In a similar way to the Apostle Paul, the Fourth Evangelist has developed his “theology of resurrection” of Jesus who has died on the Cross (for us – “pro nobis”) and has risen from the dead. The Johannine theology of “crucifixion-exaltation”245 or the so-called “theology of the cross” proposes to show the ministry of Jesus in the light of His Jewish background. Thereupon Jesus of Nazareth is voluntarily the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29, 36), “the Son of God” (v. 18c and 1:14, 18; 11:27; 20:31) and “the Son of Man” (vv. 13b2, 14b) who came from Heaven to earth and His Exaltation on the Cross as envisaged in the “Songs of the Servant” (cf. Isaiah 52:13–53:12). Jesus, the true lamb of the Passover feast, has died for our sins (in Latin “pro nobis”) as did the sacrificial lambs. The purpose of the Fourth Evangelist is, to show the royal, messianic and saving exaltation of “the Son of Man” and “the Son of God”, His “only Son” (cf. vv. 16b, 17a) at His hour (cf., for example, 2:4; 13:1; 17:1; 18:28; 19:14) – in the way of a “King of the Jews” – cf. 19:19, 21. Jesus of Nazareth has ascended the throne and He draws everyone to Him (cf. 12:32). The anointed Jesus (cf. v. 3) moves solemnly into the royal residence of Jerusalem (cf. vv. 12–13) where the people proclaim Him as their “king” (cf. 18:33, 37). Afterwards they shout “crucify and kill Him” (19:6, 15). In this way, Jesus of Nazareth, the “King of the Jews” who was crucified and exalted on the Cross with a crown of thorns is the wellspring and reason of our Easter hope for an everlasting life in Him. The exaltation of Jesus “is finished” (19:30) via His exaltation on the Cross on Good Friday (14th Nisan) in the grandiose Easter event by God. The aim of the Good News is both to give a world limited by death the chance of an “eternal/everlasting life” (vv. 15, 16d, 36a) and to lead all believers in Christ to this “eternal life” in Him (cf. 20:30–31).
v. 15: The Fourth Evangelist commented on the purpose of this divine act of love as a “Johannine theology of salvific incarnation”246 (cf. vv. 13b, 15–21 and, for example, 1:1–18; 10:36; 17:18; Galatians 4:4) and as Christological-soteriological theology of the cross (cf. vv. 13–14) – note the Christmas song “Mary’s boy child Jesus Christ was born on Christmas Day.” Men/“man will live for evermore because of Christmas Day …” The incarnation of God in Jesus as the Messiah is the basis of His great soteriological Easter event as our Saviour and our hope of an eternal life. Jesus Himself is the Life (cf. 11:25; 14:6). He has given His life for us (in Latin “pro nobis”) so that “all believers in Him” have a new chance after their death. The sense and aim of Jesus’ deed on the cross is our new life as an “(eternal/everlasting) life ( )”247 (with Him in “Heaven”/with Him – cf., for example, 4:14; 6:27, 47; 12:46–48; 14:19) – note the connection between verse 15 and verse 16d. This “new life” in/with Him – as a “new born” on earth and in Heaven – we can have only if we “believe in Him” (vv. 15, 16c, 18a).
v. 16 Jesus briefly explained the topic of “(eternal) life ( )” (vv. 15, 16d) for the believers in Him during their lifetime (“world” – in Greek “kósmos” in vv. 16a, 17a, b, c, 19b) as a prophecy/promise in the form of a double correction248 (“not … but”) in verses 16c, d, 17a, c:
“(God) so loved ( ) the world
“that {He gave} the [only249] Son [ ] { }” (vv. 16b, 18c and John 1:14[, 18]; 1 John 4:9) for us –
that everyone/“all who believe in Him” (= Jesus – cf. vv. 15, 16c)
should “not perish
but have /eternal/ life / /”.
God’s declaration of love for us – the inhabitants of “the world” and His “children” – in verse 16a is not static or self-centred. God’s true “love” (cf. 14:31; 17:24, 26) and the “giver” of all good things is so great and deep that he is willing to “give” (in Greek “dídomɩ” in v. 16b) freely His own “only Son” (vv. 16b, 18c) for us as His gift/sacrifice for “the world” (vv. 16a, 17a, b, c, 19b).
v. 17: He continued His promise regarding Him as the “Son” (vv. 16b, 17a) “of God” (v. 18c) without alternative as follows:
For “( ) [ ] God /did/ (not) [sent] the Son into the world
… to condemn250 the world,
but … to save251 the world through Him”.
The “world” – that means the human beings as God’s children then and nowadays – is “not to condemn … but” to “s a v e” (in Greek “sózo” in v. 17c) us “through” Jesus of Nazareth (cf. v. 17c and John 5:34; 10:9; 12:47). In this way, God’s love reaches out and draws others in and offers us the “new life” that He has brought for us. This God’s “giving” of His “Son” for “the world” respectively us is an “act of love”. This God’s action has filled the “sending” with a personal dimension like a father/mother – son/daughter-relationship. The purpose of His “sending” is the salvation through our S a v i o u r (in Greek “sotér” in 4:42) for “the world” and its inhabitants – you and I as well as all around “the world”.
+ The Consequences for the Believers and Non-Believers in the “Son of Man” (vv. 18–21252)
Jesus/the Fourth Evangelist differentiated the consequences for the believers (cf. vv. 16c, 18a) and “non-believers” (cf. v. 18b–c) because of their “works/deeds”253 (vv. 19d, 20c, 21b) with the help of a contrast:
v. 18: Jesus’ promise is that
everyone who “believes in Him” “is n o t condemned” – note the present tense in verse 18a. However, everyone who does “n o t believe /is/ ( ) condemned (already)” (cf. Mark 16:16) – verse 18b is in the centre of this verse –
“because he has n o t believed in the name of the only Son of God” – note the positive version in verse 16.
To “believe in” (vv. 16c, 18a) Jesus means to put our trust and confidence in Him that He – our Redeemer and Saviour – alone can “save” (v. 17c) the mankind in “the world” – us. The Fourth Gospel proclaims at its beginning (cf. John 1:7) and end (20:30–31), that the things are written that all may “believe” and through “believing” “have (eternal) life ( )” (vv. 15, 16d, 36a) “in” Jesus’ “name” (cf. 1:12; 2:23; 20:31). In view of the “believing in Jesus” the Fourth Gospel – so rich in characters – shows the range of possibilities through His disciples254 as a model on the one hand and “the Jews”255 as His opponents on the other hand. The point of view and purpose of the Fourth Gospel is the discernment: Either that one “believes in” Jesus or that one does “not believe in” Him. He is looking at the range of YES or NO to Jesus, here and now, and not later. So all believers in Him are going to be “saved” (cf. v. 17c) and “have everlasting life” (cf. vv. 15, 16d, 36a and 20:31): “Whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; He has crossed over from death to life” (5:24).
v. 19: The thought of “judgement”256 respectively “condemnation”257 (cf. vv. 17b, 18a, b) which is in the present tense appears in verses 19–21 again in combination with the symbol of “light”