Martin Luther (1483–1546) on John 3:16–21

Gospel for Pentecost Monday
John 3:16–21¹

1. This is one of the best and most glorious Gospel readings, characteristic of St. John’s writing, so that it would be worthy of being written in golden letters, not on paper but on the heart, if it could be. It really should be the daily reading and meditation of every Christian in his prayers, in order to intercede for himself, to strengthen his faith, and to awaken his heart to invocation. These are words which can make the sorrowful cheerful and the dead alive, if only the heart firmly believes them.

2. However, it also teaches about the true chief article of all Christian doctrine, which is the glory and freedom of Christians, through which sin, Law, God’s wrath, death, and hell are removed from them and abolished in Christ. Moreover, all human wisdom, righteousness, and holiness are annulled as far as God’s kingdom is concerned. Because He says, “Whoever believes in God’s Son will not be lost, but have eternal life” [John 3:16], death, the devil, and the fright of the Law must be gone, and our merit and worthiness must add nothing. So the very great, eternal, divine treasure that we shall have is set before us: that we will be without fear and fright before the frightful judgment and damnation which came over human nature through Adam’s fall, and instead have redemption, victory over it, and every good. However, this is also offered, given, and presented to us out of pure grace, so that it can be received in no other way than through faith.

3. He paints this grace and gift in Christ with brief and yet very excellent and rich words in order to magnify it and make it comforting in every circumstance. Everything at every point—the Giver, the recipient, the gift, the fruit, and its benefits—is so unspeakably great that it is only hard to believe because of its greatness.

4. However, before we look at that, we want first to hear the reason why Christ says this. It is given by the words He speaks: “So that whoever believes in Him will not perish” [John 3:16], etc. In this way, He wants to show the world the misery and need in which it is stuck, namely, that this is how it is: it is altogether lost, and would have to remain eternally lost, if Christ had not come with this preaching. All its wisdom, skill, teaching, law, free will, and everything it does and undertakes according to this teaching would not help at all. All of this is and remains lost with it. From its birth it is in nothing but sin, under God’s wrath, in the devil’s kingdom and the power of death, and cannot help or free itself from it. It is even so blinded and hardened that it would not even know or feel this misery if it was not revealed to it through the Word.

5. Christ teaches this further and with more words in the sermon He gave to Nicodemus shortly before this text [John 3:11–15], in which He tells him simply and clearly that together with all the Jews of his kind, who had the Law and applied themselves with great diligence to works and external worship (the best in the world at that time), he could not come into heaven or see God’s kingdom.² All of that life and work is still only human; still in the old birth from Adam it is nothing but flesh without spirit, that is, without true understanding and knowledge of the divine will and without true, sincere obedience to God. In short, it cannot turn itself to God, but is completely turned away from God. That is why he cannot be freed from sin, God’s wrath, and eternal death through the Law.

Therefore, if man is to see God’s kingdom, then there must be a new birth and a completely different nature, not like the old one from the flesh, but from the Spirit and completely spiritual. For that they need a different word and sermon than they heard previously and learned from the Law and a different power than human ability.

6. “But,” He says, “if we are to become different people, this must happen in such a way that we are first redeemed from the harm of the old birth, that is, freed from sin and death. However, because we still have flesh and blood and live on earth, the old birth always still remains and cannot be or act differently than it is by nature. Even if [the old birth] is put to death, when he dies, the man must still be damned because of it. No human being can make atonement and take away the wrath and damnation against it, and so no one can come to heaven or to God, as He also says, “No one goes to heaven except the one who came from heaven” [John 3:13], etc.

Therefore, a different plan had to be found. It could happen in no other way than through a person who [came] from heaven full of righteousness, innocence, and life, most highly pleasing and acceptable to God. Such a one would have to bring that [perfection] down to the human nature, which had sin and damnation from its birth, so that it could obtain reconciliation from God and redemption from eternal death. Thus it could turn to God, begin truly to know, love, and obey Him, and thus have the beginning of the new birth, until through death it would be completely cleansed of the remaining uncleanness of the old man, and then live eternally without sin.

7. This wrath of God against sin is so great and severe that no creature can interpose to make satisfaction or achieve reconciliation. The damnation is so severe and eternal that not even an angel was powerful enough to annul [the damnation] and instead restore and give life. Rather, the one person, God’s Son Himself, had to take on Himself sin, God’s wrath, and death, under which human nature lay, and become the sacrifice for it. Christ Himself says about this, right before this Gospel reading, that “the Son of Man must be lifted up (just as the serpent was hung up by Moses in the wilderness), so that all who believe in Him will not be lost” [John 3:14–15]. Here, however, He adds the reason which convinced God that this had to happen, saying:

“God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him would not be lost, but have eternal life.” [John 3:16]

8. With these words He leads us directly up into the Father’s heart so that we would see and know that this is the high, wonderful plan of God, decreed from eternity: that we would be helped through this Son. This also had to be fulfilled in this way to establish God’s truth, since He had promised it previously in Scripture. From this we should plainly see and know that God does not intend to throw us away and condemn us because of our sins. Rather, when we are frightened of God’s wrath because of our sins, He wants us to consider this eternal, divine will and fervently believe that we obtain God’s eternal grace and eternal life for the sake of this Savior and Mediator.

