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JOHN CHAPTER 3
OBSERVATION STAGE
Let's take a look at this chapter in its entirety first to see what we can observe from it alone within the context of the book of John, and then we will double back and provide elaboration and corroboration.
The observation stage is to teach an individual to focus on the text at hand which, by and large, has all the information necessary to understand what it is saying without going on unnecessary tangents elsewhere.
Remember that something elsewhere may be true, but in the text at hand it may not be in view.
Notice that 3:1 begins with 'now' as a continuation of what has come before. So we will begin at a strategic point in chapter two so as not to miss the context that chapter three continues and is a part of:
(v. 23) Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name."
OBSERVATIONS:
We can observe from v. 23 that our Lord 'was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast.' Also that the 'Many people [who] saw the miraculous signs He was doing', numbering in the thousands according to the more than a million who annually attended this feast from all over the world, testify that Jesus indeed did work miracles.
And as a result of this testimonial, many 'believed in His name.'
Author John previously defined the phrase 'believed in His name,' in 1:12-13 as that which results in becoming a child of God as a result of being born of God, signifying an eternal relationship with Him:
[John 1:12-13]:
(v. 12) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
(v. 13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
(v. 23) "Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name.
(v. 24) But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all men.
(v. 25) He did not need man's testimony about man, for He knew what was in man."
OBSERVATIONS:
"But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for He knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for He knew what was in man." =
Although many believed in His name unto eternal life as vv. 1:12-13 has already established, Jesus would not entrust Himself to them with respect to their testimony about man relative to His ministry; for He knew what was in man, i.e., He knew of their intrinsic untrustworthiness. Even those who believed in His name unto salvation were untrustworthy relative to their testimony about man.
It is evident that even the testimony of those who believed in His name unto salvation would not be trustworthy because of what was in them. We can conclude from this that man has within him even as a believer an inherently untrustworthy nature.
Contrary to the opinion of some, the phrase "But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them" cannot signify that the many who "saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name" were not truly saved for this is simply not addressed in this passage. Only the testimony of men is what is in view as not being entrusted to by our Lord.
Furthermore, an earlier passage, (Jn 1:12-13), indicates that one is born of God unto eternal life when one believes in His name without any qualification of the verb. The idea of a true saving faith in Christ vs a false saving faith in Christ is non-sensical: The moment you believe in His name - you are saved forever!
(v. 1) "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.
(v. 2) He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know you are a teacher Who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with Him."
OBSERVATIONS:
Verses 3:1-2 begin with the word 'now' and by this word we can infer that the passage continues the context of the previous verses, 2:23-25.
Verse 3:1 points to a specific 'man of the Pharisees' named Nicodemus, who is further described as 'a member of the Jewish Ruling Council.' We might infer from this that the Pharisees are an influential and powerful group of which Nicodemus is a member. This is further confirmed since the phrase 'man of the Pharisees' is paralleled in this verse and hence on a par with 'a member of the Jewish Ruling Council.'
So Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish Ruling Council - a powerful man of state comes to visit Jesus at night time. The time of his visit suggests that Nicodemus did not want to be observed by others, putting his high position at risk.
The first thing Nicodemus is reported as saying to Jesus begins with the word, 'Rabbi, which means teacher. Evidently, Nicodemus recognized that Jesus was knowledgeable in the Scriptures sufficiently to be called 'Rabbi' by a man who himself, as a Pharisee and Council Ruler, was a Teacher of teachers of Scriptures to the whole nation Israel, (v. 3:10). Nicodemus continues his statement/question after the word 'Rabbi' with 'we know you are a teacher Who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with Him.'
"We know you are a teacher Who has come from God=
"We know" = "Oidamen" = Although Nicodemus has come alone, he is evidently speaking for and representing others as well as himself who respect our Lord as "Rabbi" and who view Him as One Who has "come from God."
Not only does Nicodemus recognize Jesus as a master teacher of the Scriptures, but he considers that He 'has come from God.'
Nicodemus supports his observation that our Lord 'has come from God' with his next statement, 'For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with Him.' Evidently Nicodemus has in view what many observed as miraculous things that Jesus was doing, (2:23). It is likely he had observed Jesus performing miracles himself.
"We know you are a Teacher Who has come from God, for no one could perform the [miraculous] signs you are doing if God were not with Him" =
"perform" = "poieis, " = "are doing, pres. sing. = are doing" = indicates that our Lord was doing [miraculous] signs over an extended period of time = "semeia".
