Trinity Sunday Series B
THE FEAST OF THE HOLY TRINITY
Isaiah 6:1–8
Acts 2:14a, 22–36
John 3:1–17
The Glory of the Lord of Hosts Shines in Mercy, Forgiveness and Salvation
When Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,” he cried out and confessed that he was “a man of unclean lips.” If even the holy angels cover their faces in the presence of “the King, the Lord of hosts,” how can sinful humans stand before Him (Is. 6:1–5)? Yet, the glory of the Lord is saving grace, and with “a burning coal” from the altar the angel touched Isaiah’s lips, removing his guilt (Is. 6:6–7). Likewise, from the altar of Christ’s cross, by the ministry of the Gospel, “the whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3). For He was crucified, died and was buried, “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,” and God “raised him up, losing the pangs of death” (Acts 2:23–24). He “received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:33), and He rises up the fallen world by pouring out His life-giving Spirit upon sinners through His earthly Means of Grace. To give this saving gift, God sent His Son into the world, “that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16–17).
The Holy Trinity, Incomprehensible
Rev. Dr. Daniel J Brege
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“ John 3:16
There are many inexplicable phenomena in nature. For instance there is something called Quantum Superposition. Scientists at Stanford University have found that a single atom can be found simultaneously in two different places, as far as 2 feet apart! They call it “spooky action”. Sound strange? As another example, it has been shown that when something travels extremely fast in relation to another identical object, time actually slows down for the speedy thing. We are not talking about clocks, but we are talking about time itself. Sound strange? These are indeed, beyond our imagination!
If the nature of atoms or time can be outside our normal grasp of reality, should it surprise us that the Creator of atoms and time is outside our comprehension? Somehow there is but one God, one being, one essence, and yet there are three different persons, each person distinct from the other two, yet each person being 100% God. So we can say of God the Father: there is no other God. Of the Son of God we can say there is no other God. And of the Holy Spirit we can say there is no other God. Yet there are not three Gods, only one. From beginning to end the Bible informs us about this incomprehensible Trinitarian nature of God. Even though you will not find the word “Trinity” in the Bible, yet you will find the doctrine of the Trinity permeating Scripture. It is only with this doctrine of the Holy Trinity that we can begin to realize the identity of Jesus, as well as God’s work for our salvation.
God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son. To give an idea of the breadth of meaning in this text, the Greek here translated by the ESV as “only” (μονογενῆ ) can be translated “unique” “one and only” “only begotten”. In the first chapter of his Gospel, the Apostle John already had explained this “only” Son of God by using the same Greek word, which we here translate as “one and only”: And the Word [Word is here a title for the Son of God] became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth [1:14]. In this verse John explains this one and only Son became flesh; He became one of us. Then four verses later John was inspired to write: No one has ever seen God; the one and only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known [v 18]. Do you want to begin to understand God the Father? The one and only God (God’s Son), who became flesh, has made him known.
God the Father gave His one and only Son (3:16); He gave Him to be made flesh, but the Son did not become flesh simply to visit or teach us. Our flesh is fallen and because of this each of us is on the road to death, both physical death and eternal death. God sent His one and only Son to undo our death. Jesus explained it this way: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up [3:14]. The one and only Son became flesh so He could and would be lifted up as a man upon the cross. There He would pay for sin and swallow up death for all mankind. His death is for everyone because it is not the death of a mere man, but of the one and only God who became flesh!
In John 3, Jesus further identifies a necessary part of our salvation: …whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life [16b]. To be saved we must believe in Jesus. But our flesh is corrupted by sin, and we are born unable to believe in God our Savior. Thanks be to the Father and the Son that they sent forth the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who enables us to believe in the Savior. Thus the Holy Spirit must regenerate us, and of this Jesus explains to Nicodemus, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God [v 5]. In the water of Holy Baptism—appropriately bestowed in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—we are by the Spirit’s power reborn and empowered to believe in Jesus. Incomprehensible? Should this surprise us?
Trinity -
John 3:1-17
Almighty and everlasting God, You have given us grace to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity by the confession of a true faith and to worship the Unity in the power of the Divine Majesty. Keep us steadfast in this faith and defend us from all adversities; for You, O Father, Son and Holy Spirit, live and reign, One God, now and forever.
V: 1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Ἦν δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τῶν Φαρισαίων, Νικόδημος ὄνομα αὐτῷ, ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων
V:2
This man came to Jesus[a] 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.”
οὗτος ἦλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτὸς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ῥαββεί, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ἀπὸ Θεοῦ ἐλήλυθας διδάσκαλος· οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται ταῦτα τὰ σημεῖα ποιεῖν ἃ σὺ ποιεῖς, ἐὰν μὴ ᾖ ὁ Θεὸς μετ’ αὐτοῦ.