9. Let us look at what kind of rich, comforting words these are which present to us, in every circumstance and all kinds of ways, this great, excellent work of God and His inexpressible treasure, which is offered and given to us here. First, the person of the Giver is not a man, an emperor, or a king, or even an angel, but the high, eternal Majesty, God Himself, compared to whom all people—no matter how rich, powerful, and great they are—are nothing but dust and ashes (Isaiah 40 [:6–7]). What more can we say about Him? He is incomprehensible, immeasurable, inexhaustible.

10. He is no longer a driver who only demands from us and, as Moses calls Him, a consuming and “devouring fire” [Deut. 4:24; 9:3], but a rich, gushing, eternal fountain of all grace and gifts. He really should be called the true Giver.³ What are all emperors and kings with their gifts, gold, silver, land, and people compared to Him? Here our hearts should swell and grow with desiring, wishing, and expecting what this Lord and God will give. It must certainly be something great and excellent, suitable for this high Majesty and rich Lord. Everything in heaven and on earth must be small and insignificant compared to this Giver and His gifts.

11. Second, what is the reason for His giving, and what moves Him to do this? It is nothing other than pure, inexpressible love. He does not give out of debt or obligation or because someone had asked or entreated for this. Rather, He is moved by His own goodness as a Lord who gladly gives, whose desire and joy is to give completely free of charge, without anyone seeking it.

12. Just as there is no greater giver than God, so there is no greater virtue (either in God or man) than love. We pawn and spend everything, even body and life, for what we love. In comparison, patience, humility, and all other virtues are nothing or are included in this one, which is everything. When I love someone, I certainly will not be angry with him nor wrong him nor quarrel with him nor be insufferable toward him, but I will be ready to serve, aid, and help him wherever I see that he needs me. In summary, he has me with my body, goods, and all my possessions.

13. Therefore, here again our hearts should grow and become big against all sorrow, because such riches of the boundless love of God are set before us. He gives them in such a way that they flow from the fatherly heart, and thus gush up from the highest virtue, which is the fountain of all goodness. This makes the gift valuable and precious, just as the proverb praises the person who regards an insignificant gift as valuable and says, “It comes from a loving hand.”⁴ Where there is love and friendship, one does not look so much at the gift as at the heart, which brings great importance to the gift. If God had given me only one eye, hand, or foot, and I knew that He did this out of fatherly love, it would be much dearer to me than many thousand worlds. When He gives us the dear Baptism, His Word, Absolution, and the Sacrament, they should be our daily paradise and kingdom of heaven, not with regard to the gift’s appearance, which is not great before the world, but because of the great love from which it was given.

14. Third, look at the gift itself. Without a doubt, it must be something excellent and inexpressibly great which such a rich Giver gives us⁵ out of sincere, great love. What does He give? Not great kingdoms, not one or more worlds full of silver and gold, not heaven and earth with all that is in them, not the entire creation, but His Son, who is as great as He Himself is. This is an eternal, incomprehensible gift (just as the Giver and His love are also incomprehensible). It is the fountain and source of all grace, goodness, and kindness—yes, the possessions and property of the eternal goods and treasures of God. This is a love not with words but with deeds and in the highest degree, proven with the most precious benefit and work that God Himself has and can do.

15. What more should or can He do and give? Because He gives the Son, what does He retain that He is not giving? By doing this, He even gives Himself completely, as Paul says, “If He did not spare His only-begotten Son, how shall He not with Him have given us all things?” (Romans 8 [:32]). Obviously, everything must have been given with this one who is His only-begotten, dearest Son, the Heir and Lord of all creation; and all creatures must have been subject to us: angels, devils, death, life, heaven and earth, sin, righteousness, the present and the future, as again St. Paul says, “All are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3 [:22–23]), for in this Son it is all and all.

16. Fourth, how and in what way is the Son given? Look at what He does and suffers! For our sake He becomes a man under the Law, that is, under God’s wrath (on account of our sins), and was put to death, even the most disgraceful death—lifted up on the wood and hanging in the air, condemned (as Christ says just before this [John 3:14]). He had to take on Himself the devil’s and all of hell’s rage and fury and contend with them. That means that He was offered up in the highest way. Nevertheless, He did all this in such a way that He tramples underfoot the devil, sin, death, and hell; He rules over them through His resurrection and ascension; He gives us all this to be our own, so that we have both Him and all that He did. He gives all of this in such a way that He does not count the gift as a reward or merit—nor is it loaned, borrowed, or to be repaid—but it is freely given and granted out of purely tender grace. The receiver should and can do nothing more than open his hand and hold it out and accept whatever is given to him by God—which he certainly needs—with love and thanksgiving.

