Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 3:21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
21. doeth truth ] Or, as in 1Jn 1:6, doeth the truth, the opposite of ‘doing’ or ‘making a lie,’ Rev 21:27; Rev 22:15. It is moral rather than intellectual truth that is meant. To ‘do the truth’ is to do that which is true to the moral law (comp. Joh 8:32), that which has true moral worth, as opposed to ‘practising worthless things.’ In 1Co 13:6 we have a similar antithesis: ‘rejoicing with the truth ’ is opposed to ‘rejoicing in iniquity.’
that his deeds may be made manifest ] ‘His’ is emphatic, ‘ his deeds’ as opposed to those of him that doeth evil. ‘Be made manifest’ balances ‘be reproved.’ The one fears to be convicted; the other courts the light, not for self-glorification, but as loving that to which he feels his works are akin. See on Joh 1:31.
wrought in God ] Better, have been wrought in God. This is his reason for wishing them to be made manifest; it is a manifestation of something divine. The Greek for ‘ that they are’ may mean ‘ because they are.’
These three verses (19 21) shew that before the Incarnation there were two classes of men in the world; a majority of evil-doers, whose antecedents led them to shun the Messiah; and a small minority of righteous, whose antecedents led them to welcome the Messiah. They had been given to Him by the Father (Joh 6:37, Joh 17:6); they recognised His teaching as of God, because they desired to do God’s will (Joh 7:17). Such would be Simeon, Anna (Luk 2:25; Luk 2:36), Nathanael, the disciples, &c.
We have no means of knowing how Nicodemus was affected by this interview, beyond the incidental notices of him Joh 7:50-51, Joh 19:39, which being so incidental shew that he is no fiction.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Are that doeth truth – He who does right, or he that obeys the truth. Truth here is opposed to error and to evil. The sinner acts from falsehood and error. The good man acts according to truth. The sinner believes a lie – that God will not punish, or that there is no God, or that there is no eternity and no hell. The Christian believes all these, and acts as if they were true. This is the difference between a Christian and a sinner.
Cometh to the light – Loves the truth, and seeks it more and more. By prayer and searching the Scriptures he endeavors to ascertain the truth, and yield his mind to it.
May be made manifest – May be made clear or plain; or that it may be made plain that his deeds are performed in God. He searches for truth and light that he may have evidence that his actions are right.
Wrought in God – That they are performed according to the will of God, or perhaps by the assistance of God, and are such as God will approve. The actions of good people are performed by the influence and aid of God, Phi 2:12. Of course, if they are performed by his aid, they are such as he will approve. Here is presented the character of a good man and a sincere Christian. We learn respecting that character:
- He does truth. He loves it, seeks it, follows it.
- He comes to the light. He does not attempt to deceive himself or others.
- He is willing to know himself, and aims to do it. He desires to know the true state of his heart before God.
- A special object of his efforts is that his deeds may be wrought in God. He desires to be a good man; to receive continual aid from God, and to perform such actions as he will approve.
This is the close of our Lords discourse with Nicodemus – a discourse condensing the gospel, giving the most striking exhibition and illustration of truth, and representing especially the fundamental doctrine of regeneration and the evidence of the change. It is clear that the Saviour regarded this as lying at the foundation of religion. Without it we cannot possibly be saved. And now it becomes every reader, as in the presence of God, and in view of the judgment-seat of Christ, solemnly to ask himself whether he has experienced this change? whether he knows by experience what it is to be born of that Spirit? If he does he will be saved. If not, he is in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity, and should give no sleep to his eyes until he has made his peace with God.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Wrought in God.] In his presence, and through his assistance. This is the end of our Lord’s discourse to Nicodemus; and though we are not informed here of any good effects produced by it, yet we learn from other scriptures that it had produced the most blessed effects in his mind, and that from this time he became a disciple of Christ. He publicly defended our Lord in the Sanhedrin, of which he was probably a member, Joh 7:50, and, with Joseph of Arimathea, gave him an honourable funeral, Joh 19:39, when all his bosom friends had deserted him. See Dodd.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Truth here is put for true things. He who purposeth, designeth, and acteth nothing but what is just, and holy, and good, and what is consonant to the will of God; he is not afraid to bring his notions and actions to the test of the Divine rule, published by him who is the true Light. For he desires that what he doth may be made manifest, both to himself and others, that they are wrought in, with, or according to, by, or through God (for the particle , here used, is used in all these senses, 1Co 7:39; Rev 14:13). Those works are said to be wrought in, with, by, or through God, which tend to the honour and glory of God as their end, and flow from him as their cause, which are done with his strength and assistance, and for his honour and glory.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. doeth truthwhose onlyobject in life is to be and do what will bear the light. Therefore heloves and “comes to the light,” that all he is and does,being thus thoroughly tested, may be seen to have nothing in it butwhat is divinely wrought and divinely approved. This is the”Israelite, indeed, in whom is no guile.”
