The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone born of the Spirit

 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."  Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone born of the Spirit."  Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

- John 2:23-3:15

Yesterday we read that the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  And he found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business.  When He had made a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.  And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away!  Do not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"  Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your house has eaten me up."  So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?"  Jesus answered and said to the, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."  Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"  But He was speaking of the temple of His body.  Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did.  But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.  John reports three Passover feasts in his Gospel, between the Lord's Baptism and the Passion (see also 6:4; 11:55).  From this we understand that Christ's ministry on earth lasted three years.  Here John tells us of Christ's ability to know the hearts of people.  There is a Greek word coined for this characteristic:  καρδιογνώστης/kardiognostes.  We might translate it as "heart-knower."  It is used in Acts 1:24 and 15:8. Here John speaks of this capacity of Christ to know what was in all people, to know their hearts, and how this works in Christ's discernment of those who would follow him in true faith or not.  It is an important distinction to note the difference between those who follow because of the signs He did, and those who follow from faith in the heart, their own quality of discernment, loyalty, and love.  It also tells us that our faith is not a product of coercion or manipulation, but of genuine communion of the heart.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.  This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."  My study bible says that Nicodemus believed Jesus was from God, but his faith was still weak, as he was afraid of his peers and therefore came to Jesus by night.  Later on, Nicodemus' faith will grow to the point of defending Jesus in front of the Sanhedrin (7:50-51), and eventually making a very courageous public expression of faith in preparing and entombing the Lord's body (19:39-42).  In the church, his memory is celebrated together with the Myrrhbearing Women and Joseph of Arimathea.  Some early sources claim that Nicodemus was baptized by Peter; he was consequently removed from the Sanhedrin and forced to flee Jerusalem.  What we note about Nicodemus in these first verses of chapter 3, and appropriately following the verses before, is his proper response to the signs which Jesus performs.  His intent is to learn from Christ, to find out more.  It is a sign of discipleship, for disciple means "learner."

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."  To be born again can also be translated as being born "from above" in the Greek.  It strikingly refers to the heavenly birth from God through faith in Christ (1:12-13).  My study bible says that this heavenly birth is baptism and our adoption by God as our Father (Galatians 4:4-7).  A "new birth" indicates the beginning of spiritual life; the goal of the new birth being entrance into the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?  Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"  This is a typical example of a frequent happenstance in John's Gospel:  the misunderstandings that prompt deeper questioning and revelation of faith and the mysteries of God.  Nicodemus understands on worldly terms, asking Christ about a second physical birth.  (See also 2:19-21; 4:10-14, 30-34; 6:27; 7:37-39; 11:11-15 for other examples of misunderstanding which prompts deeper revelation and knowledge.)  My study bible says that Christ uses these opportunities to elevate an idea from a superficial or earthly meaning to a heavenly and eternal meaning.

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."  The birth of water and the Spirit is a clear reference to Christian baptism, and the gift of the Holy Spirit which is given at chrismation.  This is a spiritual birth, which Christ says is necessary for our spiritual growth and participation in the kingdom of God.  It also indicates the spiritual adoption as a child of God (see 1:12-13).

"Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.  So is everyone born of the Spirit."   This is a play on words in the original Greek of the text.  The same word (πνευμα/pneuma) means both wind and Spirit.  My study bible says that the working of the Holy Spirit in the new birth is as mysterious as the source and destination of the blowing wind.  As such, the Spirit  moves where the Spirit wills, and cannot be contained by human ideas or agendas.  Experiences teaches us that those without spiritual understanding frequently find the truths of faith incomprehensible.

