Study of John 3:16, world part III

The change in world fits as being equally literal and more appropriate than everyone without exception. Before I say what change in 'world' is appropriate lets acknowledge that English has some of this variation in the use of the word, 'world'.

Lets look at the adjective 'worldly'. It in fact likely picked up its connotation from John in the Bible. This does not mean characteristic of every man without exception. Lets consider us have a little test on what worldly means. Multiple choice.

What fits best for describing a worldly strip-club.

A) 'Wooo look at the girl she has curves like the smokey mountains'. Worldly here is not characteristic of natural landforms.
B)'Wooo the strip-club is like every one without exception.' It is not characteristic of every man without exception either. It makes little sense.
C)'Wooo look at all the Asians, Europeans, Americans, Africans, and Australians in that Joint.' Nope, try again.
D)'Woo the strip-club is a degenerate place of immorality.'
E)'Woo the strip-club is full of living beings instead of Ghosts.' Otherwords, it means it is materialistic and of this realm.

The correct answer is obviously D. Some will try to make you believe the answer is B if it be found in the bible. We don't even transliterate 'Cosmos' into meaning the same thing as world or everyone without exception. The 'worldly' in English here means the evil and godless aspects of this world which shall pass away. This should clearly show that it is not as simple as picking a "literal" reading. Silly Rabbit, dictionaries are for kids! The Greek language has the same characteristic of multiple meanings.

I trust not the literal reading unless it is really literal and also in context. The question is which rendering to choose. We do not have a lot of help from the text here in surrounding context. Let it be know that St. John uses kosmos or 'world' many different ways in his books. Greek usage oratory often would witfully and contrast the use of a single word by using it many different ways close together. This Gospel has the marks of someone with a keen eye toward being an Evangelist over a historian. The literary tradition (Johannine) in which the Apostle John wrote shares this tendency of repeatition and rhetoric. This book was meant to be read aloud so it would have rhetorical wit in word usuage in the first century Hellenistic World.

Now having cast a shadow. Certainly this use of world in 3:16 here cannot be the same 'world' that we are told not to love or not to conform as found in first John. There is a big disconnect if God and Christ can love this world sooooo much. While we who are to being transformed into the image of Christ are not to love this world at all.

The World and adjective forms can also be used distributively to mean every tribe, tongue, and nation are represented. "The World court" is not the court of every one without exception. It is a small court made up of a few powerful nations that try cases. Again when we say 'the ancient world' we generally mean the important ancient civilizations. Not dirt diggers in south America. This use of 'world' often excludes a lot. No one really cares about the Nomads of Mongolia. Or the tribes in Africa outside of egypt, in the ancient world. This is not even everyone but only representational of what we know about the society at large. It is not everyone without exception. There are other examples but I don't want to be trite.

Finally, I wish not to write a meaning for world here with any complete certainty. I tend toward the nations or a Gentiles and Jews definition of world. It is by far the most common one found in the OT with respect to Christ's salvation. It is similar to a 'world' court use of the word 'world'. A world with every nation, tongue, and tribe represented. This is the most common use of the word in Bible. It is especially common because Christ was talking to the Jewish people. They understanded the distinction between Jew and Gentile quite well. Some Jews would not touch the Gentiles even with a ten foot pole. This interpretation falls in line with the Great Commission. It is not to covert everyone but it is to reach everyone. This world is representative not complete. Not all have faith. This definition of 'world' falls in line with God's aim. This goes into the design of God's atonement in the previous verses of John 3:16. This shall be expanded in part IV.