The signs = "semeia" in this context are miraculous. The non-miraculous type of signs would not be significant enough to identify our Lord as a Man from God.
So the Greek word "semeia" refers to miraculous signs which point to the individual and event as coming from God.
Nicodemus' question is an inquiry as to Who Jesus is and it includes a personal viewpoint that connects Jesus with God:
"we know you are a teacher Who has come from God" =
The Greek actually positions 'from God' at the beginning of the phrase.
Nicodemus indicated emphatically due to the position of "from God" in the beginning phrase of verse 2 that the One performing such signs comes from God.
"In reply, Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth; no man can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again [lit. from above]."
OBSERVATIONS:
Jesus does not directly tell Nicodemus Who He is. Instead, He tells him how to see, i.e., enter the kingdom of God: 'You must be born again, ("gennethe anothen" = lit. born from above, from heaven - through God) in order to see the kingdom of God.
'If you are not born again - from above, you will not see the "kingdom of God".'
Evidently our Lord connects an understanding of Who He is with an understanding of what a man must do to 'see [enter] the eternal kingdom of God,'.
Contrary to objectors, the phrase 'to see the kingdom of God' here implies actually entering the eternal Kingdom of God rather than being limited to perceiving what the Kingdom of God is like in ones mortal life.
Verses 5 & 6 corroborate this.
Note that if Nicodemus had been one of the many in v. 2:23 who 'saw the miraculous signs He was doing and believed in His name'; that is to say, understood Who He was and believed in His capacity to save him from his sins and thus 'see the kingdom of God'; then Nicodemus would have understood Who Jesus was then. He would not have needed to come to Jesus later at night to ask his question. To know Who Jesus is is to believe on His name and become born again into the family of God. Author John covered this doctrine earlier in chapter one:
1) [Jn 1:12-13]:
(v. 12) "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, he gave the right to become children of God--
(v. 13) children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."
" 'How can a man be born when he is old?', Nicodemus asked. 'Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!' "
OBSERVATIONS:
By his response, 'Are you suggesting that a grown man can re-enter his mother's womb?', we can observe that Nicodemus did not accept or understand what Jesus was saying. He was evidently disturbed by our Lord's statement about not seeing, i.e., not entering the kingdom of God unless one is born again. He did not yet understand Who Jesus was, nor the concept of being born again, ("gennEthE anOthen" = literally, 'born from above'). This has a direct implication on his eternal destiny. In reply to Nicodemus, our Lord provides more instruction to Nicodemus so that he might understand and be saved:
(v. 5) "Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and spirit.
(v. 6) Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit."
OBSERVATIONS:
Jesus answers that no one can enter, i.e., see, the kingdom of God unless he is 'born of water and spirit' or [the] 'spiritual', ('pneumatos' can mean either). He explains this further with verse 6: "Flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit".
"Flesh" here cannot mean man's fleshly or sinful nature because it is contrasted as opposite to the spiritual realm. Hence "flesh" here means the physical realm.
According to v. 6, it is evidently a spiritual birth our Lord is speaking about which is brought about by God the Holy Spirit = an actual birth in the spiritual realm by the Holy Spirit - excluding anything to do with the physical realm.
Hence 'born of water' in v. 5 cannot mean physical birth or water baptism. It must be something symbolic of the spiritual world.
Let us look at the Greek text in v. 5. We have 'gennEthE ex hudatos kai pneumatos' = 'born out of water and [born out of] spirit or [the] spiritual.
The phrase 'kai pneumatos' indicates that one is born out of 'pneumatos' = 'the spiritual', i.e., the spiritual realm. Recall that John 1:12-13 stipulates that one who believes on His [Christ's] name is "born of God". In John 3:3 it is literally "born from above".
When we consider verse 6, 'flesh gives birth to flesh but the Spirit gives birth to spirit'; we are left with water being symbolic of God the Holy Spirit Himself as the only Agent in the spiritual realm Who can perform a spiritual birth.
(v. 7) "You should not be surprised at My saying, 'You must be born again.'
(v. 8) The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear it's sound, but you cannot tell from where it comes or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
OBSERVATIONS:
Our Lord continues to explain to Nicodemus what it means to be 'born again' & 'born of water and spirit' in order to enter the Kingdom of God.
