The Greatest Gift

Abstract

John 3:16 stands at the heart of the Christian faith through God’s making the greatest gift — eternal life. This Article offers a legal analysis of the greatest gift in John 3:16 in the context of the law of gifts in property law. To constitute a gratuitous transfer of property rights, gift law requires three elements — donative intent, delivery, and acceptance. All first-year property law students know this law. Building on gift-law principles, this Article conducts a thought-provoking analysis of God’s donative intent and delivery of the greatest gift, satisfying the first two elements. The Article does not analyze the third element for a completed gift of eternal life. Instead, the Article leaves the analysis of acceptance to each individual reader.

Keywords: John 3:16, gift, gratuitous, donative intent, delivery, acceptance, Gospel, eternal life, Jesus Christ, God, grace, Billy Graham, Tim Tebow, Christian, Bible, property, law, Liberty