing. These signs indicate that Jesus must be from God, but Nicodemus doesn't understand who Jesus is.Jesus begins to talk about rebirth as a prerequisite for entrance into God's kingdom. Nicodemus doesn't understand spiritual rebirth--it apparently wasn't a part of Jewish thinking. He only knows physical birth and that it's impossible to go back into a mother's womb.
Jesus isn't talking, however, about physical rebirth. He is speaking of a life change that comes through spiritual rebirth. In order to be alive physically, one must be born physically. In order to be alive spiritually, Jesus says, one must be born spiritually.
Then he references an odd story from Numbers 21. God sent a plague to punish his people for their lack of faith. The punishment was a plague of venomous snakes, and the poisonous bites kept killing Israelites. Moses asked God for help, so God told him to make a bronze serpent and to set it up on a pole in the middle of the Israelite camp. Whenever someone was bitten, they just had to look at the bronze snake to be saved. God didn't remove the curse, but he did provide a cure. Their sin brought death, but God's love and grace provided life to all who turned to him for help.
Jesus goes on in John 3:15-17 to say that he is like the bronze snake. God is putting him up in the midst of the world. Anyone who turns to him and believes can experience rescue from death and new life in the kingdom of God.
We needn't think that John is oversimplifying conversion. He's not advocating a quick or cheap "decision" for Christ. The context of John 3:1-20 makes it clear that turning to Jesus refers to deep belief that requires life change (cf. John 1:12; 20:29).
But God's love for the WHOLE world compels him to provide salvation for everyone. He sent Jesus so that we could escape the curse of sin. Jesus is the cure that is available to all people.
In Leadership magazine, Tom Tripp told the story of Joan Black, a nurse at USC Medical Center in Los Angeles. In August 1993, a crazy-eyed young woman named Sopehia Mardress White came storming into the hospital looking for a nurse named Elizabeth Staten who she accused of stealing her husband. She pulled out a .38 and fired 6 shots, hitting her target in the stomach and wrist. When Elizabeth ran toward the ER, Sopehia chased her and fired more shots. At this point, Joan Black stepped in. Black walked calmly toward the gun-toting woman -- and hugged her. Black spoke comforting words. The assailant said she didn't have anything to live for, that Staten had stolen her family. "You're in pain," Black said. "I'm sorry, but everybody has pain in their life. . . I understand, and we can work it out." As they talked, Sopehia kept her finger on the trigger. Once she began to lift the gun as though she would shoot herself. Nurse Black just pushed her arm down and continued to hold her. At last Sopehia White gave the gun to the nurse. She was disarmed by a hug, by understanding, by compassion. Black later told an AP reporter, "I saw a sick person and had to take care of her."
God sees the world, sees our sickness, and loves us. God has compassion. And to heal us, he lifts up his Son, so that all who look to Jesus may be saved.
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