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“As Moses lifted up the serpent [the serpent made of bronze described in Numbers 21:8–9] in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life, for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
“…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.”
Above is the content of John 3:14–16 and the content of Ephesians 2:8–9, respectively. Itʼs worthwhile to refrain from receiving the mark referenced in Revelation 13:11–18 and to instead receive eternal life for free by believing that Jesus is the Savior. Before doing any Bible studying and before praying to God the Father, it is useful for a person who has believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior to try to think of any sins that one might have committed since one last confessed oneʼs known post-salvation sins to God the Father, and if one has indeed committed any, to then silently confess those sins to God the Father—confessing only one time for each sin—in accordance with what is mentioned in 1 John 1:9:
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This webpage could be periodically updated. If there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, and if the original author of this webpage is amongst those people disappearing en masse, then it is possible that this webpage will no longer be updated. Also, if there is a mass disappearance of people professing to be Christians, it is worthwhile to consider the possibility that those people have exited from the earth on the occasion known as the Rapture instead of assuming that that mass disappearance involves extraterrestrials abducting those people or involves the annihilation of those people or involves anything else other than the Rapture.
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Also, it is possible that it is worthwhile to print this content in case of time periods involving lack of Internet connectivity.
When studying the Word of God, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Hebrews 4:12:
“Indeed, the Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit and of the joints and the marrow and is a critic of thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Note: The heart refers to the mind.
It is also beneficial to keep in mind the content of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 when studying the Word of God:
“All Scripture is God breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be mature, having been thoroughly furnished unto all good work.”
It is the responsibility of a pastor-teacher to endeavor to correctly understand the Word of God and then to accurately teach the Word of God, as per the content of 2 Timothy 2:15:
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of Truth.”
A pastor-teacher is a communicator rather than a crutch on which to be leaned. In that regard, a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping a pastor-teacher. Likewise, a believer should refrain from putting oneʼs trust in and thereby serving as a devoted follower of and thus worshiping anyone other than the Trinity [God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit], as per Joshua 24:15, the content of which references Joshua speaking to the Israelites:
If it is disagreeable/bad/evil/wrong/wretchedness/displeasing in your sight to serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One, choose for yourselves today whom you serve/worship: whether the gods ['elohiym / false gods] which your fathers have served/worshiped which were beyond the river or the gods ['elohiym / false gods] of the Amorites in whose land you are living. As for me and my house, we serve/worship Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One.
Note: Joshua, the leader of the Israelites after Joshua had been serving as the assistant of Moses while Moses was the leader of the Israelites, set the example for the Israelites. Joshua chose to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship God the Father rather than Joshua choosing to put his trust in and thereby serve as a devoted follower of and thus worship the lesser of multiple evils amongst multiple choices of 'elohiym [el-oh-HEEM]. The word 'elohiym with a lowercase e can refer to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges. The word 'Elohiym with a capital E refers to the Trinity. The word 'elohiym can also be used to refer to might as in mightiness. In that regard, the use of the word 'elohiym in reference to false gods, to angels, or to human rulers or judges involves the connotation of mightiness in comparison to an average human. When a person puts oneʼs trust in and thereby serves as a devoted follower of and thus worships an angel or human, that angel or human is that personʼs false god. Regarding the foregoing, the content of Joshua 24:15 involves Joshua calling attention to the choices that the Israelites had, and that content involves Joshua permitting the Israelites to make their choices while Joshua led by example with his choice.
The gift of pastor-teacher is for the purpose of each pastor-teacher functioning as a messenger who communicates the Word of God rather than functioning as a priest between the Trinity and mankind. In that regard, the time period that can be referred to as the Church Age started fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected, and all Church Age believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Church Age believers, and believers should be willing to acknowledge/confess/profess to people the believersʼ faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, as per Hebrews 4:14–15:
Therefore, since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast the acknowledgment/confession/profession. Indeed, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek [mel-KIZ-uh-dek], who was the ruler of Salem when Abraham was still named Abram. Melchizedek was both a king and a priest, as per Genesis 14:18, which references Melchizedek greeting Abram:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem has brought out bread and wine, and he is a priest of 'El [AYL] 'Elyown [el-YOHN] / God [focusing on God the Fatherʼs power] Most High.
