Understanding John 3:16

A BIBLE STUDY BY FRED KENISON

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The above verse is often used by evangelicals to “prove” that in order to be “born again,” or to be “saved,” it is necessary to believe in Jesus. However, there is much confusion surrounding this verse. First, it is taken out of context. Second, there is no distinction made between spiritual life and eternal life. And, third, there is no effort made to discover the Old Testament background for this verse.

Let us begin by putting this verse in context. Many evangelicals know John 3: 16 by heart, but they have no idea of the preceding verses which provide the setting for it. John 3:14-15 says, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” Why does John mention the serpent in the wilderness, and what does that have to do with Jesus? To find out, we turn to Numbers 21:5-9.

“And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread. And the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live. And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.”

The people who were bitten faced a physical death. Only by looking upon this brass serpent could they continue to live. They did not die! If they were not alive, they could not die. Keep this in mind as it aligns John 3:16 with the Old Testament scriptures.

In John 3:14-15, John referred to this event about Moses and the serpent. John was expounding on the Old Testament scriptures in the light thrown on them by the life and death of Jesus. Instead of commenting about a physical death and life, as dealt with in the Old Testament, John transformed this scripture to spiritual life and spiritual death. He drew a parallel between physical life with Moses and spiritual life with Jesus. Moses lifted up the brass serpent in the wilderness, and the people who looked upon it continued to live physically. Jesus was lifted up, or crucified, so that everyone who believed on him should not perish (die spiritually), but have eternal life.

There is a distinction between one who has only spiritual life, and the eternal life of a believer. All people were granted spiritual life at birth, but only those of faith in Jesus have eternal life. When anyone believes in what God accomplished for us through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, then that person has a quality of life that an unbeliever does not have. Eternal life is a quality of life enhanced by holy spirit that only people of faith can experience.

Given this background, let us turn to a grammatical explanation of John 3:16 which will be helpful. The word for comes from the Greek particle, or conjunction, gar, which means because, or for this reason, and refers back to previous comments. Verses 3:14-15 say that Jesus must be lifted up so that those who believe should not perish, but have eternal life. It is for this reason that God so loved the world, and gave his son. God gave his son so that mankind could look upon him, and continue to live spiritually. And, not only live, but live more abundantly, because of that quality of life. The usual meaning of eternal, aionios, is that of a quality of life. It is this quality, or eternal part, that has been added to the life of a believer. The concept of living forever and ever is a poor interpretation.

Note, too, that God loved the world, not just the believers. God loved the entire cosmos. Everybody. And he gave his son for everyone! What son was this? “He gave his only begotten Son.” The words “only begotten” are often confusing, and they might be better understood if translated as “unique son.” God had many sons, but Jesus was unique; no other man was his equal in godliness and obedience to the Father. Jesus was also unique in his calling which was to die for the sins of the world upon a cross, or to be lifted up.

Jesus said, “I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me” (John 12:32). Not some men, but all men! All men will be drawn—some will respond in faith, and others will continue in unbelief (sometimes translated as disobedience). Those who do not respond in faith will perish. They will wander through this life lost insofar as spiritual things are concerned. Their end will be to spend the next age in outer darkness, without being able to enter the kingdom. [For more details on outer darkness, please see our book, The Apocalypse of Revelation.] On the other hand those who respond in faith will enter the next age to rule and reign with Jesus. This is the epitome, or end result, of the eternal quality, called eternal life.

In the term “not perish,” the word not comes from mee, a conditional not, rather than ouk, the unconditional not. Therefore, perishing, or not perishing, is conditional. It depends, not on a one time belief, but on a lifetime of commitment to the will of God.

The scriptures teach that many will perish. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto (the) life, and few there be that find it.” When asked who could be saved, Jesus said, “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” In other words, don’t try to save yourself by what you do, but look unto God in faith, yield yourself to him, and live in obedience to him.