17. Fifth, the receiver, to whom this is given, is also depicted here. He is, in a word, the “world.” This is, first, a strange and unusual loving and giving. This is a very strange antitype: the one loved compared to the one loving. How does this love of God for the world make sense? What does He find in it that causes Him to pour Himself out so much for it? If it were said that He loved the angels, they at least are glorious, noble creatures, worthy of love. But what, on the other hand,⁶ is the world other than a great mass of people who do not fear, trust, or love, praise or thank God, who misuse all creatures, slander His name, and despise His Word? Moreover, they are disobedient, murderers, adulterers, thieves, scoundrels, liars, betrayers, full of unfaithfulness and all evil tricks. In short, they are transgressors of all commandments, insubordinate and refractory in every point, adhering to God’s enemy, the devil.

To this tender, sweet fruit, this dear and beautiful bride and daughter, He gives His dear Son and with Him everything. Yet He would have more than enough reason (if He only heard “the world” mentioned) instantly to smash her altogether to powder with His thunder and lightning and throw her into the abyss of hell. The word “world” sounds exceedingly shameful before God, and they are very rarely put together. “God loves the world” sounds like two highly contradictory things, almost as if someone said, “God loves death and hell and is the friend of His bitter, eternal enemy, the accursed devil.”

18. This love is demonstrated beyond measure, and the gift is made inexpressibly great, when we compare both the Giver and the one to whom it is given. God pours out His heart so very much toward the unlovely, hostile figure, whom He really should abandon to only wrath, vengeance, and damnation. He pays no attention to the fact that the world is so full of despising God, slander, disobedience, and utter ingratitude for all the gifts He previously bestowed on it, but swallows at once all its vices and sins. Even if the Giver were so great and full of goodness, the great wickedness and vices of the world, which are excessive and innumerable and great, ought to stop and restrain Him. What man can even count and sufficiently weigh his own sin and disobedience? Yet this great love overcomes Him so that He takes away from it each and every sin and transgression, so that they are forgotten eternally, dead, and gone, and instead He grants His Son and everything with Him.

19. Thus this article, for which St. Paul and the doctrine of faith contend, is sufficiently and undeniably proven and attested, namely, that we have the forgiveness of sins and eternal life without any of our merit and worthiness (gratis), out of pure grace, only for the sake of His beloved Son, in whom God has loved us so highly that this love takes away and blots out all our sins and the world’s sins. With us there is nothing but sin, for which He gives us His love and forgiveness. The prophet Isaiah (chapter 40 [:2]) says how the Gospel will be preached: “Her sin is forgiven, and she has received double from the hand of the Lord for all her sins.”

20. Thus this gift and grace is much greater, more boundless, and mightier than all sins on earth, so that the unworthiness of any man and of all of them together—even the deserved eternal wrath and damnation—cannot be so great that the greatness of this love and grace or forgiveness does not outweigh and even inundate them in height, depth, breadth, and width [Eph. 3:18], as St. Paul says, “Grace abounds more than sin” (Romans 5 [:20]). Psalm 103 [:11] says, “As high as the heaven is above the earth,” so far He takes all our sins away from us. What else can it be than the forgiveness of sin when He loves the world, while it is still stuck in all its sins, abominations, and slander? If He can love the world, which is His enemy and slanderer, in such a way and to such an extent that He gives Himself for it, how, then, can He be angry with you (if you seek and desire grace) or not want to forgive your sins?

21. What heart would not cheerfully expect all good from Him when He shows such love that He sent His dear Son to the evil, damnable people (that is, the whole world, which is all people), who never did anything good, but every hour acted against His Commandments? First of all, they should [not] have such great love and unspeakable good as a reward. What did I do and live previously in my life in the monastery, when I crucified Christ daily for fifteen years and practiced all idolatry! And besides all that with which I so highly angered Him, He loved me in such a way that He forgets all my evil and reveals to me His Son and Himself with all grace. This can truly be called an incredible richness of boundless love.

22. Lord God, how can the world not take to heart such excellent, great things? Should we not all be happy at heart here? We have lived to see the time when we can hear such things, love and praise this God, and in thanks not only gladly serve Him but also gladly suffer everything. Should we not even laugh if we have to die for the sake of His Word and obedience, and let this maggot sack⁷ be put to death through fire, sword, and all torment? However, thanks to the shameful, abominable unbelief and the great, blind darkness (about which Christ Himself later complains)—with which hearts are possessed—they are so obstinate and dead that we can hear such things and yet not believe!

