SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:14
Y como Moiss levant la serpiente en el desierto, así es necesario que el Hijo del hombre sea levantado;
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 3:14
Verse 14. As Moses lifted up] He shows the reason why he descended from heaven, that he might be lifted up, i.e. crucified, for the salvation of man. kind, and be, by the appointment of God, as certain a remedy for sinful souls as the brazen serpent elevated on a pole, Num. xxi. 9, was for the bodies of the Israelites, which had been bitten by the fiery serpents in the wilderness. It does not appear to me that the brazen serpent was ever intended to be considered as a type of Christ. It is possible to draw likenesses and resemblances out of any thing; but, in such matters as these, we should take heed that we go no farther than we can say, Thus it is written. Among the Jews, the brazen serpent was considered a type of the resurrection-through it the dying lived; and so, by the voice of God, they that were dead shall be raised to life. As the serpent was raised up, so shall Christ be lifted up: as they who were stung by the fiery serpents were restored by looking up to the brazen serpent, so those who are infected with and dying through sin are healed and saved, by looking up to and believing in Christ crucified. These are all the analogies which we can legitimately trace between the lifting up of the brazen serpent, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The lifting up of the Son of man may refer to his mediatorial office at the right hand of God. See the note on Num. xxi. 9.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness , etc.] The history referred to is in ( Numbers 21:8). There is, in many things, an agreement between this serpent, and Jesus Christ: as in the matter of it, it was a brazen serpent; it was made not of gold, nor of silver, but of brass, the meaner metal, and was a very unlikely means, of itself, to heal the Israelites; and might be despised by many: this may denote the meanness of Christ in his human nature, in his birth and parentage, and place of education and converse; and especially in his crucifixion and death; and which, to an eye of carnal sense and reason, seemed a very improbable means of saving sinners; and therefore were to some a stumbling block, and to others foolishness: though on the other hand, as brass is a shining metal, and might be chose for the serpent in the wilderness to be made of, that by the lustre of it the eyes of the Israelites might be attracted and directed to it, who were at the greatest distance in the camp; so it may be expressive of the glory of Christ, as the only begotten of the Father, and who is the brightness of his Fathers glory; and which is the great attractive, motive, and inducement to engage souls to look unto him, and believe in him, ( Isaiah 45:22); and whereas brass is both a strong and durable metal, it may signify the strength of Christ, who is the mighty God, and mighty to save; and his duration, as a Saviour, being the same today, yesterday, and for ever: likewise, the comparison between the serpent Moses lifted up, and Christ, may be observed in the form of it. The brazen serpent had the form of a serpent, but not the poison and venomous nature of one; so Christ was sent, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and was found in fashion as a man, as a sinful man, but was without sin, and was perfectly holy; and yet being in this form, was made both sin and a curse, that he might redeem his people both from sin, and from the curse of the law, by dying a death which denominated him accursed, of which the serpent was, an emblem: besides, this serpent was a fiery one; at least it looked like one of the fiery serpents, being of brass, which shone as though it burned in a furnace; and may be an emblem both of Christs Fathers wrath, which was poured out like fire upon him, and of his love to his people, which was like burning fire, the coals whereof gave a most vehement flame. Moreover, this serpent Moses made, and was ordered to make, was but one, though the fiery serpents, with which the Israelites were bitten, were many; so there is but one Mediator between God and man; but one Saviour, in whom alone is salvation, and in no other, even Jesus Christ. To which may be added the situation in which this serpent was put: it was set by Moses on a pole; it was lifted up on high, that every one in the camp of Israel might see it; and may point out the ascension of Christ into heaven, and his exaltation at Gods right hand there, as some think; or his being set up in the ministry of the word, and held forth and exalted there as the only Saviour of lost sinners; or rather his crucifixion, which is sometimes expressed by a lifting up, ( John 8:28 12:32). Once more, there is an agreement in the effect that followed upon the lifting up of the serpent; and which was the design of it, viz. the healing of such Israelites as were bitten by the fiery serpents, who looked to this: for as the Israelites were bitten by fiery serpents, with the poison of which they were infected, and were in danger of death, and to many of them their bitings were mortal; so men are poisoned with the venom of the old serpent the devil, by which they are subjected to a corporeal death, and are brought under a spiritual, or moral death, and are liable to an eternal one: and as these bitings were such as Moses could not cure; so the wounds of sin, through the old serpent, are such as cannot be healed by the law, moral or ceremonial, or by obedience to either; and as they were the Israelites who were convinced of their sin, and acknowledged it, and had a cure by looking to the brazen serpent; so such whom the Spirit of God convinces of sin, and to whom he gives the seeing eye of faith, these, through seeing, the Son, and looking to Jesus, as crucified and slain, receive healing by his stripes and wounds: and as those, who were ever so much bit and poisoned by the fiery serpents, or were at ever so great a distance from the pole, or had the weakest eye, yet if they could but discern the serpent on the pole, though it only appeared as a shining piece of brass, had a cure; so the greatest of sinners, and who are afar off from God, and all that is good, and who have faith but as a grain of mustard seed, or but glimmering view of Christ, of his glory, fulness, and suitableness, shall be saved by him. To add no more, this was done in the wilderness: which may signify this world, Christs coming into it, his crucifixion in it, and his going without the camp, bearing our reproach, or suffering without the gates of Jerusalem. It is certain, that the Jews had a notion that the brazen serpent was symbolical and figurative: Philo the Jew makes it to be a symbol of fortitude and temperance f137 ; and the author of the apocryphal book of Wisdom f138 , calls it a sign of salvation. They thought there was something mysterious in it: hence they say f139 , in four places it is said, make thee, etc. In three places it is explained, viz. ( Genesis 6:14 Numbers 10:2 Joshua 5:2), and one is not explained, ( Numbers 21:8), make thee a fiery serpent, ryp al , is not explained. And elsewhere they ask, and could the serpent kill, or make alive? But at the time that Israel looked up, and served with their hearts their Father which is in heaven, they were healed; but if not, they were brought low.
