Thought on John 3
Part 2
By Jonathan Mitchell
13. "Furthermore, no one has ascended (or: stepped up) into the heaven (or: atmosphere) except the One descending (or: stepping down) from out of the midst of the atmosphere (or: heaven): the Son of Mankind (the Son of the human [= Adam]; Humanity's Son; the Son of man) - Who is continuously being (or: constantly existing) within the midst of the heaven (or: atmosphere). [with p66 & p75, Aleph, B and others: And yet not even one person climbed up into heaven (or: the sky), if not that person at one point descending from out of the midst of heaven (or: the sky) - the Human Being.]
The ascent (stepping up) into the heaven (the atmosphere of the kingdom) comes with the Anointing of the Breath-effect (Spirit). When Jesus said this to Nic, at that point He was the only one who was
"continuously being (or: constantly existing) within the midst of the heaven (or: atmosphere),"
but His followers would enter God's realm at Pentecost, and thereafter. Keep in mind that, in the natural realm of this earth, the atmosphere (or, the sky; heaven) comes all the way down to the ground. We breathe in this atmosphere - and in the spiritual realm, we actually breathe in the Breath-effect of God. We are right now "Jerusalem upon the heavens" (Heb. 12:22) and we "walk in the Spirit," being continuously immersed in the Spirit (Acts 1:5). We are those of whom Jesus spoke in Jn. 1:51 - ascending and descending upon Him and His cross. He led the Way (Jn. 14:6), and He speaks of this in the next verse...
14. "And so, just as (or: correspondingly as) Moses lifted up (elevated; raised up high) the serpent, within the wilderness (desert; desolate place) [Num. 21:7ff], thus it is necessary and binding for the Son of Mankind (Humanity's Son; the Human Being) to be lifted up (elevated; raised up high; exalted),
15. "with the result and end that all - this progressively believing and successively (one-after-another) trusting humanity - in union with Him (or: in order that all humanity, who being constantly loyal, centered in and within the midst of Him), would continuously have eonian Life (life having the state of being, qualities and characteristics of the sphere pertaining to the Age [of the Messiah]; age-quality and eon-lasting life; Life in this lifetime and for a lifetime, or for an indefinite period of time)!
[with other MSS: so that all, while continuously trusting into Him {others: on Him}, may not lose or destroy themselves, but rather may continuously hold age-abiding life (eonian life; life that continues on through the ages).]
The cross was, and is, "the stairway to heaven" for all of humanity. We ascend upon Him (Jn. 1:51), and then we descend bearing our own cross (Mat. 16:24) as we "lay down our souls and lives for our friends" (Jn. 15:13) and follow His Path. Those who were bitten by the fiery serpents (Num. 21) needed only to look at the serpent on the pole - even if there was still rebellion in their hearts - and they were healed. But the result of Jesus being lifted up on the cross has a greater and deeper effect, as Paul instructs us in Phil. 2:9-11,
"For this reason, God also lifts Him up above (or: highly exalted Him; elevates Him over) and by grace gives to Him the Name - the one over and above every name! - to the end that within The Name: Jesus! (or: in union with the name of Jesus) every knee (= person) - of the folks upon the heaven (of those belonging to an imposed heaven, or [situated] upon the atmosphere) and of the people existing upon the earth and of the folks dwelling down under the ground (or: on the level of or pertaining to subterranean ones; [comment: note the ancient science of the day - a three-tiered universe]) - may bend (or: would bow) in prayer, submission and allegiance, and then every tongue (= person) may speak out the same thing (or: would openly, and joyfully agree; can confess, avow and with praise acclaim) that Jesus Christ [is] Lord (Master; Owner) - [leading] into [the] glory of Father God (or: unto Father God's good reputation; into the midst of a praise-inducing manifestation and assumed appearance which is God: a Father)!"
So it was God who lifted up Jesus upon the pole. The Judeans and the Romans were just the instruments that He used (Acts 2:23). But it was also the case that:
"God was existing within Christ (God was and continued being centered in, and in union with [the] Anointed One) progressively and completely transforming [the] aggregate of humanity (or: world) to be other [than it is] in Himself, to Himself, for Himself, by Himself and with Himself, not accounting to them (not putting to their account; not logically considering for them; not reasoning in them) the results and effects of their falls to the side (their trespasses and offenses)" (2 Cor. 5:19).