Jesus said "You [Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish Ruling Council, (v. 1)] should not be surprised at My saying, 'You must be born again.' "
Evidently, the terms 'born again' and 'born of water and spirit' to enter the Kingdom of God should have been familiar concepts to Nicodemus. Jesus made it clear that Nicodemus was supposed to be knowledgeable in the [OT] Scriptures, (Ez 36:24-32; 11:19; 18:31; Jer 31:31-34). He was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish Ruling Council. Both positions require an expert knowledge of the [OT] Scriptures.
Verse 8 provides further insight into what being 'born again' and 'born of water and spirit' means. It is equated with "gegennEmenos ek tou Pneumatos" = "born of the Spirit". The word "pneuma" means both wind and spirit. Its use in verse 8 indicates that the work of God the Holy Spirit is invisible and unfathomable, like the blowing of the wind. Man controls neither the wind nor the realm of the spirit, nor does man have anything to do with his being born again, nor with his maintaining or keeping his born again status. This rules out physical birth, water baptism or any human doing. It is virtually described as a mystery in the same way that the wind blows wherever it pleases and you cannot tell 'where it comes or where it is going.' Nevertheless the wind is a discernible earthly analogy for being born of the Spirit which Nicodemus should have grasped:
(v. 9) " 'How can this be?' Nicodemus asked.
(v. 10) 'You are Israel's teacher,' said Jesus, 'and do you not understand these things?'
OBSERVATIONS:
Evidently, Nicodemus genuinely does not understand what Jesus is saying about being born again of water and spirit in spite of our Lord's earthly analogies. Our Lord reminds Nicodemus that he is Israel's teacher and yet he does not understand 'these things' such as needing to be born again of water and spirit in order to see/enter the kingdom of God. This points to the subject as one which Nicodemus should understand but does not.
Nicodemus remained in ignorance. In spite of [OT] Scripture, miracles and testimony from our Lord and others, it is evident that Nicodemus would not believe in our Lord's Identity nor in His testimony about having to be born again in order to see/enter the Kingdom of God.
(v. 11) I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
(v. 12) I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
OBSERVATIONS:
Notice that our Lord spoke in the plural, referring to others: the testimony of OT Prophets and of messengers of His day who bore witness to Who Jesus was and to what one must do to enter the Kingdom of God.
Jesus and others 'speak of what [they] know and... testify to what [they] have seen' relative to the matter of entering the kingdom of God. And He says, "Still you people do not accept our testimony.'' "You people" refers to the people of Israel of which Nicodemus is representative. The people of Israel largely chose not to believe in the testimony of our Lord and the prophets.
A) [Compare Jn 1:10-11]:
(v. 10) "He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him.
(v. 11) He came to that which was His own [Israel], but His own did not receive Him."
Jesus' testimony up to this point was related to earthly things which was not believed. Now our Lord is saying, 'How then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?'
If Nicodemus did not understand the concept of entering the kingdom of God using earthly analogies, such as being born again/from above and born of water as a symbol of being born of the Holy Spirit; and of the wind to picture the Holy Spirit's working in the regeneration of an individual; 'How then will [Nicodemus] believe if [Jesus] spoke of heavenly things?'
Unlike the 'many people [who] saw the miraculous signs Jesus was doing and believed in His name, (v. 2:23),' Nicodemus lacked faith in Jesus. Hence he still remained excluded from the kingdom of God in a state of willfully not believing/understanding.
"No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven--the Son of Man."
OBSERVATIONS:
Our Lord then gives Nicodemus a heavenly picture with "No one has ever gone into heaven" indicating that no man, even Abraham nor any of the saints of old, has ever gone into heaven.
(They remained in Paradise until our Lord's sacrifice for sins at Calvary after which time He would set the captives in Paradise free and bring them into heaven.)
There is one exception:
"The Son of Man, the One Who came from heaven." Just as all Jesus' previous responses have been relevant to Nicodemus' statement/question "We know you are a Teacher Who has come from God"; so this point has to do with Who He is. Jesus is referring to Himself as the 'Son of Man, the One Who came from heaven', indicating that He is more than an average Man; for no man "has ever gone into heaven, except the Son of Man Himself, the One Who came from heaven." The Son of Man is God and Man come down from heaven to save people from their sins and to reign forever.
A) [Compare Jn 1:48-51]:
(v. 48) "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.
