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NOTES for Joh 3:19

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19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
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The fear of being condemned at the Last Judgment, which is often called the dread judgment, is familiar to every person. Yet we are used to perceiving this judgment as a legal proceeding in which our actions are examined and the Lord issues a decision that therefore comes to us as if from outside. In this picture of the world, our actions are connected with our fate after death, but only in some mediated way. But Jesus' words show us a completely different picture.

The Lord is unchanging in His love for us; in Him there is no evil and no desire to condemn humanity. A little earlier in Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, we see a prediction of how far He is ready to go in His love for people: to the torment and suffering of the Cross. But in the light of His sacrifice, our pettiness, the suffering we cause others, and our malice become so clearly visible that it is truly frightening. We want to slip into the shadows and become unnoticed. And so, running away from His love that illuminates everything, we instinctively cling to our human darkness and become our own condemnation.

It is striking that Jesus says this not before a large crowd, but in a nighttime conversation with one disciple, and even a secret one, Nicodemus. Perhaps this is because His words are addressed to each of us individually. The Lord, by His coming to earth, not only changes our idea of the world, but also calls each of us to a transformation of the heart and of the path of our life, calling us to make a choice between light and darkness.

Other notes

 
For Joh 3:19
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
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The passage from the Gospel of John that includes one of the most important verses of Scripture sheds light on questions that trouble many people. One recalls...  Read more

People often say that in the Bible something is confusing, not very clear, something is close and familiar, and something is simple and at the same time deep. This passage belongs to the last group - those that speak directly and plainly about what is happening now and what will happen next. And, as always, there is nothing superfluous or unnecessary for us here; every word is important. How strikingly the evangelist describes the judgment about which so much has been invented and written. Judgment consists in the statement of our choice: light or darkness - good or evil. And there are no fiery frying pans there...

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For Joh 3:16-21
16 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.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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The coming of the Son of God into the world is a manifestation not of God's wrath, but of love. In today's reading Jesus says that God sent the Son not to judge, but to save. And at the same time...  Read more

The coming of the Son of God into the world is a manifestation not of God's wrath, but of love. In today's reading Jesus says that God sent the Son not to judge, but to save. And at the same time, the very fact of the coming of the Son of God is already judgment, because He is light. In this light the most important thing becomes visible: people's hearts.

As long as He was not near, it was possible to pretend that everything was all right. More than that, one could say that one loved God and continue living in whatever way was convenient. When He is near, there is no longer any room for any lie. That is exactly why it was so hard for those who saw Him in the days of His earthly life, face to face, to receive Him.

We have believed without seeing Him. The question is what His light is for us: life and joy, or exposure? And do we truly want to meet Him? Let us pray that His light may enlighten our hearts and that He may become our life.

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For Joh 3:16-21
16 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.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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Jesus' words about Judgment, it would seem, should by no means have sounded new or unexpected to Nicodemus. After all...  Read more

Jesus' words about Judgment, it would seem, should by no means have sounded new or unexpected to Nicodemus. After all, Nicodemus, as a learned rabbi, should have known well the holy Scripture of his time, which included not only the Torah but also the prophetic books. And what Jesus says about Judgment had already been said by them more than once. Amos was the first to speak about Judgment as a meeting with God face to face. He was also the first to warn his fellow tribesmen and fellow believers that Judgment might turn out for them not at all to be the triumph of victors, as many expected, but a moment of truth - and for many, a very unpleasant truth. And there will be no other Judgment: for God wants to save the human being and open to him the fullness of life intended for him, not to sentence him.

Jesus says the same thing when He speaks of Himself as Judge, not in the sense in which the believing majority understood this at the time, but in the prophetic sense: He brought the Kingdom into the world, whose light shines on everyone, and people judge themselves by choosing darkness.

That is why the outcome of Judgment for each person depends on his attitude toward Jesus, or more precisely, on his relationship with Jesus. If a person trusts the One who brought the Kingdom into the world, then he has made his choice, and in principle the outcome of Judgment over him is determined: the Kingdom will be given to him, even if this does not happen immediately. If there is no trust, then the person thereby judges himself, depriving himself of the possibility of entering the Kingdom. Thus, fully in the spirit of the prophetic tradition, Jesus resolves the question of Judgment, while at the same time pointing to Himself as the One to whom it has been given to bring into the world both the Kingdom and Judgment.

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For Joh 3:1-21
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.
12 If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
16 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.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
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It is no wonder that Jesus' words shocked Nicodemus so much. In his view, a place in the Kingdom of the coming Messiah was guaranteed to him by the very fact of being born to Jewish parents and belonging to the chosen people. But the Lord tells him, and us, that...  Read more

It is no wonder that Jesus' words shocked Nicodemus so much. In his view, a place in the Kingdom of the coming Messiah was guaranteed to him by the very fact of being born to Jewish parents and belonging to the chosen people. But the Lord tells him, and us, that what is born of the flesh (that is, of people, even Jewish people) is flesh, and that in order to enter the Kingdom of the Spirit one must be born of water (receive baptism) and the Spirit (receive that gift of the Spirit which, according to the word of the Lord, everyone who believes in Him receives - John 7:38).

Of course, it is easy for you and me to smile at an authoritative Jewish teacher who does not understand such simple things, since we know what the Lord Jesus is speaking about. Yes, thanks be to God, unlike Nicodemus, we understand when the Teacher speaks "of earthly things"; but does that mean we will understand when He begins to speak "of heavenly things"? If He calls birth from the Spirit "earthly," what then is "heavenly"? Perhaps we should not exalt ourselves so much over Nicodemus; beside the Lord Jesus we always remain slow-witted disciples...

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