The Lord Jesus Christ is also both a king and a priest because the Lord is the Priest according to the order of Melchizedek, as per Hebrews 7:14–17:
Indeed, it is evident that our Lord has arisen from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. Also, it is still much more evident: that according to the similarity of Melchizedek, Another of a different type of priest arises, Who has become such not on the basis of a law of fleshly command / physical requirement but according to the power of an indestructible life. Indeed, it is attested: “YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”
Note: The Lord Jesus Christ is from the tribe of Judah. Also, the Lord Jesus Christ is qualified to be a priest because He was resurrected and therefore has an indestructible body. The above content in all capital letters is a reference to Psalm 110:4.
Because a king is royalty, a king who is a priest is a royal priest. In that regard, Church Age believers are royalty because they are members of the Lord Jesus Christʼs family. Therefore, all Church Age believers are royal priests, as per 1 Peter 2:9–10:
However, you are A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR ACQUISITION/PRESERVATION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him Who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are GODʼS PEOPLE. You had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.
Note: Before the Church Age, Gentiles were not Godʼs people. In the Church Age, both Jewish and Gentile believers are Godʼs people. The content of 1 Peter 2:10 references Hosea 2:23. In that regard, Peter uses references involving Israel in the Old Testament to refer to Church Age believers.
Itʼs the message rather than the messenger that should be the focus of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. Put succinctly: itʼs the message rather than the messenger. In that regard, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of Revelation 22:8–9, which was written by the apostle John, who, in addition to writing The Revelation to John, wrote The Gospel According to John, The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, and The Third Epistle of John:
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things, but he says* to me, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action or future action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
Regarding messages, believers should use the Word of God to examine what is being communicated. That is what the Bereans who are mentioned in Acts 17:10–12 did:
The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, who, when they arrived, went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, who received the word with all eagerness / readiness of mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them believed, and not a few prominent Greek women and men.
Note: The phrase not a few means “quite a few.”
Today, the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to meet believers in the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds on the occasion of the Rapture is one day closer than it was yesterday. The Rapture involves both deceased and living believers in the Lord Jesus Christ meeting the Lord in the clouds in the atmosphere of the earth, receiving glorified immortal resurrection bodies similar to the Lord Jesus Christʼs glorified resurrection body, and going to Heaven with those resurrection bodies. Before the Rapture occurs, deceased believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are in Heaven without glorified bodies. While it is possible that the Rapture will occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah [yahm tuh-ROO-uh or yohm tuh-ROO-uh]—which is what some people call Rosh Hashanah and which some people celebrate for two days—the next occurrence of which will possibly be during August, September, or October of 2026, it is worthwhile for believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to get into the habit of being prepared every day for the return of the Lord, just in case the Rapture will occur on a day other than the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah. Furthermore, it is worthwhile to be in the habit of being prepared for the Rapture so that if it does occur on the day of the Feast of Trumpets / Yom Teruah, one can be prepared for that day because of already being in the habit of being prepared. Examples of being prepared for the Rapture include applying the content of 1 John 1:9 whenever one sins, being unselfish, and whenever circumstances are such that an opportunity arises, sharing the gospel—the good news that believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged on the cross for the sins of humanity is the means by which a person is able to have eternal life. Regarding sharing the gospel, one could also have a written or printed message containing the gospel with that written or printed message located somewhere where it could be easily noticed so that if a person or people were to read or hear that written or printed message either before or after the Rapture occurs, that person or people would thereby read or hear the gospel by means of that written or printed message.
Regarding information about the Rapture, it is beneficial to keep in mind the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51–52:
1 Thessalonians 4:13–18
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again—and we do indeed believe that Jesus died and rose again—so also God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. Indeed, this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive who remain until the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep, for the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout of command, with a voice of an archangel and with a trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive who remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words.
1 Corinthians 15:51–52
Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.