[Notice that Jesus is portrayed here as demonstrating the capacity of godly omniscience]
(v. 49) Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.
[Our Lord is named by Nathaniel as the Son of God implying diety and as the King of Israel]
(v. 50) Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that."
(v. 51) He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man [referring to Himself."
Our Lord portrays Himself as the Son of Man Who has authority over the angels in heaven, implying diety]
(v. 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,
(v. 15) that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life."
OBSERVATIONS
(v. 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (v. 15) that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." =
Our Lord provides Nicodemus with an Old Testament reference about Moses lifting up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert so that everyone who was bitten by a deadly poisonous snake could look upon it and be healed of the deadly venom, (Num 21:6-9).
The O.T. illustration of Moses lifting up the bronze snake is used to show that the look upon the snake is what saved one from dying from a poisonous snake bite which is paralleled, i.e., equated with believing in the Son of Man [Jesus Christ] being lifted up [on the cross to pay for sins] to provide eternal life for one, i.e., saved unto eternal life.
(v. 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (v. 15) that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." =
Author John's illustration using the snake on the pole was that the "look" saved, emphasizing not the effort the individual made, but the trust in God to heal one. A parallel is then made between the look upon the snake and a moment of belief that Christ was lifted up for the one believing in that to receive eternal life. Hence the "look" illustrates only what defines believing in order to be saved unto eternal life.
To focus on anything else as if that were the point the author was making is not being willing to accept what the author is saying.
An objector who insists on human effort to search out the location of the bronze snake standing at Moses' tent amongst all the tents of Israel in the wilderness and then human effort to raise up one's head to look at that snake as what this passage is stipulating to be saved is missing the point and adding something to God's Word. There is a total absence of any human vow, committment to obey, or any good deed by the human; only a trust that God would save one from dying from the poison.
Furthermore, in the parallel unto eternal life, there is no opportunity to find and look upon Jesus on the cross, He has risen.
Finally, the belief together with the look cannot be construed as a work as it is paralleled with a moment of faith alone in the Son of Man being lifted up which faith includes no work by definition. One might then term this look as a look of faith, not a look of work.
Believing and looking are not portrayed as two different things. For it was the eyes of faith that looked at the snake on the pole in order to be saved from physical death.
So just as it was a look of faith alone that saved the Hebrew who was bitten, so it is a moment of faith alone in Christ alone that will save one unto eternal life.
C) ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE BITTEN BY POISONOUS SNAKES, NOT JUST A CHOSEN FEW IS IN VIEW HAVING PROVISION MADE TO BE SAVED FROM PHYSICAL DEATH THROUGH A LOOK OF FAITH AT THE BRONZE SNAKE; IN THE SAME WAY EVERYONE IN THE WORLD, NOT JUST A CHOSEN FEW, HAVE PROVISION MADE FOR THEM THROUGH THE SON OF MAN THROUGH BELIEVING IN HIM AND BE SAVED UNTO ETERNAL LIFE
(v. 14) "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, (v. 15) that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." =
Verse 14 portrays all of those who were bitten by poisonous snakes, not just a chosen few. So provision was made for all of them to be saved from physical death through looking at the bronze snake on the pole.
In the same way, verse 15 is paralleled to the bronze snake miracles, ("Just as.... so"). It portrays everyone in the world, not just a chosen few, to have provision made for them through the Son of Man to be saved unto eternal life. All any individual in the whole world had to do was to believe in Him making this provision and he would be saved forever unto eternal life. This is forever, because eternal life is forever in duration once received by definition at the commencement of believing.
The manner of being lifted up will be corroborated later as our Lord going to the cross at Calvary to die for the sins of the whole world. This context is continued in the next verse:
"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."
OBSERVATIONS:
"For" at the beginning of v. 16 continues the thought from vv. 14 & 15 which have everyone of the whole world in view not just a chosen few.
After "For" comes:
"[For] God so loved the world" which provides the motivation for God's provision of eternal life for everyone in the world, not just a chosen few: His love.
Then we have the phrase:
"That He gave His one and only Son", ("monogEne" = "one and only").
This phrase parallels verse 15's "The Son of Man must be lifted up." Both picture the Son of Man/Son of God being lifted up/given to pay the penalty for the sins of every individual in the whole world.