The cross and the resurrection were parts one and two of His being "lifted up," i.e., "ascending." But look at the result, in vs. 15:
"that ALL - this progressively believing and successively (one-after-another) trusting humanity - in union with Him (or: in order that all humanity, who being constantly loyal, centered in and within the midst of Him), would continuously have eonian Life (life having the state of being, qualities and characteristics of the sphere pertaining to the Age [of the Messiah] (etc.)."
In regard to the bracketed alternative MS traditions, note that just as "losing or destroying themselves" were existential situations in this life (like the lost sheep that Jesus came to find), so also the "continuously hold age-abiding life" pertains first of all to this same life, here and now - but is not limited to the here and now: in Jn. 11:25b, Jesus told Martha,
"The one progressively believing and habitually putting trust into Me, even if he may die-off (or: die-away), will continue Living (or: will proceed being alive)!"
16. "For thus God loves (or: You see God, in this manner, fully gives Himself to and urges toward reunion with) the aggregate of humanity (universe; ordered arrangement; organized System [of life and society]; the world), so that He gives His [other MSS: the] only-born (or: only-kin; unique-class) Son, (or, reading o¯ste as an adverb: You see, in this manner God loves the sum total of created beings as being the Son: He gives the solitary-race One; or: reading os te: For you see, [it is] in this way [that] God loves the aggregate of humanity - even as it were His Son: He gives the by-itself-in-kind-One), to the end that all humanity, which (or: everyone, who) - when progressively trusting and successively believing into Him and thus being constantly faithful to Him - would not lose or destroy itself, or cause itself to fall into ruin, but rather can continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life (age-durative life with qualities derived from the Age [of the Messiah]; living existence of and for the ages).
[note 1): I have here given the "fact" sense of the aorist tense of the verbs "love" and "give" rather than the simple past tense. The statement by Jesus is a "timeless" fact of God; it signifies that the object of His love and His gift (that object being the cosmos, the universe, the world of men and created beings) is in view as a whole, and both the love and the gift are presented as fact, as one complete whole (punctiliar) which exists apart from any sense of time (i.e., coming from the realm or sphere of the "eternal," or, "the Being of God;"
note 2): Paul Tillich defines "love" (agape): the whole being's drive and movement toward reunion with another, to overcome existential separation; an ecstatic manifestation of the Spiritual Presence; acceptance of the object of love without restriction, in spite of the estranged, profanized and demonized state of the object; - Systematic Theology III, pp 134-138; Richard Rohr: Love; a drive to give yourself totally to something or someone] Cf Rom. 8:3
The primary clause of vs. 16a is an astounding proclamation by Jesus:
"God loves the aggregate of humanity (the world; etc.)."
This is the primary theme from Gen. to Rev. This is the foundation for all theology. God loves us, because, "God continuously exists being Love (or: for God is Love and Acceptance)" (1 Jn. 4:8b). But not only this, 1 Jn. 4 also informs us:
7. Beloved ones, we are (or: can and should be) continuously loving one another, because love (or: the urge toward reunion and acceptance) exists continuously (or: is) from out of the midst of God....
9. Within this, God's Love is instantly manifested (or: was at one point made visible; is made apparent and clear) within us (or: among us), in that (or: because) God has sent (dispatched) His uniquely-born (or: only-begotten) Son as a Representative (Envoy; Emissary) into the ordered System (world of society, culture, religion and government; or: the cosmos; or: = the aggregate of humanity), to the end that we would live (or: can experience life) through Him.
10. Within this exists (or: is) the Love, not that we ourselves have loved [other MSS: not that we ourselves love or accept] God, but in contrast, that He Himself loves us and sends (or: urged toward reunion with us and sent) His Son as a Representative (Emissary): a cleansing, sheltering covering around our sins (failures to hit the target, errors, mistakes, deviations).