Joh3:22-36. JESUS IN THENEIGHBORHOOD OF THEBAPTISTHISNOBLE TESTIMONYTO HIS MASTER.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But he that doth truth,…. That which is true, right and good: “he whose work is just”, as the Ethiopic version renders it; or, “he that does that which is right”, so the Persic; that which is according to the will of God, and from a principle of love to him, and with a view to his glory:
cometh to the light; to Christ, and to his word, and ordinances:
that his deeds may be made manifest; being brought to the light, to the test, and standard, whether they, are right, or wrong; and that it may appear,
that they are wrought in God; or “by God”; by his assistance, and gracious influence, without which men can do nothing; for it is God that works in them both to will and to do: or, “according to God”, as others render it; according to the will of God, both for matter and manner: or “for God”, as the Ethiopic version renders it; for the glory of God, which ought to be the aim, and end of every action. The Persic version reads the whole thus, “that the work which is between God and him may be known”; that such deeds may be discovered, which are only known to God and himself.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That doeth the truth ( ). See 1Jo 1:6 for this striking phrase.
Comes to the light ( ). Is drawn by the light, spiritual heliotropes, not driven from it.
That may be made manifest ( ). Final with first aorist passive subjunctive of .
They have been wrought in God ( ). Periphrastic perfect passive indicative of . He does not claim that they are perfect, only that they have been wrought in the sphere of and in the power of God. Hence he wants the light turned on.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Doeth the truth [ ] . The phrase occurs only here and in 1Jo 1:6. Note the contrasted phrase, doeth evil (ver. 20). There the plural is used : doeth evil things; evil being represented by a number of bad works. Here the singular, the truth, or truth; truth being regarded as one, and “including in a supreme unity all right deeds.” There is also to be noted the different words for doing in these two verses : doeth evil [] ; doeth truth [] . The latter verb contemplates the object and end of action; the former the means, with the idea of continuity and repetition. Prasswn is the practice, while poiwn may be the doing once for all. Thus poiein is to conclude a peace : prassein, to negotiate a peace. So Demosthenes : “He will do [] these things, and will accomplish them [] .” In the New Testament a tendency is observable to use poiein in a good sense, and prasswin in an evil sense. Compare the kindred word praxiv, deed or work, which occurs six times, and in four out of the six of evil doing (Mt 16:27; Luk 23:51; Act 19:18; Rom 8:13; Rom 12:14; Col 3:9). With this passage compare especially Joh 5:29, where the two verbs are used with the two nouns as here. Also, Rom 7:15, 19. Bengel says : “Evil is restless : it is busier than truth.” In Rom 1:32; Rom 2:3, both verbs are used of doing evil, but still with a distinction in that prassw is the more comprehensive term, designating the pursuit of evil as the aim of the activity.
Joh 3:21Cometh to. In contrast with hateth (ver. 20). His love of the light is shown by his seeking it.
In God. The element of holy action. Notice the perfect tense, have been wrought (as Rev.) and abide.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “But he that doeth truth cometh to the light,” (ho de poion ten aletheian erchetai pros to phos) “Yet the one who repeatedly does the truth (wholesome things) comes of his own volition to the light,” responds to God’s call: 1 ) To hear His Word, Luk 14:35; Rom 10:17; Act 3:22-23; Acts 2) To repent of sins is to come to or approach the light, Mar 1:15 b; Luk 13:3; Act 17:30; 2Co 7:11; 2 Corinthians 3) To believe on Jesus Christ as the Savior is to come to the light, Act 16:31; Joh 1:7.
2) “That his deeds may be made manifest,” (hina phanerothe autou ta erga) “In order that his works maybe manifested,” openly recognized, confessed, pardoned, and forgiven, Isa 55:6-7; Eph 1:7; 1Jn 1:8-9; Mat 5:15-16; 2Pe 1:4-9; Gal 5:22-25.
3) “That they are wrought in God.” (hoti en theo estin eirgasmena) “That they have been wrought or done in God,” or in the sphere of God’s will and standard of conduct. When the sinner hears, repents, and believes he is coming to Jesus, by the convincing and drawing of the Holy Spirit; In all these God takes the initiative, yet man must respond by his own volition and will to be pardoned, cleansed, and saved, Joh 7:17, and to follow the Light of God’s will in service, Eph 2:10; Jas 1:22; Joh 14:15; Joh 15:14.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
21. But he who doeth truth This appears to be an improper and absurd statement, unless you choose to admit that some are upright and true, before they have been renewed by the Spirit of God, which does not at all agree with the uniform doctrine of Scripture; for we know that faith is the root from which the fruits of good works spring. To solve this difficulty, Augustine says, that to do truth means “to acknowledge that we are miserable and destitute of all power of doing good;” and, certainly, it is a true preparation for faith, when a conviction of our poverty compels us to flee to the grace of God. But all this is widely removed from Christ’s meaning, for he intended simply to say that those who act sincerely desire nothing more earnestly than light, that their works may be tried; because, when such a trial has been made, it becomes more evident that, in the sight of God, they speak the truth and are free from all deceit. Now it would be inconclusive reasoning, were we to infer from this, that men have a good conscience before they have faith; for Christ does not say that the elect believe, so as to deserve the praise of good works, but only what unbelievers would do, if they had not a bad conscience.