After the Rapture will be the seven-year Tribulation. The believers who will be alive on the earth when the Rapture occurs will escape the Tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11 covers that topic. In that regard, in the book 1 Thessalonians, the content of 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 is immediately followed by the content of 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11.
1 Thessalonians 5:1–11
Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you, for you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord is coming just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. However, you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief, for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; therefore, let us not sleep as others, but let us be alert and sober. Indeed, those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night. However, since we are of day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and benevolence/goodwill, and as a helmet, the hope / absolute confidence of deliverance, for God has not destined us for wrath but for obtaining deliverance through our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore, comfort one another and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
Note: In this context, the day of the Lord is the time period that consists of the Rapture, the seven years of the Tribulation, and the Second Advent. In that regard, deliverance from the Tribulation is the deliverance in this context. Also, unspecified is who will be saying “Peace and safety!” In this context, sleeping refers to a lack of alertness. The alertness in this context involves being ready for the Rapture. In order to be ready for the Rapture, a believer needs to be filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and to pay attention for historical trends such as people saying “Peace and safety!” and for historical trends that match the pattern of the world being on the brink of tremendous calamities like those that will occur during the Tribulation. Regarding being filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit, once a believer commits a sin after salvation, that believer is no longer filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit and is out of fellowship with the Trinity. After that believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, fellowship with the Trinity and the filling with the power of the Holy Spirit are restored. The procedure for confessing/acknowledging to God the Father all of oneʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins is mentioned in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Fellowship with God the Father and God the Son is mentioned in 1 John 1. Being out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit is referenced in Ephesians 4:30. In that regard, when a believer sins, that believer grieves the Holy Spirit. Losing the filling of the power of God the Holy Spirit is referenced in 1 Thessalonians 5:19. In that regard, when a believer sins, the power of God the Holy Spirit is quenched in that believer. After a believer has confessed/acknowledged to God the Father all of that believerʼs known unconfessed post-salvation sins, that believer is then filled with the power of God the Holy Spirit again and in fellowship with the Trinity again.
The verse of the day for May 26th is John 3:17. The title of the book John is also known as “The Gospel According to John.” The book John was written by the apostle John. He also wrote The First Epistle of John, The Second Epistle of John, The Third Epistle of John, and The Revelation to John. Because it is useful to study verses that share the same context, below is content related to John 3:1–21. The words of the Lord Jesus Christ are in red.
Note: The Pharisees [FEHR-ih-seez] were a powerful group of Jewish people. The Pharisees were opposed to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees [FEHR-ih-seez], named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
Note: At the time that Nicodemus went to see the Lord Jesus Christ, Nicodemus was an unbeliever. In other words, Nicodemus had not yet believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior Who would be judged for the sins of humanity.
John 3:2
This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher, for no one can do these signs / attesting miracles that You do unless God is with him.”
Note: Nicodemus addressed the Lord Jesus Christ as Rabbi rather than Lord. A rabbi is a teacher. If Nicodemus had wished to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior, Nicodemus would have called Him Lord.
Unspecified in John 3 is who in addition to Nicodemus is referenced by the pronoun we in John 3:2. Because no one else in particular is specified, it is possible that Nicodemus was referring to a group of which he was a member. In that regard, Nicodemus was a member of the group known as the Pharisees. Therefore, it is possible that Nicodemusʼs use of the pronoun we in this verse is in reference to himself and other Pharisees. Also, Nicodemus was Jewish. Therefore, it is possible that Nicodemusʼs use of the pronoun we in this verse is in reference to himself and other Jewish people.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again / from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Note: In this verse, the Koine [KOI-nay] Greek adverb that is translated as “again” or “from above” is ἄνωθεν [pronounced AH-noh-thehn and transliterated as anōthen]. Regarding the Lordʼs usage of anōthen in this verse, it is possible that the Lord was using that word to refer to both being born again and born from above. In that regard, the Lord was leading Nicodemus to the topic of believing in the Lord as the Savior, and that leading involved the Lord later referencing a new birth and God the Holy Spiritʼs involvement in that new birth. God the Holy Spirit is associated with Heaven, and Heaven can be referred to as being above.
John 3:4
Nicodemus says* to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his motherʼs womb and be born, can he?”