This passage in 1 Jn. supports and expands the subordinate clause of vs. 16a, above: "so that He gives His [other MSS: the] only-born (or: only-kin; unique-class) Son." Added to this, we have another verse from 1 Jn. 4:14b,
"the Father has sent forth (dispatched as a Representative) the Son - [the] Savior of the world (or: Deliverer of the ordered and controlling System of religion and secular society; Restorer of the universe; or: = the Rescuer and Healer of all humanity)."
Returning to 16b, above, we have the purpose statement for the giving of His Son to us:
"to the end that all humanity, which (or: everyone, who) - when progressively trusting and successively believing into Him and thus being constantly faithful to Him - would not lose or destroy itself, or cause itself to fall into ruin, but rather can continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life (age-durative life with qualities derived from the Age [of the Messiah]; living existence of and for the ages)."
Within this purpose statement is an attributive, dependent, participial clause which I have expanded and set off with dashes:
"when progressively trusting and successively believing into Him and thus being constantly faithful to Him."
Notice the present tense of the participle (indicated by the auxiliary adverbs, to indicate the tense of the verb: progressively; successively; constantly). Also observe the subject of the main clause: the singular, masculine "all," which means "all humanity." Thus, with this reading he is speaking corporately, meaning the whole of mankind. On offer, parenthetically, is another reading of this adjective, as "everyone," thus allowing for a singular reading. John uses this construction to explain the state of being, and the existential circumstance in which, it happens that "all humanity" (and every person, successively)
"can continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life."
This is the gist of the main clause, and the core statement of God's purpose. It describes people who are already a part of the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17), and are described in Eph. 2:10a,
"for the fact is, we are (continually exist being) the effect of what He did (or: His creation; the thing He has constructed; the result of His work; His achievement; His opus; the effect of His Deed): people being founded from a state of disorder and wildness (being framed, built, settled and created; being changed from chaos to order), within and in union with Christ Jesus."
This is the purpose and the work of God, through Christ (2 Cor. 5:19). Cf vs. 35, below.
1 Jn. 2:2 helps us to understand how all this works:
"And He Himself exists continually being a cleansing, sheltering cover around our mistakes and errors, sheltering us from their effects so that we can be in peaceful and rightwised relationships (or: being the act by which our sins and failures are cleansed and made ineffective, effecting conciliation [to us]), yet not only around those pertaining to us (or: having their source in us), but further, even around the whole ordered System (secular realm and dominating world of culture, economy, religion and government; or: universe; or: the whole aggregate of mankind)!"
Can we wrap our minds around this? Only the Love which IS God could accomplish this through His gift to the whole aggregate of humanity. Christ is "the cleansing, sheltering cover" that comes upon everyone.
Let us pause and consider the word agape. Returning to the first clause of the verse, the parenthetical alternative gives two other meanings of "love":
"You see God, in this manner, fully gives Himself to and urges toward reunion with... the aggregate of humanity."
Wow! Let that sink in. This is our God. He is bent on union with us! On offer, in note 2, are other meanings of this word, which I gleaned from the writings of the theologian, Paul Tillich. Let us point these out, lest our readers read over the notes too quickly:
a) the whole being's drive and movement toward reunion with another, to overcome existential separation;
b) acceptance of the object of love without restriction, in spite of the estranged, profanized and demonized state of the object;
c) participation in the other one
d) the power of reunion with the other person as one standing on the same ultimate ground;
e) unambiguous, accepting reunion;
f) an ecstatic manifestation of the Spiritual Presence.
The definitions in c, d and e are on offer in 1 Cor. 13, where I again give more of Tillich's definitions. Now meditate on each one as expressing a part of Who and What God is. Make each one a verb, and substitute that meaning in the first clause, above:
"For thus God employs His whole being's drive and movement toward reunion with the aggregate of humanity (etc.)."
How deep and expansive, and how far reaching, is God's Love for everyone! We might be tempted to think that this is beyond our comprehension - and, humanly thinking, it is - but we are blessed with Paul's words, which can apply here:
"God unveils in us (reveals to us; uncovers for us; discloses among us) through the spirit (or: the Spirit; the Breath-effect); for you see, the spirit (or: the Spirit; the Breath-effect) constantly and progressively searches, examines and investigates all humanity, and everything - even the depths of, from, which pertain to, and which are, God!" (1 Cor. 2:10).