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?  Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.  If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven."  St. John Chrysostom comments on this passage that earthly things refer to grace and baptism, which are given to human beings.  They are "earthly" as they occur on earth and are given to creatures, but they are not "unspiritual."  The heavenly things that Jesus refers to here are those great mysteries of heaven, such as the eternal generation of the Son from the Father.  They pertain to Christ's eternal existence before all time, and to God's divine plan of salvation for the world.  My study bible comments that a person must first grasp the ways in which God works among human beings before one can begin to understand things that pertain specifically to the Person of God.  When Christ uses the term We, He is referring to the inner reality of communion between Father, Son, and Spirit, as witness of the heavenly realm itself.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."  My study bible reminds us that Moses lifted up an image of a serpent in order to cure the Israelites from deadly bites of poisonous snakes (Numbers 21:4-9).  This is another example of "type" (as discussed in yesterday's reading and commentary), in which the miracle-working image used by Moses prefigured Christ being lifted upon the Cross.  As the faithful behold the image of the crucified Christ, the power of sin is overthrown in them.  Moreover, as the image of a serpent became a weapon to destroy the power of the serpents, so the instrument of Christ's death becomes the weapon that conquers death itself.

Let us jump right in to consider this final statement of Christ, and its understanding of the greatest paradox of our faith:  the Cross.  What Christ tells us in today's reading goes to the heart of our Christian understanding, and into the deep mysteries of how salvation works in our world.  Jesus speaks of witness in today's reading; that is, of Himself as witness to what He knows of heavenly things.  He declares to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness."  In the Revelation given to St. John, we read of "Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth" (see Revelation 1:4-5).  Why is Christ "the faithful witness"?  We must consider witnessing and testimony in the context of the language itself:  it is the language of courts, of justice, of judgment. We know of Christ as Judge, but how is He witness?  As the One crucified on the Cross, He bears witness of God's presence in the face of the evil in that is in the world, against the "evil one."  In the face of evil at work somewhere in our own lives, adverse circumstances, and difficult choices, should we seek the will of the One in whom we place our faith, we too will be witnessing.  We will be bearing witness through our response both to our faith and to that which works against that kingdom.  "Martyr" comes from the Greek word for witness.  Christ has said that the one unforgivable thing is blasphemy against the Spirit (Mark 3:28-30); that is, against the good work of the Spirit in the world.  When we give testimony in faith, we seek to live the work of the Spirit in us.   As Moses lifted up the image of the serpent in obedience to God, so the power of the serpents was turned back upon the serpents tormenting the people of Israel.  Christ will go to the Cross in obedience to the Father; it is the way that salvation comes to the world.  As such, Christ becomes witness, bearing testimony to the faith He invites us to follow, and destroying the power of death by turning it back upon death itself.  This is divine justice; it is how judgment works.  That is the true power of witnessing, of the holy.  It is an action that creates justice in the same way the image of the serpent turned the power of the serpents back upon the serpents.  Christ as witness turns the instrument of death back upon death to destroy death itself.  We may not all realize this great power of our faith and of witnessing, but by inviting each one of us to take up our own crosses, Christ invites us in to the struggle for the salvation of this world, to participate in that same witnessing for which He sets the standard and leads.  Through the power of the Cross, we, too, may witness in our own lives and become a part of the heavenly justice He brings to the world, turning back the weapons of evil upon that from whence it comes.  We may not see nor experience directly such results, but we can rest assured that we enter into the labors begun by others (4:38).  We, too, enter into this cosmic plan for salvation, as part of the great love God has for humankind -- as the next verse of this third chapter of John will tell us in tomorrow's reading.  There is only one Christ, but as witness, He invites us into this struggle for the salvation of the world, to become witnesses ourselves.  It begins with our rebirth from above, so that we, too, may participate and understand what it means to be a part of this Kingdom, even in our lives in this world.  The ways in which we are called to bear witness may be as mysterious and unknown as where the wind will blow.  Nevertheless, this is where we are called to go.

