Joh 3:36 | TNotes | STEP | 3:36 God gave the gift of eternal life , promising new life and intimacy in a present experience with God. • Those who reject the Son will not see life. The world in its darkness stands under God’s angry judgment (Rom 1–3 ). Thematic note: The World One of the most frequently used words in John is “world” (Greek kosmos ). In Greek-speaking Jewish thought, kosmos refers to the heavens and the earth as created by God (Gen 1 ; see also John 1:3 , 10 ; 17:5 , 24 ). John extends the concept to include the world of humanity (e.g., 1:10 ; 3:16 ). Although it was created as good, the human world is hostile to God (1:10-11 ; 3:19-20 ; 12:37-41 ). It is controlled by a darkness that cannot comprehend the light and, in fact, resists the light (3:19 ). The world is dead and needs life (6:33 , 51 ), yet it hates the one who can save it (7:7 ). The world is under the dominion of Satan (12:31 ), who will one day be judged. God loves the world of humanity, despite its hostility and rebellion against him. Jesus died to take away the sin of the world (1:29 ; 3:16-17 ; 1 Jn 2:2 ). But God’s love for the world he created stands alongside his necessary judgment of the world (John 3:18-21 , 36 ; 5:27-30 ; 12:47-48 ). Christ’s followers experience this same tension in their mission. We are called into the world to bring the message of God’s love, but we will experience conflict because the world will be hostile to our message (see 15:18-27 ; 17:13-26 ). Passages for Further Study Gen 6:11-12 ; Pss 2:1-6 ; 9:8 ; Isa 61:11 ; 66:16 ; Matt 5:14 ; 13:38-40 ; John 1:9-10 ; 3:16-19 ; 7:7 ; 8:12 ; 14:17-19 ; 15:18-19 ; 16:7-9 , 33 ; John 17:5-26 ; Acts 17:31 ; 1 Cor 1:20-28 ; 3:3 ; 6:2 ; 2 Cor 5:19 ; Eph 2:2 ; Col 2:20 ; Jas 4:4 ; 2 Pet 1:4 ; 2:20 ; 1 Jn 2:15-16 ; 4:3-5

3:36 ^a God gave the gift of eternal life, promising new life and intimacy in a present experience with God.

• Those who reject the Son will not see life. The world in its darkness stands under God’s angry judgment (Rom 1–3 ^b).

Thematic note: The World
One of the most frequently used words in John is “world” (Greek kosmos). In Greek-speaking Jewish thought, kosmos refers to the heavens and the earth as created by God (Gen 1 ^c; see also John 1:3 ^d, 10 ^e; 17:5 ^f, 24 ^g). John extends the concept to include the world of humanity (e.g., 1:10 ^h; 3:16 ⁱ).
Although it was created as good, the human world is hostile to God (1:10-11 ^j; 3:19-20 ^k; 12:37-41 ^l). It is controlled by a darkness that cannot comprehend the light and, in fact, resists the light (3:19 ^m). The world is dead and needs life (6:33 ⁿ, 51 ^o), yet it hates the one who can save it (7:7 ^p). The world is under the dominion of Satan (12:31 ^q), who will one day be judged.
God loves the world of humanity, despite its hostility and rebellion against him. Jesus died to take away the sin of the world (1:29 ^r; 3:16-17 ^s; 1 Jn 2:2 ^t). But God’s love for the world he created stands alongside his necessary judgment of the world (John 3:18-21 ^u, 36 ^v; 5:27-30 ^w; 12:47-48 ^x). Christ’s followers experience this same tension in their mission. We are called into the world to bring the message of God’s love, but we will experience conflict because the world will be hostile to our message (see 15:18-27 ^y; 17:13-26 ^z).

Passages for Further Study
Gen 6:11-12 ^aa; Pss 2:1-6 ^ab; 9:8 ^ac; Isa 61:11 ^ad; 66:16 ^ae; Matt 5:14 ^af; 13:38-40 ^ag; John 1:9-10 ^ah; 3:16-19 ^ai; 7:7 ^aj; 8:12 ^ak; 14:17-19 ^al; 15:18-19 ^am; 16:7-9 ^an, 33 ^ao; John 17:5-26 ^ap; Acts 17:31 ^aq; 1 Cor 1:20-28 ^ar; 3:3 ^as; 6:2 ^at; 2 Cor 5:19 ^au; Eph 2:2 ^av; Col 2:20 ^aw; Jas 4:4 ^ax; 2 Pet 1:4 ^ay; 2:20 ^az; 1 Jn 2:15-16 ^ba; 4:3-5 ^bb