"For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:17)

1. The greater the mercy of the Lord, the more severe will be His punishments for the stiff-necked. - God opened the doors of bounty to all people. - The Two Comings of Jesus Christ. - 2. Unbelievers are subject to condemnation - Who moves away from Jesus Christ. - Great sinners are people who are stubborn in their stubbornness, devoted to the vices that have seized them. - To be a Christian, you need to lead a good life with the observance of the purity of doctrine. - The reason for the deviation of the pagans from accepting the faith of Christ. - Pagan philosophers made virtue out of empty vanity. The love of vanity destroys people. - Vanity is more pernicious than all other vices. - In order to gain glory before people and glory that comes from God, you need to strive to achieve only the latter.

1. Many of the careless people, abusing the love of God for the multiplication of sins and greater negligence, say the following words: there is no hell, no torment; God forgives us all sins. Stopping the mouths of such people, a wise man says, "And do not say, 'His mercy is great, He will forgive the multitude of my sins;' And elsewhere, "as great is his mercy, so great is his rebuke" (Sirach 16:13). Where, someone will say, is His love for mankind, if we receive what follows our sins? But we will get what we deserve, listen to both the prophet and Paul. One says: "You render to each according to his deeds" (Psalm 61:13); and the other, "Who will render to each according to his deeds" (Rom. 2:6). Nevertheless, God’s love for mankind is great, and this is evident from this: God divided our destinies into two centuries of life, the present and the future, and, having determined the first for exploits, and the last for receiving crowns, thus showed great philanthropy. How? By the fact that, even though we have committed many grave sins and have not stopped defiling our soul with innumerable vices from youth to extreme old age, He does not torture us for any of these sins, but in the bath of resurrection grants forgiveness for them and grants justification and sanctification. But what will you say if one who has been granted the sacraments from childhood, after that falls into many sins? This one deserves even more punishment. For the same sins we are not subjected to the same condemnation, but much more severe when we sin after being sanctified by the sacraments. This is what Paul shows in the following words: “[If] he who has rejected the law of Moses, in the presence of two or three witnesses, without mercy [is punished] with death, then how severe the punishment, you think, will be the one who tramples on the Son of God and does not consider the blood as holy covenant with which he is sanctified, and grieves the Spirit of grace" (Heb. 10:28,29)? Such, therefore, is worthy of greater punishment.

However, even to such a person, God still opens the doors of repentance and provides many means to wash away his sins, if only he himself wants to. Think, then, how great are the proofs of His philanthropy, in the fact that He forgives (sins) by His grace, and does not punish the one who sinned after grace and deserved punishment, but gives time and means for justification. That is why Christ said to Nicodemus: "God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him." Two comings of Christ: one has already been, the other will be. But both have more than one purpose: the first was not for the torture of our deeds, but for remission; the second coming will not be for release, but for torment. Therefore, of the first advent, He says: "I came not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47); about the second: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory, and all nations will be gathered before Him; and he will separate one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and he will set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on His left" (Matthew 25:31-33). However, the first coming could be for judgment, at the request of justice. Why? Because before the coming of Christ there were already: both the natural law, and the prophets, and the written law, and the teaching, and countless promises, and the manifestation of miracles, and punishments, and torments, and many other things that could correct (people) - and in all this should require an account. But since (God) is philanthropic, he did not do torture, but granted forgiveness. And if He began to judge, all would immediately perish. "Because all," it is said, "have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Do you see what indescribable philanthropy? "He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned" (v.18). But if He did not come to judge the world, how is it that the unbeliever is "already condemned" when the time of judgment has not yet come? He says this either because unbelief without repentance is in itself the greatest torment, or He foretells the future. Just as a murderer, even though he has not been condemned by the judgment of the judge, is already condemned by the very nature of his case, so is the unbeliever. And Adam died on the same day that he ate from the tree: such was the definition: "on which you eat from it, you will die the death" (Gen. 2:17). But he still lived after that: how did he die? And according to the definition of God, and according to the nature of his act. As he made himself guilty of punishment, he is under punishment, although not yet in fact, but by definition. And so that someone, having heard: "I have come not to judge the world", does not think that it is possible to sin with impunity, and does not become therefore even more careless, Christ prevents such negligence, saying: "already condemned." Since there will be a judgment, but it has not yet come, He immediately arouses the fear of torment and already shows the punishment. But even this serves as proof of God's great love for mankind, that God not only gave the Son, but also postponed the time of judgment, so that those who sinned and unbelievers would have the opportunity to cleanse their sins. "He who believes in Him is not judged," - he who believes in the Son, and not the one who tries; a believer, not a curiosity. And if a believer has an unclean life, are his deeds bad? Such Paul calls not true believers: "they say they know God, but by their deeds they deny" (Titus 1:16). However, Christ here expresses that they are not subject to condemnation for unbelief, but will be subjected to the most severe punishment for their works; but they are not punished for disbelief, because they have already believed.

