# Bumper sticker John 3:16 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370 "2018-07-22T05:18:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Captain\_S\_itmagnet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5ac83/32.png) [@Captain\_S\_itmagnet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_S_itmagnet)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/1 "2018-07-22T05:18:15Z")
I like puzzles. Can finish the NY Times Sunday crossword in a few minutes, can figure out word games and rebus puzzles simply enough. Saw a bumper sticker yesterday that has me stumped. On a gray background, left to right: an arrow pointing down, followed by a cross, then what looks like an arch or a wishbone shape, followed by another arrow down, then an arrow up. Then in fine print “John 3:16”. Can’t see any tie in to the symbols and the message in John 3:16. Google search so far unsuccessful Thank you ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/2 "2018-07-22T05:44:20Z")
[He came. He died. He arose. He ascended. He’s coming back.](https://www.kingswitness.com/pages/a-history-of-the-symbols) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/3 "2018-07-22T12:32:11Z")
Which doesn’t really connect to John 3:16 specifically. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2018, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/4 "2018-07-22T14:05:56Z")
> [@John 3:16](#): > > For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. One of the more-quoted verses from the New Testament. Perhaps because it captures the basis of faith for Christianity. The core belief that separates it from other major religions. The symbols on the bumper sticker, while it’s true that they do not paraphrase 3:16, do re-state the core belief of Christianity. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/5 "2018-07-23T22:46:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Which doesn’t really connect to John 3:16 specifically. Could John 3:16 in this instance refer to a specific organization? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/6 "2018-07-23T23:06:21Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > [He came. He died. He arose. He ascended. He’s coming back.](https://www.kingswitness.com/pages/a-history-of-the-symbols) What’s the symbol for “And is he’s _pissed!_”.? ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/7 "2018-07-23T23:19:15Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > What’s the symbol for “And is he’s _pissed!_”.? I dunno about a three-line symbol but there are some [representations](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b5/e1/87/b5e187be2107868feb0456e7cd5086c9.jpg) that do seem to communicate that notion… ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2018, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/8 "2018-07-23T23:58:36Z")
I thought it would be something more literal. [mildly NSFW](https://imgs.tuts.dragoart.com/how-to-draw-peeing-calvin_1_000000006726_5.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![senoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@senoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/senoy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/9 "2018-07-24T15:54:36Z")
> [@Captain\_S\_itmagnet](#): > > I like puzzles. Can finish the NY Times Sunday crossword in a few minutes, can figure out word games and rebus puzzles simply enough. > Saw a bumper sticker yesterday that has me stumped. > On a gray background, left to right: an arrow pointing down, followed by a cross, then what looks like an arch or a wishbone shape, followed by another arrow down, then an arrow up. > Then in fine print “John 3:16”. Can’t see any tie in to the symbols and the message in John 3:16. > Google search so far unsuccessful > Thank you The above comment was close, but a bit off. The arrow down is that he came down to earth. The cross is that he died on the cross. The arch is the door to the tomb where he was buried. The arrow down is his descent into Hell. The arrow up is him rising on the third day. It’s a simplification of the Christ story as told by the apostle’s creed. (Jesus)was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again John 3:16 is simply the basic bible verse that encapsulates the basics of the Christian religion in the fewest words. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/10 "2018-07-24T17:49:24Z")
That depends on what one considers the basics. You could also say that for “In the Beginning, the Word was with God, and the Word was God”, or “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father”, or you could go for a completely different tack and go with “The greatest of the commandments is this: That you should love the Lord your God with your whole heart, your whole mind, your whole soul, and your whole strength, and the second is like it: That you should love your neighbor as yourself”. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/11 "2018-07-24T18:31:20Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > I dunno about a three-line symbol but there are some [representations](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b5/e1/87/b5e187be2107868feb0456e7cd5086c9.jpg) that do seem to communicate that notion… Wow. Info? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2018, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/12 "2018-07-24T19:33:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Which doesn’t really connect to John 3:16 specifically. I’m a Christian and would speculate that this use of John 3:16 is a more general redirect for the reader to go lookup the verse, which is more or less the simplest statement from Christ about his purpose. Sounds like conflicting purposes in a way. A hard to understand series of symbols that requires “being in on it” to get it. Followed by a verse one would have to lookup to get the message. Not someone’s best attempt at sharing faith. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/13 "2018-07-25T03:52:51Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Wow. Info? Image from the apse of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC. I suppose 'cause sometimes you gotta remind the congregation that when he comes back he’s gonna clean house… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/14 "2018-07-25T04:03:22Z")
> [@JRDelirious](#): > > Image from the apse of the Basilica of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington DC. I suppose 'cause sometimes you gotta remind the congregation that when he comes back he’s gonna clean house… Shouldn’t he be holding a mop and dustrag? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/15 "2018-07-26T03:27:34Z")
> [@PoppaSan](#): > > Could John 3:16 in this instance refer to a specific organization? Or Stone Cold Steve Austin? ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bumper-sticker-john-3-16/818370/16 "2018-07-27T09:24:30Z")
> [@senoy](#): > > John 3:16 is simply the basic bible verse that encapsulates the basics of the Christian religion in the fewest words. For god so loved his creations, he sent them only one son, and brought him back after only three years.