Do you love the Gospel, the Good News? Do your eyes light up? Do you embrace it? Do you share it?
What is the Good News?
It is 3:16. It is John 3:16 and it is Genesis 3:15-16. It is both.
Surprised?
If you are surprised you might have something going on. It might be traceable to influences of the mistranslation of Genesis 3:16a.
The Good News found in John 3:16 was first announced in Genesis 3:15 and 16a. That is where God gave the great promise to the woman of “conception” that would crush the head of the serpent tempter. Theologians have used a Latin word for this first announcement of the Good News. They call it the protevangelium.
But did you know some cut short the announcement of that Good News. They make it include only Genesis 3:15 with God’s words to the serpent tempter! It wasn’t good news to him!
They cut off the important second half of the complete thought which overlaps from the end of verse 15 into the linchpin word (“conception”) in line one of verse 16. To the woman, and all humans, the conception of the promised offspring made for very good news!