So that the look was not merely to the brazen serpent, but to God in heaven; yea, to the word of God, his essential Logos, as say the Targumists on ( Numbers 21:9). The Jerusalem Targum paraphrases the words thus: and Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a high place, and whoever was bitten by the serpents, and lift up his face, in prayer, to his Father which is in heaven, and looked upon the serpent of brass, lived.
And Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases them thus: and Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a high place; and it was, when a serpent had bitten any man, and he looked to the serpent of brass, and directed his heart, yyd armym wl , to the name of the word of the Lord, he lived.
And this healing they understand not only of bodily healing, but of the healing of the soul: for they observe f141 , that as soon as they said, we have sinned, immediately their iniquity was expiated; and they had the good news brought them of the healing of the soul, as it is written, make thee a seraph; and he does not say a serpent; and this is it: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live, pnh tawpr , through the healing of the soul: yea, they compare the Messiah to a serpent; for so the Targum on ( Isaiah 14:29) paraphrases that passage: the Messiah shall come forth from Jesses childrens children; and his works shall be among you as a flying serpent.
And who else can be designed by the other serpent of life f142 , and the holy serpent they speak of, in opposition to the evil serpent that seduced Eve? And it is well known, that jn , a serpent, and jym , Messiah, are numerically, or by gematry, the same; a way of interpretation, and explanation, often in use with the Jews. Now, as this serpent was lifted up on a pole on high, that every one that was bitten with the fiery serpent might look to it, and be healed; even so must the son of man be lifted up ; upon the cross, and die: the crucifixion and death of Christ were necessary, and must be, because of the decrees and purposes of God, by which he was foreordained thereunto, and by which determinate counsel he was delivered, taken, crucified, and slain; and because of his own engagements as a surety, laying himself under obligations in the council and covenant of peace, to suffer, and die, in the room of his people; and because of the prophecies in the Old Testament, and his own predictions, that so it should be; as also, that the antitype might answer the type; and particularly, that he might be a suitable object of faith for wounded sinners, sensible of sin, to look unto.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore cam in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are man Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welcome, an hereby taught us to encourage good beginnings, although weak. An though now he came by night, yet afterward he owned Christ publicly. He did not talk with Christ about state affairs, though he was a ruler but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation, and went a once to them. Our Saviour spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth, and at once directed Nicodemus to the source of holiness of the heart. Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again, is to begin to live anew, as those who have lived muc amiss, or to little purpose. We must have a new nature, new principles new affections, new aims. By our first birth we were corrupt, shapen i sin; therefore we must be made new creatures. No stronger expressio could have been chosen to signify a great and most remarkable change of state and character. We must be entirely different from what we wer before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before. This new birth is from heaven, ch 1:13, and its tendency is to heaven. It is a great change made in the heart of a sinner, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means tha something is done in us, and for us, which we cannot do for ourselves Something is wrong, whereby such a life begins as shall last for ever We cannot otherwise expect any benefit by Christ; it is necessary to our happiness here and hereafter. What Christ speak, Nicodemu misunderstood, as if there had been no other way of regenerating an new-moulding an immortal soul, than by new-framing the body. But he acknowledged his ignorance, which shows a desire to be better informed It is then further explained by the Lord Jesus. He shows the Author of this blessed change. It is not wrought by any wisdom or power of ou own, but by the power of the blessed Spirit. We are shapen in iniquity which makes it necessary that our nature be changed. We are not to marvel at this; for, when we consider the holiness of God, the depravity of our nature, and the happiness set before us, we shall no think it strange that so much stress is laid upon this. The regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is compared to water. It is als probable that Christ had reference to the ordinance of baptism. No that all those, and those only, that are baptized, are saved; but without that new birth which is wrought by the Spirit, and signified by baptism, none shall be subjects of the kingdom of heaven. The same wor signifies both the wind and the Spirit. The wind bloweth where i listeth for us; God directs it. The Spirit sends his influences where and when, on whom, and in what measure and degree, he pleases. Thoug the causes are hidden, the effects are plain, when the soul is brough to mourn for sin, and to breathe after Christ. Christ's stating of the doctrine and the necessity of regeneration, it should seem, made it no clearer to Nicodemus. Thus the things of the Spirit of God ar foolishness to the natural man. Many think that cannot be proved, whic they cannot believe. Christ's discourse of gospel truths, very #(11-13), shows the folly of those who make these things strange unt them; and it recommends