So, let’s put John 3:16 back together in light of this quick exegesis: “For in this manner God sacrificially loved people from every nationality, in that His son, His only begotten, he gave, so that all the believing in Him should not perish, but possess life everlasting.” Why then should “the world” not be taken universally for individu als, but indefinitely for anyone (Jews as well as Gentiles, without distinction of nation, language and condition) that he may be said to have loved the human race inasmuch as he was unwilling to destroy it entirely, but decreed to save some certain person out of it; not only from one people as before, but from all indis criminately although the effects of that love should not be extended to each individual, but only to some certain ones (viz., those chosen out of the world)I And nothing is more frequent in common conversation than to attribute to a community something with respect to some certain individual, not to all.”[27] Each instance in the writings of John for the word “world” are as follows: John 1:9, 1:10, 1:29, 3:16, 3:17, 3:19, 4:42, 6:14, 6:33, 6:51, 7:4, 7:7, 8:12, 8:23, 8:26, 9:5, 9:32, 9:39, 10:36, 11:9, 11:27, 12:19, 12:25, 12:31, 12:46, 12:47, 13:1, 14:17, 14:19, 14:22, 14:27, 14:30, 14:31, 15:18, 15:19, 16:8, 16:11, 16:20, 16:21, 16:28, 16:33, 17:5, 17:6, 17:9, 17:11, 17:12, 17:13, 17:14, 17:15, 17:16, 17:18, 17:21, 17:23, 17:24, 17:25, 18:20, 18:36, 18:37, 21:25, 1 John 2:2, 2:15, 2:16, 2:17, 3:1, 3:13, 4:1, 4:3, 4:4, 4:5, 4:9, 4:14, 4:17, 5:4, 5:5, 5:19, 2 John 1:7, Rev. (3) Therefore the end of that love which God intends is the salvation of those whom he pursues with such love; hence he adds, “For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). in the salvation of so many souls. Since this group excludes all unbelievers and is less than all existing human beings, John 3:16 states explicitly that the purpose of God in sending his Son to die was limited to atoning for believers only, that they “should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This is what Calvinists call a limited atonement, in answer to the general or universal atonement taught by the Arminian, Catholic and Lutheran systems.” R.K. McGregor Wright No Place for Sovereignty, Inter varsity Press, Downers Grove, IL: 1996. John 3:16–21. Exegesis and Exposition of 3 John.doc. [29] Jews and Gentiles: John 4:39; 18:20; Revelation 16:14. Francis Turretin, Institutes of Elenctic Theology, Volume 1, Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, NJ: 1992. Oct 16, 2015 #38. A. As we have already seen, offering a gift of life to a spiritual corpse, a bril liant sunset to a blind man, and a reward to a legless cripple if only he will come and get it, are horrible mockeries. God so loved the world He gave His Son that believers should have eternal life.”48 Even John Newton must state that God in John 3:16 “opened the Kingdom of God to all believers.”49 The Kingdom of God is open to every believer, but that is a limited number – those whom God regenerates and endows with faith. Pages 139-140, “We first consider the very common misunderstanding of John 3:16. In view of these plain passages, who will be so foolish as to insist that God in the past loved all mankind! way inconceivable and expressible by mortals; and his only There is no word “whosoever” in the Greek text. Page 259-260), that Ou[twj denotes manner and degree, stressing the word “love” which is in the aorist tense attesting to an accomplished fact. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father and this love is communicated between them through the working of the Spirit of love. Download PDF Package. 1 John 3:16-24. 2. Flimzy. The New Testament often uses “faith” as a synecdoche (a figure of speech whereby the part is made to stand for the whole) to denote the sum total of gospel obedience. Synopsis. This ought not to be referred to each and every one, but only to the peo ples of whom he treats-to teach that the Jews as well as Gentiles were concluded in unbelief that the mercy of God might be exercised towards both distributively, Jews as well as Gentiles. Turretin states that God, in John 3:16 is electing the church. Jesus had been teaching Nicodemas in John 3:1-10 that the Spirit of God blows and regenerates whom He will. I quote him in brief here and in length in the footnote, “It is true of the elect alone that they are actually reconciled to God and that their sins will not be imputed unto them. John 6:37, 39; Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:19, 20. [59] Here is a small list of Calvinist writers who believe John 3:16 is to the elect world: Augustine, Francis Turretin, Martin Bucer, John Flavel, Augustus Toplady, Jerome Zanchius, Robert Haldane, John Knox, Martin Luther, Christopher Love, Jonathan Edwards, John Gerstner, John Owen, Lorraine Boettner, John Newton, John Bunyan, William Whittaker, Thomas Doolittle, Samuel Annesley, Thomas Vincent, R.C. As a typical Reformed theologian, the author blunders in failing to distinguish between the provision and its appropriation. (2.16.3)[56] Ibid, Page 506. Biblical Commentary (Bible study) John 3:1-17 EXEGESIS: JOHN 2, 7, AND 19. The term “world” in itself is not conclusive. “God so loved the world”, then, signifies, God’s love is international in its scope. share | improve this question | follow | edited Jul 16 '14 at 23:27. But this is an exegetical strain. 11:15 ) ( 1 John 2:2 ) ( Luke 12:30 ) , compared The following are those Calvinists who do no believe John 3:16 as special love to the elect: Matthew Henry, Charles Spurgeon, John Murray, Ezekiel Hopkins, J.C. Ryle, R.L. If then, there is a world of the ungodly there must also be a world of the godly. 