I also appreciate how Richard Rohr renders agape: a drive to give yourself totally to something or someone.
It is for all these reasons that God does not want the aggregate of humanity (the world) to
"lose or destroy itself, or cause itself to fall into ruin, but rather [to] continuously have (or: would habitually possess and hold) eonian life (age-durative life with qualities derived from the Age [of the Messiah]; living existence of and for the ages)."
17. "You see, God does not send forth His [other MSS: the] Son as a Representative or Emissary into the world (or: System; aggregate of humanity) to the end that He should continuously separate and make decisions about the world (or: would at some point sift and judge the System, or the aggregate of humanity), but to the contrary, to the end that the world would be delivered (or: for the result that the System could be healed and made whole; so that the ordered arrangement should be restored to health; to the end that the aggregate of mankind may be saved - rescued and re-established in its original state): through Him!
The Son's mission is always Deliverance, Healing, Restoration to Wholeness, Health, Rescue and Salvation. And this is for
"the aggregate of mankind;" for "the world."
This is always the purpose for which He comes to us, and
"Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today and on into the ages" (Heb. 13:8).
As the parenthetical expansion offers: Christ's sending-forth is "for the result that the System could be healed and made whole; so that the ordered arrangement should be restored to health" - so that it will no longer be a domination system, but a living body of Life that gives Life; a corporate Tree of Life. The Son, and His Life are the means that bring this about: through Him!
Why is the one not trusting or believing not being habitually judged (or: separated, through "being continuously sifted or evaluated"? Because this one is already serving time in prison; he or she is in the state or condition that resulted from the judgment on Adam (evicted from the Garden environment; restricted from the Tree of Life). John states this plainly, in vs. 36, below:
"the person now continuing being unpersuaded by the Son (or: presently being constantly incompliant, disobedient or disbelieving to the Son; being repeatedly stubborn toward the Son) will not be catching sight of (seeing; observing; perceiving) [this] Life. To the contrary (or: Yet, nevertheless), God's personal emotion and inherent fervor (or: the teeming passion and swelling desire, which is God; the mental bent, natural impulse, propensity and disposition from God; or: the ire, anger, wrath or indignation having the quality and character of God) presently continues remaining (keeps on resting, dwelling and abiding) upon him."
Existing under the decision by God, for humanity, was the judgment that humanity was destined to experience - called by theologians as being "the human predicament." Paul described this in Rom. 7. So there is no more need for those who are "dead in trespasses and sins (failures)" (Eph. 2:1) to be continuously sifted or evaluated. That was done in the Garden, and "that decision yet exists" (this clause reflects the perfect tense of the verb "sifted and evaluated {etc.}").
Now to what does the subordinate clause refer? It says, "because he or she has not believed so that he trusts into (or: had not been faithful and loyal unto) the Name [note: "name" is a Semitism for the person, or his authority, or his qualities] of the only-born Son of God." On the first level of understanding, this would mean that this person has not believed that Jesus was, or is, the Christ, or, that He is Lord. But why did Jesus use this somewhat ambiguous phrase to refer to Himself? In Jn. 9:35-37, Jesus asked the man who had been born blind (and who Jesus had just healed):
""Are you yourself now trusting or believing or putting faith into the Son of man (or: = the son of Adam; = the Human Being; or: = the eschatological messianic figure [A, L and others read: Son of God])?"
And in considered response, that one says, "And who is he, sir (or: my lord; master), so that I can believe (or, as a future: to the end that I will believe and progressively put trust) into him?" Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him, and the One presently talking (speaking) with you, that One is He."
So, it is evident that not everyone would know what either "the Name" meant, nor, perhaps, to what the phrase, "the only-born Son of God," would refer. But we should keep in mind that our text does not say the Nicodemus had left this meeting with Jesus, and it is most reasonable to assume that he is still there, listening to Jesus' monologue. Nicodemus would recognize the import of both phrases. John the immerser would have known what "Son of God" meant (Jn. 1:34). Nathaniel had assumed Jesus to be "the Son of God" because of the apparent "spiritual sight" that Jesus disclosed (Jn. 1:49). Now Nathaniel, in that same verse, equated this title to the title, "the King of Israel," and thus Nathaniel apparently understood these titles as signifying "the Messiah." In Jn. 1:51, Jesus affirms Nathaniel's conclusion by using the eschatological phrase "the Son of man" (an allusion to Dan. 7:13ff). Jesus will use this term frequently in John's Gospel.