Christ employed the word truth, because, when we are deceived by the outward lustre of works, we do not consider what is concealed within. Accordingly, he says, that men who are upright and free from hypocrisy willingly go into the presence of God, who alone is the competent Judge of our works. For those works are said to be done in God or according to God, which are approved by Him, and which are good according to His rule. Hence let us learn that we must not judge of works in any other way than by bringing them to the light of the Gospel, because our reason is wholly blind.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(21) He that doeth truth is opposed to him that practiseth evil. With fixed purpose he doeth not that which is evil or worthless, but that which, when every veil by which it is hidden from himself or others is removed, remains morally true. Regarding truth as the work of life, he cometh to the light, and though for him too it will be a revelation of sins and errors, and deeds of shame, he hates them the moment he knows them, cuts them from his life at whatever cost, and carries his whole being to the light that it may become really true, and that its true works may be made manifest. He will hate the darkness, for he can have nothing to conceal in it. He will love the light, for everything which it reproves he reproves too, and every ray he can gather from it becomes part of the truth which is his life-work. For the remarkable expression to do the truth, which, with its opposite to do a lie (Joh. 8:44; Rev. 21:27; Rev. 22:15), is common in Rabbinic writers, comp. Job. 13:4, and 1Jn. 1:6; and for walking in truth, comp. 2Jn. 1:4, and 3Jn. 1:3-4. In 1Co. 13:6, truth is opposed to iniquity.
That they are wrought in God.Perhaps better, because they are wrought in God. This is the reason of their being made manifest in the light revealed in the person of Christ. However full the light which had guided mens steps had been, it was still part of the true Light which lighteth every man, and must lead to Him. Every work wrought in God had already bound them in union with Him, and prepared them to receive Him. That Light was in the world, in the Law and Prophets of the Old Testament Scriptures (Mat. 5:17), in the witness of things invisible ever borne by the things that are made (Rom. 1:20), in the law written upon the hearts of men (Rom. 2:14-15). As before (Joh. 3:19), these words are general, but we may not exclude from them a special meaning. He who spoke them warrants our applying them to characters, like the true Nathanael, in whom there is no guile (Joh. 1:47); like the rock-man Peter (Joh. 1:42); like the witness John (Mat. 11:11). Some ground was good when the Sower went forth to sow.
Two thoughts are suggested to us at the close of this first discourse. One is, that the writer, with perfect naturalness, says nothing of the effect on Nicodemus, but leaves the after-glimpses to tell their own tale. (See Joh. 7:50; Joh. 19:39.) The other is, that we have come upon teaching distinct in style and matter from that of the earlier Gospels. On this see Excursus D: The Discourses in St. Johns Gospel.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Doeth truth A most expressive phrase. Right is truth, and wrong is falsehood. Infidels and sinners act a lie.
Cometh to the light The man who desires to act truth, loves that truth should shine upon his actions. He desires that they may be brought to the test of Christ’s religion and God’s truth. He loves to feel that his heart and life are in unison with the heart of the Redeemer and the life of God. In all this is there not some delicate allusion to the timidity of Nicodemus in coming to Jesus in the darkness of night? Surely the great ruler, if conscious of right, should have come by the light of day. And does not our Saviour here close the interview with an admonition that a good conscience is the basis of true courage?
Twice does Nicodemus reappear in Gospel history. Joh 7:50; Joh 19:39.
In the first instance he manifests the same blending of conscientious feeling with caution; in the second he manifests, by the richness of his embalment, his value for Jesus. Perhaps he then understood what meant this lifting up of the Son of man. The first Passover of our Lord’s ministry is now closed, and he leaves the national capital.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God’.
On the other hand those who do what is right have no fear of the truth about their lives coming out. They gladly come to Jesus and listen eagerly to His words and to the word of God and let Him examine them, for they know that His words will help them get rid of sin and that when He examines them He will help them rid themselves of what is spoiling their lives. They want their lives to be open to examination and be put under the spotlight of God, so that what they really are can be seen, that they are true children of God.
‘That it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God’. Such a man’s conscience is totally clear. He does not mind that his life is brought into the light, for he knows that anything he had of which he should be ashamed has been dealt with by the blood of Christ, and that now he is so living that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Thus he is happy for anyone to see the light shining from him. As Jesus said elsewhere, ‘let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven’. (Mat 5:16). But in the end, more importantly, he is happy for God to see what he does so that God will be pleased with what he has done.
‘That his deeds have been wrought in God.’ That is that that they have been carried out by one who is committed to God and enveloped in Him by faith, that they are the result of an attitude of obedience which brings them within His sphere. That they have God’s full approval as wrought by one who is truly His. They are the consequence of his close walk with God.
But a final word of warning. Coming to Jesus Christ and believing in Him involves coming to the light. Those who continue in darkness may have some kind of belief but it is not the belief in Jesus Christ that saves, for when Jesus saves His work is effective.
Note. Are Joh 3:16-21 the words of Jesus?
