Cheryl Schatz

Mark,
You said:

By the way i did just a quick bit of research to see whether your claim that no lexicons prove my point about the word ‘world’, and unfortunately for you your wrong.

For example if you had a closer look at the ‘Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament’ by Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich you would have seen one of there definitions.

“5.b. of all mankind, but especially of believers as the object of God’s love”

My friend, you are not correct once again. I saw that and it clearly says “of all mankind” “but especially of believers”. This includes believers within all mankind so the believers cannot be removed from “all mankind” but are included within. That is why “believers” is not a separate entry but goes with “all of mankind”. This is why I said very confidently that all the lexicons I have shows the universal “all mankind” application.

Let’s look at their examples that you gave:

It is also interesting to note what NT references they use to come to this conclusion “J 3:16, 17c, 6:33, 51; 12:47.”

Let’s take it exactly as BDAG gives the meaning from their lexicon and applies it to these verses:

John 3:16 (NASB)
16 “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.

This then means according to BDAG that God so loved “all of mankind, but especially believers as the object of God’s love” …
(notice how the believers are included in a special way, but all of mankind is included in the full meaning?)

John 3:17 (NASB)
17 “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge “all of mankind but especially believers as the object of God’s love”…

John 6:33 (NASB)
33 “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.”

For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to “all of mankind but especially believers as the object of God’s love”…

John 6:51 (NASB)
51 “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

I am the living bread that came down out of heaven, if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of “all of mankind but especially believers as the objects of God’s love”…

John 12:47 (NASB)
47 “If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge “all of mankind but especially believers as the objects of God’s love”…

My friend, you cannot remove “all of mankind” from the entry on BDAG. In the same way, Paul uses the same term to include the whole and emphasizes the small portion within:

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NASB)
Prophecy a Superior Gift
1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

Prophesy is part of the full category of spiritual gifts.

Philippians 4:22 (NASB)
22 All the saints greet you, especially those of Caesar’s household.

Caesar’s household is a part of the full category of the saints.

And “believers” is a part of the full category of all mankind.

If BDAG wanted to make the believers as a category to itself and not a part of the whole (all mankind) they would have made it a separate number. They did not. So again, I am sorry to disappoint you, but “the world” is not a small number of a few chosen people. It is an expression not of “the few” but of “the many”.