23. Sixth, we next have the causa finalis,⁸ [that is,] why and to what purpose He does all this, and what His intention is. He obviously gives it not so that I can have something to eat and drink from it, or some ordinary worldly benefit, riches, honor, or power. Similarly, He does not want to give it as harm or poison, just as He has not given His Word, Baptism, and the Sacrament as poison, but so that we should have the highest, best benefit from it. He gives them for the purpose (He says) “that man would not be lost, but have eternal life” [John 3:16]. What this means is not that I would get many golden crowns and kingdoms from it, and yet still have to remain in sin and death, but that I would be free from hell and death and not lost eternally. What this gift will effect is that hell is obliterated for me, the devil is thrown under my feet, and thus my frightened, distressed, deadened heart becomes a cheerful, living heart; and, in summary, that I have eternal, imperishable life instead of eternal destruction and death.

24. This must certainly follow such an excellently high gift, when the Son of God is rightly known and grasped with the heart. Where He is, there must also be everything good, conquest over all evil and redemption from it, eternal freedom, glory, and joy—not, however, deserved by us. Rather, we are delivered by the great, eternal love with which God has mercy on our misery and distress and gave His Son. Otherwise, we would have to be and remain lost forever, irrespective of all our holiness from works and worship, and could never obtain eternal life.

25. Whoever can enlarge his heart has enough reason here to do so. What thing more glorious and better could you wish to say to a heart than that eternal life has been given and presented to it, so that death will never again be seen, and there will be no want, need, sorrow, and temptation forever? Rather, it will feel only joy and the full riches of all treasures, and be certain that we have a gracious God and that all creatures cheerfully smile on us. It can easily be seen from this that God does not have in mind or intend to slay and trouble the people, as the devil portrays it to timid hearts through the Law and by showing them their unworthiness. Rather, He wants to give life, the life that is called “eternal life” and “joy.” He gives His own Son as a pledge and token of this. He certainly would not do that if He did not love us but wanted to be angry and condemn us.

26. This and similar glorious and comforting passages should really be worth more to a Christian than the treasures of all the world, for they are the kind of words that no one can thoroughly investigate or exhaust. Yes, if they are rightly believed, they would make a good theologian or, even more, a strong, cheerful Christian who can speak and teach rightly about Christ, judge all other doctrines, advise and comfort anyone, and suffer everything that comes his way.

27. However, we must pray that the Holy Spirit would impress this on our hearts, and we must daily think this over, so that we fall asleep and wake up with these words. Now, however, as we regard them, so they take root, so that they cannot produce the fruit they should. Rather, we must bewail the world’s ingratitude, which lets [these words] pass by ears and hearts, while it seeks perishable goods, honor, and glory. As a result, it loses this eternal treasure, for which it must condemn and curse itself in hell forever.

28. Seventh and last, what is the way by which we are to grasp this treasure and gift, or what is the bag or chest in which we are to put it? It is faith alone (as Christ says here, “So that all who believe in Him will not be lost” [John 3:16], etc.). Faith opens its hands and pocket and simply lets good be done to it. Just as God, the Giver, grants this through His love, so we are the receivers through faith, which does nothing except receive the gift. It is not our doing, and it cannot be merited through our works. It has already been given and offered, but you are to open your mouth—or, rather, your heart—keep quiet, and be filled [cf. Ps. 81:10]. This can happen in no other way than by believing these words, since you hear that He requires faith here, which ascribes this treasure completely to it.

29. Here you also see what faith is and means: it is not a mere empty thought about Christ, that He was born of the Virgin, suffered, was crucified, rose, and ascended into heaven. Rather, faith is a heart that includes and contains the Son of God in itself, as these words read, and holds with certainty that God has offered up His only-begotten Son for us and loved us so much that for His sake we shall not be lost but have eternal life.

That is why He plainly says “all who believe in Him” [John 3:16]. This is a faith that does not look at its works, nor at the strength and worthiness of its faith, nor at what kind of qualitas—a created or infused virtue—lies in its heart, about which the blind sophists dream and delude themselves. Rather, apart from itself it clings to Christ and includes Him as its own, certain that it is loved by God for His sake, not because of its own works, worthiness, or merit; for all of that is not the treasure given by God, which is Christ, God’s Son, in whom we are to believe.

30. What other benefit would there be in the present or gift—which is faith itself—if it were nothing more than an unused tool and if people did not look at it and take comfort from what it grasps and contains? This alone is what makes it precious, so that people can say, “Faith may be a small and insignificant monstrance or box, but in it there is a gem, pearl, or emerald so precious that heaven and earth cannot contain it.”

31. Therefore, we teach from Scripture that we are justified and please God through faith alone, because it alone grasps and contains this treasure, the Son of God. If I weigh and compare this gift and my works with each other, then the scales are greatly tipped and overflow, so that all people’s holiness is nothing compared to a drop of the blood that He offered up and poured out for us, to say nothing about all that He has done and suffered. Therefore, I cannot at all rely on my own virtue or worthiness.