The impression given by the passage is that we do have here the words of Jesus. It is not of course possible to assert dogmatically that those who take another position are not correct, for each must see it as he will. But there is nothing in the passage which is not said elsewhere by Jesus in one way or another. Joh 3:13-15 are equally ‘extreme’ in their ideas, and many would not deny them to Jesus. (Some would deny any words to Jesus, but that is another matter).
Nor is there any theology in it that is not spoken elsewhere by Jesus. He elsewhere speaks regularly of ‘the Son’, which by inference means ‘the only Son’. He has already just spoken of His coming death in veiled form (and it is equally veiled in Joh 3:16. We look on it from the other side of the resurrection).
But a main argument for the position of those who see this as a comment of John’s is that here Jesus speaks baldly of ‘God’ whereas normally He speaks of ‘the Father’. However the fact is that God is only mentioned twice in the whole passage, whilst elsewhere Jesus does equally suddenly and baldly say ‘God’ elsewhere (e.g. Joh 13:31-32; Joh 4:10; Joh 4:24; Joh 5:42; Joh 6:27; Joh 6:33; Joh 6:46; Joh 7:17; Joh 8:40; Joh 8:47; Joh 11:4; Joh 14:1), as He also does in the other Gospels. Yet in all places He is also careful not to overuse the term. Note how He often uses the passive tense so as to avoid saying ‘God’. E.g. ‘They shall be comforted’ rather than ‘God will comfort them’. This attitude was especially important when speaking to the Pharisees and strict Jews for they too sought to avoid using the name God as much as possible, while not doing so completely.
But here Jesus is in personal and close conversation with a seeker and wants the idea to come over with full force. Furthermore this is at the beginning of His ministry and we could equally suggest that He had not yet finalised His later way of speaking. So there really is no strong reason for denying that these words are the words of Jesus.
One possibly stronger argument, is that it is difficult to see Joh 3:35-36 on the lips of John the Baptiser. It was Jesus who spoke of ‘the Father’ and ‘the Son’. But it is one thing to see a small comment at the end of a section as a comment of the author, quite another to argue the same for a much larger portion as here. And besides, John the Baptiser does say some surprising things and had no doubt had many close conversations with Jesus after His baptism.
Whether the author would add words to the words of Jesus in a way that could be so easily misleading is a matter of opinion. But there is a strong case for suggesting that in the early church the words of Jesus were looked on as so important that such a procedure would have been frowned on.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 3:21. He that doeth truth He that practiseth truth: that is, “is exercised in righteousness and goodness.” See Eph 5:9. This phrase often occurs as the character of a good man: compare. Psa 119:30. Isa 26:2. 1Pe 1:22. 1Jn 1:6.; and it is used with peculiar propriety, since there is really truth or falsehood in actions as well as in words. Of the same kind is the phrase , to make a lie, used more than once by St. John, perhaps in a beautiful opposition to this before us; and if it were rendered practiseth a lie, that opposition would be more apparent. See Rev 21:27; Rev 22:15. The phrase that they are wrought in God signifies, that they are always agreeable to the divine nature and will, and the consequence of that union of soul with God, which is the perfection and happiness of the intelligent natu
Such was the purport of our Lord’s discourse with Nicodemus, which we may easily believe affected him greatly. He perceived that Jesus saw into his heart, was thoroughly convinced, and from that time forth became his disciple, defended him in the great council of which he was a member, and, with Joseph of Arimathea, paid him the honours of a funeral,when all his bosom friends had deserted him. See ch. Joh 7:50 Joh 19:39.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joh 3:21 . .] The opposite of , Joh 3:20 , and therefore is to be taken in the ethical sense: he who does what is morally true , so that his conduct is in harmony with the divine moral standard. Comp. Isa 26:10 ; Psa 119:30 ; Neh 9:33 ; Job 4:6 ; Job 13:6 ; 1Jn 1:6 ; 1Co 5:8 ; Eph 5:9 ; Phi 4:8 . Moral truth was revealed before Christ, not only in the law (Weiss), but also (see Mat 5:17 ) in the prophets, and, outside Scripture, in creation and in conscience (Rom 1:19 ff; Rom 2:14 ff.). Comp. Groos, p. 255.
. ] . is the opposite of the Joh 3:20 . While the wicked wishes his actions not to be reproved, but to remain in darkness, the good man wishes his actions to come to the light and to be made manifest , and he therefore ; for Christ, as the personally manifested Light , the bearer of divine truth, cannot fail through His working to make these good deeds be recognised in this their true nature. The manifestation of true morality through Christ must necessarily throw the true light on the moral conduct of those who come to Him, and make it manifest and show it forth in its true nature and form. The purpose ., . . ., does not spring from self-seeking, but arises from the requirements, originating in a moral necessity, of moral satisfaction in itself, and of the triumph of good over the world.
] thus put before, for emphasis’ sake, in opposition to the evil-doer, who has altogether a different design with reference to his acts.
