John 3:16-17 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. [17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. -- King James Version.
Many present John 3:16 as a scripture in which John is supposed to be saying that Jesus is God. A few evidently look at the word "God" in this verse and seem to think that it is saying that Jesus is God. So far we have not have found any explanation as to how John 3:16 is actually supposed be saying that Jesus is God. This verse, however, has appeared in several lists as a verse that is to supposed to be saying that Jesus is God or that God is three persons, etc.
Actually, "God" in this verse refers to only one person, and Jesus is distinguished from being "God" since he is identified as being God's "only begottne Son". "God" in this verse is not identified as being Jesus, but "God" is the one who sent Jesus. (John 3:17) Jesus spoke the One who had sent him as being "the Only true God" and he identified that One was being his Father. (John 17:1,3) In prophetic language, Jesus is depicted as saying that it was Jehovah, "our God", who had anointed and sent him. -- Isaiah 61:1,2.
The words of John 3:16 tell of God's love for the world of mankind now condemned in Adam, and who are suffering as result of that condemnation. (Ecclesiastes 1:13,14; Romans 5:12-19; Romans 8:19-21) John 3:16 does not say that God sent Himself to save the world, nor does it say that God is more than one person, and that one person who is God sent and other person who is also God. Such thoughts have to imagined and assumed beyond what is stated, and then added to and read into what is stated.
We may not be able to fully understand the nature of Jesus' God (Micah 5:4; Ephesians 1:3), but this verse gives some idea of how costly God's gift of his Son was to Him. If the death of the saints are precious in His sight (Psalm 116:15), how much more precious in His sight is the death of His "only-begotten" Son! In sending His Son to die for our sins, God prepared a body of flesh for Jesus (Hebrews 10:5), thus Jesus was not a member of the world that is now condemned in Adam. (Romans 5:12-19) Jesus, however, gave up his glory that he had when he had been with his God before he became flesh (John 17:5), and became with the glory that is a little lower than the angels so that he could offer himself as ransom for all. -- 1 Corinthians 8:6; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 2:9.
Related:
Jesus Saves the World
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