32. Why would we want to boast anymore about our deeds when we hear that our situation is such that we would altogether have to be lost forever, if this treasure had not been offered up for us? This takes the glory away not only from all human works but also from the entire Law of God, so that, even if someone has all of it and does it according to his ability, he still has not reached the point that he will not be lost. Otherwise, what other need would there be for these words: “so that all who believe in Him will not be lost,” etc.? Thus He shows that neither Moses nor the holiness of all people can redeem them from death or give life. It all depends only on this one Son of God.

33. Now you see what great and excellent things are combined in this passage. The Giver, who is so great and mighty, the Creator of all creatures, not only says, “Good morning,” or kindly smiles at us, but loves us—and loves us so heartily that He gives us not only a beggar’s portion of perishable goods but also His highest, dearest treasure, His Son, who is also Lord of heaven and earth. He shows this love not to His friends, but to those who are His enemies, and no creature (with the exception of the devil himself) is less worthy of that love. Thus He offers Himself up for them so that they are snatched out of death and hell and made certain of eternal life. What greater and higher thing could be said or thought, in every point?

34. No matter how great and inexpressible all of this is, it is in comparison much greater and more amazing that a human heart can believe all of this. It must be a heart that can grasp more than heaven and earth can contain. We must see what an excellent, divine power and work faith is. It can do what is impossible for nature and all the world and is no less miraculous than all God’s miracles and works, even greater than that God became man, born of a virgin (as St. Bernard says).⁹ The greatness of the things we are hearing about are too wide and far from each other to be compared, namely, the love of Him who gives and of Him who is given, and the unworthiness of the one given to. Everything is so very large, and the human heart is so very small, narrow, and weak that it must be startled and frightened at such greatness.

35. If it was said to me that God had endowed me above all people such that I should live on earth several thousand years, have peace and prosperity, and all that my heart desires, then I would say: “That cannot be God’s Word! It is too much and too great. Who am I that God should give me such things?” How much less does it enter the human heart that God should give this treasure, His Son, and with Him eternal life and salvation? Who can express how great it is? How precious and noble this merely bodily life is! Who would give it up for all the kingdoms, money, and goods on earth? But compared to eternal life and treasures, it is much less than a moment. In summary, it cannot be imagined, unless we might take away a little from it and so consider by comparison the harm and misery which is called “being lost forever.”

36. Nevertheless, a Christian must reach the point that he does God and the Lord Christ the honor of believing that His Word is the truth and of regarding his own unbelief as a liar. Where this happens, the Holy Spirit has already begun His power and work of faith, and the heart is so wide open that it can take hold of this treasure, which is greater than heaven and earth. Even so, this happens in great weakness, and on earth it can never attain to perceiving faith as it should, but it always remains in the longing and sighing of the Spirit, which is also inexpressible for man himself, so that his heart says: “If only that were true!” and “Who could believe it?” etc.

37. Nevertheless, this sighing and spark of faith does so much that God counts it as complete faith and says, “As you believe, so may it be to you.” Because you believe this, you will surely be saved, for this Word is a power and might stronger than all fright of sin and damnation. This gift is so great that it swallows sin, death, and hell, just as when a little drop of water falls into a glowing oven or when a little spark on a straw falls into the deep ocean. If only the heart could remember these words in temptation, then no devil or hell could frighten it, and it would cheerfully have to say: “Of what will I be afraid? I have God’s Son, given to me by the Father. Of this He gives me the Word as witness, which I know is His Word. It will not lie to me, as little as He can lie and deceive, even though I, unfortunately, cannot believe strongly enough.”

38. “Yes,” you say, “I would gladly believe if I were like St. Peter, Paul, and others who are righteous and holy, but I am too great a sinner. Who knows whether I am elect?” Answer: Look at the words! Look at how and about whom He is speaking: “God so loved the world” and “so that all who believe in Him” [John 3:16]. Now, “the world” does not mean only St. Peter and Paul, but the entire human race together, and here no one is excluded. God’s Son was given for all, all are to believe this, and all who believe will not be lost, etc. Look at yourself in the face,¹⁰ or look in your bosom,¹¹ to see whether or not you are also a human being (that is, a part of the world) and in the number which the word “all” includes, as well as others. If I and you do not accept this, then these words must also have been spoken falsely and in vain.

