John 3:16 as a Parable

Once upon a time, in a land sort-of like our own, there lived a father and his children.  For some time, the family lived happily together.  That is, until one day when a traveler came through town.  He told the children stories of the gold and glory to be found in the big city. He told them how happy they could be there—much happier than in their old town.  There were riches waiting to be had for any who would take them, he said.  He even told them that he saw potential in the children; And if they ever had the good sense to leave home and go to the city they could live with him until they were wealthy enough to live on their own.

The traveler’s stories caught the imaginations of the children.  So they decided together leave their father’s house and travel after the stranger to the great city.  That is, all except the eldest son.  He was resolute and would not leave with the others.  He pleaded with the other children to reconsider their decision and remain with him at home.  He warned them to beware of the traveler and the unproven promises he made.  Their father had never mentioned such a city before, said the eldest son.  If it were so wonderful, would he not have told them of it?

The other children would not be persuaded, however.  The promise of wealth and wisdom and honor waiting them in the city was too much for them.  So, they packed up their belongings and, without a word to their father, set off on the journey.

The children began that day with high hopes and cheerful hearts.  As soon as they were out of sight of the town, thieves rode up and surrounded them.  Leading them was the traveler.  The thieves took everything they had brought along with them.  They took all of the good things the children had been given by their father; they took their money, their possessions, their private papers and treasures; they took their horses, their maps and compasses; they even took their clothes from them.  They finished by taking their purity, their honor, and their dignity.  When the thieves were done, the children were naked and ashamed.  They had nothing to live on and no way or will to find the road back home.

What would their father think of them now?

Those were the words of the traveler.  How could they return now, in such a terrible state?  Their father would be ashamed of them and their elder brother would scorn them.  No.  First, they must travel on to the city and work for the traveler.  He would help them to gain back their self-respect and their wealth.  Then, they would be able to ride back home triumphantly and show them how right they had been.  They would earn back their father’s grudging respect through hard work and difficulties.

The children saw no other choice than the one offered to them now.  Again, the traveler’s stories caught the imaginations of the children.  They would show them all who was right!  And so, they took the filthy clothes the traveler had with him and put them on.  They walked off behind the traveler as his slaves.

Down, down they traveled to the dark and dirty city of the traveler.  As the children followed him to the gates, they realized that he was the king of the place.  He was a powerful king and a tyrant over all who lived there.  No one could refuse to obey him, for he held such power and such terrors to strike them.  Over the gates was this inscription: “Work Hard and Be Free”.  Many believed that this meant that if they did everything right and slaved diligently that they would be free to leave.  But, no matter how hard they worked no one was set free.  The gates often opened to let people into the city but only the traveler and his thieves ever went out.

Although no people ever left the city, hard work and cold self-interest did have value.  By being shrewd and looking out for yourself, you could advance in the city.  Many were able to settle in private houses and purchase cleaner clothes.  Many accumulated treasures of the wooden coins that replaced gold and silver in that city.  They could have more food that was a little less rotten than the next guy had.  Some even were able to afford to pay for jobs in the traveler’s service.

After some time living in the city, the children began to forget about their father.  It began to appear to their minds that this was all they ever knew.  They still dreamed of the good food, and sweets, and gifts and treasures they once knew.  But these were only dreams to them and drove them to work harder for more wooden coins.

Sometimes, when someone would talk about his dreams of a past home, the children would sigh.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a home like that? they would wonder.  Someplace safe, and restful, and happy, and loving—someplace out of this city?  But these thoughts would only drive them back to “Work Hard and Be Free”.

Although the children forgot their father, their father never forgot them.  The longer the children were away, the hotter his love for them burned.  He could not bear the thought of his little babies away from him; and especially of them suffering all of the sorrows and sufferings of the evil city.  The daily thought of his little ones alone, unprotected, deceived, despised, and defiled controlled him.  He would not, and could not, let them continue in their ruin.  He must bring his little babies back to himself.

The father sent a trusted servant to the city.  Go to the city, he told the servant, find my children and bring them back to me.  So, the servant left the safety of the town, rode through the desert, and approached the city.  Over the gates he saw these words written: “All Who Enter Here Perish”.  Beneath this motto was the name of the city, “Death of All Hope, All Good, All Truth, All Souls”.

