As a matter of fact, in John 6:41 the Jews murmured at His teaching, saying that Jesus could not have “come down from heaven” since he is “Joseph’s son.” But Jesus then remarks to them in 6:43-44 with these words, “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves. But not upon each and every one, rather upon the elect alone, he bestows all things with Christ. If ever. (2) Sometimes the universality of conditions and states is designated in opposition to worldly polities. It is unfair to insist that it means every human being now living, for every other passage in the New Testament where God’s love is mentioned limits it to His own people-search and see! None, in respect of his Acts 20:28; Matthew 20:28, 26:28; Father’s eternal purpose, and Hebrews 9:28; John 11:51, 52; his own intention of removing Isaiah 53:12; John 3:16, wrath from them, and 10:11-13,15; Ephesians 5:25; Romans procuring grace and glory for 8:32, 34; Galatians 3:13; them. How could we interpret John 6:33 to mean “all men for all time?” We cannot, just as we cannot say He loved “all men for all time” in John 3:16. Who are these which are given life? “The Father’s grace ordaineth, and giveth the Son to undertake for us, our redemption. The passage in John 3:16 sounds like if you just believe that there is a Jesus that this is all that you need to get to Heaven. CHAPTER 3. We know the whole world is not given life or they would be alive. John 3:1-21.NIGHT INTERVIEW OF NICODEMUS WITH JESUS. There is no word “whosoever” in the Greek text. The Westminster Assembly also has some contentions concerning the idea of the word “world” due to the theological positions of the Amyraldians in their meetings (such as Davenant). 1. for them; a gift which is a sufficient evidence of his love to Flimzy. And in those prepositions, the "against" of Genesis 4:8 as compared to the "for" of 1 John 3:16, we find the difference between love and hate, between life and death. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) John 3:1-17 EXEGESIS: JOHN 2, 7, AND 19. Finally, read the 20th chapter of the Revelation, the great white throne judgment, and see if you can discover there the slightest trace of love. Finitum non capax infinitum52 is the general rule which must always be attended to the understanding of the communication of God’s attributes to His people. [11] Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Volume 1, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, NJ: 1992. John 3:16 John 3:14-17 the most popular of all “free will verses” The most popular verse in the entire Bible, often called “the Gospel in a nutshell”, is John 3:16. It is nothing less than the entirety of the oblation of Christ in his incarnation, work, death, resurrection and intercession.41 In speaking of the giving, it points to the design and intention of God. It has been called the. [34] The Five Arminian Articles of the Remonstrance, Article 2, “That agreeably thereto, Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, died for all men and for every man, so that he has obtained for them all, by his death on the cross, redemption and the forgiveness of sins; yet that no one actually enjoys this forgiveness of sins except the believer according to the word of the Gospel of John 3:16…”[35] See also Pink’s further treatment of John 3:16 in Appendix 3, Page 253 in The Sovereignty of God, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI: 1999. God so loved the world He gave His Son that believers should have eternal life.”48 Even John Newton must state that God in John 3:16 “opened the Kingdom of God to all believers.”49 The Kingdom of God is open to every believer, but that is a limited number – those whom God regenerates and endows with faith. Here, then, is a scrip ture that positively states Christ giveth life (spiritual, eternal life) “unto the world.” Now He does not give eternal life to the “world of the ungodly” for they will not have it, they : do not want it. God loves Christ in us. do NOT now invent some clever presentation that has nothing to do with your careful exegesis. John 3:16. Not because of me, but because of Him. for though these are called the world, ( John 6:33 John 6:51 ) ; and are the 91. As we have already seen, offering a gift of life to a spiritual corpse, a bril liant sunset to a blind man, and a reward to a legless cripple if only he will come and get it, are horrible mockeries. An Exegesis of John 3:16 identity313. is ever well pleased; and yet, such is his love to the Gentiles, As is often noted, the phrase as a whole (“For, God so loved the world”) is a clause attached to a subordinate result clause (“that He gave…”). KJV NKJV NLT NIV ESV CSB NASB. God, communicating love in this way, holds a pure and unrestricted love. (1) Judaism rarely (or never) spoke of God’s loving the world outside of Israel. It is a uniquely Christian idea to say that God’s love extends beyond the limits of race and nation. single verse in all the Scriptures has been as blessed. [41] John Owen, Page 43, Catechism: Of the incarnation of Christ, Ages Software, Master Christian Library Volume 5, Q. Second, the verse clearly states for whom this love gift was given. Loading... Unsubscribe from identity313? “Must” we say, for there is no other alternative solution. It is unfair to insist that it means every human being now living, for every other passage in the New Testament where God’s love is mentioned limits it to His own people-search and see! Nor otherwise is Christ called by John the Baptist “the lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and by the evangelist “the propitiation not for our sins only” (i.e., the Jews) “but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John. Premium PDF Package. (Joh. 112. The problem here is the word “whosoever”. God not only elects and reprobates, but also loves everyone equally in some type of general saving manner. Then will the culpable unbelief that counted the offer of God's grace as nothing be condemned...Christ is Lord of eternal life. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. But 2 Cor. i. Samuel Rutherford answers well for us if the former is true; “This should conclude, that there be an infinite number of men and angels to whom God’s salvation is betrothed in affection; but His love is infinite in its act, not in its object; the way of carrying on His love is infinite.”50 But the idea continues into the concept that because God is love, then God must, out of necessity to His nature, love. The Jews had the same distinction we have now, the church and the world; the former they took to themselves, and the latter they gave to all the nations around: hence we often meet with this distinction, Israel, and the nations of the world; on those words, ““let them bring forth their witness”, that they may be justified, Isaiah 43:9 (say (F2) the doctors) these are Israel; “or let them hear and say it is truth”, these are “the nations of the world”.”