John 3:14 References John 1:4-5, Not The Brazen Serpent

John 3:14 does not refer to the Brazen Serpent, but back to John 1:4-5 and what Moses did with THAT. The only English version I know of in which John 3:14 refers to John 1:4-5 is Victor Alexander's translation from the ancient Aramaic. Even there it is a bit hard to catch. John begins:

1. In the beginning [of creation]
there was the Milta*;
And that Milta was with Allaha;
and Allaha was [the embodiment of] that Milta.
2. This was in the beginning with Allaha
3. Everything was within his power*,
[otherwise] nothing would ever exist.*
4. Through him [there] was Life*
and Life became the spark* of humanity
5. And that [ensuing] fire* lights the darkness
and darkness does not overshadow it.

Alexander uses the Aramaic term Allaha for God, which I remember him saying incorporates all of the Godhead, and provides much deep information is in his footnotes for this passage:

1:1 [All instances] Literal Aramaic word retained: "Manifestation." "Milta" or "Miltha" is an Aramaic word that has been set aside for only sacred use. Only the Messiah Eashoa is ever to be called the Milta. Grammatically, "Milta" means the essential connotation for a person or thing. There is no true English equivalent for this word.
1:4.1 Lit. Ar. idiomatic construction: "And without his hand, not one [thing that] became would have become."
1:4.2 "Lives," whenever it represents: "life everlasting" is stated in the plural. When used in this sense it will always be capitalized in this translation and appear as "Life."
1:4.3 Lit. Ar. id.: "Light."
1:5 Lit. Ar. id.: "Light."

Alexander says that the Milta is essence or Manifestation of Allaha--of all the Godhead, and that all the Godhead is the embodiment of the Milta. Kind of gives me the idea of an Idea, or of imagination. The Greek idea of Logos or Word does not seem adequate. Let me concentrate on John 1:4 and 5, which the notes render:

"Through Him (Messiah Eashoa) [there] was Life Everlasting (i.e., the Holy Ghost), and Life Everlasting (the Holy Ghost) became the Light of humanity; and that ensuing Light (the Holy Ghost) lights the darkness and darkness does not overshadow it." Let me restate it this way:

The Light of Life = Life Everlasting (the Holy Spirit) = the spark of humanity = the ensuing Light which lights the darkness.

Now for Alexander's version of John 3:14-15 from the ancient Aramaic:

13. "No human [being] goes up to heaven, except the one who comes down from heaven, the Son of Man who was in heaven.*
14. "And just as Moses lifted the darkness by the light of life, this is how you should glorify* the Son of Man.
15. "So that every human [being] who believes in him does not [go to] oblivion, except that they may have life everlasting*

Footnotes:

3:13 Lit. Aramaic idiomatic construction retained.
3:14 Lit. Ar. id.: "Lift up."
3:15 Lit. Ar. id.: ""To [the end of] the universe."

Here is the thing: Moses lifted the darkness of his people BY THE HOLY GHOST, and that is how we are to lift up the Son of Man WHO OUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN ARE. Every human being who--seeing the demonstration of the Holy Ghost--realizes that he or she IS a son of man (the spark of the Holy Ghost within him) and believes on Messiah Eashoa becomes enabled to become a Son of God. That REWARD is the "GOSPEL."

See my next post on the gift of tongues.