2. Do you see how, having begun with (truths) terrible, Christ again ended with them? In the beginning He said, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." And here again: "the unbeliever is already condemned." That is: do not think that the postponement (punishment) can bring any benefit to one who has already deserved punishment, if he does not repent. The state of the unbeliever is no better than the state of people who have already been condemned and put under punishment. "The judgment is this, that light has come into the world; but men loved the darkness more than the light" (v. 19). The meaning of these words is this: people are punished for not wanting to leave the darkness and hasten to the light. Thus Christ deprives them of all justification. If, He says, I came only to punish and demand an account of their deeds, then they could say: for this reason we have departed from You. But I have come to deliver them from the darkness and bring them into the light. Who would have mercy on a person who does not want to come out of darkness into the light? Thus, he says, they move away from us, not being able to accuse us of anything, but still receiving countless benefits from us. Condemning them for this and elsewhere, He says, "They hated me for nothing"; and again: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin" (John 15:22). Whoever sits in darkness for lack of light, he, perhaps, would have received forgiveness; but he who remains in darkness after the manifestation of light bears witness to himself that his will is corrupt and rebellious. But since what was said seemed incredible to many (after all, no one can prefer darkness to light), He also shows the reason why people were subjected to such misfortune. What is the reason? "Because their deeds were evil; for everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds be convicted" (v. 19-20). After all, He did not come to judge or torture, but to forgive and forgive their sins, to give them salvation through faith: why did they run away from Him? If He had come and sat in the judgment seat, they might have had some reason for it. Whoever is conscious of something evil in himself usually avoids the judge; but to the one who forgives, criminals even hasten. So, if he came with forgiveness, they should hasten to him, and especially those who recognized many sins in themselves; so many did. Publicans and sinners, coming to Jesus, reclined with Him. What do His words mean? He speaks of those who have decided to remain forever in evil. He Himself came to forsake past sins and warn against future ones. But since some have changed and weakened to such a degree in the exploits of virtue that they want to remain in evil to their last breath and never think of falling behind it, then Christ, having in mind such people, also denounces them. Christianity demands both Orthodox teaching and a good life, but, says Christ, they are afraid to turn to us, because they themselves do not want to show a good life. No one will reprove anyone who lives in paganism, because having such gods and festivities, like gods shameful and worthy of ridicule, he also shows deeds worthy of his teaching, and the worshipers of God, living carelessly, have all accusers and accusers for themselves - so venerable is the truth and for her enemies! Notice, then, with what precision Christ expresses what he speaks of. He did not say: He who does evil does not come to the light, but: He who does, that is, he who always does; whoever wants to always wallow in the mud of sin does not want to submit himself to My laws and, outside of them, fearlessly commits fornication and does everything else forbidden. When he comes to Me, he becomes visible like a thief in the light. That is why he escapes My power. Indeed, one can still hear from many pagans today that they cannot convert to our faith because they cannot leave drunkenness, fornication and similar vices. Well, you will say, are there not both Christians who do evil, and pagans who spend their lives in wisdom? That there are Christians who live badly, this I also know; and whether there are pagans who live virtuously, I still do not know for sure. You do not point me to people who are humble and honest by nature: this is not a virtue! Point out a person who, experiencing a strong passion for passions, would remain wise, and you will not find such a person (in paganism). If even the promise of the kingdom, the threat of hell, and the like hardly keep people in virtue, how much less can people, who are not convinced of any of this, succeed in virtue. If some of them show an appearance of virtue, they do it for glory. And whoever does this for glory, when it is possible to hide himself, will not refuse to satisfy his evil desires. But in order not to appear to someone as lovers of a dispute, let us agree that among the pagans there are people who live well; this does not contradict our words at all. I'm talking about what happens many times, not what happens occasionally.

3. But see how Christ deprives them, on the other hand, of all justification. He says that "light has come into the world." Did they seek him, he says, did they labor, did they care to find him? Light itself came to them; however, even then they did not hasten to him. If, however, some people live badly among Christians, then regarding this, we note that Christ is not talking about those who became Christians from birth and accepted the faith from their ancestors (although they often deviated from the right teaching through a vicious life); it seems that it is not about them, but about those who, from Judaism or paganism, had to turn to the right faith. (Christ) shows that no one, being in error, will want to turn to faith, unless he first prescribes a good life for himself, and no one will remain in unbelief, unless he first decides to remain evil forever. Do not tell me that such and such is chaste and do not believe; this is not only virtue. What is the use, having these qualities, to be a slave to vain rumors, and, fearing shame from your friends, to remain in error? This does not mean living virtuously. The slave of vanity is no better than the fornicator; even commits much greater and gravest sins than that one. But point out to me someone among the pagans who would be free from all passions and was not involved in any vice: you cannot indicate. And those who became famous among them for great deeds and despised, as they say, wealth and luxury, those were the most servile to human glory; and this is the cause of all evil. The Jews also remained in this state. Therefore, accusing them, Christ said: "How can you believe when you receive glory from one another" (John 5:44)? But why didn't Christ talk and spread the word about this with Nathanael, to whom he testified the truth? Because he did not come to Christ with such zeal (with Nicodemus). Nicodemus considered it his duty and used to listen to the conversation such a time in which others rested. But Nathanael came at the persuasion of another. However, Christ did not leave him without attention either; He told him; "From now on you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending" (John 1:51). He did not say anything like this to Nicodemus, but talked with him about the organization of our salvation and about eternal life, using different speech according to the spiritual disposition of each. For Nathanael, who knew the prophecies and was not so afraid, it was enough to hear this one thing. But to Nicodemus, since he was still timid, Christ did not reveal everything clearly, but shook his soul to destroy fear with fear, saying that the unbeliever is condemned and that unbelief comes from a vicious conscience. Nicodemus valued human glory a lot and thought about it more than about punishment. “And many of the rulers,” it is said, “believed in Him; but for the sake of the Pharisees they did not confess” (John 12:42): this is what Christ reproaches him and shows, moreover, that he who does not believe in Him does not for any other reason believes, as because he leads an impure life. He further says, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12); but here: "light has come into the world" (v. 19). Thus at first He spoke more intimately, and afterwards more clearly. Meanwhile, Nicodemus was held back by the glory of the people; therefore he could not have as much courage as he should have. Let us flee from vanity; this passion is stronger than all passions. Hence covetousness and avarice; hence hatred, enmity, strife. He who wants more cannot stop at anything; but he desires more because he loves vain glory.

Saint John Chrysostom

Among the Pharisees there was someone named Nicodemus, one from the rulers of the Jews.He came to Jesus at night and said to Him: Rabbi! we know that You are a teacher who came from God; for such miracles as you do, no one can do unless God is with him.

Jesus answered him: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

Jesus replied: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.Don't be surprised that I told you, "You must be born again."The Spirit breathes where it wants to, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes: this is the case with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus answered Him, “How can this be?

Jesus answered and said to him: you are the teacher of Israel, and do you not know this?Truly, truly, I say to you: We speak of what we know, and testify of what we have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony.If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?No one has ascended to heaven but the Son of Man who descended from heaven, who is in heaven.

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,so that everyone who believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God.The judgment is that light has come into the world; but the people loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil.For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be reproved, because they are evil;but he who does what is right goes to the light, that his works may be manifest, because they are done in God.