For God so loved the world

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Nicodemus answered and said to Him “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him “Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify to what We have seen, and You do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

- John 3:1-21

In yesterday’s reading, we read about Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. In John’s Gospel, this act comes at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. It is Passover in the first year of Jesus’ public ministry, and He went to up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers. He made a whip of cords, driving out the animals, pouring out the changers' money, and overturning their tables. He said to the ones who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” The leadership asked, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They replied, “It’s taken forty-six years to build this temple, and You will build it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body, and later His disciples remembered this saying after His Resurrection. At the Passover in Jerusalem, many people believed in the signs that He did, but as He knew all men, He didn’t trust Himself to them.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus is an important member of the Council. He comes to Jesus by night so his peers will not see Him. Later in John’s Gospel, He will defend Jesus’ legal rights before the Sanhedrin. Jesus reveals to Nicodemus the mystery of baptism. By this, we understand Christ’s perception of Nicodemus’ capacity for faith. My study bible says that some early sources claim that Nicodemus was baptized by Peter after Jesus’ death, and was consequently removed from the Sanhedrin and forced to leave Jerusalem. To be born again, here in the Greek, literally says to be born from above. This rebirth gives one the vision to see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Here Jesus introduces us clearly to the mystery of baptism, giving us the meaning in the immersion of water and at the same time the necessary component of the Spirit.

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” To enter the spiritual Kingdom one must be born of the Spirit. My study bible notes that next phrase is a play on words in the Greek: “the Greek word pneuma can mean either wind or Spirit. The working of the Holy Spirit in the new birth is as mysterious as the source or destination of the blowing wind.” This is a mysterious reality, nevertheless one in which we must participate.

Nicodemus answered and said to Him “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him “Are you the teacher of Israel, and you do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify to what We have seen, and You do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” Here, Jesus seems to compare the “earthy” thing of baptism, to the great heavenly mysteries of the Kingdom that belong only to Him as Son. He has hinted at the mystery of being born again in baptism, in the Spirit, and yet this teacher of Israel fails to understand. Therefore such things will remain Mystery, among the mysteries of the Church – to know God or other heavenly things remains with the One who has ascended and come down from heaven.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Here is another key to life in the Kingdom of heaven, and that is Christ on the Cross. My study bible says, “Moses lifted up a bronze serpent to cure the Israelites from the deadly bites of poisonous snakes. Christ will be lifted up on the Cross. As the believer beholds the crucified Christ through faith as Savior, the poisonous bite of that old serpent, the devil, and the bite of sin and death, is counteracted and cured. The moment of Christ's greatest humiliation becomes the moment of exaltation for completing His redeeming work (19:30). This is the first of many instances in John’s Gospel where Jesus teaches that He is the fulfillment of an Old Testament type.”

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” My study bible calls this, “the essence of the gospel: God’s gift of His son as the ultimate expression of His love for the world.” This is Jesus’ statement of purpose: He is here to save, and for this reason He has been sent. It is tied inextricably with the purpose of baptism: the saving, redeeming work of the Spirit in us, for us, making possible our entry and participation in the Kingdom.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” My study bible calls this “a profound insight: Goodness and a pure heart welcome the light, whereas evil deeds and malice resist the light and seek to hide in the darkness.” With the saving action of God’s grace in Christ also comes condemnation for those who reject the truth Christ brings. In this is a profound statement about Judgment. In the age inaugurated by Christ’s Incarnation, the Spirit lives and is present to us: Its truth and action become a standard, a touchstone, by which we live or which we reject for ourselves.

John’s statement about coming to the light is quite profound, and we can see this dynamic at work in our daily lives. Who has to hide something? Often, this means we immediately suspect something is amiss, something underhanded is happening. If something is hidden within ourselves, perhaps a shameful secret, something we may not wish to share with others for fear of their condemnation – even something which is not our fault – it can come to hurt us the more deeply for its secrecy. Coming to the light in this context must be seen in its spiritual reality, because the entire passage is about entering into the spiritual life through Christ. Whatever is within us comes to the light through Christ’s truth, and the work of the Spirit. In this context, seeking to hide something from that light becomes a much more profound statement about where we are and who we are. Salvation begins with the light and the truth. It is the action of the Spirit in which we see a healing balm, the mercy of God. Whatever comes to the light is healed, saved, redeemed in the light. Why would we need to hide it? In this rejection of grace comes judgment. Let us think about the gift of the Spirit, the rebirth into spiritual things, so that we may perceive that reality, that Kingdom. Let us seek that light, so that we may find where we are and who we are, and accept its healing, redeeming grace, for God so loved the world.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

"Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

- John 3:1-21

On Saturday, we read of Jesus' cleansing of the temple (see What sign do You show us?). In today's reading, Jesus teaches Nicodemus, an important Pharisee, about baptism and rebirth.

