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Because of the continual controversy over the meaning of the word, "world," in John 3:16, I decided to take a fresh look at it. This study is the result. It is an ongoing work, and I will post installments as I complete them.

A Study of John’s Use of the Word, "World"

Part 1

Ken Hamrick

While reading John, it quickly became evident that all of John's gospel, as well as his first epistle, has bearing on the meaning of the word, "world," (or, kosmos) in this passage. I'm convinced that an accurate understanding of that word cannot be obtained by limiting ourselves "to the given context of the passage," which the extreme Calvinists demand that we do.

John writes from a unique perspective, which is continually brought to the foreground throughout his gospel and first epistle. It is the juxtaposition of heaven and earth, God and the world, "above" and "beneath." Though 1 John is written from a pastoral perspective, while the gospel of John is evangelistic, both are filled with this same theme of God and the world; and bold parallels between the two books unite them in a way that demands the study of both together. This theme of God and the world is so pervasive that it cannot be ignored or neglected when seeking to determine the meaning of the word, "world," in any particular verse. "Kosmos" is used 9 times in Matthew, 3 times in Mark, 3 times in Luke, 76 times in John, and 23 times in 1 John. Considering the obvious importance of this word to the author, and its role as a major theme in his writing, how can anyone attempt to determine the meaning of any single occurrence of this word through the immediate context alone, and not give significant weight to the other 98 occurrences? The meaning of a word may vary somewhat according to context, but the weight of the author's common and frequent usages of the word should serve as an anchor from which the context cannot cause to drift very far--especially when the author has used the same word 99 times.

Walk with me through the gospel and first epistle, and--without getting into a thorough exegesis--notice how John returns to this theme again and again. While John does at times use the word, "world," to denote the world apart from believers, who have been taken out of the world and set apart, he never uses the word except to denote the majority of mankind. In other words, he uses the word, "world," to refer to the entire world of men, and to refer to the world of men apart from believers, but he never uses it to refer to only believers (or, the elect). Believers are in the world, but not of the world, and surely do not constitute a world of their own—at least, not as long as the majority of men are unbelievers. This will be easily shown as we move along. In chapter 1, John sets out his themes for the whole book.

John 1:1-3 (ESV)

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In v. 1, Christ was the Word from the beginning. Christ was with God and He was God. Notice that John always has in mind the spatial order of things. God is always assumed to have a sort of centralized location, as contrasted with the world. Though this "place" of where God is not a physical location, it is nonetheless a place from which Christ is sent into the world. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God (v. 2). Then, in v. 3, John brings the world into the picture. The world was made through Him.

John 1:4-9 (ESV)

4In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

In v. 4, Christ is declared to have life, and to be the Light of men, which shines in the darkness. Christ's eternal deity is still in mind here. He did not become the Light when He became a man. Rather, He has always been the Light. He gives light to every man who comes into the world--even those who never saw Him. "Everyone," in v. 9, refers to all people, and not just to those who were in the time and place of Jesus' earthly ministry. Notice also, in verses 6-7, that God sent John "as a witness... that all might believe through him."

Rom. 1:18-20 (ESV)

18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Light is revelation of truth. From the creation of the world, Christ has been the Light given to all men, making plain to them what can be known about God, including His eternal power and divine nature, so that they are without excuse. When the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, that Light was much brighter than before; but the world was not seeing that Light for the first time.

John 1:10-13 (ESV)

10He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Verse 10 speaks of the Creator sent into the world from heaven. Though He made the world, the world did not recognize Him. In verses 11-12, He came to His own (the Jews), but His own did not receive Him. Because the Jews rejected Him, His salvation was opened to whole world. To all who did receive Him, He gave the right to become children of God. How do these new believers become children of God? They must be born into His family. They received Him by believing in His name. The result of this receiving/believing is the new birth spoken of in v. 13.

John 1:14, 18 (ESV)

14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

18No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

In v. 14, the Word from heaven became flesh and dwelt among us on earth. We have seen His glory... as of the only Son from the Father. He is not just the Son of the Father, but He is the Son from the Father, once again reminding us of the theme of heaven and earth. In v. 18, Christ is called God, and is said to not only have seen God and been at His side, but also to have made Him known to us.

John 1:29-34 (ESV)

29The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is he of whom I said, 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' 31I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel." 32And John bore witness: "I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (v. 29). But what is meant by, "world?" Verses 32 and 33 remind us again of the theme we are studying: the Spirit descended from heaven like a dove, and it remained on Him... the Spirit descended. Because He is the Son of God, He also descended from heaven into the world. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of this world.

