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Scott's Reference Library
John 3:13 through John 3:17 (NIV)
13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who
came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the
desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him
may have eternal life.
16“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever
believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send
his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
VERSES 9-13
Christ’s stating of the doctrine and the necessity of regeneration, it should
seem, made it not clearer to Nicodemus. Thus the things of the Spirit of God are
foolishness to the natural man. Many think that cannot be proved, which they
cannot believe. Christ’s discourse of gospel truths, vs. 11-13, shows the folly
of those who make these things strange unto them; and it recommends us to search
them out. Jesus Christ is every way able to reveal the will of God to us; for he
came down from heaven, and yet is in heaven. We have here a notice of Christ’s
two distinct natures in one person, so that while he is the Son of man, yet he
is in heaven. God is the “HE THAT IS,” and heaven is the dwelling-place of his
holiness. The knowledge of this must be from above, and can be received by faith
alone.
VERSES 14-18
Jesus Christ came to save us by healing us, as the children of Israel, stung
with fiery serpents, were cured and lived by looking up to the brazen serpent,
Numbers 21:6-9. In this observe the deadly and destructive nature of sin. Ask
awakened consciences, ask damned sinners, they will tell you, that how charming
soever the allurements of sin may be, at the last it bites like a serpent. See
the powerful remedy against this fatal malady. Christ is plainly set forth to us
in the gospel. He whom we offended is our Peace, and the way of applying for a
cure is by believing. If any so far slight either their disease by sin, or the
method of cure by Christ, as not to receive Christ upon his own terms, their
ruin is upon their own heads. He has said, Look and be saved, look and live;
lift up the eyes of your faith to Christ crucified. And until we have grace to
do this, we shall not be cured, but still are wounded with the stings of Satan,
and in a dying state. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us, that we
might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good news indeed. Here
is God’s love in giving his Son for the world. God so loved the world; so
really, so richly. Behold and wonder, that the great God should love such a
worthless world! Here, also, is the great gospel duty, to believe in Jesus
Christ. God having given him to be our Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give
up ourselves to be ruled, and taught, and saved by him. And here is the great
gospel benefit, that whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall
have everlasting life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and
so saving it. It could not be saved, but through him; there is no salvation in
any other. From all this is shown the happiness of true believers; he that
believeth in Christ is not condemned. Though he has been a great sinner, yet he
is not dealt with according to what his sins deserve.