Context:

John is the writer

Directed to all but more on unbelievers

Just after Jesus and Nicodemus had one on one

In Jerusalem at night

The concluding statement of the one on one of Jesus with Nicodemus as they were talking about "how
to be saved?"

Observation:

For - used to point out a conclusion

God so loved the world

- GOD - who loved the world

- SO loved - not just loved, He so loved

- LOVED - past tense

- THE - unique object

- WORLD - world pertaining to its people (all people of the world) not the material things

THAT - God so loved the world and here's the proof...

He gave - God is He; He gave something

GAVE - past tense; already done

His ONE AND ONLY SON - God has no other son. "One and only" points out how very precious Jesus is

THAT (2) - in other versions, "so that"

WHOEVER - anyone, whether good or bad, Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, etc.

BELIEVES - present tense

In HIM - Him is Jesus

SHALL NOT - "shall not" shows a promise

shall not PERISH - a promise to not PERISH

BUT - or instead of perishing, will...

but HAVE - get something

ETERNAL - never ending

but have ETERNAL LIFE - get Eternal life

Interpretation:

John wrote his gospel for all, believers and non-believers, to read. John's gospel focuses on Jesus Christ
as the source of eternal life. John 3:16 is John's concluding words to the story of Jesus and Nicodemus.
Nicodemus wanted to know how to attain eternal life. Jesus was able to answer the question by his
prophecy of him dying on the cross. And John, after narrating this story of Jesus and Nicodemus, wrote
John 3:16.

John concludes the story with his own words and explains that God so loved the world that's why He
gave His one and only Son so that we could have eternal life if we believe. When it said there that "God
so loved the world", it didn't mean the things of this world. It meant its people. That includes me, you,
everyone. And it didn't just say "God loved." It said "God so loved." God loves you and me very much.
And the proof is this: "that He gave His one and only Son." To prove to us how much He loved us, He
gave up His one and only Son. His son, Jesus, was very precious to God. Jesus may well be the most
precious possession of God. And He gave up even Jesus just so He could have us. Just so we could have
eternal life and be where God is, God gave His one and only son, His most precious possession because
He loves us so much. But the promise of eternal life is only for those who will believe. Those who do not
believe in Jesus will not have eternal life and Jesus Christ's death on the cross for them will mean
nothing.

Application:

As believers, a Christian who understands and believes in Jesus' finished work on the cross, you and I
have the responsibility to share Jesus Christ to others. If they don't know of how much God loves them
(God so loved you), what God did for them (gave up His one and only Son), and why God did what He did
(that anyone who believes in Jesus may have eternal life), Jesus' death on the cross will mean nothing to
them. Don't let Jesus Christ's death on the cross go to waste. He suffered so much just so He could get
you and those around you to heaven. Share the gospel with someone this week. At least one person.