John 1:51 (ESV)

51And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

In v. 51, we are reminded again of the theme by the picture of God in heaven, the Son on earth, and the angels "ascending and descending" between the two.

John 3:1-2 (ESV)

1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him."

In 3:2, Nicodemus does not just call Jesus a teacher of God, but a teacher "come from God."

John 3:3-8 (ESV)

3Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

"Born again" (v.3) also means, "born from above." To be born again or from above is to be born of the Spirit (vv. 5-8). Unless one is born again or from above, one cannot see or enter the kingdom of God.

John 3:9-13 (ESV)

9Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" 10Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.

In v. 12, earthly things are juxtaposed with heavenly things. And in v. 13, the theme is boldly stated: No one has ascended into heaven except He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man." Where has He descended to or ascended from, but the world?

John 3:14-18 (ESV)

14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The account of Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness is found in Num. 21:2-9. Anyone who looked in faith to the serpent on the pole was healed of the fatal bite of the fiery serpents. Because many of the children of Israel died from the serpent bites, Israel cannot serve as a type of the elect, but must instead serve as a type of the world, from which some but not all are elect. All who looked in faith to the serpent on the pole were saved. That was the only requirement. In v. 14, the lifting up of the serpent is compared to the lifting up (on a cross) of Christ. Verse 15 explains that whoever looks in faith to Christ will have eternal life. In v. 16, we are back to the theme again. "God so loved the world..." This is the same world that He sent His Son into in v. 17. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." Those who are condemned are not condemned because the Son was sent into the world, but because they were condemned already, apart from the Son's coming into the world.

John 3:19-21 (ESV)

19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."

The judgment explained in verse 19 speaks of the condemnation that men were already under before the Son came into the world as a man. And this is the judgment: the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil..." Men who did not believe in the Son were already condemned because they hated the Light of heaven who shone into the darkness of the world of men from the creation of the world. Christ has always enlightened every man, and men hated that light and were thus already under condemnation before they were confronted with the brighter light of the gospel of Christ. Verses 20 and 21 do not compare ongoing unbelief to initial faith and repentance. Rather, these two verses compare the ongoing unbelief of the wicked with the ongoing faith of those who already believe. One who repents in initial faith does not come to the light for the purpose of showing that "his deeds have been carried out in God." The initial point of faith is left out of the comparison in vv. 20-21.

John 3:31, 36

31He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all.

36Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

The theme is boldly stated again, in v. 31. Christ comes from above, from heaven, and is above all. Those of the earth belong to the earth and speak in an earthly way. Just as "above" refers to heaven, "the earth" refers to the world of men. In v. 36, belief is contrasted with disobedience, implying that belief is a form of obedience. 1 John 3:23, "And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us."

John 4:42

42They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."

Here, the Samaritans call Jesus the Savior of the world.

John 5:22-24, 30

22The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
30"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Here, we are reminded that God has sent His Son into the world (v. 23, 24, 30).

John 5:33-39

33You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

In verses 36-37, John once again tells us that the Father sent the Son (into the world). In v. 34, Jesus plainly tells them, "I say these things so that you may be saved." But to whom is He speaking these things so that they may be saved? It is to the ones who do not have the Father's Word abiding in them, who do not believe the One whom He has sent, and who refuse to come to Christ that they may have life.

John 6:14

14When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!"

Back to the theme again. Not satisfied to call Jesus the Prophet who was raised up, or something similar, they call Him the Prophet who is (to) come into the world.

John 6:28-40

28Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" 29Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." 30So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? 31Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" 32Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

In v. 29, we are reminded that God sent Jesus [into the world]. In v. 32, Jesus is the true bread from heaven. Notice that the idea here is of manna, in v. 31. Just as the manna came from heaven and fell upon the earth, Jesus came from heaven and descended into the world. Then, in v. 33, this theme is boldly stated: "For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world;" and again in v. 38: "For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me."

To be continued...

A Study of John’s Use of the Word, "World"

Part 2

Ken Hamrick

In 6:40, "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day," the thought is echoed from 3:14-15, that of the serpent which Moses lifted up in the wilderness.