39. This was surely not preached—much less given and granted—to cows and geese. Therefore, beware of excluding yourself by permitting thoughts such as: “Who knows whether it has also been given to me?” That would be calling God a liar in His Word. Rather, make a cross before yourself and repeat these words: “Even if I am not St. Peter or Paul, I am still a part of the world. If He had wanted to give it only to the worthy, then He would have had to send this preaching only to the angels, who are pure and without sin. Yes, He would even have had to withhold it from St. Peter, David, and Paul, for they were sinners as well as I am. No matter who I am, I know that God’s Word is true, and if I do not accept it, then, on top of all other sins, I am also committing this one, that I regard God’s Word and truth as lies and am slandering them.”

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.” [John 3:17]

40. In these words you hear even more forcibly and clearly what God’s will and intention is toward the world, that is, toward those who have sin and because of it are already under the judgment and verdict of damnation. He takes out of the way everything that wants to frighten us because of sins. He says simply and clearly that Christ was sent and His kingdom was established not so that He would condemn and damn. This judgment and verdict were already there over all people through the Law, because they are all born in sin, are already sentenced to death and the hangman with his rope, and the only thing lacking is for the sword to be drawn. Then Christ steps into the middle at God’s command, orders judge and jailer to leave off, and rescues and makes alive those who were condemned. The reason He comes is to help the world, which He finds already damned. This is shown also by the words He speaks—“in order to save the world”—for that is enough for us to understand that the world must have been damned. Why else does it need to be saved?

41. However, at that time this was an utterly absurd preaching to the Jews, and it is still an utterly absurd preaching to the world. They did not at all think that they were in such a condition that Christ had to come and save them (as damned and lost people). Rather, they hoped for a Christ who would praise, defend, and honor them because of their Law and holiness. Therefore, they could not believe or accept such a sermon. Similarly, when He tells them that the Son of God must set them free, they contradict Him: “But we are Abraham’s children and have never been enslaved to anyone” (John 8 [:33]). It was as if they would respond here: “Why do You dare to say that You were sent to save us? We are not damned people like the heathen.”

42. However, now we hear that Christ was sent to save those who are judged and condemned, so that we would know that He has come for our sake and wants to save us, who know and feel this. There must still be some who are being saved, so that He has not come in vain. Those can be no others than those who are oppressed and frightened by their misery and damnation. To them the kind words are spoken: “God so loved the world” [John 3:16], that is, just those who feel no love, but only wrath and damnation. “God has sent His Son not to judge, but to save those who are already judged,” etc. [John 3:17–18]. This is preached to the others in vain, since if someone does not believe that he is a sinner and damned, he will much less believe that he is saved only through Christ.

“Whoever believes in Him is not judged, but whoever does not believe has already been judged, for he does not believe on the name of the only-begotten Son of God.” [John 3:18]

43. This is the verdict that makes the distinction between those who are saved or damned. It does not depend on how worthy or unworthy you are, for it has already been determined that they are all sinners and worthy of damnation. Rather, it depends on whether you believe in this Christ or not. If you believe, then you have already been delivered, and the verdict of damnation has been taken away from you. However, if you do not believe, then this verdict remains over you, and it becomes even greater and weightier than before, because you are heaping up sins by not accepting Christ, who is to deliver you from judgment and damnation.

44. This is again a comforting passage against the temptation and fright of timid consciences which sigh for comfort and want to know how they stand with God. They should take these passages to their ears and heart, for they are spoken to them so that they would know that God has sent His Son not to judge but to save. It has already been determined before God that whoever believes in this Son will not be judged and need not be afraid of any judgment or damnation. Rather, he has been set free, so that the verdict and damnation of the Law has been taken away from him, and, in place of them, God’s grace and eternal life in Christ have been awarded and given to him, if only he believes these words.

45. On the other hand, a frightful verdict has fallen on the other crowd of those who do not believe this preaching but attempt to come before God and be saved with their own holiness and merit. With these words all grace is simply denied and refused to them, and they are locked up under damnation, from which they will not come out as long as they do not believe. Nothing will help them, even if they live in many great and difficult works and the excellent appearance of holiness. They did not just now become condemned by Christ but were already previously judged by God’s Law, because they did not acknowledge their sins and God’s wrath under which they were by nature. They even want to make themselves beautiful and righteous before God through His Law, and, moreover, they run against Him with the sin of despising the Son of God, who was given for their reconciliation and redemption from sin. That is why eternal wrath and curse must follow them, because they do not seek forgiveness of their sins in Christ but pile up and strengthen their sins by despising Him. This is just what John the Baptist says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not believe the Son will not see life, but God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3 [:36]).

46. Christ gives the reason for this: “For he does not believe,” He says, “on the name of the only-begotten Son of God” [John 3:18]. Because they are all already previously under sin and guilty of damnation, God wants to liberate and accept no one, except for the sake of this Son, whom He gave and appointed for reconciliation.¹² That is why it should say “believed on the name of the only-begotten Son of God,” that is, on the Word that is preached about Him. Faith cannot see or touch and perceive with the senses what He gives us, but it has no more than the name spoken over Him and the oral Word that we hear with our ears.