, . . .] the reason of the before-named purpose. How should he not cherish this purpose, and desire the , seeing that his works are wrought in God! Thus, so far from shunning , he has really to strive after the manifestation of them, as the revelation of all that is divine. We must take this , like the frequent , as denoting the element in which the moves; not without and apart from God, but living and moving in Him, has the good man acted. Thus the , 1Jn 5:14 , and the , Rom 8:27 , 2Co 7:10 , also the , Luk 12:21 , constitute the necessary character of the , but are not the itself .
] as in Joh 6:28 , Joh 9:4 , Mat 26:10 , et al ., and often in the classics.
Observe from Joh 3:21 , that Christ, who here expresses Himself generally, yet conformably to experience, encountered, at the time of His entering upon His ministry of enlightenment, not only the , but also those who practised what is right, and who were living in God. To this class belonged a Nathanael, and the disciples generally, certainly also many who repented at the preaching of the Baptist, together with other O. T. saints, and perhaps Nicodemus himself. They were drawn by the Father to come to Christ, and were given to Him (Joh 6:37 ); they were of God, and had ears to hear His word (Joh 8:47 , comp. Joh 18:37 ); they were desirous to do the Father’s will (Joh 7:17 ); they were His (Joh 17:6 ). But according to Joh 3:19 , these were exceptions only amid the multitude of the opposite kind, and even their piety needed purifying and transfiguring into true , which could be attained only by fellowship with Christ; and hence even in their case the way of Christian penitence, by the of their works wrought in God, brought about by the light of Christ, was not excluded, but was exhibited, and its commencement brought about, because, in view of this complete and highest light, the sincere Old Testament saint must first rightly feel the need of that repentance, and of the lack of moral satisfaction. Consequently the statement of Joh 3:3 ; Joh 3:5 , still holds true.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Ver. 21. But he that doeth truth ] Tenebriones Papistae male sibi conscii, aeternum atri, et tetri sunto, et habentor, gui non tam cute, quam corde Aethiopici, solem quo magis luceat, eo magis execrentur. But our hearts (as our climate) have mere light than heat. Sir Philip Sydney used to say of Chaucer, that he wondered how in those misty times he could see so clearly; and how we in these clearer times go on so stumblingly. “If any be ignorant, let him be ignorant,” saith Paul, 1Co 14:38 . And so much any one knows, as he does of God’s will, as the apostle intimates, when he tells us that “Christ knew no sin,” that is, he did none, 2Co 5:21 .
Wrought in God ] Right. 1. Quoad fontem, a pure heart. 2. Quoad finem, the glory of God. Else they are but splendida peccata, sins in a silken suit. (Aug.)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
21. ] Who is this . . ? the end of ch. 1 will best explain to us, , see also Luk 8:15 , and Psa 15 . The is crooked and perverse; he has a light, which he does not follow; he knows the light, and avoids it; and so there is no truth, singleness, in him; he is a man at variance with himself. But the simple and single-minded is he who knowing and approving the light, comes to it; and comes that he may be carried onward in this spirit of truth and single-mindedness to higher degrees of communion with and likeness to God. “The good man seeks the light, and to place his works in the light, not from a vain love of praise, but from a desire for communion wherein he finds strength and security,” De Wette. But this is not all: the manifesting his works, that they are wrought in God , is and can be only by the candle of the Lord being kindled within him, and he himself born again in the Kingdom of God: see Psa 139:23-24 .
We hear nothing of the effect produced on Nicodemus by this interview. It certainly did not alienate him from Jesus, see ch. Joh 7:50 ; Joh 19:39 , also ch. Joh 12:42 . “It speaks for the simplicity and historic truthfulness of our Evangelist, that he adds nothing more, and even leaves untold the immediate result which the discourse had.” (Baumgarten-Crusius, in Stier, iv. 102, edn. 2.)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 3:21 . “On the other hand, he who does the truth” This is one of John’s comprehensive phrases which perhaps lose by definition. “To do the truth” is at any rate to live up to what one knows; to live an honest, conscientious life. John implies that men of this type are to be found where the light of Christ has not dawned: but when it dawns they hail it with joy. He that doeth the truth comes to the light that his deeds may be manifested, . Is expressive of a fact or declarative of a reason? Must we translate “manifested, that they are,” etc., or “manifested, because they are,” etc.? The R.V [45] has “that” in the text, and “because” in the margin. Godet and Westcott prefer the former; Lcke, Meyer, Weiss and Weizscker the latter. It is not easy to decide between the two. On the whole, the latter interpretation is to be preferred. This clause gives the reason of the willingness shown by the man to have his deeds made manifest: and thus it balances the clause , which gives the reason for evil doers shunning the light. He who does the truth is not afraid of the light, but rather seeks increased light because his deeds have been done ; that is, he has not been separated from God by them, but has done what he has done because he conceived that to be the will of God. Where such light as exists has been conscientiously used, more is sought, and welcomed when it comes. “Plato was like a man shut into a vault, running hither and thither, with his poor flickering Taper, agonizing to get forthe, and holding himself in readinesse to make a spring forward the moment a door should open. But it never did. ‘Not manie wise are called.’ He had clomb a Hill in the Darke, and stood calling to his companions below, ‘Come on, come on, this way lies the East: I am avised we shall see the sun rise anon’. But they never did. What a Christian he would have made. Ah! he is one now. He and Socrates, the veil long removed from their eyes, are sitting at Jesus’ feet. Sancte Socrates, ora pro nobis” (Erasmus to More in Sir T. More’s Household ). Holtzmann quotes from Hausrath: “As a magnet attracts the metal while the dead stone lies unmoved: so are the children of God drawn by the Logos and come to the Light”. Cf. chap. Joh 18:37 .