Inside the city, the servant began his search.  Everywhere, there was filth and sorrow.  Finally, his efforts led him to a broken-down house in a broken-down neighborhood.  He knocked on the door.  Locks were unlocked and the door opened a crack.  An eye peered out through the opening.

It was one of the father’s children!  He had found them!  He began to tell the eye in the crack of the father’s love, of the assignment he was given.  Please, come out of this pit of destruction and come home to…

Click.  The door just closed.

The servant thought perhaps it closed to be unlocked and opened all the way.  He stood their waiting for some time.  And he realized it would not open.  So he knocked again, and again but harder.  He heard quiet conversation behind the door, so he pounded on it.  Your father loves you, he shouted, come back home with me, he called.  The door flung open suddenly.  The children grabbed the servant, pulled him inside, and beat him to death.

After the servant did not return, the father knew what had happened to him.  So he sent another servant, and another, and another.  All of his servants were refused and beaten to death.

Finally, the father sent his faithful eldest son, saying, “Surely, they will respect him”.  To his son he gave all of the authority of his name and commissioned him, saying, “Tell them I love them and miss them and want them to come home.”

So the eldest son went to the city.  The gates were closed, but he commanded and they were opened.  He went to the broken down house where the children lived and knocked on the door.  Again, locks were unlocked and the door opened a crack.  Again, an eye peered out through the opening.  Again, one of the father’s children looked out at the visitor.  There was not a trace of recognition in that face behind the door.  The eldest son had come to his own people and they didn’t even know him.  Nevertheless, the blank face opened the door and asked the man inside.  “Come in and welcome”, said the doorkeeper.

The eldest son knew however what waited inside.  He knew that it was really a trap.  The traveler had arranged with the children to have his governors in the house when the son would come.  When the son would step into the house, the governors would capture the son and put him to death.  The traveler’s plan was this: After the death of the eldest son, the traveler could take the town and possessions of the father.  By killing the son, he could become a real king over everything.  The son knew this; but he knew more than the traveler did, so he stepped inside.

The traveler wrote the words “Work Hard and Be Free” over the gates to hide the true words.  But they were, as all else, a lie.  There was no way to be free and leave the city alive.  The true words, “All Who Enter Here Perish”, were written there by the father himself.  The father built the walls and gate around the city of sorrows to warn away those who would enter.  But the children believed the traveler rather than the father and passed in the gate.  And yet, the father knew there was one way to free his children from the city.  Death was required to leave the city.  All who enter here perish.  But, another, blameless one could die on the behalf of the perishing ones.  Another could die their death and so give them his life and pardon.  If a faithful son died for them, the children might be free.

“No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.  As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.  He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.  For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.  But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”[1]

You see, John 3.16 tells us a story.  It is a sad story about sorrow and suffering, about a faithful father’s unreturned love.  But, I said it is a sad story with a happy ending.

The eldest son, the faithful son, entered into the house and was killed.  There were many there, among the father’s children, who laughed with the traveler at the sight.  They thought it a weak and foolish thing to give one’s faithful son for rebellious children.  But there were others in the place who saw everything differently.  As if light came from a newly uncovered sun, they could suddenly see the truth.  They realized the truth in the words of the son.  They saw the father and his love for them in the death of the son.  Through these things, the shadows and facades of the traveler were removed and the work of the father’s love made visible.

In the clarity of their new sight they knew the TRUTH; they saw reality, and trusted its truth.  They believed and obeyed.  They saw the rags they wore and exchanged them for robes of right.  They saw the wages they worked for and gave up such worthless wealth.  They saw the food they ate and determined to eat the bread of heaven or starve.  Most of all, they saw the traveler for what he was, the king only of vanity, selfishness, cruelty, and hate.  They saw all as it was and refused to have anything but the true gifts of the father.  And in that day, live where they might, they became free.  In their hearts, they made the journey back beyond the desert to the town of their father.  And there they lived, in their hometown despite their outward address in the dark city.  And one day, the faithful son faithfully returned and led them out of the dark city back to paradise.

John 3.16 is a little like a celebrity, it is true.  But it is really a promise of everlasting love.  There it is, paraded among all the faces and colors of the crowd.  Or there, hanging from a balcony.  “John 3.16”.  Like a celebrity, many people know its name but know nothing else about it.  What is it really?  What does it say?  It says,

“Come back to me”.

“I love you”.

Signed, “Your Father.”