548 Lars Kierspel darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God (95). (e) While the Gospel’s Christology is furthered in 3,13 with the reference to Jesus’ descent and ascent (ajnabaivnw, katabaivnw), the major contribution of this section lies in its soteriological content: (i) The cross is interpreted with the help of Numbers 21 as a necessary (dei') elevation of the Savior (3,14; also 12,32.34) that invites “everyone who believes” to have “eternal life” (3,15.16). The substantival participle oJ pisteuvwn is introduced here for the first time as well as the eschatological concept of zwhv aijwvnio" in replacement of the Synoptists’ basileiva tou' qeou' (only in 3,5). (ii) This generous gift of life is grounded in the “love of God” (3,16) for this world. The verb ajgapavw occurs over thirty times in the gospel, but not before 3,16. While the author will stress elsewhere that the Father loves the Son (96) and that God loves those who love Jesus and keep his command- ments (97), the kovsmo" is only here the object of divine love (but see 1 John 4,10.11.19). The statement in 3,19 connects with 3,16 by keyword: God loved the world but men “loved the darkness.” While the notion of God’s unreturned favor is parallel to the prologue’s statement about the world who did not recognize its own creator (1,9- 10), the love-language of 3,16-19 adds a unique emotive force to this motif. (iii) This love of God is expressed in the “giving” (e[dwken) and “sending” (ajpevsteilen) of his only Son. While we read previously that John the Baptist was “sent”, this language is applied to Jesus only from 3,17 on (98). (iv) The sending of the Son means that God is not judging the world but saving it (3,17; also 12,47). The trajectory of judgment is further developed in John 5 with reference to the Son’s future judgment (5,29; also 16,8) and the Paraclete’s related mission (16,8.11). But the specific language of “judging” and “judgment” begins not before 3,17. (v) The krivsi" of mankind, past (3,19) and present (3,18.20), was and is the rejection of this love by hating the light (3,20) and loving the darkness (3,19). As the Gospel’s love-language commences in 3,16, so does the hate-language in 3,20. The monologue finishes by grounding the negative and positive attitude to the light in the moral action of the individual (3,20-21), thus providing analysis and rationale for the world’s negative response. (95) So according to the Holman Christian Standard Bible (2004).