For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. (3:16)Yet another gem from John, whose Gospel is full of them. We aren't even halfway through the third chapter, and we've already read through "In the beginning was the word," the Wedding at Cana, the cleansing of the temple and now this: "For God so loved the world." It is probably one of the most famous phrases from the New Testament--even more so than "In the beginning."
This passage is full of opposites: life and death, light and dark, belief or condemnation. Burridge's commentary points out that these kinds of pairings are a prominent feature of Greek philosophy and some Jewish writings like the Dead Sea Scrolls. I understand the logical argument that John is putting forth, but I still find it problematic. Light and dark may be opposites, but in and of themselves one is not good and the other evil. Light can burn or blind. Dark can be restful or healing.
Ultimately, however, the key to this section is "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son." As Burridge reminds us, this calls us to remember Abraham and Isaac. Remember, but understand that the situations are not identical. Isaac was spared. Jesus was not. There are times when I find the transactional nature of our salvation problematic. Yet it is in the roots of our faith. And if God has given his only Son, and Jesus has paid that price, "so that the world might be saved through him," then the transaction is complete. The only additional clause in the contract, so to speak, is that we believe in Jesus.
It is that belief in Jesus that causes our lives to be transformed. Transformed because God so loved the world with all its faults, because God loved us--and loves us still--not because we lived perfect lives or followed every jot and tittle of the 613 mitzvahs.
Peace,
Jeffri
Jeffri, I'm really glad you're doing this and I'm ashamed that I have no energy for it. Forgive me. Three weeks of a family reunion sounds like a recipe for disaster. My grandmother used to say, "Guests, like fish, smell after three days." Three weeks????? Impossible - even with Bible Study
ReplyDeleteYou're forgiven, Elizabeth. ;)
ReplyDeleteIf nothing else, it's disciplining me to write here at least five times a week. And I am finding it interesting reading John in a structured and in-depth way. The last time I read the whole Gospel through was over the course of two weeks in Year Two of EfM--which is something like six-and-a-half years ago now.
After having survived my first full General Convention in 2006 (I was only at 2003 for three days), I can't imagine three weeks!!!