We finally made it to one of the most recited verses in the Bible. I pray that God may strip away any prejudice we have towards this verse and through His Spirit we may better understand the gift and giver.
Jhn 3:16 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.
Jhn 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
- What does the word ‘world’ mean in this context?
- What is the purpose God sent His Son?
- What attribute of God does these verses demonstrate?
You can find countless commentaries on this verse. Many can recite it. To study it, it is more than an exhibition of His holiness or a battle cry for the saved or even an invitation to the lost. These verses to me display the great attribute of His love.
1. The tense: "God so loved" while we were yet sinners He died for us (Rom 5:8).
2. The magnitude: "God so loved" can we truly comprehend the infinite love or understand the true measure of the word ‘so’ (John 15:13).
3. The scope: "God so loved the world" His love is without limits to any race, social class, level of understanding or people (Rev 5:9).
4. The nature: "that He gave" it is a gift from the highest level, His to unselfishly give.
5. The character: "gave His only begotten Son" the gift was not an opportunity but was His only son to become sin and pay the full punishment for it (Phil 2:6-8).
6. The design: "that whosoever believeth on Him should not parish" His design was that His people should not perish (John 17:2, Rom 8:33-34).
7. The depth: "but have everlasting life" outside of Christ life is temporary, but those in Christ our life is everlasting (1 John 3:1-3).