The phrase "[God] gave His one and only Son" is in the historical past tense, meaning that our Lord was speaking to Nicodemus before He was crucified as if this had already taken place. Note that v. 15 portrays this same event as future.
The term 'the Son of God' is a technical term as established in other passages in Scripture for One Who has the attributes of God:
Verse 16 portrays Him given once for all time, (completed action verb), for the sins of the whole world by God the Father.
Following this is the phrase:
"That
whoever believes in Him" literally 'whoever is the believing
one', i.e., whoever is a believer in the Son of God being given for one's
sins which takes only a moment in time of faith. For an indepth study of
the articular present participle: 
"God so loved the world...whoever..." = The word "whoever" cannot be limited to a few chosen individuals for it would be tantamount to saying that God so loved a world of only a chosen few, not the rest, that He gave His one and only Son for only them, that whoever of only this chosen group would believe should have eternal life. This is nonsensical and contradicts the context of the word "world" in this passage. Furthermore, since all of God's chosen will believe why make this statement at all? Finally, God is portrayed throughout Scripture as loving the whole world of all mankind, not just a chosen few.
In truth, "whoever" refers to the whole world's population wherein everyone has provision made and a free choice to believe in the Son to receive eternal life.
Finally, the phrase:
"Should
not perish but [should] have everlasting life" has in view the
immediate sure result of never perishing
in hell (completed action verb) and immediate (present tense) possession
of everlasting life forever, (because it is everlasting by definition).
From the first moment of becoming the believing one in the Son of God
being given for one, one is eternally secure in everlasting life.
The word "should" has in view the capacity and willingness of God to provide eternal life. When one considers His sovereignty and will, the reception of eternal life is emphatically a sure thing the moment one believes that God gave His one and only Son!
"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
OBSERVATIONS:
"For" continues the context of vv. 14-16 which has in view everyone in the whole world who will ever live.
The word "world" cannot be limited in v. 17 to a chosen few since all individuals occupied the world that God's Son was sent into.
Furthermore, if God sent His Son into the world to provide for the salvation for only a chosen few, then the rest of the world would be condemned. This contradicts the clear message of verse 17. There is no condemnation in view of anyone here.
Whether everyone will choose to be saved is not determined here, but the universal availability of eternal life through Jesus Christ for all mankind of the whole world that God's Son was sent into is.
"Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
OBSERVATIONS:
"Whoever" continues to have in view everyone in the world that God sent His Son into (v. 17); not just a chosen few. Condemnation is indicated as opposite to being saved unto eternal life through faith in the Son of God, (vv. 16-17). Hence not being condemned in v. 18 has in view being saved unto eternal life in this passage. "Whoever believes" is literally 'whoever is the one who believes' which does not mean ''he who keeps on believing and believing and believing' but means 'the believer.', i.e., one who at some time exercised a single moment of faith alone in Christ alone which results in no condemnation, i.e., being saved unto eternal life forever.
The opposite is also true: whoever has not yet believed stands condemned already because he has not become the believer. All it takes is a moment of faith alone in God's one and only Son alone + nothing else stipulated and you will never be condemned, i.e., you will have eternal life forever.
Note that 'believes in Him' is equated with 'believed in the name of God's one and only Son.' There is no distinction made here, both result in a moment of time in never any condemnation.
Notice also that all mankind is in a state of condemnation until each one believes - saving one at a time.
Verse 18 makes it evident that eternal life is made available to all mankind. It continues the context established in verses 14-17. If the word "whoever" was limited to a chosen few, the verse would sound redundant and contradictory:
'Whoever [of a chosen few] believes in Him is not condemned...
It is contradictory to imply that some of the chosen will not believe since none of the chosen will fail to believe.
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." =
"ho .........pisteuOn eis auton ou .krinetai ....................ho ........de ..mE pisteuOn
"The one believing in .Him ..not is condemned ...........the one but .not believing
.................V_PAPNSM ................V_PPI3S ..............................................V_PAPNSM
Pres. Active Part nom sing masc .Pres. Passive Indic 3rd Sing ..............ditto 1st verb
EdE ......kekritai .....................hoti ......mE pepisteuken .....eis .to ..onoma tou
already has been condemned because not he has believed in ..the name ..of the
..............V_XPI3S .........................................V_XAI3S
...............perfect pass indicative 3rd sing ....perfect active indicative 3rd sing
monogenous ....huiou tou theou
unique...............Son ..........of God.
one and only
"Whoever believes" = "ho pistEuOn" = nom. sing. masc. pres. act. part. is identical to the phrase rendered "whoever believes" in v. 16 and portrays an individual who expresses a moment of belief in the Son being given for one, (v. 16), whereupon he is declared as the believing one, who is not condemned as well as having possession of eternal life, (v. 16), at the moment he becomes the believing one which possession of eternal life is forever by definition and which individual also begins a permanent state of no condemnation - permanent because the permanent possession of eternal life is mutually exclusive of condemnation by definition.
