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. John 3:16
I recall watching many a baseball game on television only to see a fan in the stands holding a sign saying "JOHN 3:16." This is probably one of the most well known and most memorized verses in the Bible. Many a young child in Sunday School was taught to recite this verse before they could read. It has been used my many well-meaning evangelicals as a touchstone of the gospel. Even world famous evangelist, Billy Graham, in an interview many years ago said that if he had only one verse to quote to the world it would be John 3:16.
No true child of God who loves God and His Word would deny the glorious truth conveyed in this verse. But this verse, like many others that begin with the word "for" say much more than what many believe it says. And also like many such verses some make it to say something that goes beyond its intended meaning.
Before beginning an examination of this text in the light of the extent of the gospel to sinners, one brief example will serve to enlighten the reader to see the error than many of us are prone to. It is common among Christians to say to an unconverted person when speaking about sin and hell, "you know the Bible says the wages of sin is death."And of course that is a truth no child of God would deny. All those that die in their sins will suffer eternal death. Sin has a high wage, and that is death.
But Romans 6:23, like John 3:16, begins with the word "for" connecting it to the previous verse or verses. In this passage in Romans, the theme is not primarily the fate of those dying in their sins. When Paul said "for the wages of sin is death," he was speaking of something entirely different and the application of the lost sinners was merely incidental. What Paul is dealing with in Romans 6 is the Christian's freedom from the power of remaining sin by his union with Christ. Can a Christian sin that grace may abound?(vs.1) He spends much of the Chapter examining the Christian's death to sin in Christ via Christ's once for death to sin and shows how the Christian can not ever come under the dominating power of sin. In verse 22, Paul says regarding the Christian's progress in holiness:
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants
to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end
everlasting life.
Since the Christian is made free from sin by his union with Christ's death and resurrection he is assured of final salvation. Why? Well the next verse explains that:
23 For the wages of sin [is] death; but the gift of God
[is] eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Since the Christian has died with Christ, the wage was already paid so now he has his fruit unto holiness with the end being final salvation. So the use of the term "wages of sin" is in regards to the Christian's dying with Christ as Paul so clearly states throughout the whole Chapter.
It is this kind of flippent quoting of Scripture by many well-meaning Christians that cause them to miss the more deeper meaning of many a passage. Once such passage is John 3:16 which we will endeavor with the Lord's help to examine in the light of the free offer of the gospel and the extent of the gospel call.
It is acknowledged by most that hold to the doctrines of grace that the word world in our passage is used in contrast to Israel. We will deal with that when we come to the text itself but primarily what will be examined is the use of the term "whosoever believeth." Does this constitute a universal offer thereby a universal atonement? After all, whosoever means whosoever, doesn't it? Before we get the the 16th verse of this Chapter, we will examine the context more carefully.
We want to look at this portion of the word of God under three heads.
I) The Person Addressed and the Earthly Illustration
II) The Old Testament Type and its Comparison
III) An Exposition of the Text and its Application
When Jesus uttered these words, it was to Nicodemus (a ruler of the Jews) in response to his question in verse 10, "How can these things be?" What things? He was just speaking to Nicodemus regarding the necessity of the new birth in John 3:5-8 when Jesus spoke regarding being born of water and the Spirit. What did Jesus mean when he said to Nicodemus, "Unless and man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God?" Whatever Jesus was talking about it was something Nicodemus, as the teacher of Israel, should have known. Look at verse 10: "art thou THE (the definite article is used in the greek) master of Israel and knowest not these things?"
Now whatever Jesus meant it had to be something that Nicodemus AS THE MASTER IN ISRAEL should have known. Many a well-meaning Christian has said that being born of water is everything from natural birth to "the washing of water by the word" as stated in Ephesians 5:26. Neither of these can be what is meant since they have nothing to do with Nicodemus as THE teacher in Israel. Jesus expected him to know what he was talking about. That will rule out everything except that which was prophesied in the Old Testament in reference to the New Covenant promises. Nicodemus should have very well known these things.
What was he referring to? Well it couldn't have been baptism, as some suggest, for at least 2 reasons taken right from the text.
First, the only knowledge Nicodemus would have had about baptism would be through John the Baptist's baptism of repentance. But that would have nothing to do with him being THE master of Israel. His knowledge of that would not have been much better than any one else's at that time.
Secondly, look at verse 8 "The wind blows where it willeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth: SO IS everyone who is born of the Spirit." This earthly illustration of the wind is most commonly thought to be describing the work of the Spirit; but more accurately, it is describing the person who is born of the Spirit "SO IS everyone born of the Spirit."