*Note: The word says is in the Greek historical present tense. By means of the Greek historical present tense, past action can be described from the perspective of someone seeing the action as it occurs.
John 3:5
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Note: In this verse, the word water metaphorically refers to cleansing of the sins that a person had committed before that person believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and the Pharisees had some knowledge about the Mosaic Law while at the same time misinterpreting the Mosaic Law. The term Mosaic Law refers to the laws communicated by Moses to the ancient Israelites. Because Moses communicated those laws, they are known collectively as the Mosaic Law. Under the regulations of the Mosaic Law, there were cleansing rituals that taught about forgiveness of sins. Those cleansing rituals involved water. By using the word water in this verse, the Lord indicated that Nicodemus needed forgiveness of sins.
At the time that the Lord was speaking to Nicodemus, the forgiveness of the sins of an unbeliever occurred by means of that unbeliever believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who would be judged for the sins of humanity. Now that the Lord Jesus Christ has been judged for the sins of humanity, the forgiveness of the sins of an unbeliever occurs by means of that unbeliever believing that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Savior Who was judged for the sins of humanity. In verses 14 through 16, the Lord covers the topic of believing in Him as the Savior. At the moment that is covered in the content of verse 5, the Lord was in the process of leading Nicodemus to the topic of believing in the Lord as the Savior.
In the process of leading Nicodemus to the topic of believing in the Lord as the Savior, the Lord called attention to the fact that Nicodemus needed forgiveness of Nicodemusʼs sins. In that regard, the Pharisees were self-righteous people who thought they were good enough to have eternal life. In that regard, entering the kingdom of God refers to receiving eternal life. If an unbelieverʼs sins are not forgiven, then that unbeliever will be unable to have eternal life. If an unbeliever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, then that person then becomes a believer, that believer is forgiven of all of the sins that that believer had committed before believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that believer receives eternal life, and that believer experiences a spiritual birth that is done by God the Holy Spirit.
Regarding the spiritual birth that is done by God the Holy Spirit, when an unbeliever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior, that unbeliever becomes a believer and is spiritually alive at the moment of salvation. In that regard, at the moment of salvation, each believer in the Lord Jesus Christ receives a human spirit, which is a believerʼs essence that involves thinking of Bible doctrine—in other words, thinking that involves the Word of God. An unbeliever lacks a human spirit. In contrast with a human spirit, a soul is a personʼs essence that involves thinking in general. Each unbeliever has a body and soul; therefore, unbelievers are dichotomous [digh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. Each believer has a body, soul, and human spirit; therefore, believers are trichotomous [trigh-KAHT-uh-muhs]. The receiving of a human spirit that each believer experiences at the moment of salvation can be referred to as regeneration. The topic of God the Holy Spirit accomplishing the regeneration of a person at the moment of salvation is covered in Titus 3:5.
In the above translation of John 3:5, the word the is in italics because in the Koine Greek of this verse, there is an absence of a definite article in front of the noun translated as “Spirit.” The absence of a definite article in front of a noun is known as an anarthrous construction [an-AR-thruhs kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn]. When there is an anarthrous construction, the quality of the noun is what is being emphasized in the grammar of the Koine Greek. In that regard, the quality of God the Holy Spirit is emphasized in this verse.
Because English grammar involves emphasizing a noun by means other than omitting a definite article, the English definite article the has been included in the above translation. In English, to emphasize a noun, the definite article before that noun is pronounced THEE regardless of whether the word after the definite article starts with a vowel sound or a consonant sound. When a noun is not being emphasized in English, the definite article before that noun is pronounced THEE when the word after the definite article starts with a vowel sound and is pronounced THUH when the word after the definite article starts with a consonant sound.
John 3:6
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Note: In this verse, the Lord contrasts physical birth with spiritual birth.
John 3:7
“Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again / from above.’
