Sunday 26 May 2024
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (v. 16)
Background
John’s Gospel is very different from the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke with many unique stories, a different timeline and deeply theological passages such as this one.
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and religious leader of the Jews, came to Jesus by night, probably because he didn’t want other religious leaders to see him having contact with Jesus.
Jesus uses the opportunity of this conversation, the first in-depth one in this gospel, to try to explain to Nicodemus that God is doing a new thing and that people need to be ‘born again’ to enter into this new coming kingdom.
The term that Jesus uses here can be translated in a number of ways – ‘born all over again’ or ‘born from above’ as well as ‘born again.’ Jesus was indicating to Nicodemus that being a Jew, a child of Abraham, was not enough. God was starting a new family in which ordinary human birth was not enough – baptism by water and by the Holy Spirit were needed.
The term ‘born again’ is used by some churches to mean that to be a true believer a person must have had a dramatic, one-time experience of conversion. This passage does not support the idea that this is the only way to come to faith.
The passage goes on to liken the ‘lifting up’ of Jesus to Moses lifting up the snake in the desert (v. 14). Here Jesus is predicting his own death.
Then comes one of the best-known verses in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (v. 16) It is the eternal promise of a loving God to humankind.
To Ponder:
- A lot has been made of the term ‘born again’ in churches over the years. What is your understanding of this term? Would you consider yourself to have been ‘born again’?
- Jesus explains to Nicodemus that the Holy Spirit is blowing and God’s kingdom is now available to anyone and everyone. In the light of verse 16 what do you believe the position of people of other faiths to be?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, we give thanks that you sent Jesus to live our life and die our death. Your love for us knew no limits even to the death of your son. Help us, we pray, to understand the depth of your love for us so that we, in turn, may love others. Amen.
Bible notes author: The Revd Jennifer Potter
Jennifer is a supernumerary minister living in the Croydon Circuit. She works as a part-time chaplain at the local MHA (Methodist Home for the Aged). She was previously a minister at Wesley’s Chapel in London.