3. for them; a gift which is a sufficient evidence of his love to Here is the mistake. Turretin states this same thought, “Hence although love is considered affectively and on the part of the internal act is equal in God (because it does not admit of increase or diminution), yet regarded effectively (or in the part which He wills to anyone) it is unequal because some effects of love are greater than others.” Calvin states, “Since our hearts cannot, in God’s mercy, either seize upon life ardently enough or accept it with the gratefulness we owe, unless our minds are first struck and overwhelmed by fear of God’s wrath and by dread of eternal death, we are taught by Scripture to perceive that apart from Christ, God is, so to speak, hostile to us, and his hand is armed for our destruction; to embrace his benevolence and fatherly love in Christ alone.”55 Here Calvin also states that this kind of benevolence is found in Christ alone. the hands of men, and of justice, and to death itself: that whosoever believeth in him, The problems in the churches were caused by false teachers who had left the church (2:19). 15:22). Page 200-203. To ascertain who are the objects of God’s love other passages where His love is mentioned must be consulted. When the apostle wrote, “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world” (Rom. Even the Greek construction given to these words shows us the rarity and exclamational intent of the writer. And yet, even though this verse is known by everyone, it is often the most misunderstood verse in the Bible. the people, the Gentiles, the Saviour of them, and a sacrifice Martin Luther called. Page 159. But where is the oft-boasted proof of it universality as to individuals?” Boettner goes on to prove that it is not to the whole world but to the elect in the whole world.”[13] Spiros Zhodiates states that the word “love” in the Greek in these, and many other instances, refers to a “delighting” in the object of the love. Consider, for example, John 3:16 as quoted from the KJV: “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Arminians assume a great deal about this verse, some of which contradicts the Greek. Do you know of any other Bible verse more quoted than John 3:16? 1. [12] Lorraine Boettner, The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, Phillipsburg, NJ: 1932. Page 772-773. The “for” of the verse links the thought in the previous verse, 3:15, to verse 16. Yet it is contrary to our human nature to do so. Check out my book: John 3:16 – by C. Matthew McMahon. 12:9; 13:3. When the brethren of Christ said, “Shew Thyself to the world” (John 7:4), did they mean “shew Thyself to all mankind? here meant, or all the individuals of human nature; for all are "Push … TEXT - John 3:16. God loves Himself in us. Steven Houck, The Case for Definite Atonement - by Dr. Roger Nicole, The Chief Points of Religion - by Dr. Theodore Beza, The Myth of Free Will - by Walter Chantry, The Predestination of the Saints - by Augustine, The “god” of Arminianism is Not Worshippable - by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon, What does the Bible mean by "All Men"? But we know the “world is condemned already” if they remain in unbelief. Consider, then, the history of mankind before Christ was born. 2232 Words 9 Pages. The offering up of himself Isaiah 53:10,12; John 3:16, upon the altar of the cross, 11:51, 17:19; Hebrews 9:13, 14. an holy propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of all the elect throughout the world; as also, the presentation of Hebrews 9:24. himself for us in heaven, sprinkled with the blood of the covenant.”[42] John Flavel, John Flavel Volume 1, Sermon: Opens the Admirable love of God in Giving His Own Son for Us, Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA: 1968. Flimzy. The Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, is one of the all-time beloved and well-known verses in the entire Bible. The saving love of God in Christ does not simply fall upon the Jew, but all kinds of men, the Gentiles included. 1. But 2 Cor. 1) It treats of the supreme and intense love of God (a greater than which cannot be conceived) towards those for whom he gave his only begotten. [8] John Owen, Works, Volume 1, Communion with God, Banner of Truth Trust, Carlisle, PA: 1994. 2:4).14 If this love in John 3:16 is “so” great as to be towards the whole world, this would cause the love of God to the whole world to be greater than the love He has for His elect. [22] John Owen, chapter 9, Page 34, Catechism: Of the incarnation of Christ, Master Christian Library Volume 5, Ages Software. It is supposed to teach that God so loved everyone in the world that He gave His only Son to provide them an opportunity to be saved by faith. The context which follows is best satisfied by taking it as above: see on ἐξ ἀληθείας ἐσμέν … [9] Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologia, Master Christian Library, Ages Software, P(1), Q(37), A(1). 5:18, 19 is to be explained where a comparison is made between Adam and Christ, not as to extent, but as to similarity of operation. nations of the world", as distinct from the Jews; see ( Romans 11:12 These, and other passages which might be quoted, show that the term “the world” often has a relative rather than an absolute force.”35 I do believe that the word is relative depending upon the context. Johnson, 1891. (2) The love by which God gave his Son draws after itself all other things necessary to salvation: “For he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Rom.