The Whole Gospel, Please – A Reflection on a Popular Gospel Verse

The Gospel proclaimed on Wednesday of this week included the familiar John 3:16. So familiar is this verse, that many hold up signs or have bumper stickers that simply say, “John 3:16.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life (John 3:16).

It is indeed a beautiful verse, but I would argue that many use it inauthentically by pulling it out from its place within a longer passage. The fuller segment is John 3:16-21, which is as much a passage of warning as it is of consolation and assurance.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
Whoever believes in him will not be condemned,
but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,
because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.
And this is the verdict,
that the light came into the world,
but people preferred darkness to light,
because their works were evil.
For everyone who does wicked things hates the light
and does not come toward the light,
so that his works might not be exposed.
But whoever lives the truth comes to the light,
so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God (John 3:16-21).

This fuller context has somewhat of a different tone. It sets forth a great drama in which our lives are cast. It amounts to sober assessment of the obtuseness of many human hearts and of the urgent need for us to decide well in life.

Those who merely quote the first verse run the risk of presenting this text as a kind of a freewheeling assurance that all is well and that salvation is largely in the bag, that judgment and condemnation are not a significant factor since “God so loved the world.” And while the concept of faith is included in this first verse, without the larger context the tendency is to soft-pedal the need for repentance and for the obedience of faith. In so doing, the true drama and sober teaching of the fuller text are lost.

The longer passage fleshes the message out and has a balance that the shortened text does not. Here is what Jesus is in effect saying, expressed in more modern language:

As I live, I and my Father do not desire that any should die in their sins or be lost. I have not currently come as your judge but as your savior. I will come one day as the judge of all, but now is a time of grace and mercy extended to you.

But you need to know that you have a decision to make, a decision that will determine where you will spend eternity.

So please listen to me! Open the door to me and let me draw you to the obedience of faith and the beauty of holiness. If you do this, light will dawn for you, for I am the Light and your life will grow ever brighter.

But if you will not repent and come to a lifesaving obedience of faith, your heart will begin to despise me and the light of my glory. You will become accustomed to the darkness and begin to consider the Light (which I am) to be obnoxious, harsh, judgmental, and even cruel. Yes, you will begin to hate me, for I am the Light. You will prefer the darkness because you love your sins more.

Come to your senses and don’t let this happen. You have a decision to make: for the light or for the darkness, for me or for the prince of this world, Satan. Be sober and understand the dramatic choice before you. Your salvation depends on your choice to come to obedient faith in me or to reject me.

And know this: on the day of your judgment, the verdict will not be rendered by me so much as by you. For by then, you will either love the Light or hate it. And I will not force you to live in a light you detest. You will be free to go your own way. It will not be I who reject you. It will be you who reject me.

Be sober. Don’t let this happen. Don’t marginalize or ignore me. Don’t prefer the world and its twisted values and passing pleasures. Your sins will make you hate the light and prefer the darkness. You have a decision to make.

This message is much more complex than that contained in the popular, abbreviated text known as John 3:16. God’s mercy is offered, but the final verdict will center on whether or not we accept it. This message may be less consoling but it is true nonetheless, and only the truth can set us free.

There is a tendency by many to pull out certain verses and isolate them from their context and from the fuller message of the Gospel. The full and authentic Gospel echoes the opening call of the Lord Jesus: “Repent and believe the Good News.”

Are you sure that the doubters believe?

From the posters here, many do not believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Many posters can quote scripture without the full message.

The rest of the story (John 6:53-70)

Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. 54Whoever eats* my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day. 55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him.

57Just as the living Father sent me and I have life because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.b 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died, whoever eats this bread will live forever.” 59These things he said while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

The Words of Eternal Life.* 60Then many of his disciples who were listening said, “This saying is hard; who can accept it?” 61Since Jesus knew that his disciples were murmuring about this, he said to them, “Does this shock you?

62What if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?* 63It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh* is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64But there are some of you who do not believe.” Jesus knew from the beginning the ones who would not believe and the one who would betray him.c 65And he said, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by my Father.”

66As a result of this, many [of] his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. 67Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” 68Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.”d 70Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?”

God breathed, Holy Spirit inspired Scripture says, "Mary, mother of Jesus".

You can rail all you want about what you claim it means to say that and what someone who isn't playing your games means when they refuse to answer to you, but NOTHING can change the fact of what is written.

John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.

John 2:3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

Acts 1:14 All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.

The phrase *mother of God* is not found anywhere in Scripture.

The phrase "the mother of Jesus Christ Our Lord and God" is not found anywhere in Scripture.

Why do you keep adding to or changing GOD'S word? Is it not good enough for you? Do you think that you can improve on it?

2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Or is she the mother of the man Jesus?

So Jesus is a man in your book?

Then you are denying the divinity of Jesus by claiming that the title that the Holy Spirit gave Mary ways that Jesus was only a man.

Will you deny Him before man?

I am not denying Christ. He is my Lord and Savior. I have accepted Him as such and am trusting Him fully for my salvation.

YES! See it’s not about Mary, it’s about what you believe about Jesus Christ. Is Mary the mother of Jesus Christ Our Lord and God?

But the Catholic church makes it about Mary.

By removing the name of Jesus from HER identifier, it removes Jesus from the equation. There's no way that calling her *mother of God* would tell ANYONE unfamiliar with Christianity about the nature and character of Jesus because that title is about HER NOT Jesus.