He wants to have us pinned and bound to this [Word], so that in faith we escape the judgment and are saved. The others, however, are justly damned, not because they have had sin, but because they despised the Son and did not want to believe in this name, which was proclaimed to them for salvation and blessedness. All creatures, sin, and death should and must yield to this name (wherever it is preached and believed); the devil and all the gates of hell must be frightened and flee from it.¹³

“But the judgment is that the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness more than the light, for their works were evil.” [John 3:19]

47. This is where the strife about this name and preaching of Christ begins, and the verdict of damnation becomes evident against the unbelieving crowd, because they do not accept this preaching. Rather, they do the opposite against God and simply cling to their own arrogant opinions against God’s clear Word and revelation of His will. This can be nothing but darkness, because it is contrary to the light of His Word, which shines openly in all the world. It shines on believers for the knowledge of God and salvation, but on the others for the disclosure and revelation of their thoughts (as the aged Simeon prophesies about Christ, Luke 2 [:35]), so that they cannot pretend and adorn themselves with the false appearance of holiness before the world, but rather [are shown to be] evil, poisonous worms, and pernicious and accursed people.

48. From this contrast to what Christ said above, we can find what the world is—I mean the tender, good, holy hypocrites and great servants of God. They are people who are not only in darkness—that is, in error and folly (which could still be forgiven)—but they love the [world]. That is, they want to praise, support, and cling to it, to the harm and displeasure of God and His Word. They are so crooked and irascible that, in place of the high, divine love and gift offered and given to such unworthy people, they most bitterly hate both God who gives and the high and costly gift, His dear Son. Yet these are obviously praiseworthy, righteous children, who cannot listen to or tolerate the truth and hate and run away from their own salvation.

49. What should we say about this wickedness of the world? Who could believe that on earth there could be people so wicked and completely full of devils that even when they see and hear the light from the inexpressible love and kindness of God, who wants to give them eternal life through His Son, nevertheless they do not want and cannot tolerate such preaching? Instead, they regard it as the most harmful poison and heresy, against which everyone should close his ears. Yes, even when the light is so obvious that they cannot speak against it, but must confess that it is the truth, yet they are so bitterly wicked that they cannot and will not accept it, but knowingly oppose it.¹⁴

No human heart would have been able to believe this (I say) if Christ had not said it. Indeed, no one would understand these words if facts and experience did not teach and testify about it. It can certainly be called a cursed, hellish wickedness which not only cares nothing for God’s Word, despises His love and grace, and does not want to give honor to the truth but also knowingly loves and seeks its own destruction and damnation. St. Paul says that his Jews do not regard themselves worthy of eternal life (Acts 13 [:46]).

50. People who are called God’s people, the most holy and righteous before the world, full of good works and great worship of God, must do these things. They are careful not to allow anyone to call their life and works evil (as Christ does here). Rather, while the Holy Spirit wants to point out their sins and direct them to Christ, through whom they should be redeemed and saved from sin and damnation, they go ahead and accuse this doctrine of forbidding and condemning good works, and therefore they say it must not be tolerated.

So God with His Word must bear the blame for their wickedness, even though He rebukes this and wants to bring them to a genuinely divine, blessed life. Well, He has done enough for the world, everything He should do, in letting His light shine, offering and declaring His love and eternal life in Christ. What more can they now plead for why they should not justly, even according to their own verdict and for their own guilt, be damned?

“Whoever does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be rebuked. But whoever does the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be obvious, for they have been done in God.” [John 3:20–21]

51. That their works are evil is proved because they hate the light and do not want to tolerate being placed openly in the light for judgment, by which people could know if they are genuine or not. Rather, they seek only the appearance before people outwardly. The world also acts this way in its affairs (and therefore Christ cites this proverb), that everyone arbitrarily does whatever he desires, and yet does not want what he did to be wrong, but wants to avoid criticism and be considered good by everyone. Even when he has gone too far in front of people, he seeks a cover somewhere to explain it away. That is why we cannot condemn anyone unless he is publicly convicted. When each one comes to judgment, he wants to be right and to make his opponent wrong; therefore, in order to learn the truth, we must bring things to light through public testimony and proof.

52. In itself, it is enough of a sign that things are not right when people refuse to be rebuked and are afraid and resist coming publicly into the light or tolerating a verdict and justice. This is like someone who lies naked under a bed, resists, tears, and rages before letting the blanket be taken away. He wriggles, struggles, and devises whatever he can to avoid being seen in such a shameless way. Every scoundrel, murderer, and adulterer, no matter how evil he is, even if he must condemn himself in his own conscience, nevertheless wants to be considered a man of honor. Much less can the world tolerate being rebuked in the things that reason cannot judge or fault and where the devil adorns and covers himself with the most beautiful conduct and appearance. Everyone who does evil wants to be good, pure, and holy, and just for that reason he persecutes the Gospel, because it wants to rebuke this. God must continue with His light so that the kind of fruit it is finally must become obvious. It becomes obvious when they, without any reason, persecute Christ, who wants to deliver them and all the world; when they slander and push away God’s Word, which brings them all grace and salvation; when they banish and murder good, innocent people, who confess the Word and love Christ.