There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." My study bible notes that, "Nicodemus believed Jesus was from God (v. 2). Afraid of being seen with Him by his peers, he came to Jesus by night (v. 2). Following this conversation with Jesus, Nicodemus disappears from John's gospel until he seeks to defend Jesus' legal rights before the Sanhedrin (7:50, 51). At the end, with Joseph of Arimathea, he prepares and entombs the body of Jesus (19:39-42) -- a bold public expression of faith. His memory is celebrated with that of the myrrh-bearing women and Joseph of Arimathea ... According to some early sources, Nicodemus was baptized by Peter, and consequently was removed from the Sanhedrin and forced to leave Jerusalem." I think it's important that we understand that John's Gospel focuses us on a central conflict among the Pharisees and the leadership in the temple: they are not united in their condemnation of Jesus. There are those who will boldly claim Jesus' body after execution, and donate the tomb for burial.

Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." My study bible notes, "Again: more accurately, 'from above,' speaking of the heavenly birth from God through faith in Christ (1:12, 13). Whereas God the Word is born from the Father before all ages, Christians are born from the Son in His human nature within time by Holy Baptism. Being born again, however is but the beginning of spiritual life. The goal is to see the kingdom of God, a phrase frequently used in the synoptic Gospels but found only here in John (vv. 3,5). Its equivalent in John is 'life' or 'eternal life.'" We are introduced to an idea here in which like meets like - we are reborn in Spirit ("from above") in order to receive an understanding and perception of the things that are "from above." It is a way to form relationship and union, even as Christ is man and God.

Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old?" Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" A note reads: "Nicodemus misunderstands, thinking of a second physical birth. A typical feature in John's Gospel (see 4:10-11, 32-33) is the elevation of an idea from its superficial meaning in this age to its spiritual meaning in the Kingdom."

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." My study bible notes, "Birth from above is of water and the Spirit, a clear reference to Christian baptism. While the workings of the Holy Spirit are mysterious (v. 8), nevertheless spiritual birth is integrated with baptism here and throughout the New Testament." Rebirth is a kind of transforming total nature change: our redemption is based not on simply modifying our thoughts, but on total change so that we may perceive what is not "worldly" but "from above" - and understand life in this Kingdom.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Verse 8, my study bible notes, is "a play on words: the Greek word pneuma can mean either wind or Spirit. The working of the Holy Spirit in the new birth is as mysterious as the source of destination of the blowing wind." We are born in the Spirit in order that we may be able to enter into this mysterious Kingdom.

Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." A note here reads: "This is a difficult passage. St. John Chrysostom interprets earthly things as being the mystery of new birth through baptism (v. 5) and heavenly things as being the eternal generation of the Son from the Father (v. 13). The new birth is an incomparable spiritual gift, but compared to Christ's eternal birth from the Father, it is earthly." At first glance, it seems to me that Jesus is speaking of earthly things as that which can be observed: the change wrought in individuals (such as those who are his followers) through baptism. To explain the spiritual reality that allows such transformation to happen is an altogether higher magnitude of Mystery. The heavenly reality of the Kingdom and the power of God is beyond the reach of we who are earthly - if we cannot grasp that spiritual change which is happening even amongst ourselves in this world, how can we grasp the affairs of the heavenly reality itself? The Son straddles both.

