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. 18 Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. 21 But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God.
Due to God's immense love for humanity, through the incarnation, He sent His only eternally begotten Son, who is consubstantial and co-equal with Him, to be born of a woman and assume human nature. Jesus was lifted up on the cross and given over to death, providing a means for those who believe in Him to avoid perishing and be offered eternal salvation. This underscores the profound and infinite nature of God's love and the redemptive purpose behind Christ's sacrifice. Jesus was sent to save the world not to judge and condemn the world. Those who believe are not condemned, while those who do not believe are already under condemnation due to their rejection of the Son of God (Jn. 3:36; Jn. 5:24; v. 18).
Light and darkness are used as metaphors to explain the condition of mankind’s moral and spiritual condition when Jesus came into the world. Jesus the light, came into the world but the world preferred the darkness and did not recognize him. Despite the arrival of the light, some people chose to walk in darkness and continue their immoral behavior (Jn. 8:12). The Son of Man, God’s divine Word, (Jn1:1-2) has his origin in Heaven and can reveal God to the world. He reveals the truth (v. 21) and those who love the truth accept Jesus and do righteous works. But the non-believer, the one who has hardened his heart against Jesus, the one in whose heart there is no love of the Son of God, brings judgment against himself and is in a state of condemnation. It is belief or unbelief in Christ, as evidenced by one’s deeds, that leads to self-judgment in the present time.
God first introduced the thought of sacrificing the ‘only son’ when he asked Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac (Gen 22). God ‘gave’ His son human life in the incarnation and gave humanity spiritual life when He gave His Son up to death. Jesus surrendered himself to death and showed the depths of the love of the Godhead (the Trinity) for mankind. Everyone is called by God to righteousness in Christ, but not everyone responds to the call. We must choose to be brought out of the darkness of sin into the light of Christ that saves. If we do not accept and believe in the name of Jesus Christ, we will be deprived of the Glory of God. If we believe we will be justified by the Blood of Christ.
Almighty God, because of the infinite love you have for mankind you asked your only begotten Son to hang from a tree as a curse so that your unworthy creation might be saved. Grant us the grace to love you as you created us to love you, and the wisdom to choose the light over darkness. This we ask through the Christ our Lord. Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
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