 |  |
A1 |
14. "AS" (the first element in the simile demanding the sequel "So").
B1
| 14. "MOSES lifted up the serpent in the wilderness."
A2 |
14. "SO" (the second element in the simile).
B2
| 14. THE SON OF MAN, lifted up.
C1 | 15. HINA, "the object", that | a | whosoever
b | believeth
c | not perish
d | eternal life.
D | 16. "FOR" (connecting link between type and fulfillment).
A3 | 16. "SO" (the extension of the simile to the sequel).
B3 | 16. THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON given.
C2 | 16. HINA, "the object", that | a | whosoever
b | believeth
c | not perish
d | everlasting life.
Verse 16 is connected with the preceding verses by the sign of correlation, "for", the
Greek gar. This Greek word is a contraction of ge, "verily", and ara, "therefore",
"further". The two parts of speech, in reverse order and in uncontrasted form, are of
frequent occurrence in the N.T., arage being translated "wherefore", "then", "what
manner", "truly", etc.
In verse 19 gar is rendered "because", and this is a good rendering of the causal
conjunction. Verse 16 therefore arises logically out of verses 14 and 15. O.T. type, as set
forth in the Law of Moses, demands, as a logical sequence, N.T. reality as set forth in the
gospel of Christ. The serpent lifted up was no fetish, but a prophetic anticipation of Him
Who, though knowing no sin, "was made sin", for us. The fact that Moses "lifted up" the
serpent in the wilderness must be taken as a definite foreshadowing of the cross. That
this is not merely a pious wish, advanced to the position of proof, the following facts bear
witness. Hupsoo, the word translated "to lift up", occurs twenty times in the N.T.
Fourteen of these are translated "to exalt", and the one occurrence in James 4: 10
should be so translated. This leaves five, all of which are found in John's Gospel and are
translated "to lift up": they have no reference to the "exaltation" of the Lord.
The Five Occurrences of hupsoo in John.
"As Moses lifted up the serpent" (3: 14).
"Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up" (3: 14).
"When ye have lifted up the Son of Man" (8: 28).
"If I be lifted up from the earth" (12: 32).
"The Son of Man must be lifted up" (12: 34).
In order that there should be no doubt as to the significance of this term, John adds the
explanation in 12: 33: "This He said, signifying what death He should die." All this and
more is implied in the use of the word "for".
The next word that demands attention is the adverb houto, "so": "For God so loved
the world." At first we are inclined to see in the word a suggestion of the greatness of