"For God so loved the world that HeHis only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
The quote in blue is the most cherished verse in the New Testament: John 3:16. Jesus is addressing the question of why God sent Him to the earth. Christians interpret this statement to mean that God sent Jesus to sacrifice His life upon the cross in order for mankind to be saved from their sins and be welcomed into heaven when they die. But is that what Jesus is speaking of? Is it? I wonder!
There is absolutely nothing in the entire chapter about crucifixion, about sacrifice, about ransom, about death. Notice the word gave (in red). This word suggests to the Christian mind the idea of 'giving Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified'. But if the word 'sent' was used -- rather than the word 'gave' -- a completely different connotation would appear. Read John 3:16 again that way see what you think.
Now, let's take a look at the verse that precedes it: John 3:15
"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
This quote is a reference to chapter 21 of Numbers in the Old Testament. The serpent is not put on a pole to be crucified or killed, but 'gazed' upon. God had instructed Moses to create a bronze serpent and place it up high so that anyone bitten by one of the many snakes in the wilderness would focus on the image and not die from the venom!
"So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked (gazed) at the bronze serpent, he lived." (Numbers 21:8)
The Greek word for 'lifted up' is hupsoo and means "to lift up on high, to exalt". In John 12:32, Jesus uses the same word, stating these words: "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." These verses have nothing to do with sacrifice or crucifixion. They are about healing and salvation.
Oh, yes! God so loved all of His children that he sent Jesus to our planet -- not to be sacrificed to appease an angry god -- but that He might be honored and exalted -- that He might be lifted up as the ideal, the model, the example, the mentor for us all.
Oh yeah, I forgot to include: "The Savior!"