John 3:17 - For God So Loved
For God did not send His Son into the world
This phrase emphasizes the divine initiative in the mission of Jesus Christ. The sending of the Son reflects the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies, such as Isaiah 9:6, which speaks of a child given to us. The concept of God sending His Son highlights the pre-existence of Christ, affirming His divinity and eternal relationship with the Father. The world, in this context, refers to humanity in its fallen state, needing redemption.
to condemn the world
The purpose of Christ's coming was not judgment but salvation. This aligns with the message of grace found throughout the New Testament. While the law, as given in the Old Testament, highlighted sin and brought condemnation (Romans 3:20), Jesus' mission was to offer a path to reconciliation with God. This reflects God's character as merciful and patient, not wanting anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9).
but to save the world through Him
Salvation is the central theme of the Gospel, and it is accomplished through Jesus Christ alone. This phrase underscores the exclusivity of Christ as the means of salvation, as echoed in Acts 4:12, where it is stated that there is no other name by which we must be saved. The use of "world" indicates the universal scope of Christ's redemptive work, available to all who believe, transcending cultural and ethnic boundaries. This mission of salvation fulfills the promise made to Abraham that all nations would be blessed through his seed (Genesis 22:18), identifying Jesus as the ultimate fulfillment of that promise.
Persons / Places / Events
1. God
The sovereign Creator who sent His Son into the world. His actions are motivated by love and the desire for salvation rather than condemnation.
2. Jesus Christ (His Son)
The central figure of the New Testament, sent by God not to judge but to offer salvation to humanity.
3. The World
Refers to humanity and the created order, which is in need of salvation due to sin.
4. Salvation
The act of being saved from sin and its consequences, offered through Jesus Christ.
5. Condemnation
The judgment and penalty for sin, which Jesus came to save humanity from.
Teaching Points
God's Intentions are Redemptive
God's primary purpose in sending Jesus was not to judge but to offer a path to salvation. This reflects His love and desire for reconciliation with humanity.
Understanding Salvation
Salvation is available to all who believe in Jesus. It is a gift that must be accepted, not earned.
Rejecting Condemnation
Believers should live in the freedom of knowing they are not condemned. This assurance should lead to a life of gratitude and obedience.
Evangelism Focus
As followers of Christ, our mission aligns with His—to share the message of salvation, not condemnation, with the world.
Living Out the Gospel
Our lives should reflect the grace and truth of the Gospel, demonstrating the love and salvation of Christ to others.
(17) To condemn the world gives to the English reader a stronger impression than that of the original Greek. The word (?????, krino, the Latin c(k)erno, and the English dis-cern) means originally to separate, and in the moral sense to separate good from evil. Passing from the act to the effect, it may mean to absolve; but as the usual effect of separation is to exclude the evil, the word has attached to itself more frequently the idea of condemnation. Our word judge, which has itself something of this double meaning, is probably the best rendering in this context.
Part of the current belief about the Messiah's advent was, that he would destroy the Gentile world. The authorised expositions of many texts of the Old Testament asserted this, and Nicodemus must ofttimes have heard it and taught it. God's love for, and gift to, the world has just been declared. This truth runs counter to their belief, and is now stated as an express denial of it. The purpose of the Messiah's mission is not to judge, but to save. The latter clause of the verse changes the order of the thought. It would naturally be "but that He might save the world." The inversion makes prominent the action of man in willing to be saved.
Verse 17. - For - notwithstanding your vain and selfish interpretation of the older revelation - God sent not his Son to judge (ἵνα κρίμῃ, with a view to judge, to discriminate the evil from the good. "Judgment" in this sense may be identical with "absolution," and may also connote "condemnation," but in itself it leaves the issue undecided) the world. Observe that the word "sent" replaces the word "gave" of the previous statement (ἀποστέλλω, not πέυπω). The word carries with it "the sending on a special mission" (see notes on John 20:21), and arrests attention by denoting the immediate function of the Son of God's mission into the world. He was sent, not to judge the world. This judgment is not the end of his manifestation. This statement is not without difficulty, because we learn from John 5:27, 28 and John 12:48 that there is a great function of judgment which will ultimately be discharged by him, and which does, indeed, follow from the contact of all men with his truth and light. This is confirmed by the declarations of our Lord in Matthew (Matthew 13:24-30, 47), that the judgment would be delayed till the consummation of his work, but would then be most certain (see Matthew 25.). But judgment is not the end or purpose of his mission. Judgment, discrimination of the moral character of men, is a consequence, but not the prime nor the immediate purport of his coming. Numerous passages from the Book of Enoch and the Fourth Book of Esdras, and the literal interpretation of Psalm 2:9; Malachi 4:1, etc., may be quoted to show the Jewish prejudices against which our Lord here protested. But God sent his Son that the world through him maybe saved. "Saved" is here the analogue and interpretation of the not perishing and the having of eternal life. Christ is "the Saviour of the world" (John 4:42). Hengstenberg says truly, "The Old Testament basis for the words is found in Isaiah 52:10, 'And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.'" His coming will, as he goes on to say, exercise a discriminating process and a saving energy. There will occur a further advent, when he will consummate both his judgment and his mercy. "In the Old Testament," says Lunge, "the Judge becomes Redeemer by judging; in the New Testament, the Redeemer becomes Judge by his redeeming." Through him the world may be saved from its ruin, by reason of individuals accepting his grace. The saving of humanity as a whole issues from the believing and living of men. God's love of the world and his sending of his Son aim at the saving of the world as their Divine end. Salvation (σωτηρία) is the largest of all the famous biblical terms which denote the restoration and blessedness of man. It means all that is elsewhere denoted by "justification," but much more than that. It connotes all that is included in "regeneration" and "sanctification," but more than these terms taken by themselves. It includes all that is involved in "redemption" and "adoption" and the "full assurance," and also the conditions of "appropriation" - the subjective states which are the human antecedents of grace received, such as "faith" and "repentance," with all the "fruits of the Spirit." These Divine blessings originated in the bosom of the Father, where the only begotten Son forevermore abides, and they are all poured forth through the Son upon the world in the coming of the Christ. He was sent to save. Parallel Commentaries ...
Greek
For
γὰρ (gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063: For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.
God
Θεὸς (Theos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2316: A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.
{did} not
οὐ (ou)
Adverb
Strong's 3756: No, not. Also ouk, and ouch a primary word; the absolute negative adverb; no or not.
send
ἀπέστειλεν (apesteilen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 649: From apo and stello; set apart, i.e. to send out literally or figuratively.
His Son
Υἱὸν (Huion)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship.
into
εἰς (eis)
Preposition
Strong's 1519: A primary preposition; to or into, of place, time, or purpose; also in adverbial phrases.
the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
world
κόσμον (kosmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).
to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.
condemn
κρίνῃ (krinē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2919: Properly, to distinguish, i.e. Decide; by implication, to try, condemn, punish.
the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
world,
κόσμον (kosmon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).
but
ἀλλ’ (all’)
Conjunction
Strong's 235: But, except, however. Neuter plural of allos; properly, other things, i.e. contrariwise.
to
ἵνα (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.
save
σωθῇ (sōthē)
Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4982: To save, heal, preserve, rescue. From a primary sos; to save, i.e. Deliver or protect.
the
ὁ (ho)
Article - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.
world
κόσμος (kosmos)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2889: Probably from the base of komizo; orderly arrangement, i.e. Decoration; by implication, the world (morally).
through
δι’ (di’)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.
Him.
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.
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