John 3:8
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. Likewise is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Note: Just as wind is invisible, God the Holy Spiritʼs work of regeneration is invisible. In that regard, the Lord uses wordplay in this verse. That play on words involves two instances of inflected forms of the noun πνεῦμα [pronounced PNYOO-mah—the sound that the consonant P makes is pronounced—and transliterated as pneuma]. One instance of pneuma is translated as “wind.” The other instance of pneuma is translated as “Spirit.” The instance of pneuma that is translated as “wind” in this verse is πνεῦμα [pronounced PNYOO-mah and transliterated as pneuma]. The instance of pneuma that is translated as “Spirit” in this verse is Πνεύματος [pronounced PNYOO-mah-tahs and transliterated as Pneumatas].
That the content of John 3:8 involves a play on words with two different uses of inflected forms of the noun pneuma rather than the same use of of those inflected forms of the noun pneuma is evidenced by the content of Ecclesiastes 11:5. In Ecclesiastes 11:5, as in John 3:8, the invisibility of wind and the inability of people to know where the wind comes from and where the wind is going are used in a comparison. The full name of the book Ecclesiastes is “The Book of Ecclesiastes.” The book Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, the third king of Israel.
Ecclesiastes 11:5
Just as you do not perceive the path of the wind and the substance in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not perceive the activity of 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / the Godhead Who makes everything.
Note: Peopleʼs perceptive capacity falls woefully short of omniscience [ahm-NISH-uhns] [all-knowingness]. Peopleʼs inability to perceive the path of the wind is an example of lack of omniscience. The substance in the womb of the pregnant woman refers to the body of a baby. At the time that Ecclesiastes was written, people were unable to observe a baby in the womb of his or her mother. Also, people are unable to know everything that the Members of the Trinity do.
The content of John 3:8 is repeated below for reference.
John 3:8
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. Likewise is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:9
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”
John 3:10
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
Note: While some people thought that the Pharisees were wise, the Pharisees actually thought in terms of human viewpoint. The term human viewpoint refers to any viewpoint that deviates from the Word of God. In contrast, the term divine viewpoint refers to the viewpoint of the Trinity. All three Members of the Trinity have the same viewpoint. Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ can learn divine viewpoint by learning the Word of God. Therefore, divine viewpoint is the viewpoint that comes from a proper understanding of the Word of God. With human-viewpoint thinking, a person has unrealistic expectations regarding life. Such a person is divorced from reality.
Because the Pharisees thought in terms of human viewpoint, the learning that Nicodemus had experienced in becoming a Pharisee and while a Pharisee involved Nicodemusʼs thinking being programmed with human viewpoint. Because Nicodemusʼs thinking had been programmed with human viewpoint, anything that he would communicate would involve human viewpoint. In that regard, the saying “garbage in, garbage out” is applicable to Nicodemus. That saying can also be abbreviated as GIGO [pronounced GIGH-goh or GEE-goh or GIH-goh].
Because the input of information into Nicodemusʼs thinking was garbage, any output from Nicodemus would also be garbage. Furthermore, because Nicodemusʼs thinking had been programmed with garbage, he was unable to do pattern matching involving the connection between the water reference in verse 5 and the water-related rituals of the Mosaic Law. Nicodemusʼs inability to do that pattern matching revealed that he was unqualified to be a teacher of the Word of God.
Regarding Nicodemus being unqualified to be a teacher of the Word of God, anyone going to Nicodemus for information related to the Word of God would be misled because the garbage that went into Nicodemusʼs thinking would result in garbage expressed to others. In other words, Nicodemus was full of baloney, and no matter what he would try to teach others regarding the Word of God, whatever he would communicate would also be baloney. No matter how he would slice the baloney that he would be communicating—that is, how he would categorize it—and no matter how much of the baloney he would dish out—that is, how much he would be communicating—and no matter how he would deliver the baloney that he would be communicating—that is, his style of communication—what he would be communicating would be the same: baloney, baloney, baloney.
John 3:11
“Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.
Note: Unspecified in John 3 is who in particular in addition to the Lord Jesus Christ is referenced by the pronoun we and the pronoun our in this verse. Because absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicative of any metaphors being used with regard to the topic of communicating, it is possible that the Lord is literally referring to speaking and testifying in this verse. In that regard, because absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything referencing communicating being done by God the Father, by God the Holy Spirit, or by angels, it is possible the Lordʼs use of the pronoun we and the pronoun our in this verse is in reference to people who are believers involved in sharing the good news that the means of obtaining eternal life is by believing that Jesus is the Savior.