John 6:41-51 (ESV)

41So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 43Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- 46not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

In verses 41-42, the Jews challenge this theme of Christ coming down from heaven into the world. They deny His deity on the basis of His humanity. He cannot have come down from heaven because we know that He was born on earth. Therefore, He must be one of us—from below, and not from above. Christ assures them that no one can come to Him unless the Father who sent Him into the world draws him. He describes that drawing as being taught, hearing and learning from the Father. He asserts that no one has seen the Father except He who is from God—sent from God into the world. He tells them again that He is the manna, the Bread of Life that came down from heaven, so that anyone who eats of it will not die but live forever. In v. 47, it is stated that whoever believes has eternal life, and the nature of this belief is illustrated in 48-51 as the eating of this living bread. Just as the serpent that Moses lifted up may not have been looked at, though it was available, bread may be abundant and yet not save the starving man who refuses to eat. Conversely, just as any bitten and dying man could have looked to that serpent and been saved, any man could have gathered the manna that God provided. The manna did not fall only around certain tents of elect individuals. The living Manna, Christ, is available to all who are willing to partake. In the last sentence of v. 51, Christ tells us that He will give His flesh as the bread given for the life of the world. All of this is in keeping with the theme we are studying. The world for which He gives this bread to save cannot be any other than the very world into which this Bread of Life was sent like manna from the Father in heaven.

John 6:57-58 (ESV)

57As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever."

The Father sent Him�?as bread that came down from heaven into the world. Whoever feeds on Him will live forever because of Him.

John 6:60-63 (ESV)

60When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

The theme is repeated emphasized. In v. 62, "What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?" The word, "ascending" reveals where it was that He was before, which of course is heaven. What if you were to see Him ascending from the world back to heaven where He was before He was sent into this world of men? How important this theme must be, which is so relentlessly pressed! In v. 63, the spirit and the flesh are contrasted. The spirit gives life, while the flesh is of no avail. This also speaks of heaven and the world. Christ, being God, was spirit from all eternity past, but He became flesh when He was sent into this material world of men.

John 7:3-7 (ESV)

3So his brothers^[^b^] said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." 5For not even his brothers believed in him. 6Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. 7The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil.

Jesus�?brothers told Him to show Himself (His works) to the world. By "world," they mean the extreme opposite of works done in secret—in other words, they told Him to show His works to the world at-large. Though the world contains His disciples and those who believe in Him, the vast majority of the world does not believe; and so it can be rightly said that the world hates Him, and that its works are evil.

John 7:17-18 (ESV)

14About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. 15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, "How is it that this man has learning,^[^d^] when he has never studied?" 16So Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17If anyone's will is to do God's^[^e^] will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. 18The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.

Again, the theme is repeated that Jesus was sent from God into the world. Which world? It is the same world that He said hates Him (7:7). His teaching is from God, and He is from God, and He seeks the glory of God who sent Him.

John 7:25-29 (ESV)

25Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? 26And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? 27But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from." 28So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know. 29I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me."

Verse 27 is ironic. The unbelieving people were certain that Jesus was not the Christ because they were certain that they knew "where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know were he comes from." Yet, they did not know where He came from, since He came down from heaven. Because they did not know, Jesus was then qualified to be Christ according to their standard. Jesus disagrees that they know where He comes from, in v. 28. He did not come of His own accord, but was sent. He who sent Jesus is true, and they do not know Him. Jesus knows Him, for He came from Him and was sent by Him into the world.

John 7:33-36 (ESV)

33Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. 34You will seek me and you will not find me. Where I am you cannot come." 35The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36What does he mean by saying, 'You will seek me and you will not find me,' and, 'Where I am you cannot come'?"

Jesus says that He will soon return "to him who sent me," meaning a return to the Father in heaven. This is why He tells them that they will not be able to find Him or come to where He will be. Not knowing Who sent Him or where He is from, they do not understand.

John 7:37-39 (ESV)

37On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as^[^f^] the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" 39Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

"Whoever believes in me�? This is another constant theme, and it relates the word under study here, "world." This is an echo of 3:16, ""For God so loved the world,^[^g^] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." While it may be argued that "whoever believes" is only meant to include the elect, it cannot be denied that all the lost world is spiritually thirsty. Therefore, the phrase, "whoever believes," cannot be limited unless thirst can be limited. Moreover, this believing in Him spoken of in v. 38 is that which is illustrated in v. 37: to come to Christ and drink is to believe in Him, and 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Therefore, 3:16 can also be understood in this way: "For God so loved the world [of thirsty men], that he gave his only Son, that whoever [comes to him and drinks] should not perish but have eternal [rivers of living water flowing out of his heart]." Rev. 22:17, "…And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price."