"But whoever does not believe" = "ho.de mE pisteuOn", lit., "the same form as the first verb in 18a with the negative "mE" = "not": a nominative participle = a noun, portraying an individual who has not yet expressed a moment of belief in the Son being given for one, which may be rendered 'But whoever is the unbeliever'.
"But whoever does not believe stands condemned already" = "EdE kekritai" = lit.,"already has been condemned", perfect tense portraying a completed condition in the past of being condemned with ongoing present results of being condemned because of the primary clause in this phrase, "But whoever does not believe", i.e., "whoever is not the believer", or whoever has not expressed a moment of belief in the Son to become the believer. So one who has never expressed a moment of belief in the Son has been condemned from the beginning, implying such a condition from conception, and stands condemned until he expresses a moment of belief in the Son being given in order to become the believer.
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already [lit., already has been condemned] because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God" =
"hoti mE pepisteuken", perfect tense portraying a completed condition in the past of not having ever believed with an ongoing present condition of continually choosing not to express a moment of belief in the name of the Son of God which causes one to be in a completed action state of condemnation from the beginning with ongoing present results of continually under condemnation until such time as the individual expresses a moment of belief in the name of the Son of God. On the other hand the reverse is not true:
B) ONE CANNOT SAY, "JUST AS CONTINUED UNBELIEF IN THE SON OF GOD RESULTS IN CONTINUED CONDEMNATION AND LACK OF POSSESSION OF ETERNAL LIFE, SO CONTINUED BELIEF IN THE SON OF GOD RESULTS IN A CONTINUED STATE OF NOT BEING CONDEMNED AND CONTINUES POSSESSION OF ETERNAL LIFE
"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.", (cont.) =
On the other hand the reverse is not true. One cannot say, "Just as continued unbelief in the Son of God results in continued condemnation and lack of possession of eternal life, so continued belief in the Son of God results in a continued state of not being condemned and continues possession of eternal life. Nor can one say that any interruption in continuous belief will cause interruption in the possession of eternal life, causing a return to the state of condemnation. It is false conjecture and incorrect logic to maintain that since a negative is true, then the reverse/positive must also be true. So the reverse of 18b namely "Whoever has believed has eternal life" portraying a completed action of believing with ongoing believing in the present in order to have possession of eternal life is not true, nor present anywhere in Scripture. Finally, the idea of maintaining an ongoing faith in the Son in order to continue a possession of eternal life is falsified by virtue of the contexts of vv. 16 and 18. The practical impossibility of man to maintain ongoing faith in the Son of God corroborates this.
Parallel, practical, temporal example:
Whoever satisfactorily answers the complaint on his property that the back taxes were not paid will not have his property condemned, but whoever does not satisfactorily answer such complaint, his property is condemned already because he has not answered the complaint.
Notice that a continual answer to the complaint is not in view, a one time answer of paying the back taxes is. Furthermore, the negative perfect tense phrase, "because he has not answered the complaint," represents a completed action of not having paid the back taxes resulting in an ongoing condemnation of ones property until such time that the back taxes are paid, i.e., ongoing condemnation in the present. In the same way, the negative perfect tense phrase in Jn 3:18 , "because he has not believed," represents a completed action of being condemned with ongoing condition of condemnation until such time that one expresses a moment of faith to become the believing one. So the loss of eternal life is not in view when one has interrupted ones faith with the negative perfect tense phrase; but the continued lack of it until one believes is.
If one pays the back taxes, a completed action of relief of the condemnation with ongoing results in the present will result without the necessity of an ongoing effort of paying the back taxes over and over. In the same manner, from the moment of belief in the name of God's one and only Son the result will be a completed action of removal of condemnation with ongoing present results in the present without the necessity of providing an ongoing faith.