In this verse, the first instance of the pronoun you is singular, and it refers to Nicodemus. That instance of the pronoun you is a translation of the Koine Greek pronoun σοι [pronounced SOI and transliterated as soi]. That pronoun is an inflected form of the root word σύ [pronounced SOO and transliterated as sy].
The second instance of the pronoun you in this verse is plural, and it refers to unbelievers in general. That instance of the pronoun you is part of a phrase that involves a translation of the Koine Greek verb λαμβάνετε [pronounced lahm-BAH-neh-teh and transliterated as lambanete]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word λαμβάνω [pronounced lahm-BAH-noh and transliterated as lambanō]. The inflected form lambanete is second-person plural.
John 3:12
“If I told you earthly things—and I did indeed do so—and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
Note: Because Nicodemus was an unbeliever at the moment the Lord spoke what is in this verse, Nicodemus lacked the ability to understand the Word of God. Likewise, the other unbelievers who heard the same message also lacked the ability to understand the Word of God. In that regard, all four instances of the word you in this verse are plural.
The first instance of the pronoun you in this verse is a translation of the same Koine Greek pronoun as is the fourth instance of the pronoun you in this verse. In that regard, the first instance of the pronoun you in this verse is a translation of the Koine Greek pronoun ὑμῖν [pronounced hoo-MEEN and transliterated as hymin]. That pronoun is an inflected form of the root word σύ [pronounced SOO and transliterated as sy].
The second instance of the pronoun you in this verse is part of a phrase that involves an inflected form of the same Koine Greek verb that the third instance of the pronoun you in this verse involves. In that regard, the second instance of the pronoun you in this verse is part of a phrase that involves a translation of the Koine Greek verb πιστεύετε [pronounced pee-STYOO-eh-teh and transliterated as pisteuete]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word πιστεύω [pronounced pee-STYOO-oh and transliterated as pisteuō]. The inflected form pisteuete is second-person plural.
The third instance of the pronoun you in this verse is part of a phrase that involves an inflected form of the same Koine Greek verb that the second instance of the pronoun you in this verse involves. In that regard, the third instance of the pronoun you in this verse is part of a phrase that involves a translation of the Koine Greek verb πιστεύσετε [pronounced pee-STYOO-seh-teh and transliterated as pisteusete]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word πιστεύω [pronounced pee-STYOO-oh and transliterated as pisteuō]. The inflected form πιστεύσετε is second-person plural.
The fourth instance of the pronoun you in this verse is a translation of the same Koine Greek pronoun as is the first instance of the pronoun you in this verse. In that regard, the fourth instance of the pronoun you in this verse is a translation of the Koine Greek pronoun ὑμῖν [pronounced hoo-MEEN and transliterated as hymin]. That pronoun is an inflected form of the root word σύ [pronounced SOO and transliterated as sy].
Regarding there being two instances of the same Koine Greek pronoun and two instances of inflected forms of the same Koine Greek verb in this verse, the order of those words in this verse involves a chiastic [kigh-AS-tik] structure. A chiastic structure looks like the letter X [EKS] of the Latin alphabet, which is the alphabet used for the English language. That letter looks like the Greek letter Χ [pronounced KIGH and spelled out in English as chi]. A chiastic structure is a structure that can be referred to as a crisscross. In other words, a chiastic structure has a crosswise arrangement. In that regard, a chiastic structure is a structure that is reminiscent of a cross. Regarding the chiastic structure of the content of John 3:12, there is an instance of the pronoun hymin, then an instance of an inflected form of the verb pisteuō, then another instance of an inflected form of the verb pisteuō, and then another instance of the pronoun hymin.
In Koine Greek, there are four classes of conditions. In the translation of this verse, one type of if is called a first-class condition, and another type of if is called a third-class condition. The first instance of the word if in this verse involves a first-class condition, and the second instance of the word if in this verse involves a third-class condition.