us to search them out. Jesus Christ is ever way able to reveal the will of God to us; for he came down from heaven and yet is in heaven. We have here a notice of Christ's two distinc natures in one person, so that while he is the Son of man, yet he is in heaven. God is the "HE THAT IS," and heaven is the dwelling-place of his holiness. The knowledge of this must be from above, and can be received by faith alone. Jesus Christ came to save us by healing us, a the children of Israel, stung with fiery serpents, were cured and live by looking up to the brazen serpent, Nu 21:6-9. In this observe the deadly and destructive nature of sin. Ask awakened consciences, as damned sinners, they will tell you, that how charming soever the allurements of sin may be, at the last it bites like a serpent. See the powerful remedy against this fatal malady. Christ is plainly set fort to us in the gospel. He whom we offended is our Peace, and the way of applying for a cure is by believing. If any so far slight either their disease by sin, or the method of cure by Christ, as not to receiv Christ upon his own terms, their ruin is upon their own heads. He ha said, Look and be saved, look and live; lift up the eyes of your fait to Christ crucified. And until we have grace to do this, we shall no be cured, but still are wounded with the stings of Satan, and in dying state. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us, that we might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good new indeed. Here is God's love in giving his Son for the world. God s loved the world; so really, so richly. Behold and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! Here, also, is the grea gospel duty, to believe in Jesus Christ. God having given him to be ou Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, an taught, and saved by him. And here is the great gospel benefit, tha whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and so saving it. It could not be saved, but through him; there is n salvation in any other. From all this is shown the happiness of tru believers; he that believeth in Christ is not condemned. Though he ha been a great sinner, yet he is not dealt with according to what his sins deserve. How great is the sin of unbelievers! God sent One to sav us, that was dearest to himself; and shall he not be dearest to us? Ho great is the misery of unbelievers! they are condemned already; whic speaks a certain condemnation; a present condemnation. The wrath of God now fastens upon them; and their own hearts condemn them. There is als a condemnation grounded on their former guilt; they are open to the la for all their sins; because they are not by faith interested in the gospel pardon. Unbelief is a sin against the remedy. It springs from the enmity of the heart of man to God, from love of sin in some form Read also the doom of those that would not know Christ. Sinful work are works of darkness. The wicked world keep as far from this light a they can, lest their deeds should be reproved. Christ is hated, becaus sin is loved. If they had not hated saving knowledge, they would no sit down contentedly in condemning ignorance. On the other hand renewed hearts bid this light welcome. A good man acts truly an sincerely in all he does. He desires to know what the will of God is and to do it, though against his own worldly interest. A change in his whole character and conduct has taken place. The love of God is she abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, and is become the commandin principle of his actions. So long as he continues under a load of unforgiven guilt, there can be little else than slavish fear of God but when his doubts are done away, when he sees the righteous groun whereon this forgiveness is built, he rests on it as his own, and i united to God by unfeigned love. Our works are good when the will of God is the rule of them, and the glory of God the end of them; when they are done in his strength, and for his sake; to him, and not to men. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a subject to which the world i very averse; it is, however, the grand concern, in comparison with which every thing else is but trifling. What does it signify though we have food to eat in plenty, and variety of raiment to put on, if we ar not born again? if after a few mornings and evenings spent i unthinking mirth, carnal pleasure, and riot, we die in our sins, an lie down in sorrow? What does it signify though we are well able to ac our parts in life, in every other respect, if at last we hear from the Supreme Judge, "Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity?"
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ καθως 2531 ADV μωσης 3475 N-NSM υψωσεν 5312 5656 V-AAI-3S τον 3588 T-ASM οφιν 3789 N-ASM εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF ερημω 2048 A-DSF ουτως 3779 ADV υψωθηναι 5312 5683 V-APN δει 1163 5904 V-PQI-3S τον 3588 T-ASM υιον 5207 N-ASM του 3588 T-GSM ανθρωπου 444 N-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Must (dei). Must signifies the eternal necessity in the divine counsels. Compare Luke xxiv. 26, 46; Matt. xxvi. 54; Mark viii. 31; John xii. 34. Lifted up (uywqhnai). The following are the uses of the word in the New Testament: The exaltation of pride (Matt. xi. 23; Luke x. 15; xiv. 11). The raising of the humble (Luke i. 52; Jas. iv. 10; 1 Pet. v. 6). The exaltation of Christ in glory (Acts ii. 33; v. 31). The uplifting on the cross (John iii. 14; viii. 28; xii. 32, 34). The reference here is to the crucifixion, but beyond that, to the glorification of Christ. It is characteristic of John to blend the two ideas of Christ's passion and glory (viii. 28; xii. 32). Thus, when Judas went out to betray him, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified" (xiii. 31). Hence the believer overcomes the world through faith in Him who came not by water only, but by water and blood (1 John v. 4-6).