Notice just as the winds origin is unknown, and it's presence is unknown except by the effects, SO IS everyone having born of the Spirit. If the spiritual birth comes at baptism or any act of the sinner, then WE WOULD KNOW WHEN AND WHERE IT ORIGINATED!
The only thing we know of this spiritual birth is the effects it produces in a converted life. No baptism, no sinners prayer, no walking and aisle or an altar call can produce this. It is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit!
This brings us to what Jesus was referring to. In Ezekeil 36, we read a promise of the New Covenant. In verse 25 we read "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you an heart of flesh."
This is speaking of regeneration which the sinner is entirely passive. That is why the word "must" in John 3:7 is an indicative, not an imperative. This regeneration is God's work on the dead spirit of a sinner that brings him to life. The evidence (like the blowing of the leaves is to the wind) is a life of repentance, faith and holiness.
Regeneration, like the wind, is only known by it's effects! This, I believe, is the clear teaching of Jesus's words to Nicodemus.
Now it is in this context that Nicodemus asks in verse 9 "How can these things be?" Jesus asks Nicodemus in verse 12 how he will understand heavenly things since he did not understand earthly things. If one does not understand the clear earthly illustration of the blowing of the wind and its effects, how is he going to understand the spiritual implications of such earthly illustrations? Then Jesus begins in verse 13 and onward to elaborate on the statement of the new birth and its necessity in understanding the truths concerning the kingdom of God. What Jesus begins here is to speak of his own work on the cross and the necessity of it as well in relationship to this new birth. We cannot forget that he is still speaking to Nicodemus about the new birth. When he begins to speak in verse 13 of his coming down from heaven and his being lifted up, he is speaking of heavenly things in which this new birth is related to. In order to enter the kingdom of God, the new birth is necessary; but there still must be the sacrifice on the cross for sin, else there would be no salvation. In elaborating on this, Jesus will use an Old Testament illustration that Nicodemus would know about.
That brings us to our second point:
Jesus gave an earthly illustration to Nicodemus when describing the work of the Spirit; now, he will give an Old Testament example that will point to the work of Christ, himself, in the redemption of His people. We cannot separate Jesus's use of the analogy in Numbers 21 and the brass serpent from his explanation to Nicodemus. He knew Nicodemus would be familiar with the passage in Numbers, so this is the comparison Jesus chose to use in speaking of his being lifted up. This comparison is important in relationship to the passage in John 3:16.
What exactly happened in Numbers 21 regarding the brass serpent, and how is it related to John 3:16 and the sacrifice of on the cross? As we examine the passage in Numbers 21, we can see the analogy Christ is using as a comparison to the Son of man being lifted up.
Numbers 21
5 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.
6 And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.
7 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.
8 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.
9 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.
What we see in this text is a judgement of God upon the Israelites for complaining. In verse 6, God sends fiery serpents to inflict the people and we read "much people of Israel died." Notice that those that died did not have nor were they offered a cure for their affliction. God sent the fiery serpents, and in his sovereignty, he chose not to construct the brass serpent on the pole until after some of the people died.
Then notice what takes place in the next verse.
7 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.We have the remaining Israelites brought under conviction by the judgement of God upon those that died. They then repent and seek for Moses to intercede on their behalf that they may escape the judgement that fell upon their fellow Israelites. Moses then prays for the people, and the Lord gives instruction to Moses to construct this brass serpent upon the pole. Then notice what verse 8 says regarding the conditions for deliverance: "and it shall come to pass, that EVERY ONE THAT IS BITTEN, WHEN HE LOOKETH upon it, shall live."
We do not have conditional language here. It does not say that "whosoever that has been bitten if he looks he shall live." Instead it speaks of a language of certainty: "every one that is bitten WHEN he looketh." No one that had been bitten at the time that the brass serpent was constructed perished. It was lifted in order to protect these Israelites. Notice the words "when he looks." No offer to look is made, and no condition is laid out in order to create lookers. It is assumed, in the light of the conviction brought upon the remaining Israelites for whom the brass serpent was constructed, that they are going to look. Jesus compares this to the lifting up of the Son of man:
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, EVEN SO must the Son of man be lifted up:
What is this lifting up of the Son of man? It is commonly believed that this is the crucifixion of Christ since the brass serpent on the pole appears to resemble the crucified Savior. One of the reasons for that is the translation in the Authorized Version as "pole." The word in Hebrew "nec" is used 20 times and only these two times is it translated pole. Seven times it is translated "standard" and six "ensign." We can not be sure as to what Moses set the brass serpent on but we do know that it was set up in order to be a standard or ensign. Two verses that are translated as ensign will help us to see the importance of this.
