{"id":38976,"date":"2019-09-22T11:36:01","date_gmt":"2019-09-22T09:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/that-is-how-much-god-loves-the-world\/"},"modified":"2024-03-17T14:22:28","modified_gmt":"2024-03-17T12:22:28","slug":"that-is-how-much-god-loves-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernbeisser.ch\/en\/that-is-how-much-god-loves-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"That is how much God loves the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text text_lead=”yes” uncode_shortcode_id=”198812″]One of the most popular verses of the Bible is found in the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verse 16, where the text begins with the words “God so loved the world…”. This paper is about this love of God. However, the verse is also used to express the pure opposite. Proponents of the heaven and hell doctrine quote the verse and point out that some receive “eternal life” but others “perish.” A threatening message is built on this. So what does this verse say and what might the original listeners have understood it to mean?[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Read the text in context<\/h2>\n

Often the verse is read detached from the context. This quickly makes arbitrary interpretations possible. However, if we leave the verse in its own context, the meaning must be derived from it. Here is the passage John 3:13-19 in various translations:[\/vc_column_text][vc_accordion active_tab=”0″][vc_accordion_tab title=”Concordant New Testament” tab_id=”1569079612-1-82″ slug=”konkordantes-neues-testament”][vc_column_text]”No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is now in heaven. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but have eonian life. For God so loves the world that He gives His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.<\/strong> For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; but he who does not believe is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
\nJohn 3:13-16 KNT[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=”New Geneva translation” tab_id=”1569079612-2-64″ slug=”neue-genfer-uebersetzung”][vc_column_text]”No one has ever ascended to heaven; the only one who has been there is the one who came down from heaven – the Son of Man. <\/span>And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, <\/span>so that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him. <\/span>For God showed His love to the world by giving His only Son for it, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life and not perish. <\/span><\/strong>God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it through Him. <\/span>Those who believe in him will not be condemned. But he that believeth not is condemned thereby already; for he in whose name he hath not believed is God’s own Son. <\/span>This is how judgment is carried out on people. The light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness more than the light, because their doings were evil.”
\nJohn 3:13-19 NG\u00dc[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][vc_accordion_tab title=”Elberfeld translation” tab_id=”1569079898005-2-0″ slug=”elberfelder-uebersetzung”][vc_column_text]“No one has ascended to heaven but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. <\/span>And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.<\/strong> For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him. He who believes in him is not judged, but he who does not believe is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. But this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men have loved darkness rather than light, because their works were evil.”<\/em>
\nJohn 3:13-19 ELB[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_accordion_tab][\/vc_accordion][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Earwigs<\/h2>\n

With music, we speak of “earwigs” when a melody or song becomes firmly embedded in the mind. Such a song can then be in your head all day. It is no different with theology. Certain doctrines and ideas can become just as stubbornly embedded in our minds. This is made possible by translations. Are we not often “familiar” with this or that translation? It sits in our ear. Somewhat exaggerated, one could even say: “Tell me which translation you read, and I’ll tell you what you believe”.<\/p>\n

There are great differences between the translations. The Concordant New Testament (KNT) writes “perish” instead of “be lost” and “eonian life” instead of “eternal life.” There it becomes obvious that something can be wrong with one or the other translation. Why do these differences exist? These are the interesting questions.<\/p>\n

Let’s look at the verse in its own context first. What was Jesus talking about?[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator sep_color=”accent” el_height=”3″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/1″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Tracking down the text – how does that work?<\/h2>\n

The well-known verse in John 3:16 can only be properly understood in its own context. What is actually written there? A few points should be highlighted here:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Everyone who believes in Him<\/li>\n
  2. Do not get lost<\/li>\n
  3. Eternal life<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Do we understand what this is all about? Who is “Everyone”? What does “(not) get lost” mean? What does “eternal life” mean? Surprisingly, there are ready-made answers for these questions. Proponents of a heaven and hell doctrine read it this way:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Everyone = everyone in this world<\/li>\n
    2. To be lost = to end up in hell = eternal remoteness from God<\/li>\n
    3. Eternal life = endless life<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      None of this is in the text! These thoughts are projected onto the text. If you quote a text with such biased assumptions, the Bible doesn’t even get a word in edgewise. However, if I as a Bible reader have a desire to better understand the Bible, there are two sober tips:<\/p>\n