After this, Jesus came with His disciples to the land of Judea, and there he lived with them and baptized them.And John also baptized at Aenon, near Salem, because there was much water there; and came there and baptizedfor John was not yet imprisoned.

Then the disciples of John had a dispute with the Jews about purification.And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi! He who was with you at the Jordan, and to whom you testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone goes to him.

John said in reply: A man cannot receive anything to myself unless it be given to him from heaven.You yourselves are my witnesses of what I said: “I am not the Christ, but I am sent before Him.”He who has a bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices with joy when he hears the voice of the bridegroom. This joy is fulfilled.He must increase, and I must decrease.

He who comes from above is above all; but he who is of the earth is earthly, and he speaks as he who is of the earth; He who comes from heaven is above all,and what He saw and heard, of which He bears witness; and no one accepts His testimony.He who received His testimony thus sealed that God is true,for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for God does not give the Spirit by measure.The Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand.He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

...we will all stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10).

What do the words of Christ mean when he says that he who believes in me does not come to judgment?

John 5:24: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Orthodoxy

To interpret this verse, it is necessary to quote it in full: Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24). The Lord says that the resurrection of the dead is already taking place, and many people are spiritually dead (Matt. 8:22; Rev. 3:1). The Savior says that he who believes in Him will live (John 3:14-18). Such a person passes from the realm of death into the realm of life and is therefore freed from the judgment that every unbeliever brings upon himself by his unbelief: For God did not send His Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God (John 3:17-18). The Lord will call everyone to the universal Judgment. Hieromonk Job (Gumerov) http://www.pravoslavie.ru/answers/6951.htm

Protestants

Christ is actually stating here that both those who have done good and those who have done evil will stand before His judgment through the resurrection of the dead. But he who believes in Him will not come to judgment of condemnation, to that judgment where he can be condemned. Christ means the very last day of the existence of the earth and heaven, when all people who have ever lived will be resurrected and stand before the Lord for judgment. Where will the righteousness of these people be shown before Him. There it will be possible to get to the court of condemnation. Christ says that he who believes in Him does not come to that judgment when the Lord will clarify your righteousness before Him, because through faith in Him, He has already given you His righteousness. Only faith must be sincere. At the judgment before Christ, it will not be your righteousness that will be determined, but the measure of your glory, in which you will remain in eternity. Those who have sincere faith in Jesus Christ receive not the resurrection of condemnation, not the judgment of condemnation, but the resurrection of life - the judgment of His mercy in which His life is. (http://segrjaduskoro.ucoz.com/)

Catholics

The Christian who connects his death with the death of Jesus sees death as a passage to Him and as an entry into eternal life. When the Church for the last time uttered the words of Christ's forgiveness and remission over a dying Christian, sealed him for the last time with strengthening anointing with oil and gave him Christ in the Holy Gifts as food for the way ahead, she speaks to him with tender confidence. Death brings an end human life as a time open to acceptance or rejection of the grace of God revealed in Christ. New Testament speaks of the judgment mainly in the perspective of a final meeting with Christ at His second coming, but many times also declares an immediate reward to everyone after death according to his deeds and faith. The parable of poor Lazarus and the words of Christ on the Cross addressed to the prudent thief, like other texts of the New Testament,561 speak of the final destiny of the soul,562 which may be different for different people. Each person receives in his immortal soul an eternal reward from the moment of death at a private judgment, the essence of which is in relating him to Christ, either through purification, or through direct entry into eternal joy, or through immediate damnation forever. Those who die in grace and friendship with God and perfectly cleansed, always live with Christ. They are forever likened to God because they see Him “as He is” (1 Jn 3:2), face to face.

“We determine by our apostolic authority that, according to the general counsel of God, the souls of all the saints (...) and all other faithful who died after receiving Christ's Baptism, and in which at the time of death there was nothing to cleanse (...) or if there was or is something to purify, then when, after their death, they finish this purification, (...) even before the resurrection of their bodies and the general judgment, from the time of the Ascension of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ into heaven, they have been, are and will be in heaven , in the Kingdom of Heaven and in heavenly paradise with Christ, accepted into the fellowship of holy angels. Since the time of the passion and death of the Lord Jesus Christ, they have seen and see the Divine Being with an intuitive eye and even face to face, without the mediation of any creature.. Pope Benedict XII

Opinion of a simple Christian

The lawyer is already given. This is Jesus Christ. A person, having come to Jesus Christ through repentance and acceptance of the atoning sacrifice, then comes to the Judgment Seat of Christ. At this court: judge- God, prosecutor-prosecutor, of course, Satan, but advocate man - Jesus Christ.

The prosecutor-Satan says that according to the deeds of a person, death is due. Jesus says he repented. I redeemed him by dying on the cross. - I paid for it. "Justified" is the verdict of God's judge.

Man is justified through repentance and the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The evil that was in him and in the slavery of which man was, is condemned. And that's how separation happens light from darkness on earth (which will eventually acquire "a new look and new heavens"). God's plan for the earth and all people is separate light from darkness to destroy all darkness, all evil. To destroy all darkness, it is necessary to destroy the source of this darkness and all evil: "those who do evil will be cut off" (Psalms, chapter 36:9). The source of evil is Satan and his two assistants: beast- the image of this world: "the whole world lies in evil." (1 John 5:19) and false prophet. After Jesus died and rose again, Satan was cast from heaven to earth, light and darkness in heaven were completely separated from each other, and the father of evil was cast from heaven.

"Woe to those who dwell on earth and on the sea! Because the devil has come down to you in great rage, knowing that he has little time left" (Rev. 12:12.) and therefore it is no longer possible to say that God kills, because if in the Old Testament God bore full responsibility for everything that happened on earth, but now in the New Testament everything is clearly separated from each other and this division e going on and on, now on the ground. A person, recognizing Jesus Christ as his Lord, thanks to the redemptive sacrifice, is saved and freed from the darkness of Eden, the evil that entered the person in the Garden of Eden as a result of the fall, and the darkness that was in it is condemned.