[45] Revised Version.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
doeth. Actively produces, having regard to the object and end of the action. Greek. poieo. Compare the two verbs, prasso and poieo, in a similar connexion in Joh 6:29.
truth = the truth. Greek aletheia. App-175. A characteristic word of this Gospel. See note on Joh 1:14.
made manifest. Greek phaneroo. App-106.
are = have been, and still continue to be.
wrought in God: i.e. in His fear, or in His strength.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
21.] Who is this . .? the end of ch. 1 will best explain to us,- , see also Luk 8:15, and Psalms 15. The is crooked and perverse; he has a light, which he does not follow; he knows the light, and avoids it; and so there is no truth, singleness, in him; he is a man at variance with himself. But the simple and single-minded is he who knowing and approving the light, comes to it; and comes that he may be carried onward in this spirit of truth and single-mindedness to higher degrees of communion with and likeness to God. The good man seeks the light, and to place his works in the light, not from a vain love of praise, but from a desire for communion wherein he finds strength and security, De Wette. But this is not all: the manifesting his works, that they are wrought in God, is and can be only by the candle of the Lord being kindled within him, and he himself born again in the Kingdom of God: see Psa 139:23-24.
We hear nothing of the effect produced on Nicodemus by this interview. It certainly did not alienate him from Jesus, see ch. Joh 7:50; Joh 19:39, also ch. Joh 12:42. It speaks for the simplicity and historic truthfulness of our Evangelist, that he adds nothing more, and even leaves untold the immediate result which the discourse had. (Baumgarten-Crusius, in Stier, iv. 102, edn. 2.)
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 3:21. , who does) is often used of continuous zeal; as with the Latins, mercaturam facere, etc.-, may be made manifest) Even Nicodemus subsequently acted more openly.–) Words akin [conjugate].- , in God) in the light, by the virtue [the power] and love of Him, from whom cometh all truth.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 3:21
Joh 3:21
But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God.-Those who live according to the truth love the light and rejoice in it that their works may be justified by the light of truth.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
he that: Joh 1:47, Joh 5:39, Psa 1:1-3, Psa 119:80, Psa 119:105, Psa 139:23, Psa 139:24, Isa 8:20, Act 17:11, Act 17:12, 1Jo 1:6
that his: Joh 15:4, Joh 15:5, Isa 26:12, Hos 14:8, 1Co 15:10, 2Co 1:12, Gal 5:22, Gal 5:23, Gal 6:8, Eph 5:9, Phi 1:11, Phi 2:13, Col 1:29, Heb 13:21, 1Pe 1:22, 2Pe 1:5-10, 1Jo 2:27-29, 1Jo 4:12, 1Jo 4:13, 1Jo 4:15, 1Jo 4:16, Rev 3:1, Rev 3:2, Rev 3:15
they are: 3Jo 1:11
Reciprocal: Psa 25:12 – him Psa 31:19 – wrought Luk 5:17 – that there Joh 12:36 – believe Eph 2:10 – we are Eph 5:13 – for 2Ti 3:7 – learning
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
On the other hand, if a man is a lover of truth, he will want his life to be revealed in order to see if it is correct. A sincere man, even though he may be in error, will wish to be sure of himself, and he knows he can never be certain as to what is right, except as his conduct is regulated by the divine truth.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 3:21. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they have been wrought in God. In contrast with those who commit evil is another classthose who do the truth. The words expressing action in Joh 3:20-21, are different: that in Joh 3:20 (committeth) refers directly to the particular acts, that which is used here (which properly denotes to make, to produce) brings into view rather the result. The man here spoken of is (so to speak) at work in raising the abiding structure of the truth. So far as the truth has been revealed to him, his life is faithful to it; his works are an expression of the truth that is in his heart. As Jesus says (chap. Joh 18:37), Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice; so here we read, He that doeth the truth cometh to the light. There is a natural affinity between truth and light; he who is faithful to truth received is, through the very nature of the truth within him, impelled towards Him who is the Truth. He does not come to the light that his works may be made known to others: there is no self-seeking,perhaps even it is not the conscious purpose of the man himself that is spoken of, but rather the instinctive aim of the truth within him, and thus in reality the purpose of God, that all the works of God be made manifest. The works of this doer of truth have been wrought in God. The discipline by which he is led to the Son is of the Father (see chap. 6 especially). For this cause he comes, and must needs come, at the bidding of the truth, that the works of God in him may be brought out of all concealment and made manifest. His coming to Christ is itself a manifestation of the preceding work of God in him.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Ver. 21. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest because they are wrought in God.
