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Joh_3:21. Ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθ .] The opposite of ὁ φαῦλα πράσσων , Joh_3:20, and therefore ἀλήθεια is to be taken in the ethical sense: he who does what is morally true, so that his conduct is in harmony with the divine moral standard. Comp. Isa_26:10; Psa_119:30; Neh_9:33; Job_4:6; Job_13:6; 1Jn_1:6; 1Co_5:8; Eph_5:9; Php_4:8. Moral truth was revealed before Christ, not only in the law (Weiss), but also (see Mat_5:17) in the prophets, and, outside Scripture, in creation and in conscience (Rom_1:19 ff; Rom_2:14 ff.). Comp. Groos, p. 255.
ἵνα φανερ . αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα ] φανερ . is the opposite of the μὴ ἐλεγχθῇ Joh_3:20. While the wicked wishes his actions not to be reproved, but to remain in darkness, the good man wishes his actions to come to the light and to be made manifest, and he therefore ἔρχεται πρὸς τὸ φῶς ; for Christ, as the personally manifested Light, the bearer of divine truth, cannot fail through His working to make these good deeds be recognised in this their true nature. The manifestation of true morality through Christ must necessarily throw the true light on the moral conduct of those who come to Him, and make it manifest and show it forth in its true nature and form. The purpose ἵνα φανερ ., κ . τ . λ ., does not spring from self-seeking, but arises from the requirements, originating in a moral necessity, of moral satisfaction in itself, and of the triumph of good over the world.
αὐτοῦ ] thus put before, for emphasis’ sake, in opposition to the evil-doer, who has altogether a different design with reference to his acts.
ὅτι ἐν θεῷ , κ . τ . λ .] the reason of the before-named purpose. How should he not cherish this purpose, and desire the φανέρωσις , seeing that his works are wrought in God! Thus, so far from shunning, he has really to strive after the manifestation of them, as the revelation of all that is divine. We must take this ἐν θεῷ , like the frequent ἐν Χριστῷ , as denoting the element in which the ἐργάζεσθαι moves; not without and apart from God, but living and moving in Him, has the good man acted. Thus the κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦ , 1Jn_5:14, and the κατὰ θεόν , Rom_8:27, 2Co_7:10, also the εἰς θεόν , Luk_12:21, constitute the necessary character of the ἐν θεῷ , but are not the ἐν θεῷ itself.
ἔργα εἰργασμένα ] as in Joh_6:28, Joh_9:4, Mat_26:10, et al., and often in the classics.
Observe from Joh_3:21, that Christ, who here expresses Himself generally, yet conformably to experience, encountered, at the time of His entering upon His ministry of enlightenment, not only the φαῦλα πράσσοντες , but also those who practised what is right, and who were living in God. To this class belonged a Nathanael, and the disciples generally, certainly also many who repented at the preaching of the Baptist, together with other O. T. saints, and perhaps Nicodemus himself. They were drawn by the Father to come to Christ, and were given to Him (Joh_6:37); they were of God, and had ears to hear His word (Joh_8:47, comp. Joh_18:37); they were desirous to do the Father’s will (Joh_7:17); they were His (Joh_17:6). But according to Joh_3:19, these were exceptions only amid the multitude of the opposite kind, and even their piety needed purifying and transfiguring into true δικαιοσύνη , which could be attained only by fellowship with Christ; and hence even in their case the way of Christian penitence, by the φανέρωσις of their works wrought in God, brought about by the light of Christ, was not excluded, but was exhibited, and its commencement brought about, because, in view of this complete and highest light, the sincere Old Testament saint must first rightly feel the need of that repentance, and of the lack of moral satisfaction. Consequently the statement of Joh_3:3; Joh_3:5, still holds true.