What happened according to the flesh in the Old Testament now happens according to the spirit in the New Testament, because the New Testament is the covenant of the Spirit: “He gave us the ability to be servants of the New Testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit, because the letter kills, but the spirit gives life ”(2 Cor 3:6) and the war is for ... the heart of man. And if in the Old Testament David says in a psalm: "A thousand will fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand; but it will not come close to you", then he speaks specifically about the Philistines, and in the New Testament this must be taken in spirit: unclean spirits will fall near you and not people, because; "peace on earth, goodwill toward men"! (Luke 2:14).

The harvest is the final separation of light from darkness and the condemnation of all darkness. All the evil that will be at the end of time at the Judgment of the Father. Where, in the end, only evil and the source of evil will be condemned, as the great Origen wrote about.

Final Judgment of God's Court:

“And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet, who worked miracles before him, with which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image: both were thrown alive into the lake of fire, burning with brimstone; (Rev. 19:20) “The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Rev. 20:10)

"To see" means to enter, to take part, to take advantage of the benefits of the new Kingdom (cf.).

. Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

From the words of Christ, Nicodemus must have concluded that He recognized as necessary for entry into the new Kingdom not “learning”, but “renewal” of all life, such an internal change in a person that can only be compared with natural birth. And Nicodemus really understood that Christ here requires something completely different than John the Baptist, who called for repentance (μετανοεῖσθαι ). In repentance, man himself, although not without the help of God, tried to change his life, and in that new birth, about which Christ spoke to Nicodemus, man was a suffering being, completely subject to the power of God, just as a child is born into the world without any of his own permission. (Christ does not yet speak about the conditions that are presented to the person who seeks rebirth, they will be discussed separately in verses 12-21). Nicodemus would like to relive his life, so unsuccessfully almost lived. But is it possible to hope that in this new second life - if it were possible - he would be free from his natural weaknesses and sinful habits, which made it impossible for him to achieve the ideal? Where is the guarantee that such new life, life "at first" could really take a new turn? This is the meaning of Nicodemus' first question. By the second question, he wants to say that the impossibility of a repetition of the birth is quite clear to him, and that he, therefore, cannot satisfy the requirement of Christ (see verse 3).

. Jesus answered: Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus did not understand how a person can be born for a new life, and Christ points out to him two factors under the influence of which this new birth is possible. This is, firstly, “water”, i.e. that which is closest, water, which in John's baptism served as a symbol of cleansing from sins. Nicodemus needs to be baptized first with the baptism of John and confess his sins with all sincerity. This will be the first step towards rebirth for him. Then he must receive the "Spirit" of the Holy - this will be given to him from God in time. Both are necessary for everyone who wants to enter the Kingdom of God.

And it was not too late for Nicodemus to fulfill the first condition, because John still continued to baptize, and besides, Christ Himself, through His disciples, also performed the baptism of repentance (). He was to receive the Holy Spirit later. So, therefore, the first half of Nicodemus' question has found its solution. Although he, Nicodemus, is old and because of this has become accustomed to his prejudices and inclinations, nevertheless he must realize and confess his sinfulness, and then the Holy Spirit will give him strength for a new life.

. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In response to the second half of Nicodemus' question whether it is possible to be born again in the flesh, Christ says that there is no use in such a second birth in the flesh - which, of course, is impossible. Everything that is born of the flesh is a general rule that applies to the second birth that Nicodemus thinks about - "is flesh", i.e. subject to sinful inclinations (etc.). A new spiritual, holy life can arise only under the influence of the Spirit of God. It will be a real rebirth.

. Don't be surprised at what I said to you: You must be born again.

Christ sees that Nicodemus is surprised at such a decisive statement about the need for regeneration, and therefore invites Nicodemus to move from surprise to the speedy implementation of the demand presented to him by Christ.

. The Spirit breathes where it wants to, and you hear its voice, but you do not know where it comes from and where it goes: this is the case with everyone who is born of the Spirit.

Nicodemus, apparently, did not cease to wonder in himself how it was possible for him, an old man, to renounce all sinful inclinations and habits. He wanted to understand how this process of spiritual rebirth of a person takes place. But Christ explains to him by parables that he cannot understand everything with his mind. Here, for example, "wind" (in Russian inaccurately - "spirit"). Is Nicodemus able to explain to himself where the wind comes from and where it goes? In the same way, there is nothing surprising in the fact that Nicodemus does not understand how the Spirit of God works on a person.

Let us consider, however, in detail the comparison used by Christ. First, He says of the wind that it has complete freedom of movement: man cannot calm the wind or make it change its direction. Secondly, the effect of the wind is felt even when they protect themselves from it in every possible way: it is heard even with locked doors. Thirdly, they do not know the point from which the movement of the wind begins in each given case, and the final point to which this movement reaches.

The action of the wind is similar to the action of the Spirit of God in man. Firstly, the Spirit acts where he wants (cf.), and He cannot be appropriated by force, but can only be received as a gift (). Secondly, the presence of the Spirit cannot but be noticed by one who is reborn by the Spirit: even others, not completely deaf and blind, feel that this Spirit is present and active in the reborn (). Thirdly, neither the regenerate himself nor anyone else can determine where, when and how the Spirit began to work on him. The reborn know just as little about their last state, to which the Spirit leads them (). The coming into being and the end of the life of the regenerate man is a mystery, and yet it does not prevent or, more precisely, should not cause a person to doubt the truth of the regeneration.

. Nicodemus answered Him, “How can this be?

Nicodemus is now asking how what Christ said (ταῦτα - "this", plural) can come to fruition. What is heard here is not doubt about the possibility of the very fact of rebirth, but a desire to know the path by which one can come to rebirth. At the same time, Nicodemus does not ask: “what should I do?” He wants to know what he should expect from God, because he has realized that regeneration must be the work of God, not of man.

. Jesus answered and said to him, You are the teacher of Israel, and do you not know this?

In a tone of slight reproach, Christ tells Nicodemus that he, as a professional teacher of the people of Israel, a rabbi (cf. verse 1), should have known what the Old Testament said about the process of regeneration itself. The prophets spoke a lot about the outpouring of a new spirit, about giving people new hearts, about the fullness of the knowledge of God, and about the awakening in a person of a tendency to do the will of God. They often said that a person's turning to God, invoking God is a necessary condition for receiving messianic salvation.