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." My study bible says here: "Moses lifted up a bronze serpent to cure the Israelites from the deadly bites of poisonous snakes. Christ will be lifted up on the Cross. As the believer beholds the crucified Christ through faith as Savior, the poisonous bite of that old serpent, the devil, and the bite of sin and death, is counteracted and cured. The moment of Christ's greatest humiliation becomes the moment of exaltation for completing His redeeming work (19:30). This is the first of many instances in John's Gospel where Jesus teaches that He is the fulfillment of an Old Testament type." John's Gospel will give us repeated understanding of Jesus' repetition and fulfillment of that which has come before, especially as we encounter Jesus' teachings in the settings of important festivals. Moses lifted up the focus from the bites of the deadly snakes toward a heavenly reality that led people to life: so Christ's elevation on the Cross will do the same, for all people who come to Him in faith. As baptism creates a transcendent change - so that we may be reborn from above, the Cross will teach us transcendence in our earthly lives, so that we may be like Him.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." My study bible says here: "The essence of the Gospel: God's gift of His Son as the ultimate expression of His love for the world." Again, "earthly things" point to the things from above, the heavenly things. Christ will be raised on the Cross, so that we may be elevated, for one reason: because God so loved the world. John teaches us the roots of all things, the root of this mission of Jesus to the world: it is Love. It is so that we understand the love of God for us.

"For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." My study bible notes, "The purpose of Christ's coming is to save; but the result is also condemnation for those who will not believe." There are two significant concepts here. The first is God's love for the world. Jesus' mission here is salvific, not made in order to condemn but to save. A world that might be lost to evil, to death and all the elements we associate with this (such as despair, pain, destruction, etc.) must be saved and returned to the love of God who does not want to lose His children. But what are these words of condemnation here? How do they correspond to the loving nature of God who wishes to save? I live in a tolerant environment, and have conflict in reconciling some of these statements. But I believe the meaning is clear if we separate - as Jesus has been teaching - that which is earthly from that which is "from above." This is not about condemning in earthly terms one people or another. This is about what takes place in the heart. Can we truly see? Do we understand Jesus' choice and what He is doing here? If we cannot perceive spiritual reality, how will we enter that Kingdom? How will we return to the Father if we do not perceive the love with which He has sent the Son? "Condemned already" implies that we have lost an opportunity for reconciliation, reunion with God - for entry into that Kingdom; in short, for what it means to be saved from the effects of our separation.

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God." My study bible notes that this is "a profound insight: Goodness and a pure heart welcome the light, whereas evil deeds and malice resist the light and seek to hide in the darkness." How do we know love? How do we see love? Can we understand someone who comes to us in love, in spiritual truth born of that love? I think these words are essential for us to understand as human beings, now and in our time, and not just in the context of this statement at the time of Christ. How do we judge one another? Because truly, this statement is about our own judgment, and how we are quick to condemn. Jesus will teach that to blaspheme the Spirit is the one unforgiven sin. Here, John's Gospel teaches us from a different perspective. If our hearts are not true, then we do not want the truth - we don't want the light. We wish to remain in darkness. It is from this perspective of falsehood that we understand Satan as the "father of lies" and a "murderer." If what we embrace in our hearts is falsehood and all that goes with it, then we don't want the light and we will try to rid ourselves of it any way we can.

Love is the essence of this story, love and the desire for reunion on the part of God. We are reborn in order to enter into that Kingdom - reborn "from above" so that we may be reunited with God who loves us as the father in the story of the Prodigal Son. It's like a key that unlocks a door so that we may pass into a life in which we go forward in spiritual understanding, toward ever fuller union. This is a story about opening up communication, relationship. We are reborn "from above" so that we may understand and grow in spiritual relationship. If we hide from this, it is because we want to guard what cannot come to the light of this relationship. Our reading today has essentially three parts: that we must be reborn of the Spirit so that we understand the things that are spiritual. In this way we can enter into the heavenly kingdom, and this offer is made to the world in order to save it, to bring it back into relationship out of the darkness of the influence of evil and all that goes with it. But that which wishes to hang onto this separation will not come to the light and does not want to perceive the spiritual reality with the sight offered through rebirth. These are choices of the heart that we make. So, what do we love? Can we perceive love, and that which is offered us through love and spiritual understanding? The Cross will be a sign of transcendence for those who believe. Christ will take the evil of the world onto Himself, in order to be our bridge to the Father. How do we perceive spiritual things? Can we also see our lives in the world this way? Or will we choose to reject this message of love?