53. It is also one of the fruits of the Gospel that it gives this light and rebukes or convicts the evil and exposes the devil, who formerly reigned with a great splendor so that no one recognized him, but regarded him to be God. Now, however, because his covering has been removed, he raves and rages so that we must notice and see that he is there. So this, too, must come to light: which is the true or false church, which are the true, righteous children of God or the devil’s hypocrites, liars, and murderers.

54. “But whoever does the truth,” He says, “comes to the light” [John 3:21], etc.; that is, it must become obvious who recognizes his sins from God’s Word, seeks grace, and loves Christ. Yes, he puts himself into the light, clings to God’s Word, honors the truth, and can tolerate having all his teaching, doing, and behavior brought to light. Moreover, he dares to defy all devils and people, and without subterfuge and timidity he lets himself be seen, heard, tested, and examined. God be praised, this is what our Gospel does and what good Christians do with their confession and lives! The others patch up and beautify themselves with lies and deceit and every evil trick, so that, even though they have been thwarted by the light, they learn from our teaching and words how to put cosmetics on what they do. Therefore, we see from their works and from revelation who is righteous and occupied with the truth and whose works are done in God, according to His Word and will, and are pleasing to Him.
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1 This sermon is found in WA 21:479–97 (Aland Po 246; Cruciger’s edition of the Summer Postil, 1544). See also E² 12:350–73; StL 11:1092–115, from which: Lenker 3:350–71. The textual basis for this sermon cannot be determined (cf. WA 22:xxiii).
2 See the Church Postil, sermon for Trinity Sunday on John 3:1–15, Lenker 3:421–54 (LW 78).
3 Gebhart. The name “Gebhart” is formed from the verb geben, “to give,” and, as Luther uses it, means one who delights to give (DWB, s.v. “Gebhart” 1). See Dietrich’s edition of the House Postil (1544), sermon for Pentecost Monday on John 3:16–21, paragraph 3 (WA 52:326.21–32; Loy 2:179 [LW 81]).
4 Cf. Wander 2:300, “Hand” no. 146; perhaps: “It comes from a good heart.”
5 Read uns with E2 12:355 instead of und (WA 21:483.23).
6 Read hie gegen (i.e., hiegegen) with E2 12:356 instead of sie gegen (WA 21:484.27).
7 That is, the body. See above, p. 99 n. 22.
8 See above, p. 167 n. 14.
9 See Bernard (1090–1153), Sermons on the Eve of the Lord’s Birth 3.7–10 (PL 183:97–100; Irene Edmonds, Wendy Mary Beckett, Conrad Greenia, trans., Sermons for Advent and the Christmas Season, ed. John Leinenweber [Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian, 2007], pp. 65–69). Bernard speaks of the three miracles of Christmas, to which Luther refers in a Christmas sermon from 1520 (WA 7:188–89). The three miracles are (1) that God and man become one thing, (2) that Mary was and remained a virgin, and (3) that a human can believe such things. Luther agrees with Bernard that while the third miracle is the easiest to believe, nevertheless “in it there is the real miracle, that the Virgin Mary believes that these things would happen in her. This is so great that we cannot be sufficiently astonished at it” (WA 7:189.4–7). Bernard speaks of the three miracles as three “unions”: “God and man,” “mother and virgin,” and “faith and the human heart” (Edmonds, Beckett, and Greenia, Sermons for Advent and the Christmas Season, p. 67).
10 Greiff dich doch selbs bey der Nasen, literally, “Get hold of your own nose.” The saying means: “Know yourself” (cf. DWB, s.v. “Nase” I.5.c).
11 Again, the saying means “Know yourself.” It is explained in Wander 1:519, “Busen” no. 7.
12 versönung, or “atonement.”
13 Here the sixteenth-century printings add the header “II.,” marking what follows as a separate section (WA 21:494).
14 See above, p. 9 n. 9.

Martin Luther, “Gospel for Pentecost Monday,” in Luther’s Works, ed. Benjamin T. G. Mayes, James L. Langebartels, and Christopher Boyd Brown (Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2014), 77:365–81. See also Martin Luther, “Pentecost Monday (Second Sermon. John 3:16–21),” in Luther’s Church Postil: Gospels: Pentecost or Missionary Sermons, ed. and trans. John Nicholas Lenker, vol. III, The Precious and Sacred Writings of Martin Luther (Minneapolis, MN: Lutherans in All Lands Co., 1907), 350–71.

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