. Truly, truly, I say to you: We speak of what we know, and testify of what we have seen, but you do not accept Our testimony.

Christ now begins to teach Nicodemus what he did not learn from the Scriptures, though he could have. First of all, He complains about the lack of faith in Nicodemus and the entire learned class of rabbis.

"We" . Christ in the Gospels nowhere speaks of Himself in plural, therefore, here He, besides Himself, has in mind someone else. Whom? His disciples? No, His disciples have not yet come forth with Him as preachers. It is most natural to see here an indication of John the Baptist, who at that time successfully continued his activities (John 3ff.). The activity of John and the activity of Christ are two stages of a single revelation of God. Both of them are quite trustworthy witnesses, because they speak of what they saw (John, of course, in a state of prophetic inspiration - cf.: "and I have seen and testified", - but Christ, by virtue of His continuous communion with the Father, ). However, Nicodemus and others like him "do not accept" the testimonies of John and Christ. Thus, faith because of the signs, which was discovered at that time by many who were at the Passover feast in Jerusalem, Christ does not recognize as real faith - this can rather be called unbelief!

. If I told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?

But the activity of John is already coming to an end, while Christ is only just beginning His own. Therefore, casting a glance at the near future, He speaks only of how the Jewish rabbis will treat Him. This attitude is unlikely to be benevolent. They do not believe Christ even now when He speaks to them about earthly things (τὰ ἐπίγεια ), i.e. about the Kingdom of God as it manifests itself in earthly relations. Christ by "earthly" could understand here everything that hitherto () He said about the temple and worship, about repentance and faith, about water baptism and rebirth. Can the rabbis faithfully accept His doctrine of "heavenly" (τὰ ἐπουράνια)? Here Christ, of course, had in mind the higher, heavenly side of the Kingdom of God, about which He could not fail to tell His listeners over time, otherwise His teaching would have remained incomplete, and therefore only half true. But people like Nicodemus will hardly take with confidence the testimony of Christ about such subjects as are beyond their understanding and generally not subject to verification by experience.

. No one has ascended to heaven but the Son of Man who descended from heaven, who is in heaven.

However, does Christ have the right to say that He also knows what is above the world, what constitutes the mystery of heaven? Yes, He has such a right. In fact, one who has been in heaven may well speak of heavenly things, but Christ, and only He alone, really was and constantly continues to be in heaven. He came down from heaven. Some interpreters (for example, Prof. Bogoslovsky) understand the expression used by Christ here "to ascend to heaven" in a figurative sense, as meaning "full and perfect knowledge of the mysteries of God." But we cannot agree with such an interpretation, because in this case we will have to deprive the verb “ascend” (ἀναβαίνειν ) of the connection with the verb “descend” ( "descended from heaven"- καταβαίνειν), and between these two verbs there is undoubtedly a close relationship. If we understand the verb "ascending" in a figurative sense, then in the same sense we will have to understand the verb "descend". But what, then, will mean the expression: "descended from heaven"? Will not this destroy the idea of ​​the existence of the Logos and before His incarnations? Therefore, without imagining the ascent and descent of Christ from heaven in a grossly spatial sense, it is nevertheless necessary to see in the place under consideration the teaching that Christ as a person already existed in God. before Your incarnation. And the meaning of verse 13 can be conveyed as follows: “no man (Angels are not meant here, since they "they always see the face of the Heavenly Father", -) did not ascend to heaven - and therefore, was not in heaven before living on earth - except for that Son of Man (see), who descended from heaven and even now with the divine side of His being abides in heaven ”(the expression“ existing in heaven "is not available in all codes, but the latest critics rather tend to recognize it as genuine than inserted after; see, for example, Tsang, p. 197).

. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

. so that everyone who believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

Christ had just told Nicodemus about His eternal existence in His Divinity and about His incarnation. Now He tells him another great secret - the secret of the salvation of all people by His cross and then by His glorification. Christ reveals this teaching by comparing the copper serpent lifted up by Moses on the shaft with Himself. There, in the desert, Moses displayed a copper image of a serpent in front of the entire Israelite camp so that every Jew bitten by a snake could look to this image and, with faith in Jehovah, expect healing. Christ will also be taken up first to the cross, and then to heaven (the expression ὑψωθῆναι - “to ascend” has a double meaning here, so that everyone who believes has eternal life in Him (“he who believes in Him” is an inaccurate translation, because the expression ἐν αὐτῷ , "in Him", cannot be made dependent on the verb πιστεύειν ; the reading εἰς αὐτόν, "in Him", is considered less attested.) But with the similarity between the bronze serpent and Christ, there is an important difference. First, the saving effect of the first extended only on one people, and the saving effect of the Second will extend to humanity in general: "everyone" can be saved thanks to Christ. Secondly, the serpent gave salvation only from temporary death, and then only in one case, while Christ gives "eternal" life, i.e. i.e. the believer in Christ will enter the Kingdom of God. It should be noted that all the fathers and teachers of the Church, on the basis of these words of Christ, consider the bronze serpent as a prototype of the Messiah, and such a view has quite sufficient grounds (Tzan too narrows the meaning of Christ's reference to the bronze serpent, finding here "only a comparison" - p. 200).

. For he so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The reason why the Only Begotten Son of God (see) should be exalted - first to the shameful instrument of execution, and then to the glorious throne of heaven - is that he loves people to the extreme.

"Loved". The Evangelist speaks of the love of God as a fact already known from history (that is why the Greek text here puts the verb in the aorist form), because the coming of the Son of God to earth to save people was already a fact at that time.

"World" . By "world" here Christ does not mean nature in general, but conscious and responsible for their actions beings inhabiting the earth, i.e. all mankind is in a state of fall (cf. verse 17).

"Gave" . As can be inferred from verses 14-15, here Christ was referring to God's delivering the Son to suffering and death (cf. ).

