John 3:1-21<\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
At least two\u00a0of the most famous passages in the New Testament occur within this reading. \u00a0Take John 3:16, for example, which is familiar to every fan of American football: \u00a0\u201cFor\u00a0<\/span>God<\/span>\u00a0so\u00a0<\/span>loved<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>world<\/span>, that he\u00a0<\/span>gave<\/span>\u00a0his\u00a0<\/span>only<\/span>\u00a0begotten\u00a0<\/span>Son<\/span>, that whosoever\u00a0<\/span>believeth<\/span>\u00a0in him should not perish, but have\u00a0<\/span>everlasting<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>life<\/span>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Here, though, are three very quick comments:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Greek word that\u2019s translated in the King James Version as again<\/em>\u00a0in the phrase \u201cborn again,\u201d is anothen<\/em> (\u1f04\u03bd\u03c9\u03b8\u03b5\u03bd<\/span>), which can also mean \u201cfrom above.\u201d \u00a0(I suppose, in a way, that it\u2019s rather like the English-language musical expression from the top<\/em>.) \u00a0I expect that both senses should be kept in mind when reading Christ\u2019s exchange with Nicodemus. \u00a0It\u2019s not necessarily a choice of one or the other. \u00a0The reference is, yes, to a metaphorical second birth, but that birth comes from a divine source or power \u2014 or, again speaking metaphorically, from above.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
2.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Christ\u2019s declaration in John 3:16-17 really is<\/em> important enough to emphasize over and over again: \u00a0\u201cFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. \u00a0For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.\u201d<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Much could be said about it, but one thing seems quite clear to me: \u00a0These verses are inconsistent with the common Calvinist notion that God never intended to save everybody, that the atonement was designed to be limited in its scope to only the \u201celect,\u201d and that some (most?) humans were fated from before the creation of the world to be damned. \u00a0As the apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:4, God \u201cwill have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
3.<\/strong><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jesus\u2019 description of the workings of the Spirit in John 3:8 reminds me of Christina Rossetti\u2019s simple little poem \u201cThe Wind,\u201d which is probably referring to it:<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Who has seen the wind?<\/p>\n
Neither I nor you.<\/p>\n
But when the leaves hang trembling,<\/p>\n
The wind is passing through.<\/p>\n
Who has seen the wind?<\/p>\n
Neither you nor I.<\/p>\n
But when the trees bow their heads,<\/p>\n
The wind is passing by.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Spirit is discerned not directly but by its effects, which can often be quite subtle.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from St. George, Utah<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 \u00a0 John 3:1-21 \u00a0 At least two\u00a0of the most famous passages in the New Testament occur within this reading. \u00a0Take John 3:16, for example, which is familiar to every fan of American football: \u00a0\u201cFor\u00a0God\u00a0so\u00a0loved\u00a0the\u00a0world, that he\u00a0gave\u00a0his\u00a0only\u00a0begotten\u00a0Son, that whosoever\u00a0believeth\u00a0in him should not perish, but have\u00a0everlasting\u00a0life.\u201d \u00a0 Here, though, are three very quick comments: \u00a0 1. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1019,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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![\"Nicodemus](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2015\/01\/Henry_Ossawa_Tanner_-_Jesus_and_nicodemus.jpg\")
<\/a>