#49. Reinterpreting John 3:16

This think-piece takes a deeper look at the traditionally held Christian belief that God sent Jesus to the world to be sacrificed and killed upon a Roman cross -- to save us from our sins. It focuses upon the third chapter of John. Are you ready???

"For God so loved the world that He His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

The quote in blue is the most cherished verse in the New Testament: John 3:16. Jesus is addressing the question of why God sent Him to the earth. Christians interpret this statement to mean that God sent Jesus to sacrifice His life upon the cross in order for mankind to be saved from their sins and be welcomed into heaven when they die. But is that what Jesus is speaking of? Is it? I wonder!

You see, there is absolutely nothing in the entire chapter about crucifixion, about sacrifice, about ransom, about death. Notice the word gave (in red). It is this word alone that suggests to the Christian-mind the idea of 'giving Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified'. 

However, if the word 'sent' was used -- rather than the word 'gave' -- a completely different message would appear. Throughout the Gospel of John, we hear Jesus speaking on eight different occasions of "the one who sent me". Read John 3:16 again using the word 'sent' and see if that makes sense to you.

But there's more. Let's now take a look at the verse that precedes it:   John 3:15

 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

The Christian-mind assumes that this is a reference to 'being lifted up on the cross'. Not so! This quote is a reference to chapter 21 of Numbers in the Old Testament. Take note that the serpent is not put on a pole to be crucified or killed, but 'gazed' upon. God had instructed Moses to create a bronze serpent and place it up high so that anyone bitten by one of the many snakes in the wilderness would focus upon -- or gaze upon -- the serpent image and not die from the venom!

"So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked (gazed) at the bronze serpent, he lived." (Numbers 21:8)

The Greek word for 'lifted up' is hupsoo and means "to lift up on high, to exalt". In another passage, John 12:32, we can see how Jesus uses the same word, stating: "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." These verses have absolutely nothing to do with sacrifice or crucifixion. They are about healing and salvation.

Oh, yes! God so loved all of His children that he sent Jesus to our planet -- not to be sacrificed to appease an angry god -- but that He might be honored and exalted -- that He might be lifted up as the ideal, the model, the example, the mentor for us all. 

Oh yeah, I forgot to include: "The Savior!"