John 3:13-17 is a part of Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus and is one of the texts that proclaim the relationship of between Christian faith, eternal life and the significance of the Cross to both. Below is an illustration of the text as it appears in the Revised Standard Version. Click on it for a larger view.
The main nouns in this selection are God, the Son, the world. The main verbs either have an upward or downward movement. In verse 13, the verbs "ascended" and "descended" which are related to the previous discourse about knowledge, are followed by the verbs for "lift up" (active and passive, movement upward, 14) and three verbs with a downward movement, "love" "give" (v. 16) and "send" (v. 17). The subordinate clauses in vv. 16-17 have the verbs "believe" "not perish" "have" (eternal life), "not condemn" and "be saved." The structured elements in this selection indicate a relationship between the downward movement of God's action (love, give, send the Son) and the "lifting up" of the Son of Man. In fact, the subordinate clauses in v. 15.16.17 have similar meanings and all are related to the upward and downward movements indicated by the main verbs of the selection. In all these, the result of God's loving the world and the purpose of his sending the Son, is eternal life and salvation respectively.
We have had previous opportunities to write about John 3:13-17 within its surrounding context. Light and darkness, Life and Death deals with the greater context of the aforementioned gospel selection. In "The Father, Son and the Spirit of Life" we write about John 3:16-18, highlighting the ideas of faith and eternal life. Finally, in "Whoever Walks By Light" deals with the passages on Judgment (vv. 18-21)
The reference to Moses lifting up the serpent in the desert is from Numbers 21:4-9. It is an episode of murmurring among the Israelites that ended up with them being attacked by deadly snakes. Their request for salvation was answered while Moses prayed for the people.
The phrase about the lifting up of the Son of Man is repeated in John 8:28 and in 12:32-34 in separate speeches that Jesus makes to the Jews. This last reference makes it clear that the phrase "lift up" is related to Jesus' death (12:33) although it also refers to the process of his glorification: suffering, death, resurrection and ascension.And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
In the gospel of John, the universe is made up of "above" and "below", the "heavenly" and the "terrenal". The "äbove" includes the dwelling of God, the realm of truth, light and life. The "below" is the dwelling place of men which is under the realm of death, darkness and falsehood. The only begotten Son which has been mentioned at the beginning of the Gospel as being "with God" (1:2) in whom was light (1:4), and who was at the bosom of the Father (1:18) was sent and given to the world as the harbinger of light, truth and life. The downward actions of God, all of which proceed from his love for the world (3:16) are actions that ultimately directed towards saving men from darkness, death and falsehood.
In the gospel of John, the light and eternal life are bundled up in the Son. "In him was life, and the life was the light of all men (Jn. 1:4)". And it is for this reason that the condemnation of men will be related to their love for darkness, rather than the light (3:18-21). It is also for this reason that belief in the Son is the acceptance of the light that he brings.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (8:12)
The above passage introduces a disputation that Jesus has with the Pharisees. It is a disputation that leads to one of the statements of Jesus about himself being lifted up.
"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 thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him." (8:28-29)
This statement brings together several themes in Jesus preaching: his obedience to the Father, his continuing being-with the One who sent him, his lifting up as the proof of what he has been saying about himself. Again, this relationship between light and lifting-up is found in a discourse in John 12, the moment when Jesus realizes his hour has come.
Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out;
and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
He said this to show by what death he was to die.
The crowd answered him,
"We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up?
Who is this Son of man?"
Jesus said to them,
"The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."
When Jesus had said this, he departed and hid himself from them. (John (RSV) 12:31-36)
The hiding of Jesus, is the hiding of the light that puts all those who continue resisting him under the darkness of their own condemnation. It is through his being lifted up, however, that the possibility of salvation is offered to men. "When I am lifted up, I will draw all to myself."