Sincere love of moral good predisposes to faith; for Jesus is the good personified. There are in humanity, even before the appearance of Christ, men who, although like others affected by inborn evil, react against their evil inclinations, and pursue with a noble ardor the realization of the moral ideal which shines before them. Jesus here calls them those who do the truth. St. Paul, also in accord with St. John on this point, describes them as those who by persevering in well-doing seek for glory, honor and incorruption (Rom 2:7). This earnest aspiration after the good, which the theocratic discipline stimulates and protects in Israel, forms a contrast to the mummeries of the Pharisaic righteousness. It can be present in a penitent publican, no less than in an irreproachable Pharisee.
The same idea is found again in the expressions to be of God, to be of the truth (Joh 8:47, Joh 18:37). This disposition is the condition of all real faith in the Gospel. The adherence of the will to the preparatory revelation of God, whether in the law of conscience or in that of Moses, is the first condition of the adherence to the higher revelation of divine holiness in Jesus Christ. The expression to do the truth denotes the persevering effort to raise one’s conduct to the height of one’s moral consciousness, to realize the ideal of the good perceived by the conscience; comp. Romans 7. The soul which, it may be, in consequence of the bitter experience of sin, longs after holiness, recognizes in Jesus its realized ideal and that by which it will itself attain to the realization of it. The figurative expression to come to the light signifies to draw near to Jesus, to listen to Him with docility, to surrender oneself to Him; comp. Luk 15:1-2. Is there not, in the choice of this figure, a delicate allusion to the present course of Nicodemus? As truly as this night which reigns without is the figure of the unbelief in which the lovers of sin envelop themselves, so really is this light around which these few interlocutors meet, the emblem of the divine brightness which Nicodemus came to seek for. And so it will come to pass. It is the farewell of Jesus: Thou desirest the good; it is this which brings thee here. Take courage! Thou shalt find it!
If the upright hearts come to the light, it is because they do not, like those spoken of before, dread the manifestation of the true character of their conduct; on the contrary, they desire it: To the end, says Jesus, that their works may be manifested because they are done in God. I return thus to the ordinary translation of the close of this verse. I had previously preferred the following: That they may be manifested as being done in God; comp. for this Greek construction, Joh 4:35. But the first construction is more natural here. The truly righteous man seeks, as Nicodemus did, to come into contact with Christ, the living holiness, because he has within him nothing which impels him to withdraw himself from the light of God; on the contrary, the nature of his works is the cause of his being happy to find himself fully in that light.
The expression wrought in God seems very strong to characterize the works of the sincere man before he has found Christ. But let us not forget that, both in Israel and even beyond the theocratic sphere, it is from a divine impulse that everything good in human life proceeds. It is the Father who draws souls to the Son, and who gives them to Him (Joh 6:37; Joh 6:44). It is God who causes to resound in the sincere soul the signal for the strife, ineffectual though it be, against inborn evil (Romans 7). Wherever there is docility on the part of man towards this divine initiative, this expression works wrought in God is applicable, which comprehends as well the sighs of the humbled publican and the repentant believer as the noble aspirations of a John or a Nathanael. Such a man, conscious of his sincere desire for the good, does not fear to expose himself to the light and consequently to come to Christ. The more he acts in God, the more he desires to see clearly within himself, to the end of attaining a still more perfect obedience. In the previous editions, I had referred the in order that to the need of a holy approbation. Weisssees in it the desire to show that the good works accomplished are those of God and not those of the man. I think that the question is rather of a need of progress. Luthardt seems to me to have completely perverted the meaning of this verse and to have lost the very profound teaching which it contains, by explaining: He who practices the moral truth manifested in Christ soon attaches himself to Christ by the religious bond of faith. But does not the practice of the holiness revealed in Christ necessarily imply faith in Him? The saying of Jesus in Joh 7:17 has a striking analogy to this.
In humanity anterior to Christ, says Lucke rightly, two kinds of men are mingled together. With the appearance of Jesus, the separating begins; . Under the trees of the same forest, observes Lange, all sorts of birds find shelter together during the night. But in the morning, as soon as the sun sheds forth his rays, some close their eyes and seek the darkest retreat, while others clap their wings and salute the sun with their songs. Thus the appearing of Christ separates the lovers of the day from those of the night, mingled together until then in the mass of mankind. We must not, however, understand this idea in the sense which the Tubingen school ascribes to the evangelist: That there are two kinds of men opposite in their nature. All the expressions used by John: They loved rather, to practise evil things, to do the truth, are, much rather, borrowed from the domain of free choice and deliberate action. (Comp. Introd., pp. 132f.).