Notice that it is belief alone which provides for an individual a state of no condemnation; and verse 18 states that it is not ever having believed which gives one such a tragic status of being destined for the Lake of Fire.
Dr. Robert Wilkin states, [The Grace Report, Monthly Report of the Grace Evangelical Society, Irving, Tx. ges@faithalone.org, Mar 1999, Notes and Letters, p. 4]:
'''Look at John 3:18. The Greek has articular participles in both cases:
"ho pisteuon eis auton"
"he that believes on Him'
lit: "the believing one in Him"
and
"ho me pisteuon eis auton"
"he that does not believe on Him'
lit: "the not believing one on Him"
The articular participle (=the article "the" [='ho'] plus a participle [ex. pisteuon = believing] functions as a verbal noun. Thus ['ho pisteuon' =] 'the one who believes' does not mean ''he who keeps on believing and believing and believing' but means 'the believer.' [i.e., one who at some time exercised a single moment of faith alone in Christ alone]. Anyone who comes to faith in Christ is from that moment forward 'the believer.' Oppositely, ['ho me pisteuon' =] 'the one who does not believe' refers to 'the unbeliever,' someone who has never believed in Christ." ''
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
OBSERVATIONS:
A) GOD JUDGES ALL MANKIND AS CONDEMNED BECAUSE THE DEEDS OF ALL MANKIND WERE AND ARE EVIL
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil." =
"This ...and. is .....the verdict, (lit., "judgment") =
"hautE de ...estin hE .krisis"
The phrases "Light has come into the world" and "but men loved darkness instead of light" evidently refer to all mankind who were then and are now by context characterized as loving darkness instead of light because their deeds were and continue to be characterized by evil. The context is a statement about when Light entered the world as Jesus Christ wherein men are characterized as loving darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. This is a statement about the condition of men which is viewed at the time when Light has come into the world, but not only in that past time but in general: the deeds of men are evil in all ages.
The word "krisis" which is rendered "verdict" in the NIV, literally means 'judgment' which refers to a judgment unto condemnation by God of all mankind because the deeds of all mankind were and continue to be evil. There evidently is not one righteous man to be found as demonstrated when Light came into the world, no not one - as it continues today.
B) LIGHT - GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS INCARNATE IN JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE OPPOSITE OF DARKNESS OR EVIL HAS COME INTO THE WORLD - TO ALL CREATION, TO ALL MANKIND WHO LOVE DARKNESS BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE AND ARE EVIL
"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.", (cont.) =
Light is portrayed as the opposite of darkness, evil, i.e., God's righteousness which is stipulated as having come into the world, evidently an historical event referring to Jesus Christ, God's righteousness incarnate.
The light, God's righteousness incarnate in Jesus Christ is portrayed as having been rejected by men who loved darkness instead of light, wherein "men" refers to all mankind of all ages who love darkness instead of light because all mankind's deeds were and are evil. Here the words 'world' and 'men' clearly refer to the entire creation, all mankind - of all ages. Thus the words "world" and "whoever" in John chapter 3 are further supported as universal.
"Light has come into the world" parallels "the Son of Man Who came down from heaven" [into the world], (v. 13); and the Son of God, Who was sent by God "into the world", (v. 17). In the light of the absence of any restriction, none of these parallels can be limited to a chosen population in the world. They are all speaking of Jesus Christ Who has made provision for the sins of everyone in the whole world who will ever live and the light of His message of the gospel which has been proclaimed throughout the ages to all mankind.
(v. 19) "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
(v. 20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."
OBSERVATIONS:
A) THE NATURE OF EVIL IS SUCH THAT AT THE MOMENT ONE DOES EVIL, WHICH IS TRUE OF ALL MEN AT TIMES - BELIEVERS AND UNBELIEVERS, ONE HATES THE LIGHT AND WILL NOT COME INTO THE LIGHT FOR FEAR THAT THOSE EVIL DEEDS WILL BE EXPOSED
"Everyone who does evil hates the light" =
Since everyone does evil at some time, then "Everyone" in v. 20 continues the context of considering everyone in the whole world.
The nature of evil is such that at the moment one does evil, which is true of all men, believers and unbelievers at times, one hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that those evil deeds will be exposed.
Light here implies the message and Person of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.
