John 3:16
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.

This verse is probably one of the most recognized verses in the New Testament. It was spoken by Jesus to a Pharisee, Nicodemus, who met with Jesus alone and under the cover of darkness. Not only was Nicodemus a Pharisee, but he was also a member of the Sanhedrin, a legislative and judicial assembly elders in Israel. It was the Sanhedrin which parsed out the Ten Commandments into 37 volumes of rules and regulations (the Talmud) for following the Law of God. So, Nicodemus was wealthy and educated, and a respected Rabbi in Jerusalem. He certainly was a witness to the uproar caused by Jesus cleansing the Temple of the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals.

Why did Nicodemus seek out Jesus? Was he encouraged, nominated or forced by the Sanhedrin to find out more about this radical Rabbi? Or was he searching for something that was missing in his life? Did he want to discover what the masses were actually seeing in Jesus? Did he want to see a miracle happen before his eyes? We’ll never truly know, but I think that Nicodemus was an intellectual, unafraid to question solidly held beliefs that made up the Jewish religion. There was that special, undefinable something that Jesus exuded, how He taught and what He taught, that could have fascinated Nicodemus. What indeed was the attraction?
Up until the time of Jesus, religious Jews thought that because they were children of Abraham and kept the law, they would all enter the kingdom of God. Eternal salvation was their birthright. And then, Jesus comes along and says that eternal salvation is available to everyone, Jew and Gentile alike. God was not a God that demanded sacrifices, strict adherence to countless, picayune rules and regulations, quick to anger and retribution. Jesus brought the message that God is a loving God. His love for His creation knows no bounds. All man had to do to enter the Kingdom of God was to be “born again,” accept Jesus as the bringer, the harbinger of Eternal Salvation.

Scholars believe that Nicodemus became a believer due to his meeting with Christ. In fact, at the Crucifixion, along with Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus petitioned Herod for Jesus’ body and performed the burial ritual at the tomb of Christ:

³⁹“He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. ⁴⁰Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs” (John 19:39-40).

So why didn’t Nicodemus renounce his position as a leader of the Jews? Who knows? Maybe he was afraid of losing his station and position in the Sanhedrin. Maybe he still had questions that he was unable to find answers to. Maybe he was able to work behind the scenes to proclaim Jesus’ Word of Truth. Or what I think is most plausible, is that Nicodemus admired, honored and appreciated Jesus as a singular, effective, enlightened, and influential holy person who was unafraid to speak the Good News of Salvation. Sadly, there is no more mention of Nicodemus in the Bible, so we’ll never know for sure. However, Nicodemus is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Byzantine-rite Catholic Church. In the Roman Catholic calendar, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea are celebrated on August 31.
Going back to John 3:16, the verse is reminiscent of God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

¹After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.” Genesis 22:1-2

And

¹⁵The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸ and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” Genesis 22:15-18

There is a distinct parallel between God’s command to Abraham and God’s offering Jesus as a sacrifice for humanity. Both are utterly unimaginable, giving up one’s own child for the salvation of the world. Even though God did not allow Abraham to follow through with the sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham’s willingness to follow God’s command was enough. God, however, did not stop short of the actual sacrifice of Jesus. This alone proves God’s love for us, for His creation, that He would give absolutely everything in order for humanity to come into complete communion with Him.

Examining John 3:16 word by word offers a deeper understanding of God’s love, which is showered on humanity as a whole as well on each of us individually. Sunlight touches everyone, even those who reject God. God’s love is there for everyone to accept and believe.

For God: The Creator of us all, who loved us into existence.

So Loved: What does one do for love? Giving? Sacrificing? Ensuring life, health, well-being, future?

The World: Everyone, every single person, not only the Jews. Jews were ready enough to think of God as loving Israel, but it is not a belief of Judaism that God loved the world. It is a distinctively Christian idea that God’s love is wide enough to embrace all mankind. Not only does God love humanity as a whole, but all Creatures, Nature, non-believers, from every atom through the highest form of life.

That He gave His only begotten Son: In Christianity Jesus is acknowledged as the Son of God through the Virgin Birth. No other person in the history of humanity can make the same claim. Although we are spiritual children of God, Jesus is the flesh and blood incarnation of God. God did not wait for man to turn to Him but turned to man to save.

Sacrifice: To sacrifice is to give up something precious for a greater purpose. In the Jewish tradition sacrifices were a way to give God some of what they believed he had given them, and to deepen their relationship with him. So conversely God sacrificed Jesus to deepen His relationship with humanity. Sacrifices offered by the Jews could be animals, grain, or money. The most common animals sacrificed were bulls, lambs, goats, pigeons, or turtledoves. When Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to the Temple for Presentation, they themselves offered a sacrifice.
that whosoever believeth in him: This describes the recipient of God’s love. God loves the world, but the world does not receive or benefit from that love until it believes in Jesus, the gift that the Father gave. “Believes in” means much more than intellectual awareness or agreement. It means to trust in, to rely on, and to cling to.

Should not perish: This describes the intention of God’s love. God’s love actually saves man from eternal destruction and damnation. God looks at fallen humanity, does not want it to perish, and so in His love He extends the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Everlasting life: This describes the duration of God’s love. The love we receive among people may fade or turn, but God’s love will never change. He will never stop loving His people, even unto the furthest distance of eternity.

This short, 25-word verse from John, succinctly summarizes the entire Message that Jesus came to the world to deliver. No other snippet, verse or quotation from the New Testament can deliver the Good News so beautifully, so plainly and so completely. Jesus spoke to the masses in parables, but to Nicodemus he spoke plainly and, despite the enmity from the Pharisees, with love. There is room for all in God’s Kingdom. We just have to believe.