There were several Mary's listed in Scripture and the Holy Spirit saw fit to identify her as *mother of Jesus*. To identify HER, not Jesus.

If you want to know about Jesus, you go to the Word.

If the Catholic church considers going to the Word and relying on it as heresy, then it condemns itself as heretical as well because it claims not only that it depends on the word, but that it WROTE the word. That it is the source of the word.

If depending on it solely or heavily is heresy, the taking credit for it's existence is also heresy.

And if you reject Scripture and dependence on it as heretical, then what's left? The early church fathers? The sinking sand of the opinions of men?

And yet, since they claim to be dependent on the Word as well, then you've just damned them as heretical.

So then what is Catholicism based on?

Consensus? Feelings? Word of mouth aka "sacred tradition"

If the unchanging written word is not good enough, then how is 2,000 years of playing telephone?

Now... there are Catholics (so called) who are out and out heretics as well in that they neither understand nor care to understand Who Jesus Christ is. But they have no excuse and they can be corrected by appeals to the CCC and the ecumenical councils of the Church.

Followers of men rather than God.

If you are putting the works and decisions of men about God's word, you are in really BIG trouble.

Whatever happened to believing the words of Jesus? HE said.....

John 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.

TRUTH.

It sanctifies us.

And you're calling it heretical?

I suppose it is heretical to Catholicism to disagree with it but Truth is Truth, and since Catholicism apparently doesn't depend on it or agree with it, then Catholicism is certainly NOT based on truth.

And you expect to get to heaven just how then, if you reject God and His word?

God tells us that .....

And Catholics come along and tell us that depending on it is heretical? It's not good enough? You need the opinions of men to put over it so you don't fall into the error of depending on what GOD has so richly provided us with?

I sure hope that you don't think that God is pleased with or impressed with that line of thinking.

63It is the spirit that gives life, while the flesh* is of no avail. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Blows the whole * must eat the literal flesh and blood of Jesus to have eternal life* interpretation out of the water.

Right there He says Himself the the SPIRIT gives life, the flesh is no help at all.

Eating the flesh is NOT going to help.

Don't you believe the words of Jesus?

And why ignore the whole Bible's worth of prohibition against eating blood?

In the OT sacrifices that foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus, the blood was NEVER to be eaten, and it is one of the few OT prohibitions reiterated to the church at the Council of Jerusalem.

Don't eat the blood, the life is in the blood

Genesis 9:4 But you shall not eat flesh with its life , that is, its blood.

Leviticus 3:17 It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations, in all your dwelling places, that you eat neither fat nor blood.”

Leviticus 7:26-27 Moreover, you shall eat no blood whatever, whether of fowl or of animal, in any of your dwelling places. Whoever eats any blood, that person shall be cut off from his people.”

Leviticus 17:10-14 “If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood.

“Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off.

Leviticus 19:26 “You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.

Deuteronomy 12:16 Only you shall not eat the blood ; you shall pour it out on the earth like water.

Deuteronomy 12:23 Only be sure that you do not eat the blood, for the blood is the life , and you shall not eat the life with the flesh.

Deuteronomy 15:23 Only you shall not eat its blood; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

Acts 15:12-29 And all the assembly fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first visited the Gentiles, to take from them a people for his name. And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written,

“‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the tent of David that has fallen; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, that the remnant of mankind may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by my name, says the Lord, who makes these things known from of old.’

Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood. For from ancient generations Moses has had in every city those who proclaim him, for he is read every Sabbath in the synagogues.”

Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole church, to choose men from among them and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brothers, with the following letter:

“The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

Matthew 26:29 I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Mark 14:25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Luke 22:18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

Jesus could not have broken the Law and could not have demanded that people break the Law by demanding that they eat blood.

Is Mary the mother of Jesus Christ Our Lord and God? Or is she the mother of the man Jesus? That’s where the nestorians got into trouble, they divided Christ into two persons in one body.

The Nestorians may have divided Jesus The Christ wrong, but I say you divide the Scriptures wrong.

Getting ready to carve up Gaul for his history narrative, Julius Caesar began with,"Omnia Gallia in tres partes divisa est." That is, all of Gaul was divided into three contiguous parts.

Similarly, from the view if the Cross experience, one might say, "Omnus Christus in quattuor partes divisa est."

At the Cross, the God-man Jesus was divided into four parts, each of which wound up in a different sphere:

(a) His spirit was yielded up into the Hands of The Father (Luke 23:46).

(b) His soul went to Paradise at that time (Luke 23:43)

(d) His incorruptible blood (1 Peter 1:18-19) containing life (Leviticus 17:11), together with built-up thoracic/pericardial edema fluids, poured out of His wounded body onto the ground (John 19:33-34).

Now, I ask you three questions:

(1) How much of the integrated person, body, soul, and spirit, was begotten of Mary, and how much was begotten of The Father; that is, of Him, how much was she the mother as a contributor to any part of Him?

(2) What form of Jesus' body do you insist is to be found in the "bread"? (a) His pre-death body; (b) His dead body in the tomb; or (c) His post-resurrection and ascended body He now inhabits.

(3) What do we do about His Blood, if we keep making more and more of it by converting ordinary wine (with a high percentage of alcohol for Catholics and Lutherans), since it is incorruptible, and ought to just keep building up and up and up, even though passing through the human digestive tract?

Take your time, and make sure you've got this all right with the published material in the Catechism, eh?

(And let me say, I don't have a problem about explaining any of it in a reasonable, scripturally-acceptable way. You first.)

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