“God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17, NKJV).

John is well known as the disciple whom Jesus loved. But the Bible also notes that John had a temper like thunder (Mark 3:17), probably smelled like fish (Luke 5:2, 10), wanted to call down deadly fire from heaven on unsuspecting Samaritans (Luke 9:52–54), and, with the help of his mother, was ambitious for a position in the kingdom (Matthew 20:20, 21). Maybe he was not such a great guy after all. But it turns out that Jesus took this same John and transformed him into a loving and loveable disciple. And for this miracle, John was forever grateful.

In Themes in the Gospel of John, Ed Zinke reminds us that the God “in the beginning” who created the world is the same God who walked the dirt roads of Israel, healing the lame, sighting the blind, and raising the dead. What we have always suspected is true. Jesus. Loved. Everyone.

Profoundly moved by this truth, John penned the now famous memory verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16, KJV). To be sure, there is a lot of theology in John, but maybe the most important theme is this: if Jesus could love John, He can love you too.