John 3:16 – Digging Deeper

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16 (ESV)

Recommended Reading: John 2:13-3:21

Over 2,000 years ago, John recorded a conversation between Jesus and a man named Nicodemus that arguably contains one of the most popular bible verses in our present time, John 3:16. This verse has quietly shaped civilizations, transcended cultural and linguistic boundaries, fueled broad movements – such as parts of the Protestant Reformation, and still to this day is the world’s most searched and shared scripture online. A single sentence that communicates love, sacrifice, and hope to all who hear. But what if there was more to this scripture than what meets the eye? What if when Jesus said this to Nicodemus he was not, in the moment, referring to himself. I believe 2,000 years later we can look back on this verse and see it speaks clearly of Jesus, but what if it is not the only correct interpretation of this verse? The Gospel writer John, who wrote primarily to Asia Minor, was a literary genius. John wrote to a diverse audience of Jew and Gentile and he is known for writing words, sentences, and chapters with culturally relevant, meaningful impacts on all listeners from all walks of life. It is not uncommon for a verse in John’s Gospel to make clear the way of Jesus in Greek terminology while referencing multiple Old Testament scriptures relevant to the Jewish listeners. This is what I want to talk about today, another meaning of this verse, and in the context of the conversation Jesus is engaging in, more than likely the meaning Nicodemus would have understood, at least initially. I also want to talk about how we can use this meaning to shape our own lives. But to start we need to take a step back and get a clear picture of the moment.

First, to provide some historical context, let’s talk about the political system in Jesus day and region. Jesus lived in a special area of the Roman Empire that was a place of constant turmoil. While most of the Roman Empire heavily focused on full servanthood to Caesar, Rome’s mission in and around Judea was to just keep the peace. A heavy military presence was common to keep things under control, and there was occasional Roman involvement to remind the people who were ultimately in charge, such as the release of a prisoner during the annual Passover celebration. Aside from this, Rome left most of the local government up to the Sanhedrin – the highest Jewish judicial, religious, and legislative council during the time of Jesus. The Sanhedrin consisted of 71 members, and these members were experts on Torah, even having it fully memorized. They were rabbinically ordained (also referred to as semikhah) and not in the modern sense, but in a way only achievable by receiving the blessing through certain authoritative teachers. This ordination granted the individual the authority to interpret and apply Torah. The Sanhedrin was comprised of the ‘best of the best’ and, as a group, they were allowed to take any measures necessary to keep the people controlled, except for sentencing someone to death.

This education and authority becomes important when we begin to discuss the conversation Jesus and Nicodemus had. It is important to understand Jesus was not talking to some politician who was able to get elected to some position for a short term. Jesus was having a conversation with one of the best on Torah and Jewish law. Throughout Jesus and Nicodemus’ conversation, which we are about to look at, Nicodemus can often get a reputation of being silly or uneducated for the questions he asks Jesus. I believe, given Nicodemus’ understanding of scripture, the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus is actually a brilliant rabbinic discussion requiring an intimate knowledge of Torah only the best of the best could have.

Setting the stage for the conversation, Jesus has travelled to Jerusalem for the annual Passover. Upon arrival, he finds vendors selling animals for sacrifice in the temple courts. Upset at their disregard for Torah,¹ he shakes the tassels on his prayer shawl in their faces,² reminding them of their commitment to God and creating enough of a scene they leave. This would’ve definitely raised some questions amongst leaders and higher-ranking Jews in the area, which is where we start with Nicodemus. The first thing we learn about Nicodemus is he chooses to approach Jesus at night.³ This small detail helps us understand his attitude going into this conversation and tells us as readers Nicodemus wanted to have an honest conversation with Jesus, not a public honor contest. See if Nicodemus had chosen to have this conversation outside of a private setting, he would have needed to prove his authority or walk away defeated. Nicodemus choosing to engage with Jesus in a private setting shows he wasn’t there to prove a point, he was there to ask questions.