. For he did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Christ mentioned twice that He came to give people eternal life or, what is the same, salvation. Such a statement might seem to Nicodemus somewhat inconsistent with the recent speech of Christ in the temple, where He appeared as an accuser and judge over the defilers of the temple. Moreover, Judaism of that time generally expected to see in the Messiah the Judge, and moreover, the Judge, mainly over the pagan world, which hitherto oppressed the chosen Jewish nation. Therefore, Christ says that the most essential thing in His calling as the Messiah is precisely the salvation of the world, and not the execution of judgment on the world (this, of course, does not exclude the future judgment that Christ will eventually execute over the entire universe; see).

. He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God.

However, the judgment of the world, and closest of all of the Jews, is already underway. This judgment, one might say, takes place of itself: some accept the Messiah and are not subjected, cannot be subjected to judgment in the sense of condemnation. Others have already clearly revealed their unbelief in Christ, and therefore their fate has already been decided: they are now condemned for not believing in the name of the Son of God, i.e. they did not recognize in Him the One Who received such a clear and definite testimony of Himself from the side of God's messenger John as the Only Begotten Son of God, eternally existing in the bosom of the Father (). The last, Last Judgment, in fact, will not introduce anything new in determining the fate of such people: it will only testify to everyone their guilt.

. The judgment is that light has come into the world; but people loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil;

Christ makes clear here what "judgment" He meant in the preceding verse. The essence of this judgment lies in the fact that "light", i.e. the light of Christ's truth shone in a world that is in the darkness of sins and all sorts of prejudices. "People," i.e. those unbelievers, which were discussed in the previous verse (besides such, there were people who believed in Christ), moved away from this light, it was pleasant for them to remain in the former darkness. Why? Because "their deeds", i.e. all their behavior, their moral character, did not allow them to go towards the light (πονηρὰ τὰ ἔργα - morally evil, insidious deeds).

. for everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be convicted, because they are evil,

. but he who does what is right goes to the light, that his works may be manifest, because they are done in God.

Christ spoke just now about a certain circle of people from the Jewish people who did not want to go to the light of Christ's truth. Now He is first in relation to the evil, and then in relation to kind people explains the reason for the different attitude of all people to the light of truth. An evil person does not want the light to illuminate his deeds, which, due to their futility, do not deserve the respect that they have hitherto been given (this is the meaning of the expression φαῦλα used in the 20th century - deeds are insignificant, bad, although, perhaps, not always harmful or insidious). So, the Apostle Paul says: "All that is revealed is made manifest by the light"(). On the other hand, there are people who do "the truth" or, more precisely, do the truth ( ὁ ποιῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ), i.e. people are honest, sincere, alien to any hypocrisy (cf.). Such people willingly go towards the light, strive to acquire the truth revealed in Christ - not, of course, in order to be glorified before other people, but in order to know themselves and evaluate their behavior properly. Then such people "are inspired by even greater zeal to achieve the highest moral ideal" (Prof. Bogoslovsky). And they are not afraid of the discovery of their deeds, because they know that they did them "in God", i.e. for God and with His help.

It should be noted that when speaking about the fact that a person who sincerely loves the truth is not afraid that “his deeds should be manifest”, Christ thereby makes a certain reproach to Nicodemus, who considered himself a man who values ​​the truth (cf. verse 2), and at the same time time he was afraid that his work - visiting Christ - would be discovered, which is why he came to Christ only at night. This reproach obviously had an effect on Nicodemus, because after that he even began to defend Christ in the Sanhedrin () and took part in His burial (). Tradition reports that after the resurrection of Christ, he was baptized by the apostles Peter and John and died a martyr (his memory is celebrated on August 2).

The second half of the chapter deals with the activities of Christ in Judea. This activity was extraordinarily successful, and the Baptist's disciples even felt envious of Christ (verses 22-26). Then comes the last testimony of the Baptist about Christ. First, the Baptist speaks of himself and his relationship to Christ (verses 27–30), and then of the divine dignity of the person of the Lord Jesus Christ (verses 31–36).

. After this, Jesus came with His disciples to the land of Judea, and there he lived with them and baptized them.

At the end of the holiday (“after this” - μετὰ ταῦτα, i.e. after all the incidents described from the 13th verse of the 2nd chapter), Christ went from Jerusalem to the land of Judea. By "the land of Judea" at that time was meant the area bounded from the north by the extreme limits of Samaria, from the south by the edge of the desert near Beer-sheba, from the west by the lowlands of the Philistine plain and from the east by the line of the Jordan and Dead Sea(Prof. Bogoslovsky, p. 248). Jerusalem is like main city the promised land stood out from this area. It is very likely that such a sojourn of Christ in the land of Judea was quite long, so that He managed to preach the news of the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven throughout all the borders of Judea. He also performed the rite of baptism during the sermon, like John, but there was a rather large difference between the baptism of John and the baptism of Christ. Firstly, Christ did not baptize Himself, but through His disciples (), and secondly, His baptism was not only an external sign of repentance for those who were baptized, but a special rite through which people entered the ranks of Christ's followers (cf.). Then, John baptized, preaching about the approach of the Messiah, and Christ - preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. Of course, He pointed to Himself as the Founder of this Kingdom and began to form a large community of believers around Him (cf.). This He did not do when He was in Jerusalem.

. And John also baptized at Aenon, near Salem, because there was much water there; and they came there and were baptized,

At this time, John the Baptist also continued his activities, since, having entered the service at the command of God (), he could not arbitrarily, without a new command of God, stop his activities. But where was Aenon, in whose waters John was then baptizing? “Near Salem,” remarks the evangelist. Meanwhile, we do not know where Salim was. It is only certain that this place was to the west of the Jordan, since the disciples of the Baptist, in their appeal to John, make it clear that they are with their teacher on the west side of the Jordan (verse 26, where it should be read more correctly: “Rabbi, He Who was with you on the other side of the Jordan”, in Russian translation - “at the Jordan”). And the very dispute of the disciples of John about the comparative dignity of the baptism of Christ and John becomes understandable only on the assumption that Christ and John were at that time in the same area, i.e. in Judea (see verse 25). The exact location of Aenon cannot be specified. But it is likely that he was at one of the streams that flowed into the Dead Sea from the west. There was a lot of water in this stream, which attracted the Baptist here.

. for John was not yet imprisoned.