It is with this word of hope that Jesus takes leave of Nicodemus. And we can easily understand why, in contrast with John the Baptist’s course (Joh 3:36), Jesus spoke, in the first place, of those who reject the light (Joh 3:19-20), and, in the second place, of those who seek it (Joh 3:21). He wished to terminate the conversation with a word of encouragement addressed to His interlocutor. He had recognized in him one of those righteous souls who will one day believe and whom faith will lead to the baptism of water, and thereby to the baptism of the Spirit. Henceforth Jesus waits for him. Reuss deems the silence of John respecting his departure surprising. We have, indeed, seen him come; but we do not see him go away. We are wholly ignorant of the result of this interview. Then this scholar boldly draws therefrom a proof against the historical reality of the personage of Nicodemus and his conversation with Jesus. Is this objection serious? The evangelist should then have told us expressly, that Nicodemus, on leaving Jesus, returned to his own home and went to bed! Does not the effect produced upon him by the conversation appear plainly from the later history? Comp. Joh 7:50-51; Joh 19:39. John respects the mystery of the inner working which had just begun, and leaves the facts to speak. It is the revelation of Jesus to Nicodemus which is the subject of this narrative, and not the biography of this Pharisee. No more does Matthew mention the return of the Twelve after their first mission (chap. 10); does it follow from this that their mission is not historical? The narrative of our Gospels is wholly devoted to the religious end and does not entertain itself with empty details.
We are now in a condition to give a judgment respecting this interview. It seems to me that its historical character follows from the perfect appositeness, which we have established, in all the words of Jesus and in their exact appropriateness to the given situation. The statement of Joh 3:1, A man of the Pharisees is found to be the key of the whole passage. Every word of Jesus is like a shot fired at close quarters with such an interlocutor. He begins by bringing home to this man who approaches Him, as well assured of his participation in the divine kingdom as of his very existence, a sense of all that which he lacks, and by saying, although in other terms:
Unless thy righteousness surpasses that of the Scribes and Pharisees, thou shalt not enter the kingdom of heaven. After having thus made a void in this heart full of itself and its own righteousness, he endeavors to fill this void in the positive part of the conversation, in which He answers the questions which Nicodemus had proposed to present to Him. In this answer, He opposes, from the beginning to the end, programme to programme: first, Messiah to Messiah, then, salvation to salvation, finally, judgment to judgment, substituting with regard to each of these points the divine thought for the Pharisaic expectation. There is enough, as it seems to me, in this direct application, this constant fitness, and this unshaken steadiness of course in the conversation to guarantee its reality. An artificial composition of the second century would not have succeeded in adapting itself so perfectly to the given situation. In any case, the cohesion of all the parts of the conversation is too evident to allow of the distinction between the part belonging to Jesus and that belonging to the evangelist. Either the whole is a free composition of the latter, or the whole also must be regarded as the summary of a real conversation of Jesus. We say: the summary; for we certainly do not possess a complete report. The visit of Nicodemus, of course, continued longer than the few minutes necessary for reading the account of it. John has transmitted to us in a few salient words the quintessence of the communications of Jesus at this juncture. This is what the quite vague transitions by means of a simple and, , indicate. We have before us the principal mountain peaks, but not the whole of the chain (comp. Introd., p. 99).
Fuente: Godet Commentary (Luke, John, Romans and 1 Corinthians)
3:21 But he that {s} doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought {t} in God.
(s) That is, he that leads an honest life, and is void of all cunning and deceit.
(t) That is, with God, God as it were going before.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
People who adhere to the truth, on the other hand, come to the light and its source, Jesus. They do not try to cover up worthless deeds, but they are willing to expose them to the searching light of God’s revelation (cf. 1Jn 1:8-9). They also humbly acknowledge that the good works that they do are really God’s production. They do all this, of course, because God draws them to Himself. One fundamental difference between believers and unbelievers is their attitude toward the light. It is not their guilt before God. Both are guilty before Him. A minority interpretation is that Jesus was distinguishing believers who acknowledged Christ openly, like John the Baptist, and secret believers, such as Nicodemus, rather than believers and unbelievers. [Note: Zane C. Hodges, "Coming to the Light-John 3:20-21," Bibliotheca Sacra 135:540 (October-December 1978):314-22.]
Joh 3:19-21 point out the ultimate danger that each reader of this Gospel faces. If one tends to do as Nicodemus did and reject Jesus, it is because he or she does not want to come to the light for moral reasons. People essentially turn from Jesus because the light that He brings exposes things about themselves that they want to remain hidden. Openness to the light is very important. God’s gracious love encourages guilty sinners to open up to the light.
"This [Joh 3:19-21] is one of the most important sections in the gospel of John for understanding the light/darkness polarization in Johannine theology and also for understanding John’s gospel itself." [Note: Harris, pp. 203-4.]
Much of contemporary man’s problem with the gospel is anthropological. It arises from a faulty view of himself. Fallen man generally views human beings as neutral if not good. Therefore the fact that God sent Jesus and Jesus came to save sinners seems only interesting at best. If man is good and not in need of salvation, we can applaud God’s love as admirable. If man is neutral, we can take salvation or leave it. If we leave it, God appears unfair for condemning us. However man is not good or neutral but bad. He already stands condemned and destined to experience God’s wrath. Therefore faith in Jesus becomes a necessary way of escape from that dreadful destiny. The Incarnation is a manifestation of divine grace, not just divine love.