The conversation begins with Nicodemus telling Jesus that he and his peers know Jesus is from God. His knowledge of scripture and authoritative manner in which he uses it couldn’t be unless he was trained as if one of them. Jesus responds, telling Nicodemus one cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born again. This is a weird thing to say after someone has just acknowledged your legitimacy on authoritatively delivering scripture. What could this mean? Where else does the idea of being born again appear in scripture? We get a hint further down in John 3:14, but the answer is when the Israelites leave Egypt. Prophets like Ezekiel and Hosea often described Israel’s formation and rescue from Egypt using birth and early-childhood imagery, a metaphor Nicodemus would have known well (cf. Ezekiel 16:1-14 and Hosea 11:1-4).

Moving along, Nicodemus seems to ask a simple question, in a weird way, with an obvious answer, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” On the surface, this question has a simple answer – you cannot be physically born again. But it raises the question: why would such a brilliant and trained expert on Torah and Jewish law ask such a simple question? This is where I think Jesus and Nicodemus are having a discussion far below the surface level. Here are Jesus and Nicodemus, during Passover, having a discussion about the Exodus story. See Nicodemus wasn’t asking Jesus how a man could literally be reborn. Nicodemus likely would have recognized what Jesus was saying. Jesus was telling Nicodemus their generation was missing the point of God’s mission. In a generation with leadership focused on strict obedience and exclusivity, Jesus was telling Nicodemus they need to get back to their roots. God’s mission to the world was to show love through his people, but the current leadership was hindering this process and change was needed. Nicodemus’ response to Jesus’ statement was a question asking how a people so established and comfortable in their ways revert back to their roots.

This leads us to our verse of discussion for today, John 3:16. When we read this verse today, it can be easy to only see Jesus as the son referred to, but in the moment of conversation, what if that’s not the son Jesus is referring to? This may sound crazy at first, but only until we remember the nation of Israel is also referred to as God’s firstborn son (cf. Exodus 4:22-23, Hosea 11:1). John 3:16 unquestionably speaks of God’s sacrifice and Christ’s love for us. But that does not exclude another layer Jesus may be intended Nicodemus to hear – one about our calling to love the world God loves. See what Jesus is saying to Nicodemus is God loved the world so much that God gave His covenant people – first Israel, and now all who follow in that calling – to the world so we can bless those around us and bring them into God’s family. Jesus is telling Nicodemus God didn’t put us where we are to condemn people for every little thing they do wrong, but to hold out a helping hand whenever possible, all without seeking personal gain. 2,000 years later this verse is definitely a reminder of the ultimate love, sacrifice, and hope Jesus provides. But this verse for the past 2,000 years has also been a reminder that what God has always wanted is to bless the nations through those who are willing to partner with him. We are not the judge, we are the gateway for those facing condemnation. Our actions today can affect a person’s condemnation tomorrow, and John 3:16 is a reminder of who God wants us to be.

So as we close out our discussion on this verse, I ask of myself: am I being a son of God, or am I acting as though I’m the judge? I am not a judge, nor am I worthy alone to be called free. But Jesus fulfilled the calling God asked for in a perfect manner. He laid down everything so I can believe in Him and His grace. And by his grace I am set free, not because of anything I could do, but as a paid in full gift. Now I have the opportunity, rather than to judge, to help others see this gift and point them towards the one man who fulfilled the righteous life perfectly. Amen!

1. There are a few reasons Jesus was probably upset in the Temple courts, and Jesus was probably more upset at the actual leaders in Jerusalem than these sellers themselves who were only there because of the leaders. For the topic of our discussion, one reason Jesus may have been upset is because the Temple courts were the only area of the Temple Gentiles were allowed to worship in. This market directly affected the treatment and quality of the Gentiles ability to worship God, in a negative way. ↩︎
2. These ‘tassels’ are also called the tzitzit and were usually attached to the four corners of the prayer shawl (tallit gadol). They serve as a constant reminder of God’s commandments and the spiritual obligations of Jewish life. The other Gospels also have record of a temple cleansing; however, since the events differ substantially, it’s often believed this temple cleansing is a separate event. If there were two cleansings, it would support the Levitical law regarding mold. First you clean and vacate the house. When you return, if the mold is still there you must tear down the house. Upon Jesus’ return and second inspection, Jesus declares the house must be torn down. ↩︎
3. This was not just any night, but the night of watching – a specific night where they would stay awake remembering God’s deliverance from Egypt. ↩︎