As noted in the inserted brackets in this verse, the term "name" often was used to refer to the person or personage (depending on the context) that was under discussion. It would seem that since Jesus did NOT say "believed so that he trusts into ME" (but rather used a third person reference), that He felt, or was teaching, that belief was to be into the "office" or "position" (such as the "Messiah"). They were supposed to put their faith and trust into whoever was God's Anointed One. This would mitigate against people making an idol of a personality (such as we observe in our day and culture); it would keep the focus on God - which Jesus always did. Jesus would not always be with them, as the Adamic man to whom they were now listening. Paul would later instruct us that we no longer know Jesus this way:
"if even we have intimately, by experience, known Christ ([the] Anointed One) on the level of flesh (or: = in the sphere of estranged humanity; or: = in correspondence to a self that is oriented to the System; = according to the old covenant), nevertheless we now (in the present moment) no longer continue [thus] knowing [Him or anyone]" (2 Cor. 5:16b).
So, in this case, perhaps the phrase, "the Name," refers to the title and reputation, and thus to the fact that the kingdom, God's reign, had now come. This comports with His use of the term "Son of man" in chapter 9, cited above. Jesus was not beginning a personality cult, but rather, He was inaugurating the Reign of God. That said, the movement that grew out of His disciples did keep the identity of Jesus, through the repeated use of His Name (see the book of Acts). But in this eschatological context, let us keep in mind that in Rev. 3:12 the risen Jesus addresses the called-out community in Philadelphia, and there He refers to "My NEW Name." This, along with the Name of His God and the Name of the New Jerusalem, are all to be written upon "the one habitually conquering (repeatedly overcoming so as to be the victor)." A name could also signify ownership or authority. This latter may have been one of Jesus' main points. But holding in mind Rev. 3:12, "believing into the Name" may signify assuming a new identity, which corresponds to this new birth to which He had referred.
The meaning of the first two clauses is somewhat ambiguous because of the demonstrative adjective, "this," which opens the first clause, and because of the conjunction that joins the clauses: this conjunction can be rendered either "because," or "that." With the first clause, "this" can point back to what was just said in vs. 18, or forward, with the second clause defining what "the process of the sifting, the separating and the deciding (the evaluating; the judging)" exists being. With "this" pointing forward, rendering the conjunction "because" means that what follows this conjunction is the "reason" for the sifting, evaluating, etc. Rendering the conjunction "that" gives the definition of the sifting and evaluation: "the Light has come (or: the Light has gone) into the world." The Light is doing the sifting, deciding (what's what, e.g.) and the judging (of the situation, etc.). The demonstrative adjective can also be rendered "the same." Thus the first clause can read, "So there continues being the same..." This would indicate that the first clause is pointing back to vs. 18.
With ambiguous readings, it is always best to give serious consideration to all possible readings. But in all of these options, we have a definite association between the separating (evaluating; judging; deciding) and the Light having come, or gone, into the aggregate of humanity. But even with the advent of the Light, Jesus states that "the humans love the darkness rather than the Light." This is an allusion to the Logos, in Jn. 1:4-5. And we should remember that this Light was,
"the True and Genuine Light which (or: Who) is continuously (repeatedly; progressively) enlightening (giving light to) every person (or: all humanity) continuously (repeatedly; progressively; constantly; one after another) coming into the world" (Jn. 1:9).
And because His own people loved the darkness that they were in,
"Its own (or: His own) people did not grasp, receive or accept It (or: Him) or take It (or: Him) to their side" (Jn. 1:11b).
Now the last clause of this verse gives us the reason for these people loving their darkness, rather than the Light: it was because
"their works (deeds; actions) were continuing to be bad ones (unsound ones; wicked, wrongful ones; laborious ones; unprofitable and disadvantageous ones; malicious ones)."