The remark that John was not imprisoned then, the evangelist makes in view of the fact that, according to synoptics, for example, Matthew, John was imprisoned almost immediately after the baptism of Christ (), and, therefore, there is no time left for him activities, which the Evangelist John speaks of in this section. So that readers are not tempted by the contradiction that appears here, the evangelist hurries to correct the testimony of weather forecasters about the time of the Baptist's imprisonment in prison.

. Then the disciples of John had a dispute with the Jews about purification.

Some Jews (or, according to another reading, one Jew) entered into a competition with the disciples of John "for purification" ( περὶ καθαρισμοῦ ), that is, about the customs of the Jews to wash dishes and wash themselves (cf.), and from here, probably, they moved on to a dispute about the comparative dignity of the baptism performed by John, and the baptism performed by Christ. It may very well be that the Jews pointed out to the disciples of the Baptist the futility of his activity, when the One to whom John himself turned the eyes of his disciples appeared. They talked, of course, about the extraordinary success that the new preacher had.

. And they came to John and said to him: Rabbi! He who was with you at the Jordan, and to whom you testified, behold, he baptizes, and everyone goes to him.

The activity of Christ aroused envy in the disciples of the Baptist and, at the same time, jealousy for the glory of his teacher, which now, apparently, was waning. They express their irritation to John, hoping that he will take some action to induce Christ to withdraw from the area that John chose as the place of his activity. After all, the Baptist did so much for Christ by his testimony of Him as the Messiah!

. John answered and said, A man cannot take anything upon himself unless it is given to him from heaven.

In answer to his disciples, the Baptist first of all says that every success that anyone has in his work depends entirely on the will of God. This is a gift from God.

. You yourselves are my witnesses of what I said: I am not the Christ, but I am sent before Him.

Further, John reminds his disciples of exactly the words that he said about Christ and which, of course, were not unknown to his disciples either. And he said (cf.) that it was not he, John, Christ, but only sent before Him, i.e. before Jesus as the Christ.

. He who has a bride is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices with joy when he hears the voice of the bridegroom. This joy was fulfilled.

Explaining his attitude towards Christ, the Baptist compares himself with the "friend of the groom" who played with the Jews leading role throughout the marriage process. Of course, this friend was very pleased when he saw that his business of matchmaking had come to the desired end and when he heard the conversation of the newlywed couple. The Baptist also prepared people to receive Christ, who now gathered around Himself a community of believers or, for the Church was the bride of this Heavenly Bridegroom (). From these words of the Baptist, we have the right to conclude that he already knew, even before his disciples reported, about the success that Christ had in Judea, and this gave him joyful assurance that the work of Christ would come to the desired goal.

. He must increase, and I must decrease.

If the activity of John is now coming to an end, and the activity of Christ is increasing, then this is how it should be. An explanation of such a statement is given below in the discourse on the worthiness of Christ.

. He who comes from above is above all; but he who is of the earth is and speaks as he who is of the earth; He who comes from heaven is above all,

The first advantage of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ is His heavenly ("above") origin. The expression “coming from above” denotes precisely the ineffable birth of the Word from God the Father, and not Christ’s mission to serve (St. Cyril of Alexandria), because the Baptist himself was also sent from above (cf.). This preeminence of Christ eliminates any thought that there could be any competition with Him: He is above all. But whom does the Baptist mean further by "earthly" and "he who speaks from the earth"? Many interpreters believe that he is talking about himself here, but one cannot agree with such an opinion. John was still a prophet, honored with divine revelations and speaking to the people as a messenger of Heaven (). He testified before his disciples and the people about what he heard and saw (). It is better to see here an indication of other, ordinary Jewish teachers, with whom, of course, then Christ was compared as a new rabbi.

. and what He saw and heard, of which He bears witness; and no one accepts His testimony.

The second advantage of Christ is the incomparable excellence of His teaching. The Lord spoke only what he knew directly, what he heard and saw in heaven (cf. verse 11). That is why the number of Christ's followers, which seemed too large to the disciples of the Baptist, seems to him very insignificant, in view of the high dignity of Christ's teaching.

. Whoever received His testimony has hereby sealed that he is true,

John hastens, however, to divert the eyes of his disciples from the sad picture that the unbelieving sermons of Christ presented, and draws their attention to the results experienced by those who believe in His word. The life of these believers has completely changed, and they, receiving the grace of God in Christ (), thereby testify with all firmness (“apply their seal”) that the promises that God gave them through John the Baptist () really come true: they have become much better than they were before, and are themselves a "seal" certifying the truth of God's promises.

. for he whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for he does not give the Spirit by measure.

These promises, however, could not remain unfulfilled, because they were spoken by the messengers of God - the prophets and, in particular, John the Baptist himself. They were given a revelation from the Spirit of God, and not sparingly ("not by measure" - οὐ ἐκ μέτρου ).

The whole verse, according to the best codes, should look like this: “one sent from God” (or a messenger of God) speaks the words of God, for the Spirit gives (of course, his gifts) not by measure (that is, not sparingly, but generously).

. The Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand.

The third and final advantage of Christ is that, out of His special love for the Son, He gave everything into His power. John here calls Christ the Son of God because this name was revealed to him during the baptism of Christ in the Jordan ().

. He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Here John indicates the lofty purpose that God had in giving such power to the Son (cf. verses 15-16), and by this he makes clear to his disciples how much they lose by not joining the ranks of Christ's followers.

). Here the word pneama undoubtedly means "wind." This is evident, firstly, from the fact that Nicodemus, who had not yet believed, could not be said to “hear” the voice of the Spirit (St. John Chrysostom). Secondly, one cannot say about the Spirit that it breathes (more precisely, “blows”), that one can hear His voice. Thirdly, it is known about the Spirit that He comes from God and goes to God (; ). The adverb "so" (οὕτως ), which begins the second half of the verse, shows that in this half we are not talking about the spirit (wind) mentioned in the first half, but about the Spirit of God.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

He who believes in Him is not judged, but the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God.

The judgment is that light has come into the world; but people loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil;

for everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be convicted, because they are evil,

but he who does what is right goes to the light, that his works may be manifest, because they are done in God.

