John 3:1-7, 14-17; Genesis 7:11-13, 22-23; 8:1, 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-21 Sometimes, someone enters your life who speaks the truth, flowing from a heart of love, without pretense or agenda. Whenever a friend like this becomes part of your life, don’t let him go. Such people are rare. Don’t allow being comfortable to obstruct genuine […]
Holy Trinity: John 3:1-17
So naive is Nicodemus. In the concealed obscurity of night, he visits Jesus. Though seeking to remain undetected, he offers Him the highest praise, “Rabbi, you must be a teacher come from God. For no one can perform the signs you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). Swept away by His miracles, such […]
John: Lesson 3: Jesus’ Early Ministry: The Temple and Nicodemus (John 2:13-3:21)
Jesus Cleanses the Temple (John 2:13-25) Excursus: One or Two Temple Cleansings? Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell of Jesus cleansing the Temple: Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, and Luke 19:45-46. John’s account, besides being much longer, differs in several ways: John Other Gospel Accounts Refers to oxen and sheep Not mentioned Jesus uses […]
The Passion and the People: Nicodemus
John 3:1-9, 14-16: From Bystander to Believer With Jesus crucified, the Apostle John identifies Nicodemus as “the man who earlier visited him at night” (John 19:39). So, we travel back to their first meeting to learn of Nicodemus. “A man from the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews, Nicodemus, came to Jesus one […]
Holy Trinity: John 3:1-17
Paradox: That’s an underlying reality for the Feast of the Holy Trinity. For the Holy Trinity is the paradox of all paradoxes. And what is a paradox? It’s a seeming contradiction that may still be true. Would you like an example of a paradox? How about this? “And the catholic faith is this: We worship […]