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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.comRobertson Word Pictures - John 3:16 - 3:16
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This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
For so (houtōs gar). This use of gar is quite in John’s style in introducing his comments (Joh 2:25; Joh 4:8; Joh 5:13, etc.). This “Little Gospel” as it is often called, this “comfortable word” (the Anglican Liturgy), while not a quotation from Jesus is a just and marvellous interpretation of the mission and message of our Lord. In Joh 3:16-21John recapitulates in summary fashion the teaching of Jesus to Nicodemus.
Loved (ēgapēsen). First aorist active indicative of agapaō, the noble word so common in the Gospels for the highest form of love, used here as often in John (Joh 14:23; Joh 17:23; 1Jo 3:1; 1Jo 4:10) of God’s love for man (cf. 2Th 2:16; Rom 5:8; Eph 2:4). In Joh 21:15 John presents a distinction between agapaō and phileō. Agapaō is used also for love of men for men (Joh 13:34), for Jesus (Joh 8:42), for God (1Jo 4:10).
The world (ton kosmon). The whole cosmos of men, including Gentiles, the whole human race. This universal aspect of God’s love appears also in 2Co 5:19; Rom 5:8.
That he gave (hōste edōken). The usual classical construction with hōste and the indicative (first aorist active) practical result, the only example in the N.T. save that in Gal 2:13. Elsewhere hōste with the infinitive occurs for actual result (Mat 13:32) as well as purpose (Mat 10:1), though even this is rare.
His only begotten Son (ton huion ton monogenē). “The Son the only begotten.” For this word see note on Joh 1:14, note on Joh 1:18; and Joh 3:18. The rest of the sentence, the purpose clause with hina-echēi precisely reproduces the close of Joh 3:15 save that eis auton takes the place of en autōi (see Joh 1:12) and goes certainly with pisteuōn (not with echēi as en autōi in Joh 3:15) and the added clause “should not perish but” (mē apolētai alla, second aorist middle subjunctive, intransitive, of apollumi, to destroy). The same contrast between “perish” and “eternal life” (for this world and the next) appears also in Joh 10:28. On “perish” see also Joh 17:12.