Isaiah 11 10. And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
In both these verses we see the use of "ensign" to be speaking of Christ in his exalted state. Verse 11 is quoted by Paul in Romans where he translates the very word "ensign" as reign:
Romans 15
12 And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to REIGN over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.
So we see here that whatever Moses set the brass serpent on, the purpose was that this serpent would represent Christ as an ensign to the people. Which was what- a crucified Savior only?
It can be argued that the word translated "lifted up" is used by our Lord in John 12:32 obviously meaning to "signify by what death he should die" vs 33. Does this prove that that is the extent of the meaning of the word.
Keep in mind that the Son of man being lifted up is contrasted with Moses lifting up this brass serpent on this ensign. The "even as" is very important. In addition, we must remember that it was Moses as a human instrument that did the lifting up. I believe that it cannot simply mean the lifting up of Christ on the cross for one obvious reason. It is this lifting that is the sum and substance of the believer not perishing. Notice the next verse:
15 That [Greek-IN ORDER THAT] whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
This lifting up was in order that those believing will not perish. We know that Christ's death on the cross in and of itself will not save anyone for Paul said that "if Christ be not raised your faith is in vain and ye are yet in your sins" 1Cor. 15:17. So we see that this lifting up of the Son of man must be more than merely his being lifted up on the cross for crucifixion.
Well does it then mean his resurrection? The resurrection also was not yet the completed work of Christ. This can be shown by the passage in John 20:17 where Jesus after his resurrection says to Mary "Touch me not for I have not yet ascended to my Father..." Jesus had to still ascend into heaven with his shed blood and pour out the Holy Spirit for the empowering of the church for the proclamation of the gospel. It was at that point, on Pentecost, that the work of Christ was fully accomplished, having handed over the great commission to the church.
In both these instances we have an exalted Christ that is in view. This is most significant. So what is the lifting up of the Son of man that is meant in the John 3:14? Let us look once more at the passage in Numbers. Moses was to physically lift up the brass serpent on the pole. This brass serpent had no power in itself until God had ordained that it have that power. Once God ordained that power to the brass serpent for those who were bitten, Moses, the human instrument was to lift up this serpent so those bitten could look and live. The word in Hebrew translated "put" in Numbers 21:9 "put it upon a pole" is a word that has a facet of meanings one of which is "to direct towards." Moses was to "direct towards" this serpent just as the minister of the gospel is to direct burdened sinners to the cross of Christ.
In the finished work of Christ, God has made Christ to be "sin for us"; to be both "Lord and Christ" and to be made unto us "wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." That is what God has done to Christ. He is now "lifted up" in the preaching of the gospel by human instruments through the power of the Holy Spirit that he empowered the church with on Pentecost. It is this preaching Christ in the fullness and freeness of the gospel to lost burdened sinners that is the antetype of the lifted up serpent in Numbers 21.
Two verses in Acts that use the same word translated "lifted up" in John 3:14 as "exalted" shed some light on this.
Acts 2
33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.Acts 5
31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand [to be] a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
In both these verses we see that Christ is "lifted up" or "exalted" by God the Father. It is in that present state that the power of the Holy Spirit is sent to the church to credential and empower it to proclaim "repentance and remission of sins to all nations."
To some this may appear to be forcing an interpretation into the text. To prove that not to be the case, we need to ask ourselves this question: Can those under conviction look to a crucified exalted Savior in whom they have not heard of? A passage in the New testament will answer that for us:
In the 13th verse Paul talks about those calling upon the name of the Lord which all will agree can be compared to the looking and living of Numbers 21. But notice the next verse.Romans 10
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?
15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
Paul clearly shows the necessity of the preaching of the gospel in order for sinners to look to Christ. So can we say that the illustration that our Lord uses on Numbers 21 of convicted sinners looking to a lifted up serpent can be anything other than convicted sinners calling upon {looking to} the Lord of whom they have "believed...heard ..." through being preached to? Any other interpretation would demand that we say that one can savingly embrace a Savior by faith without having ever heard of this Savior. But Scripture witnesses to the contrary that God has chosen through the foolishness of the thing preached to save them that believe. 1Cor 1:21
One final point needs to be brought to bear on the passage in question. In the preceding verse, John 3:13 Jesus appears to be alluding to his ascension.
John 3
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, [even] the Son of man which is in heaven.
In this passage, which precedes the allusion to the serpent in the wilderness, Jesus appears to be pointing to his ascension. This is one of those "heavenly things" that Jesus mentioned in the 12th verse. The Old Testament had many allusions to the death burial and resurrection of Christ as we learn from both our Lord, Luke 24:27 and the Apostle Paul 1Cor 15:3-4. It is after pointing to his own ascension that he gives the illustration of the lifting up serpent in the wilderness.
