Putting the "World" in context

The original Greek word for world is the word cosmos. In the gospel of John world is used several different ways. Let’s go over them.

1.      John 1:10 – He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know 

Him.

In this verse the word world is making reference to the physical planet earth we live in and the fact that Jesus in eternity past created the universe. Both Col 1:15 and Heb 1:2 tells us that Jesus created all things.

2.      John 1:29 – Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.               

In this passage John the Baptist is introducing to His disciples and others that Jesus is the Messiah that will take away sins. Automatically when we see the word world, we conclude that it is inclusive. The word world here has to refer only to the elect and/or chosen of God. Remember Matt 1:21 says Jesus will save his people (italics mine) from their sins            .          

Another passage that would apply here would be John 10:16; Jesus said, “And other sheep I have that are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd”.

This passage describes that Jesus was sent not only to save his own countrymen the Jews, the Father sent Him to save Gentiles also. These are the other sheep. So the world here in this context is making reference to the whole world of the elect.

3.      John 13:1 – Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from the world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them until the end.

The word world here is simply dealing with ascending out of the planet earth.

4.      John 12:31 – Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

This verse deals with world as in this evil world system, and the ruler of it, the devil.

Ephesians 2:1 said that prior to our conversion we walked according to the course or ways of this world. This makes reference to the world’s ungodly system of evil.

5.      John 7:7 – Jesus speaking to His brothers said, “The world can not hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that it deeds are evil.

Here the word world in this passage is referencing the non-elect; those who are not saved.

6.      John 12:19 – The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, you see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!

This event is in reference to the beginning of Passion Week, on Palm Sunday on the 9^th of Nisan (Mar/Apr) when our Lord rides on a donkey presenting Himself as the Messiah (Zech 9:9). The religious leaders said the world has gone after Him. The word world in this context is making reference to the region in which they lived, not the whole world.

7.      John 7:4b – Jesus is urged by His brothers to show Himself to the world

    Here the word world can make reference to the general public, not the entire world.

8.      John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

The word world here means all of humanity. However eternal life is reserved for those that believe in what Jesus accomplished at the cross.

9.      John 3:17 -  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The word world here makes reference to the elect. You can also include I John 2:2 which states that Christ sacrifice for sins was for the whole world, not just the world of the Jew but God’s chosen from every tribe, nation, tongue and people. This passages reiterates one we discussed earlier (John 10:16).

There are those that will argue when that I John 2:2 makes reference to everyone in the world because the word whole appears before the word world, but it is not inclusive but exclusive. When Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, it was without distinction meaning that there was no preference between rich and poor, free and slave, male and female. All are one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28).

10.  John 17:9 – Jesus specifically says here that He is not praying for the world but those whom the Father gave to Him.

This is a clear indication that Jesus in His what is called His High Priestly prayer to the Father is praying for only the elect, the chosen of God and not the whole world (of the unsaved). Once again, meaning of the word world HAS to be defined by the context.

Concluding, as I have shown using this word world has to be defined contextually. We use the world generally all the time. For example, someone will say, “I have traveled the world”! That does not mean they have been to every county, village, city state on the planet. What they are saying is they have traveled the globe; they have gone to many different places in the world.

That is what is being described in the verses above. This word world is always a matter of contention when describing Jesus sacrificial death on the cross – was it for everyone who will ever live (indiscriminate), or was it simply for the world of the elect (discriminate)?

The latter is what the Bible teaches.