v.16 This verse speaks
of God's love [1], namely, its character ("so
loved"), its Author ("God"), its object ("the world"), its gift ("his Son"),
its purpose ("everlasting life").
v.17 Nicodemus, like other Jews of his time, believed that the
Messiah would come to judge and condemn the Gentile world, especially the wicked Romans. Jesus repeats that He had come to save the world spiritually (ie, from their sins). The world generally thinks
of God as a judge, not as One who loves them. [2]
v.18 Jesus again repeats the concept of salvation by faith.
The moment we trust that Jesus died for our sins, we are not condemned. The phrase "not condemned" also includes the idea of pardon, clearance from guilt, and perfect
righteousness. Every person who has not believed in Jesus' finished work at Calvary is condemned
already. He is condemned for his sins, his love of sin (v.19), and more importantly for
rejecting the love of God. Unbelief of God's love and goodness is the only unpardonable sin. It was a greater sin
for Judas Iscariot not to have trusted God's mercy than to have betrayed His Son. One was merely an act of covetousness,
the other an act of blasphemy. The "'earthly" way of reckoning the gravity of sin is opposite of the
"heavenly" way!
v.19Jesus
was the "Light" because He shone forth the truth and love of God. His perfect life was the perfect example
for us to follow, ie, the light to guide us. The Gospel is also
the light because it shows us the way to heaven, by revealing to us our sinfulness, and revealing to us the Saviour.
However, men, though they may have heard of the light (ie, Jesus,
and the Gospel), avoid it because they do not want to part with their sin (ie, loved darkness). Many deeds do not
look evil to man (eg. pride) but they are to God.
v.20 The light
of Jesus' perfect life and the light of God's hatred of sin
in the bible, reprove those who love evil. The phrase "doeth evil" means habitually does evil.
v.21 A saved man (ie, one who "doeth truth", better:
"one who is in the habit of doing the truth") loves to learn from Jesus and the Bible, because he desires
to glorify God by doing Christ-like works. Therefore, he cometh to the light. This conversation with Nicodemus ends with Jesus telling Nicodemus that if he really was a doer of the
truth (as he believed he was), then he should come to Jesus. Thankfully, he did. John the Baptist's Last Testimony
v.22 After Jesus' stay
in Jerusalem (ie, these things) He and His disciples went into the land of Judaea (ie, a rural area that was away from Jerusalem).
Though He Himself did not baptise but He did so through His disciples (4:2). If salvation comes by baptism, Jesus
would have personally baptised the believers. [3]
v.23 John chose Aenon [4]because there was much water there. This strongly
suggests that John baptised by immersion.
v.24 John had to be cast into prison to make way for Jesus. [5]
v.25 They were probably debating about whether Jesus' purifying (ie, baptism) was more effective than John's. Controversies regarding
baptism continue and still plague the church today.
v.26 The crowds that
used to follow John were now attracted to Jesus (ie, all men come to him), and John's disciples were envious of
Jesus' success. This kind of petty partisan attitude is still very common in the church today. Though John the
Baptist had so clearly bore witness of Jesus' deity and supremacy, his disciples had obviously not received his
witness. In fact, they were so sore about losing the pre-eminence, they refused to call Jesus by name.
v.27 John's answer is the best antidote against envy in the
Christian ministry. John the Baptist had tremendous success as a herald announcing Jesus' arrival because that
ministry was given him from heaven[6]. However, he received nothing
to help him to compete with Jesus for the attention of the Jews, therefore, his ministry was now on the decline.
v.28 John had faithfully bore witness that Jesus was the Christ, and that he was merely the herald sent
before Him to announce His arrival.
v.29 The bride
is the Church, and the bridegroom is Jesus (EPH 5:32). The friend of the bridegroom was the best-man whose job was to bring the bride to
the bridegroom. Therefore, the friend of the bridegroom rejoices
when he leads the bride to the groom's house, and hears the bridegroom's voice because he knows that he has successfully completed his mission
v.30 Once the Jews were
aware of Jesus' arrival and were coming to Him, then John's ministry must decrease. Similarly, our duty as Christians is to lead people to Jesus, and once they have received Christ as
their Saviour, then we must make them less and less dependent on us, and more and more dependent on Christ.
v.31 John contrasts himself with Jesus - Jesus is the Son of
God from above, while he is merely a
man of the earth. Jesus in not only from heaven but He is above all things.
v.32 Jesus speaks what he hath seen
and heard in heaven, yet no man receiveth his testimony. Considering that Jesus spoke such marvellous things from heaven, yet almost no one (ie, no man) received
his testimony that He was the Son of God. Therefore, we should not be discouraged if we men do not believe our
witness about Christ. [7]
v.35 All things are in Jesus' hands, especially the gift of
salvation.
v.36 Because of man's sins, the wrath
of God abideih on him all the time.
----------------------------- Footnotes [1] Nicodemus, like other Jews, believed that God only loved the Jews and hated
the Gentiles. Therefore, Jesus tells him that God loved the world and not the Jews only. Jesus repeats that salvation
is by faith not works, because Nicodemus, the Pharisee, had always believed that salvation was by good works. [2] The Romanists teach that Jesus is a strict Judge, and that Mary is the
one to turn to for mercy. [3] He tarried there for about seven months (ie, probably from the May to December
of year 27). During this time He baptised believers. [4] Jesus' ministry overlapped John's for a few months. Aenon was probably
north of where Jesus was baptising. [5] This fact is mentioned to correct the wrong impression that there was no
interval between MAT 4:11-12. [6] John goes on give a list of the most honorable things ever recorded about
Jesus. John had a good concept of who Jesus was. Therefore, John's baptism at this time was probably a Christian
baptism, not merely one of repentance. [7] v.33 A man set his seal to a document to show that he approved what
was written on it. By believing Jesus' testimony man publicly declares that God is true, because God Himself
had declared at Jesus' baptism: "Thou art my beloved Son" (LUK 3:22).
Also. God's Word in the O.T. testifies that Jesus is the Christ.
v.34 Unlike the Pharisees who quoted each others' opinions and Jewish tradition, Jesus speaketh the words
of God. Unlike prophets who had the Spirit given to them in measure, Jesus was God and therefore, inseparable
from the Holy Spirit.