The exalted, ascended Christ is to be "lifted up" to all nations in the preaching of the gospel. For it is the preaching of the gospel that causes the Christian to "triumph in Christ" and become a "sweet savour unto Christ" 2Cor 2:14-15.
That brings us to our third point
The thing that we should take notice of is the similarity and differences between this 16th verse and the previous 15th verse. The 15th verse is identical to the second half of this 16th verse. What Jesus adds here are two things that should be of interest to us. First, he states that God "so loved the world." As stated earlier, this term world is usually taken to mean those outside of Israel, in other words, the Gentiles. It is used like that by Paul in Romans 11:15 "if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world..." Here, in this 16th verse, we have the same usuage of this word world. This is significant because, in the Numbers passage, the firey serpent that was lifted up by Moses was only for those in Israel who were bitten. It is true that there is no record that any but the Israelites have been bitten and we have no warrent to think that any one else was. The reason for God sending the serpents to bite the people was because of their sin against their covenent God. But what we need to see here is that Jesus in comparing the illustration in Numbers to his own finished work he now extends it to those outside "the people." He is now showing that the Son of man, who the firey serpent symbolized would be lifted up for those far outreaching just Israel.16 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 second thing we need to notice is the next phrase: "that He gave His only begotten son". This is in contrast to the firey serpent that was given to be lifted up. God did not give a mere inanimate object to be used to heal the wounded, but he gave His very own son. In fact, the language is very strong in Greek. What He says is "that His own son, the only begotten son, He gave." This is used for emphasis.
Now that we have dealt with this part of the 16th verse, we will now look at the part of the verse that is used by many to promote what they call the universality of God's redeeming purposes- the "whosoever believeth."
First, we note that the words in Greek are "pas ho pisteuon" literally "everyone believing.." So the "whosoever" translation is, in essence, somewhat misleading. Just like the passage in Numbers, the words, everyone believing, speak of a certain group, not a general uncertain possible amount.
Secondly, the word "believeth" is a present participle and is speaking of a continous action. Once again, this is important because it does not speak of some that might believe, but those that are believing.
Now what do these two points tell us? In order to get a clear picture, notice what the text does not say. It does not say "for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son in order that whosoever WILL believe on Him WILL NOT perish..." Had He used the future indicative of believe, we would have something different than we have. We would then have the idea that Christ was given in order that anyone who will believe will not perish. But using the present participle we have the idea Christ is preached in his fullness in order that those believing shall not perish. So, if we say that Christ is given in order to create believers out of unbelievers as opposed to saving believers, then the analogy concerning the brass serpent on the pole breaks down. But if we say that Christ's death was in order to secure the final salvation of his people, namely believers, and that the preaching of such is for the salvation of those that God has regenerated, the analogy holds.
Am I saying that believing is not the vehicle by which a sinner comes into vital union with Christ? Nothing of the sort. What I am saying is that this text of Scripture is stating that the giving of Christ for sinners is the sum and substance of faith. Faith in and of itself will not save a soul if there is nothing for that faith to lay hold of. Christ saves sinners, not faith! God's love so extends to those outside the nation of Israel, the world, that His Son was given in order that all of those that are believers from both Israel and the nations will be saved. Nothing is said in this text about how faith comes and to whom it comes etc. That is not the purpose of that text. It is merely a indicative statement regarding why Christ is to be lifted up.
Now, what is the connection concerning Jesus words to Nicodemus and the new birth? Just as the work of the Spirit must precede an act of faith, the illustration of the wind in verse 10, our illustration of the Israelites and the brass serpent serves to show how the lifting up of Christ in the preaching of the gospel is in order that those who God regenerates will not perish. No one was told to look to the serpent, but those who had a sense of their impending judgement. Only those that have been regenerated by the Spirit, can have any sense of their felt need of Christ. It is the weary heavy laden sinner that is bidden to look to Christ under the preaching of the Gospel.
This should be a comfort to you child of God who labors before the throne of grace for many a lost loved one who is hardened in their sin to the point where they want to have nothing to do with your Gospel. To know that it is not "the enticing words of man's wisdom" that will convince the hardened sinner but the power of God; it is a comfort to the soul. Do not lose heart thinking that they may be beyond the saving power of God.
This should also cause us to stop and examine our methods of proclaiming the everlasting Gospel to the lost. Are we merely trying to win an argument or are we "lifting up the Son of man?"
To you, sinner, are you weary and heavy laden for your sin? Have you been brought to see your impending doom before a just and holy God who will be just in sending you to hell? Then, my dear friend, look and live for the Savior is being lifted up before your very eyes, for the likes of sinners like you.
Look and live! Amen