XVII) [Jn 3:19-21]:
(v. 19) "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
(v. 20) Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
(v. 21 NKJV) But whoever does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
A) VERSE 21 PORTRAYS A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL DOES THE TRUTH IS IN VIEW, BELIEVER OR UNBELIEVER. A LIFESTYLE OF LIVING BY OR PRACTICING THE TRUTH IS AN INCORRECT RENDERING OF THE TEXT
"But whoever does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God" =
"Ho ........de ....poiOn .tEn alEtheian erchetai pros to ..phOs hina
"The one But .doing ...the .truth ........comes ...to .....the light .so that
phanerOthE ......autou ta erga ...hoti en theO estin ......eirgasmena."
may be revealed his .........works .that in God .they are worked."
Notice that the Greek text cannot be rendered "But whoever lives by the truth", (NIV) or "But he who practices the truth", (NAS), for the phrases "lives by the truth" and "practices the truth" are not words which correctly render what author John penned in Greek. What John did write is "Ho de poiOn tEn alEtheian" which is accurately rendered "But whoever does the truth" which has in view a present tense moment, (where continuous action is not stipulated), in which an individual does what is true, not necessarily living by it or practicing it as a pattern in ones life. Hence this is not limited to believers or unbelievers - both of whom have the capacity to live by God's moral precepts and acknowledge through Whom they were done.
B) THE NATURE OF DOING TRUTH IS DEFINED AS DOING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WHICH IS THROUGH GOD, I.E., THAT WHICH IS RIGHTEOUS GIVEN THE NATURE OF GOD
"But whoever does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done in God" =
The nature of doing truth is defined as doing and acknowledging that which has been done through God, i.e., doing that which is righteous given the nature of God. If the motivation to acknowledge God is absent then one may be following God's moral precepts but for the wrong reasons/motivation; hence ones actions are not doing truth, albeit the outcome is moral and godly. So doing truth is always a function of that which is related to and acknowledged to be from God. An essential part of doing the truth is a proper motivation which openly acknowledges that what one is doing comes from God.
C) ONE WHO DOES THE TRUTH IS CHARACTERIZED AS ONE WHO UPON DOING THE TRUTH VOLUNTARILY COMES INTO THE LIGHT KNOWING THAT IT IS DONE THROUGH GOD AND THUS IS RIGHTEOUS SO THAT IT MAY BEEN SEEN PLAINLY THAT WHAT ONE HAS DONE HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH GOD
"But whoever does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God" =
One who does the truth is characterized as one who volunteers to come into the light so that it may be seen plainly that what one has done has been done through God. This implies that one must have a consciousness that doing the truth is doing it through God. This is not to say that one must be a believer to do the truth; for moral unbelievers can do the truth such as not swearing, not lying, and others of God's moral precepts. For example, an individual who is not a believer but whose life pattern can be characterized as moral, does certain moral truths and can acknowledge those truths that he lives by comes from God.
D) GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SUCH THAT AT THE MOMENT ONE DOES THE TRUTH WHICH IS NOT LIMITED TO BELIEVERS IN THIS CONTEXT, ONE COMES INTO THE LIGHT SO THAT IT MAY BE SEEN PLAINLY THAT WHAT ONE HAS DONE HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH GOD
God's righteousness is characterized as such that at those moments when one does the truth, one volunteers to come into the light, i.e., acknowledge that what one was doing was being done through God so that it may be seen plainly that what one has done has been done through God
E) THE ISSUE IS THE NATURE OF GOOD AND EVIL AND NOT THAT UNBELIEVERS ONLY COMMIT EVIL AND GOOD IS ONLY DONE BY BELIEVERS
Taken together, verses 19-20 may be summarized as follows:
Light which has come into the world is portrayed as the opposite of evil, i.e., righteousness which has been done through God, i.e., God's righteousness. This righteousness is equated with the truth and which exposes the deeds of man - all men. Those who do evil - all men at one time or another - hate this Light because their evil deeds will be exposed as such by that Light. And those who do the truth come into the light of God's righteousness which broadcasts to the world that the righteous acts which these do have been done through God. So God is the source of all righteousness.
"Everyone who does evil hates the light" =
Since everyone does evil at some time, then "Everyone" in v. 20 continues the context of considering everyone in the whole world.
The nature of evil is such that at the moment one does evil, which is true of all men believers and unbelievers at times, one hates the light and will not come into the light for fear that those particular evil deeds will be exposed.
Light here implies the message and Person of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.
in corroboration stage