A CRITICAL STUDY OF JOHN 3:11-16

A CRITICAL STUDY OF JOHN 3:11-16

Verse 11, the gap poetry of this transition, indicates that the Christian community of Jesus’ clip has eventually been rejected by the Jewish community after a disruptive relationship. Earlier in this chapter Nicodemus was put frontward as a representative for the Israelites. Nicodemus was a Judaic leader who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. Throughout the Gospels the societal tenseness between the Judaic constitution and Jesus and his followings is apparent. Yet here Jesus assumes the function of representative for the Christian church as he speaks to Nicodemus. From the clip Jesus began learning and prophesying in public there had been tenseness and animus between those in his community and the Judaic spiritual leaders. Despite the work of the Christian community, the Jews determined that anyone sympathetic to Jesus would be excommunicated, like the adult male born blind in 9:34. [ 1 ] In about 200 CE a step was introduced so that anyone go toing temple efficaciously had to pray that God would destruct Christians. Therefore, any Christian who participated practically repudiated his religion. The complete separation between Judaism and Christianity is confirmed here, so it can be concluded that John is non an effort to change over Israelites. [ 2 ]

In verse 12, what began as a duologue between Jesus and Nicodemus before in the chapter has become a soliloquy performed by Jesus. There is much argument as to what is meant by “earthly things” and “heavenly things” in verse 12. What “earthly things” did Jesus state Nicodemus that he rejected? Distinguishing between what was earthly and what was heavenly was common pattern in the Jewish, Christian and Hellenistic circles of the clip. Some believe that “earthly things” refers to the instructions of Gnosticism. The Gnostic philosophy of salvation requires that an single accept the Gnostic position of the universe. Although Jesus would hold rejected Gnostic soteriology, he uses it here to mean that worlds have strayed from their intended fate. It describes the emptiness of the human state of affairs. Jesus could be stating that unless Nicodemus, or the Jews, comprehend the experiential vacuity of their lives, they will ne’er see the demand for the sort of redemption offered by Jesus. [ 3 ]

Still, there are other readings of this poetry. Some theologists believe that the things that Jesus says on Earth are “earthly things” and the things he says after his Resurrection are “heavenly things.” Some believe that trying to divide this transition into beginnings is helpful, some disagree. Other theologists reject that there are Gnostic undertones in this transition and province that it is merely about Jesus explicating his mission. Still others suggest that the diction is a mention to a Judaic adage which asks how worlds can understand what is in Eden when they fail to grok all that is in the Earth. Haenchen concludes that this poetry highlights the arrant inability of the Jewish community to hold on the message of Christianity, and implies that the zenith of the message is still to come. [ 4 ]

One of the characteristics of John’s authorship is that he sometimes changes the position of Jesus on Earth for the position of the resurrected Jesus. When he does this he tends to compare the words of the resurrected Jesus with the community of trusters. Verse 13 discoveries Jesus speech production as the post-resurrection Christian community. [ 5 ] Here Jesus could be rebuting all claims of others who purportedly ascended and received words from God. He could besides be boding his acclivity to the cross. In any instance, it is about certain that he is set uping that he entirely is the Son of Man who can convey God’s redemption to the universe. [ 6 ]

Poetries 14 and 15 take us to the text of the Old Testament to happen the reply to Nicodemus’ inquiry in poetry 9. In Numbers 21 a brass serpent was erected in the wilderness so that those who were bitten by serpents could look upon it and unrecorded. Jesus was besides to be lifted up. In Syriac and the Aramaic linguistic communication of Palestine the verb that means ‘to be lifted up’ besides means ‘to be crucified.’ This suggests that the words of the book semen from an Aramaic beginning. [ 7 ]

In poetry 15 holding ageless life fundamentally means seeing or come ining God’s land. This is the first clip the phrase is used in John. The phrase means life of the age to come in the synoptic Gospels ( Mark 10:30 and Luke 18:30 ) The constructs of John and the other Gospels contain a important difference. [ 8 ] This difference brings us to a point about how the Gospel of John perverts from the other Gospels. It is likely that the author of John was non grounded in Judaic linguistic communication and based his work on the Grecian Septuagint merely. Additionally, it has been noted that the usage of linguistic communication is similar to the manner it was used by heathens in the first century. Further, there are major differences in the manner that Jesus is depicted in John and in the synoptic Gospels. It has been suggested that John focuses on Jesus as a Godhead of the existence and a man-god, while the other Gospels proclaim Jesus as the Messiah and the bringer of God’s redemption to mankind. [ 9 ]

In verse 16, the Son is sent by God the Father to carry through his mission of humiliation. Merely so can he be exalted to the highest topographic point. This poetry answers a inquiry that may be raised by poetry 15: why does belief in the Son of Man lead to ageless life? Because God sent him in love to offer ageless life to those who believe. [ 10 ]

Although it is possible that John knew and utilized both Mark and Luke as beginnings, when he introduces Jesus as theSonsat the beginning of the book he sets his work apart from the other Gospels. While this could be because the writer of John found himself in a alone hermeneutical and historical state of affairs [ 11 ] , there are many Judaic elements that fail to look in the Gospel of John. In some instances it seems that the words of Jesus the Messiah are set aside and Hellenistic soter thoughts are promoted in their topographic point. Some believe that it is utterly impossible to accommodate the two thoughts of Jesus: Jesus the Messianic courier and Jesus the originative Logos. [ 12 ] The writer’s position is a historical one and it seems that Jesus speaks John’s linguistic communication alternatively of frailty versa. While this could be taken as support for the instruction of the Church on the inspiration of Bible [ 13 ] , it can besides be said that John makes Jesus speak for the Christian community of his twenty-four hours, so that the historicity of the words themselves must be questioned.

Beasley-Murray, George R. ( 1987 )Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 36, Texas: Word Books

• This is a logically structured commentary with a important sum of introductory information sing the issues attach toing the Fourth Gospel and the Gnostic and Hellenistic traditions of the twenty-four hours.

Bultmann, Rudolf ( 1971 )The Gospel of John: A Commentary, Oxford: Basil Blackwell

• A strong scholarly commentary exhaustively analyzing a scope of issues related to John. Could be debatable to utilize if one was non familiar with Koine Greek.

Haenchen, Ernst ( 1984 )A Commentary on the Gospel of John Chapters 1-6,Philadelphia: Fortress Press

• A helpful commentary for historical and thematic issues. The writer attempted to forbear from enforcing a systemic-theological position, but the content is slightly critical given this purpose.

Krenz, Edgar ( 1975 )The Historical-Critical Method, London: SPCK

• Used here for background research into the usage of the Historical-Critical method.

Mussner, Franz ( 1965 )The Historical Jesus in the Gospel of John, London: Burns & A ; Oates

• A thoughtful scrutiny of the historical Jesus.

( 1966 )Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Scepter Publishers, New York

• This version was used as requested for Bible mentions.

Drum sanders, J.N. ( 1968 )A Commentary on The Gospel Harmonizing to St. John, London: Adam & A ; Charles Black

• Helpful for elaborating the contrast between John and the Synoptic Gospels.

• This article is helpful for showing some of the issues with the Gospel of John briefly. Possibly excessively brief to be relied on extensively.

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