. View John 3:16 Exegesis Research Papers on Academia.edu for free. Changes in our surroundings, people we meet every day, our own point of view in life, and our own faith. "Usually it is not evidence, but an honest heart and a sincere desire for truth, that are needed in order to faith." 20:4) rather than submit? It is used here as often in the writings of John (14:23; 17:23; 1 John 3:1; 4:10). We cannot contain the love which God shares ad infra. 10:11, 12). John 3:16 the miniature gospel. [5] Numbers 21:8, “Then The Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.”[6] Franncis J. Moloney, Sacra Pagina, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN: 1946. [26] Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Volume 1, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, NJ: 1992. Page 505. [43] Archibald Thomas Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, MI: 1960. However, the theological position to attribute John 3:16 to all men generally is contextually deviant. When Rev. The saving love of God in Christ does not simply fall upon the Jew, but all kinds of men, the Gentiles included. I quote Pink further and at length, “Turning now to John 3:16, it should be evident from the passages just quoted, that this verse will not bear the con struction usually put upon it. Pages 319ff (see whole discourse). The statement that God loves the world is surprising on two counts . 5:8, the sinners and ungodly are set down to be the justified by faith…Such a love as moved the husband Christ to give His life for His spouse, such as moved…such as God commends, for the highest love is a restricted special love…3. 2:20, loved me; the apostle who lives the life of God by faith…Rom. share | improve this question | follow | edited Jul 16 '14 at 23:27. See also John 3:35; John 5:20; Matthew 3:17; Matthew 17:5. Page 28. " 1 JOHN 3:16 " I. Page 229, This is the first use of agapaow, used 36 more times through John’s Gospel. The ... SHOULD BE RELATED TO IT, i.e. In like manner, the “world” in John 3:16 must, in the final analysis refer to the world of God’s people. 5:19 plainly teaches there is a “world” which are “recon ciled”, reconciled unto God, because their trespasses are not ‘ reckoned to their account, having been borne by their Substitute. 2. begotten one; the object of his love and delight, and in whom he 2:4).14 If this love in John 3:16 is “so” great as to be towards the whole world, this would cause the love of God to the whole world to be greater than the love He has for His elect. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. Consider, for example, John 3:16 as quoted from the KJV: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Arminians assume a great deal about this verse, some of which contradicts the Greek. But 2 Cor. [55] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Volume 1, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, PA: 1960. John 3:16 contains three key words that give insight into the Gospel message: loved, believes, and eternal. But in the dispensation of grace, God attends to no such thing, nor accepts the person, but calls to communion with him indiscriminately all of whatever state and condition and sex. There are only 25 words in this verse yet no other. Or what of Revelation 12:9, “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Is this all of humanity as they would purport in John 3:16? It has been called a love letter. While John 3:16 promises eternal life to him who believes, Hebrews 5:9 attributes eternal salvation to such as who obey, thus demonstrating that the two are not mutually exclusive, rather, saving faith includes obedience! When Rev. Of the 31,102 verses in the Bible, it may be the most popular single verse used in evangelism. Even if we were to take liberty in rendering the English as “whosoever believes”, it still ends up meaning the same thing: that those believing – whosoever they may be – are the ones actually saved.58. Surely we should love those whom God has loved, and so loved. Scripture declares, “Who (God) in times past (from the tower of Babel till after Pen tecost) suffered all nations to walk in their own ways” (Acts 14:16). Calvinists sometimes refuse this for an interpretation which views this as a general saving love. Secondly, by the “world,” we understand the elect of God only, though not considered in this place as such, but under such a notion as, being true of them, serves for the farther exaltation of God’s love towards them, which is the end here designed; and this is, as they are poor, miserable, lost creatures in the world, of the world, scattered abroad in all places of the world, not tied to Jews or Greeks, but dispersed in any nation, kindred, and language under heaven. the Bible. Free PDF. Christians know the verse well because it is a straightforward expression of God’s love for the world and promise of eternal life. In view of these plain passages, who will be so foolish as to insist that God in the past loved all mankind! He believes the verse pertains to all men of all kinds (Jews and Gentiles), “…the intensity of God’s love is made plain by the little adverb “so”. It is the intention of God towards “whosoever believes” that determines the “world” of the verse, and the direction of His goodness and His love. John Part 1 10 lessons covering John 1-6 with Lesson Six a study on Being Born Again and Lesson Ten a Topical Study on Jesus' Disciples; John Part 2 8 lessons covering John 7-11. The New Testament often uses “faith” as a synecdoche (a figure of speech whereby the part is made to stand for the whole) to denote the sum total of gospel obedience. Page 285-286. It cannot mean the whole human race, for one half of the race was already in hell when Christ came to earth. John Howe, Frederick Wesley and A.H. Davis, London England: 1832. Oct 16, 2015 . And nothing is more frequent in common conversation than to attribute to a community something with respect to some certain individual, not to all.”26. John 3:16. God loves in us that which is Himself. Nor can it be conceived if a universal love is here under stood, how such and so great love (which is by far the cause of the greatest and most excellent good, viz., the mission of Christ) can consist with the hatred of innumerable persons whom he willed to pass by and ordain to damnation (to whom he never has revealed either his Son or willed to bestow faith, without which it is set forth in vain). It has been called the. What is wrong with this interpretation? For God so loved the world The Persic version reads "men": but not every man in the world is here meant, or all the individuals of human nature; for all are not the objects of God's special love, which is here designed, as appears from the instance and evidence of it, the gift of his Son: nor is Christ God's gift to every one; for to whomsoever he gives his Son, he gives all … For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.