John 9:39
“For judgment I am come into this world” (John 9:39). This is a simple, straight-forward statement from the lips of Jesus. “For judgment” is why He entered the world, but the question must be asked, “Who is the ‘judgment for’?”
We know that judgment is what He came for, but is there other evidence as to why He was here? Paul said in Romans 5:8 that Jesus was the manifestation of God’s love for us, but that answers to who He was, not to why He was. As always, the answer can be found in God’s Word and in this case, from the words of Jesus Himself: “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Now we find that not only did Jesus come into the world for judgment, but that He DID NOT come to condemn the world. How can these two thoughts co-exist? If Jesus came to judge, must He not also condemn those whom He is going to judge?
Any confusion on John 9:39 stems from improper teaching on what the cross of Jesus Christ was all about. Let’s see a couple of other statements of Jesus that help fill in the blanks:
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). This is just before the cross, and the judgment that Jesus said that He came for is about to happen. Notice that at this judgment, “the prince of this world” is going to be taken out. That prince is Satan (Ephesians 2:2), thus a portion of the judgment must fall on him.
“And when He is come (Holy Spirit), He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8, 11). This is pretty plain; that same prince (Satan) is judged.
“And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). In a world desperate for heroes, Jesus states His purpose: not to judge but to save.
Now, in light of all of the passages put together (notice that they all fall within the book of John, the one gospel specifically written to the sinner; John 20:31), we have solid evidence as to why Jesus came and who was going to be judged. He came with love, as the embodiment of that love. He came without condemnation and without judgment against man, for His mission was to save them from their sins. He came to destroy the works of the devil and to cast him out as a super-power. There remains but one verse in that same Gospel of John that puts the final piece in the puzzle:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me” (John 12:32). I left the word “men” out that appears in the King James Version because it is italicized, meaning that it was added by the translators. Jesus never said that He would draw all men to Him, but that He would draw all of something else to Him. That something else was the “judgment of this world” from the previous verse. Jesus is telling us that He came for one purpose and one purpose alone: to be judged of God for the sins of the world. In short: He came not to judge but to be judged. If He has been judged, and you have accepted Him as your Savior, then there remains no more judgment for you. Hallelujah!
“For judgment I am come into this world” (John 9:39). This is a simple, straight-forward statement from the lips of Jesus. “For judgment” is why He entered the world, but the question must be asked, “Who is the ‘judgment for’?”
We know that judgment is what He came for, but is there other evidence as to why He was here? Paul said in Romans 5:8 that Jesus was the manifestation of God’s love for us, but that answers to who He was, not to why He was. As always, the answer can be found in God’s Word and in this case, from the words of Jesus Himself: “For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17). Now we find that not only did Jesus come into the world for judgment, but that He DID NOT come to condemn the world. How can these two thoughts co-exist? If Jesus came to judge, must He not also condemn those whom He is going to judge?
Any confusion on John 9:39 stems from improper teaching on what the cross of Jesus Christ was all about. Let’s see a couple of other statements of Jesus that help fill in the blanks:
“Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out” (John 12:31). This is just before the cross, and the judgment that Jesus said that He came for is about to happen. Notice that at this judgment, “the prince of this world” is going to be taken out. That prince is Satan (Ephesians 2:2), thus a portion of the judgment must fall on him.
“And when He is come (Holy Spirit), He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged” (John 16:8, 11). This is pretty plain; that same prince (Satan) is judged.
“And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world” (John 12:47). In a world desperate for heroes, Jesus states His purpose: not to judge but to save.
Now, in light of all of the passages put together (notice that they all fall within the book of John, the one gospel specifically written to the sinner; John 20:31), we have solid evidence as to why Jesus came and who was going to be judged. He came with love, as the embodiment of that love. He came without condemnation and without judgment against man, for His mission was to save them from their sins. He came to destroy the works of the devil and to cast him out as a super-power. There remains but one verse in that same Gospel of John that puts the final piece in the puzzle:
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto me” (John 12:32). I left the word “men” out that appears in the King James Version because it is italicized, meaning that it was added by the translators. Jesus never said that He would draw all men to Him, but that He would draw all of something else to Him. That something else was the “judgment of this world” from the previous verse. Jesus is telling us that He came for one purpose and one purpose alone: to be judged of God for the sins of the world. In short: He came not to judge but to be judged. If He has been judged, and you have accepted Him as your Savior, then there remains no more judgment for you. Hallelujah!