Interpretation of Theophylact of Bulgaria

God's love for the world is great and extended to such an extent that He did not give an angel, not a prophet, but His Son, and, moreover, the Only Begotten (1 John 4:9). If He had given the angel as well, then this work would not have been small. Why? Because the angel is His faithful and obedient servant, and we are enemies and apostates. Now, when He gave the Son, what superiority of love did He show?! Again, if He had many sons and gave one, then that would be a very great thing. And now He has given the Only Begotten. Is it possible to adequately sing of His goodness?

The Arians say that the Son is called the Only Begotten because He alone was produced and created by God, and everything else was already created by Him. Their answer is simple. If He were called the Only Begotten without the word "Son", then your subtle fiction would have a basis. But now that He is called the Only Begotten and the Son, the word "Only Begotten" cannot be understood in the same way as you, but in the sense that He alone is begotten of the Father.

Note, I beg you, that just as He said above that the Son of Man came down from heaven, although the flesh did not come down from heaven, but he added to man what belongs to God because of the unity of the Person and the unity of the Hypostasis, so here again he adds what belongs to man to God. Word. “He gave,” he says, “God gave His Son to death.” Although God remained impassive, but since, according to the Hypostasis, both God the Word and the Man subject to suffering were One and the same, it is said that the Son is given to death, who really suffered in his own flesh.

so that everyone who believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

What is the use of giving the Son? Great and inconceivable for man is that everyone who believes in Him receives two blessings: one, so that he does not perish; another, that he may have life, and, moreover, eternal. Old Testament to those who in it pleased God, he promised long life, and the Gospel rewards such with life not temporal, but eternal and indestructible.

John 3:17. For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Since there are two comings of Christ, one has already been, and the other is future, then about the first coming he says that the Son was not sent to judge the world (because if He came for this, then everyone would be condemned, since everyone sinned, as Paul says (Rom. 3:23), but mainly to save the world. Such was his purpose. But in fact it turned out that he condemns those who did not believe. The Law of Moses came mainly to rebuke sin (Rom. 3:20) and condemning criminals. For he did not forgive anyone, but as he found someone who sinned in something, at the same time he imposed punishment. So, the first coming was not intended to judge, except for those who actually did not believe, for they have already been condemned, and the second coming will be decisive in order to judge all and render to each according to his deeds.

John 3:18. He who believes in Him is not judged,

What does "he who believes in the Son is not judged" mean? Is he not sued if his life is impure? Very judgmental. For even Paul does not call such people sincere believers. “They show,” he says, “that they know God, but by their deeds they deny Him” (Titus 1:16). However, here he says that he is not judged by the very one who believed: although he will give the most severe account in evil deeds, he is not punished for unbelief, because he believed at once.

and the unbeliever is already condemned, because he did not believe in the name of the Only Begotten Son of God.

"And the unbeliever is already condemned." How? First, because unbelief itself is condemnation; for to be out of the light—that alone—is the greatest punishment. Then, although here it is not yet given to Gehenna, but here he combined everything that leads to future punishment; just as the murderer, even if he was not sentenced to punishment by the sentence of the judge, is condemned by the essence of the case. And Adam died the same day that he ate of the forbidden tree; although he was alive, but according to the verdict and on the merits of the case, he was dead. So, every unbeliever is already here condemned, as undoubtedly subject to punishment and not having to come to judgment, according to what is said: “the ungodly will not be raised for judgment” (Ps. 1:5). For an account will not be required from the wicked, as well as from the devil: they will rise not for judgment, but for condemnation. So in the Gospel the Lord says that the prince of this world is already condemned (John 16:11), both because he himself did not believe, and because he made Judas a traitor and prepared destruction for the rest. But if in parables (Mt: 23, 14-32; Luke 19:11-27) the Lord introduces those who are subject to punishment and give an account, then do not be surprised, firstly, because what is said is a parable, and what is said in parables is not necessary. accept everything as laws and regulations. For on that day, each one, having an infallible judge in his conscience, will not require another rebuke, but will go out bound from himself; secondly, because the Lord brings in accountants not unbelievers, but believers, but uncompassionate and unmerciful. We are talking about the ungodly and unbelieving; and another - ungodly and unbelieving, and another - unmerciful and sinful.

John 3:19. The judgment is that light has come into the world;

Here the unbelievers are shown to be devoid of any justification. “In this,” he says, “the judgment consists, that the light came to them, but they did not rush to it.” Not only did they sin because they themselves did not seek the light, but, what is worse, because it came to them, and they, however, did not receive it. That is why they are condemned. If the light had not come, then people could plead ignorance of the good. And when God the Word came and betrayed His teaching to enlighten them, and they didn't accept, then they lost all justification.

but people loved the darkness more than the light, because their deeds were evil;

Lest anyone say that no one would prefer darkness to light, he also exposes the reason why people turned to darkness: “Because,” he says, “their deeds were evil.” Since Christianity requires not only a right way of thinking, but also an honest life, and they wanted to wallow in the mud of sin, therefore, those who do evil deeds did not want to go to the light of Christianity and obey My laws.

John 3:20. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works be reproved, because they are evil,

John 3:21. But he who does what is right goes to the light, so that his deeds may be manifest, because they are done in God.

“But he who does what is right,” that is, leading an honest and God-pleasing life, strives for Christianity as for the light, in order to succeed even more in goodness and so that his deeds according to God will be clear. For such a person, believing rightly and leading an honest life, shines on all people, and God is glorified in him. Therefore, the reason for the unbelief of the Gentiles was the uncleanness of their lives.

Perhaps another will say: “Well, are there not vicious Christians and approving pagans in life?” That there are vicious Christians, I myself will say it; but that there are good pagans, I cannot say decisively. Some may be found “by nature” meek and kind, but this is not a virtue, but no one is good “from a feat” and exercises in goodness. If some seemed good, then they did everything because of fame; but he who does it for glory, and not for good itself, will willingly indulge in an evil desire when he finds an opportunity for it. For if we have the threat of hell, and any other care, and the examples of innumerable saints can hardly keep people in virtue, then the nonsense and vileness of the pagans will keep them in good all the less. And even then, if they do not make them completely evil.