John 8:12-20 (ESV)

12Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 13So the Pharisees said to him, "You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true." 14Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father^[^a^] who sent me. 17In your Law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. 18I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me." 19They said to him therefore, "Where is your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus is the Light of the world (v.12), spoken of also in 1:4-9 and 3:19-21. Again, the problem appears, that of the Jews not knowing where Jesus came from (v. 14), or Who it was who sent Him into the world (v. 18-19).

John 8:21-30 (ESV)

21So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come." 22So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" 23He said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins." 25So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. 26I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." 27They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him." 30As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

As in 7:33-36, Jesus tells them that He is going away to where they cannot come, and though they seek Him, they will not be able to find Him. This time, He also tells them that they will die in their sin. The Jews seem to get a slightly better understanding this time, as they wonder if He means to kill Himself in order to go where they cannot go. But they still have not arrived at an understanding that He came down into the world from the Father in heaven. Jesus tells them boldly and plainly: "You are from below [i.e., the world]; I am from above [i.e., heaven]. You are of this world; I am not of this world." Even if they die, they cannot follow Him to heaven, for they will die in their sins and go to hell. The only way that they can go where He is going is if they believe that He is the one who came down from the Father in heaven, as the living manna and Bread of Life—the Savior and Messiah, Christ the Lord. In v. 26, Jesus says, "…He who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him." We are reminded again that the Father in heaven sent Him into the world, and He declares to the world what He has heard from the Father. In v. 29, we are again reminded that the Father sent Christ into the world, and that the Father is with Him, and has not left Christ alone.

John 8:39-47 (ESV)

39They answered him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would be doing what Abraham did, 40but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41You are doing what your father did." They said to him, "We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father--even God." 42Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

In 39, the Jews claimed that Abraham was their father, but Jesus (v. 41) tells them that they have a different father, and they are doing what their father did. They then claim to "have one Father—even God." Jesus said that if God were their Father, "…you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me." Christ came from God in heaven, and is now here on earth, in this world of men, and God the Father sent Him here. If God was truly their Father, then they would love him as the Father loves Him.

Verses 43-47 reveal a mystery of the human heart that has entangled many�?/P>

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word."

The mind is distinct from the spirit. A believer is spiritually renewed, recreated, and reborn; and yet, there remains the life-long task of renewing our minds (Rom. 12:2). Our minds are slow to be trained, and slow to be retrained. Our minds are trained not only from without, through teaching that we receive, but they are also trained from within—from the deepest level, that of the spirit (or, heart). Training related to things that have no spiritual aspect, such as mathematics, must come from outside, through the teaching from others. But the mind is also trained in its response to spiritual things, and this training comes from the spirit within. The physical senses tell the mind that fire causes pain, and so the body trains the mind to quickly remove its hand from a flame. The mind learns to avoid the unpleasant input from the body. The spirit also provides input to the mind regarding spiritual matters. Hearing the preaching of the gospel, the sinner’s spirit may hate the spiritual conviction that results (John 3:19-21), and give input to the mind that is analogous to the unpleasant input from the body when the hand is burning in the flame. Receiving such strong, unpleasant input, the mind immediately withdraws in whatever way is necessary to protect the injured member (in this case the spirit). To protect the spirit from further "pain", the mind closes itself off to the reception of the input from without—the preaching of the truth. The mind suppresses those truths that are unbearable. This is the reason why it is written that the gospel is foolishness to them that are perishing (1Cor 1:18). They have suppressed the truth—suppressed what God has made known to them about Himself (Rom. 1:18-19). In so doing, they have exchanged the truth of God for the lie (Rom. 1:25). They do not like to retain God in their mind, their thoughts, and their knowledge (Rom. 1:28).

"You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me?"

Unbelievers embrace spiritual lies rather than face the truth. They hate the truth, have nothing to do with the truth, and the truth is not in them. Their father is the father of lies. The very reason that they do not believe in Christ is because He is the Truth, and they do not want to hear words of that truth (2 Thes. 2:10). In their mind, it is foolishness; but in their spirit, it is the hated truth from which they continually turn away.

How then, can any man in such a condition be saved? John 6:44, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." The Father draws us to Christ through the gracious working of the Holy Spirit, who woos us and persuades us and convicts us and reveals to us His love, Christ’s redemption through the Cross, and our urgent need. God’s gift of faith is His grace overcoming our unwillingness, so that we embrace God as He is and on His terms, through His Son.

"Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

The Jews, in 8:41, claimed to be of God--God was their Father. Jesus in v. 47 tells them that they are not of God, and this is the reason that they do not hear the words of God which He has been telling them. Since they do not hear the words of God, then they are not of God, but of the devil.

To be continued�?/P>

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