- they know what Jesus is doing but do they buy into it. In John's gospel night means "hidden" or done in secret.
V: 3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, οὐ δύναται ἰδεῖν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ
- "Reason and free will are also to live an outwardly decent life to as certain extend. But only the Holy Spirit causes a person to be born anew and to have inwardly another heart, kind and natural desire." [FC SD II 26]
- Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above; also verse 7
- Nicodemus asks one thing Jesus gives a different answer...
- "the kingdom of God" is Christ's passion. Without the cross that is nothing...
V: 4
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?”
λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Νικόδημος Πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθῆναι γέρων ὤν; μὴ δύναται εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ δεύτερον εἰσελθεῖν καὶ γεννηθῆναι;
V: 5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, ἐὰν μή τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ δύναται εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ.
- The preposition "of" Gk. "ek" governs both nouns. "Water" and "Spirit" belong together and point to Christian baptism.
- Jesus changes it up from seeing the kingdom to entering the kingdom. There is a progression here. Explained in the following verses...
εἰσελθεῖν - to enter, you are unable to enter, this is directed to the Pharisees
V: 6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c]
τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σάρξ ἐστιν, καὶ τὸ γεγεννημένον ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος πνεῦμά ἐστιν.
V: 7
Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’
μὴ θαυμάσῃς ὅτι εἶπόν σοι Δεῖ ὑμᾶς γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν.
- The Greek for you is plural here
V: 8
The wind[e] blows/breaths where it wishes, and you hear its sound/voice, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So/Thusly it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
τὸ πνεῦμα ὅπου θέλει πνεῖ, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτοῦ ἀκούεις, ἀλλ’ οὐκ οἶδας πόθεν ἔρχεται καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· οὕτως ἐστὶν πᾶς ὁ γεγεννημένος ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος
- The same Greek word means both wind and spirit
V: 9
Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”
ἀπεκρίθη Νικόδημος καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Πῶς δύναται ταῦτα γενέσθαι;
V: 10
Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?
ἀπεκρίθη Ἰησοῦς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Σὺ εἶ ὁ διδάσκαλος τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ταῦτα οὐ γινώσκεις;
- This is how Jesus answers heresy.
V: 11
Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you[f] do not receive our testimony.
ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω σοι ὅτι ὃ οἴδαμεν λαλοῦμεν καὶ ὃ ἑωράκαμεν μαρτυροῦμεν, καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἡμῶν οὐ λαμβάνετε.
- The Greek for you is plural here; also four times in verse 12
V: 12
If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε, πῶς ἐὰν εἴπω ὑμῖν τὰ ἐπουράνια πιστεύσετε;
V: 13
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.
[g] καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀναβέβηκεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰ μὴ ὁ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καταβάς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
- Some manuscripts add, "who is in heaven"
V: 14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, καὶ καθὼς Μωϋσῆς ὕψωσεν τὸν ὄφιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, οὕτως ὑψωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου,
V: 15
that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
[h] ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
- Some interpreters hold that the quotation ends at verse 15
- "Worthiness does not depend on the greatness of smallness the weakness or strength of faith. Instead, it depends on Christ's merit." [FC SD VII 70-71]
- "Out of His immense goodness and mercy, God provides for the public preaching of His divine eternal Law and His wonderful plan for our redemption, that of the holy, only saving Gospel of His eternal Son, our only Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ." [FC SD II 50]
V: 16
“For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν Υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ’ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
- Or For this is how God loved the world
- Gk. agapao, used repeatedly in John. God's sacrificial and faithful love for the entire world alienated from God. God not only sent his Son but also offered Him to the world. He became our atoning sacrifice.
V: 17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἵνα κρίνῃ τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ’ ἵνα σωθῇ ὁ κόσμος δι’ αὐτοῦ.
_______________
1. Vv. 11-13 who Jesus is
2. Vv. 14-16 what Jesus did
I. We are born once – born human.
A. Nicodemus: he was a flesh-born man who could hardly believe it.
B. Humanity’s shared birth in the flesh – yours and mine
C. Christ shared this humanity by His incarnation
II. We are born twice – born spiritually – born again by Water and the Spirit
A. The miracle of the Spirit’s work in you: is your Baptism and all that it offers becomes the reality of this second birth
B. The ground of the Spirit’s work: is the lifting up of the eternal Son on the cross for our salvation and life.
C. The author of the Spirit’s work: is God the Father, who sent His Son for your salvation and life.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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