No one has gone up to heaven except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
God’s love gives eternal life through the Son who came down from heaven, became flesh (truly human), and was lifted up on the Cross for our salvation (cf. Jn. 1:14). Jesus speaks these words to Nicodemus at night. He explains who He is, what He will do, and why He has come. The words are simple and direct. Their meaning is deep and life-giving.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a “ruler of the Jews,” that is, a member of the Sanhedrin (Jn. 3:1). The Pharisees sought to keep God’s Law and the “received traditions,” meaning the oral teachings and customary practices handed down by Israel’s elders alongside the written Law (the Torah). He came to Jesus “by night” to speak in private; in John, “night” also hints that he was still searching for the light of faith (Jn. 3:2, 10). Nicodemus appears again defending due process for Jesus (Jn. 7:50-52) and later helps with the burial, bringing myrrh and aloes in great quantity (Jn. 19:39). He stands for sincere seekers who know Scripture yet are called to believe in the Son lifted up.
Jesus calls Himself “the Son of Man” (v. 13). This title comes from Dan. 7:13-14. It refers to the figure who is given authority by God and whose kingdom does not end. Jesus says that no one has gone up to heaven except the One who has come down from heaven. He is saying that He alone has full knowledge of God because He came from God. He is the bridge between heaven and earth.
Jesus then recalls an event in the desert during Israel’s journey (v. 14; Num. 21:4-9). After the people rebelled by speaking against God and Moses, they were bitten by serpents. God told Moses to lift up a bronze serpent on a pole. Those who looked at it lived. It was not magic. It was a sign from God. God healed those who trusted His word and looked in faith. Jesus says this event pointed to Him. “So must the Son of Man be lifted up” (v. 14). In John’s Gospel, “lifted up” means both being raised on the Cross and being exalted by the Father (see Jn. 8:28; 12:32-34). The Cross is not defeat. It is the moment when God’s saving love becomes visible for all.
The purpose of this lifting up is clear: “so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (v. 15). To “believe” in John means more than agreeing with statements. It means trusting Jesus, coming to Him, and continuing in His word. It is personal adherence to Him. It is receiving what He gives and staying with Him.
John 3:16 states the heart of the Gospel in one sentence. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” “World” here means the whole of fallen humanity, not only a few. “Only Son” translates the Greek word monogenēs. It means the unique, only Son. The verb “gave” includes both the Incarnation and the Cross. The Father sent the Son into our history and allowed Him to be handed over to death for us. The goal is that “everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” “Perish” means ultimate loss apart from God. “Eternal life” in John means the life of God that begins now by grace and continues forever. It is not only endless time. It is a new quality of life that comes from union with the Son.
Verse 17 adds an important truth. “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” The mission of the Son is saving, not condemning. Judgment is real in John’s Gospel, but the first movement of God toward us is mercy. The light has come. We are invited to come into that light and live. Condemnation is not the purpose of Christ’s coming. It is the tragic result when a person refuses the light and remains closed to the love that saves (see Jn. 3:18-21). But here Jesus stresses the purpose: salvation.
This passage also explains how the cross brings life. In the desert, people looked at the sign God gave and were healed. Now we look to Jesus “lifted up.” We do not only look. We entrust ourselves to Him. We unite our lives to His. He bears our sins on the Cross, and He gives us His life. The cure matches the wound: the serpent caused death; the sign of the serpent, when lifted up by God’s command, became the means of healing. In a higher way, human sin brought death; the crucified Son, lifted up in love, becomes the source of life for all who believe.
Christ bore our sins on the Cross once for all. This saving gift becomes ours as we believe in Him, turn back from sin, and remain in His grace (v. 16; Mk. 1:15; Jn. 15:4-6). Salvation is not automatic. Jesus calls us to enter by the narrow gate (Mt. 7:13-14). St. Paul says, “work out your salvation with fear and trembling”—that is, with deep reverence—“for God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work” (Phil. 2:12-13). Salvation is a gift. We receive it, and we must live it.
“Eternal life” needs a clear meaning for readers today. It is not an abstract idea. It is God’s own life shared with us through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. It begins now in faith. It grows through prayer, obedience, and love. It is nourished by hearing the word of God and by living as disciples. It is fulfilled after death in the presence of God.
“Believe” also needs clarity. It is not a one-time feeling. It is a steady act of trust and loyalty. It is saying “yes” to the Son who came down from heaven. It is following Him in daily life. It is confessing Him before others. It is turning from sin and walking in the light. This faith is open to every person in every place. The text says “everyone who believes.” The invitation is universal because God’s love is universal.
Finally, “God so loved the world” teaches us how to speak of God. God is not distant. He moves toward us. He gives. He does not wait until we are worthy. He sends His Son to make us new. The cross is the measure of this love. When we doubt God’s love, we look to the Son lifted up. When we fear condemnation, we remember why He came: not to condemn, but to save.
Lord Jesus, Son of Man lifted up for our salvation, draw us to Yourself. Give us the grace to believe, to trust, and to remain in Your love. May Your cross heal our sins, and may Your life grow in us each day, until we share the fullness of eternal life with You. Amen.
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Sources and References:
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011), notes on Jn. 3:13-17.
- The Navarre Bible: St. John, Faculty of the University of Navarre (2008), commentary on Jn. 3.
- The Paulist Biblical Commentary, ed. Chiu et al. (2018), “John,” comments on Jn. 3:13-17.
- The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, ed. Brown et al. (1990), “John,” on Jn. 3.
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