Who, specifically, was Jesus referring to? It was not the outcasts, those considered "sinners" by the religious leadership. Those folks loved the Light. When we read of Jesus ministry, and of those who resisted Him (and then ultimately had him killed), we observe that those who loved the darkness were the religious folks of the Judean leadership. What do you think Nic was thinking when Jesus said this?
So what were these "bad works," or, "unsound actions," or, "malicious deeds" - etc.? Perhaps,
"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The one repeatedly killing the prophets, and habitually stoning the people sent off with a mission to her..." (Mat. 23:37a). "they are habitually 'saying,' and yet they are not doing or performing" (Mat. 23:3b). "So they habitually tie up and bind heavy loads (or: burdensome cargos), and then constantly place [these] as an addition upon the shoulders of the People (or: belonging to persons) - yet they, themselves, are not willing to budge or put them in motion with their finger (or: = to 'lift a finger' to help carry them)!" (Mat. 23:4).
These are just a sample of Mat. 23. Jesus, the Light, did not draw back from critiquing wrong behavior or unprofitable living. The Light continued shining in the darkness of domination systems. He continues this exposition in the next verse...
20. "for it follows that everyone who is habitually practicing (or: performing) worthless things (base, mean, common, careless, cheap, slight, paltry, sorry, vile things or refuse) is continuously hating (regarding with ill-will; radically detaching from) the light, and is not coming (or: going) to the light (or: the Light), so that his or her works (deeds; actions) may not be tested and put to the proof (and thus, exposed and perhaps reproved).
Here Jesus extends His critique of "habitually practicing (or: performing) worthless things" with words that go beyond the realm of the strictly "religious," into all kinds of behavior or work that could be termed "base, mean, common, careless, cheap, slight, paltry, sorry, vile things or refuse."
Perhaps Jesus' teaching in Mat. 6 may add to our understanding of Jesus' reference to Light in this disclosure to Nicodemus:
22. "The eye is the lamp of the body. If, then, your eye may continue being single-fold (or: clear, simple and uncompounded; perhaps: single-focused, suggesting being straightforward; may = healthy; may suggest generosity), your whole body will continue being (will continuously exist being) illuminated (enlightened; or: lustrous; luminous; radiant; shining).
23. "Yet if your eye should continue being in a bad condition (useless; unsound; gushed with misery and labor; or: wicked; perhaps = diseased or clouded; may suggest stinginess or being grudging), your whole body will continue being (will continuously exist being) dark (or: in the dark; full of darkness). If, then, the light [which is] within the midst of you is darkness (or: continually exists being dimness and lack of Light), how thick [is] the darkness (or: how great and extensive [will be] the obscurity and gloom of that area of shadows)!
If the eye is the body's lamp, then the eye would give light to one's environment or shine on the path. It would also illuminate the dark places within the body (both individually, and corporately). The eye also is the place of vision and focus. If the corporate body's vision is in a bad condition, the whole corporate body will be in darkness. This was the case of the Judean leadership, of which Nic was a part.
21. "Yet the person habitually doing the truth (constantly constructing the real; repeatedly making the genuine; progressively producing the non-concealed, actual state) is constantly coming (or: moving) toward the light (or: the Light), so that his or her works (deeds; actions) may be set in clear light and manifested, because they exist being ones having been worked, accomplished or performed within God (or: that it is in union with God [that they are] ones having been acted out)."
Jesus' message, which began in speaking about being born back up again to a higher place, ends with a strong focus on how we live our lives, here and now. If we are
"habitually doing the truth (constantly constructing the real; repeatedly making the genuine; progressively producing the non-concealed, actual state),"
it is because we have been working, accomplishing and performing
"within God (or: in union with God)."
We are born into the "heavens" of God's Spirit in order to produce reality here on earth. If our works are in union with God, then they will be works of Love.
John does not comment on Nicodemus' response to this teaching. It is noteworthy that Jesus did not ask him to become His disciple. It is also noteworthy that Jesus did not say that folks need to be born from above so that they could go to heaven. Those who are thus born back up again are "constantly coming (or: moving) toward the light (or: the Light)." The Logos progressively brings them closer, to be continuously face-to-face with God.
To be continued...
Jonathan
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