John 3:16 and the Word "Whosoever"

                                         "For God so loved the world that He
                                          gave His only begotten Son, that who-
                                          soever believeth in Him, should not
                                          perish, but have everlasting life."
                                                                             John 3:16
                                                                      King James Version


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          John 3:16 is more familiar to most people than any other verse in the
     Bible.  If you're like me, you probably learned it as a child, and can still
     quote it by memory today.

          It seems so simple, yet profound -- that God loved the world so much
     that He gave His only Son to die on the cross, so that whosoever believes
     in Him shall never die, but live forever in heaven with Him.

          Traditionally, to many it means that God did His part by offering the
     gift of salvation through His Son, and we do our part by accepting Him as
     our Savior.

          However, closely studying the verse may show us some things we
     didn't know.

         
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          The word in John 3:16 that seems to get the most attention is "whosoever."
     Let's take a look at that word so we can better understand what this verse
     means.

          The original language of the book of John is Koine Greek, but there is no
     Greek word that corresponds to the English word "whosoever."  The Greek
     word is actually a phrase that is difficult to express in English.

          This phrase is "pas ho pisteuwn," which translated literally in English
     means "in order that every the one believing in Him, not to perish, but have
     everlasting life."  "Pas" means "all" or "every," and it modifies "ho pisteuwn."

          The simple way to put it is "all the believing ones," or "everyone be-
     lieving."

          So this is John 3:16 WITH this phrase and WITHOUT "whosoever."

                           
                                   "For God so loved the world that He gave
                                    His only begotten Son, THAT ALL THE
                                    BELIEVING ONES, should not perish,
                                    but have everlasting life."


          The phrase "pas ho pisteuwn" is also used in John 12:46; Acts 13:39;
     Romans 10:11; 1 John 5:1; and John 3:15.  See those passages for
     comparison to how the phrase is used in John 3:16.
                                
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          John Samson, pastor and author wrote this about John 3:16 in his
     book 12 Whatabouts.

          "The emphasis is NOT AT ALL on the 'whosoever,' but on the belief.
     The ones believing will not have one consequence, but will have another.
     They will not perish, but will have everlasting life.

          "Why is the emphasis on the belief?  Because of the main verb -- God
     GAVE His Son.  God gave His Son for the purpose (Greek: hina) that
     every believing one should not perish, but that every believing one should
     have everlasting life.

          "John 3:16 actually speaks of a limitation -- of a PARTICULAR, rather
     than a UNIVERSAL redemption.  For clearly, not everyone will be saved.
     Only those who believe in Christ are saved.


          "The word 'so' in John 3:16 does not mean that 'God loved the world
     soooooo much,' that he did something.  The Greek word for 'so' here
     means 'in this manner,' or 'in this way,' He gave His Son.

          "God gave His Son in this way, to die on a cross, so that those who
      believe in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life.  His purpose
     was to give His son for those who believe.

                                     "So what John 3:16 teaches us is:

                                       ALL who do A (believe in Him)
                  
                                       will not B (perish)

                                       but will have C (everlasting life)."


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          The Greek word for "so" here is used in the same way in John 3:15.


                                          "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the
                                           desert, SO the Son of Man must be lifted
                                           up, that everyone who believes in Him may
                                           have eternal life."

          In other words, the Son of Man must be lifted up, just as Moses
     lifted up the snake.

          The Holman Christian Standard Bible commentary explains what the
     word "so" means in verse 16 (also v15).


          "The Greek word houtos, commonly translated in John 3:16 as 'so'
     or 'so much' occurs over 200 times in the New Testament.  Almost
     without exception it is an adverb of MANNER, not DEGREE (for example,
     see Matthew 1:18 --  'in this way').
          It only means 'so much' when modifying an adjective (see Galatians
     3:3 -- 'so foolish,' and Revelation 16:18 -- 'so great').  Manner seems
     primarily in view in John 3:16, which explains the HCSB's rendering."


          Here's that rendering, which is actually a more accurate translation
     of the verse than those translations which use the word "whosoever" or
     "whoever."  Notice the difference.


                                          "For God loved the world in this way:
                                           He gave His One and Only Son, so
                                           that everyone who believes in Him
                                           will not perish but have eternal life."
                                                                      John 3:16


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          Jesus said in John 3:3 that:


                                     " ... unless one is born again he cannot
                                       see the kingdom of God" (or be saved).


          Jesus emphasized in John 3:7 that a man must be born again
     (spiritually) and compared the necessary new birth to the blowing
     of the wind.  Just as the wind can't be controlled by man, neither can
     the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit brings life to anyone He wills.

          Since we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) we must be made
     spiritually alive, or "born again" to be saved.

          Ezekiel 36:26-27 explains what happens.  God says:


                                     "I will give you a new heart and put
                                      a new spirit in you;  I will remove
                                      from you your heart of stone and give
                                      you a heart of flesh.
                                     "And I will put my Spirit in you and
                                      move you to follow my decrees and
                                      be careful to keep my laws."

          When we were dead in our sins, God gives us a new heart and a
     new life spiritually, so that we are made willing and able to come to
     Him and be saved.
       


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          NEXT TIME

          John 3:16 says NOTHING about who WILL believe or who CAN
     believe. 
          Is everyone able to believe?