The first-class condition in this verse involves the Koine Greek conjunction εἰ [pronounced AY and transliterated as ei] followed by a Koine Greek verb in the indicative mood. That Koine Greek verb is εἶπον [pronounced AY-pahn and transliterated as eipon]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word λέγω [pronounced LEH-goh and transliterated as legō].
The third-class condition in this verse involves the Koine Greek conjunction ἐὰν [pronounced eh-AHN and transliterated as ean] followed by a Koine Greek verb in the subjunctive mood. The subjunctive mood is used to express what is other than 100% certain. The conjunction ἐὰν is an inflected form of the root word ἐάν [pronounced eh-AHN and transliterated as ean]. The verb in the subjunctive mood is εἴπω [pronounced AY-poh and transliterated as eipō]. That verb is an inflected form of the root word λέγω [pronounced LEH-goh and transliterated as legō].
John 3:13
“No one has ascended into Heaven but He Who descended from Heaven: the Son of Man.
Note: The Lord is talking about Himself in this verse. Also, the context of the preceding verses involves the Word of God; therefore, the content of this verse might refer to ascending into Heaven in order to then descend with content of the Word of God to communicate. While the Lord in His humanity had not yet ascended into Heaven, the Lord is God the Son. Before God the Son took the form of a human by being born as the Lord Jesus Christ, He appeared on the earth on multiple occasions, including while the Israelites were in the wilderness. Such appearances of the Lord before He took the form of a human are known as theophanies [thee-AHF-uh-neez]. Regarding the multiple occasions of the Lordʼs appearances on the earth, the Lord appeared and taught the Word of God to Moses on multiple occasions.
John 3:14
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
Note: John 3:14 references Numbers 21:8–9. Because the context of Numbers 21:8–9 is found in Numbers 21:1–10, below is content related to Numbers 21:1–10. The setting of Numbers 21:1–10 involves the Israelites wandering around in the wilderness after the Exodus.
Note: Inside the square brackets below, the letters i.e. are used to represent the phrase that is. The two letters are an abbreviation for the Latin words id est, which mean “that is.” When one reads those two letters, one can either say, “eye ee” or “that is.” If one is reading out loud, and if any hearers of that reading are unaware of what the letters i.e. represent, it is best to say “that is.” Also, the letters i.e. need to be followed by a comma.
Numbers 21:1
When the Canaanite, the king of Arad living in the Negev [i.e., South country], hears that Israel has been coming by the way of Atharim [or the spies], then he fights against Israel and takes some of them captive.
Note: In this verse, the uses of a present tense are references to what has occurred in the past. Such uses of a present tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, using a verb in a present tense to refer to the past can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur.
Numbers 21:2
Therefore, Israel makes a vow to Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One and says, “If You indeed deliver this people into my hand, then I have devoted to destruction their cities.”
Note: The uses of a present tense in the phrase makes a vow and the word says are references to the past, and those uses of a present tense can help a reader or hearer of the Word of God imagine past events as though the reader or hearer is watching those events as they occur. In this verse, the use of the perfect tense in the phrase I have devoted to destruction is a reference to a promise. Such a use of the perfect tense has a rhetorical effect. In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what is promised? Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that the person making the promise claims that they are 100% certain to keep the promise and that because they are 100% certain to keep the promise, it is as though what is promised has happened already.
Numbers 21:3
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One hears the voice of Israel and delivers up the Canaanites; then they [the Israelites] utterly devote them and their cities to destruction. Thus, the name of the place is called Hormah [i.e., a devoted thing or Destruction].
Note: The uses of a present tense in this verse and the following verses are references to the past.
Numbers 21:4
Then they set out from Mount Hor by the way of the Sea of Reeds [also referred to as the Red Sea], to go around the land of Edom, and the people become impatient [literally: the soul of the people is short] because of the journey.
Numbers 21:5
The people speak against 'Elohiym [el-oh-HEEM] / the Godhead and Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? Surely, there is no food [literally: bread] and no water, and we have loathed [literally: our soul has loathed] this miserable food [literally: bread].”
Note: The second reference to food/bread in Numbers 21:5 is manna, the food that, during the time that the Israelites wandered around in the wilderness after the Exodus, appeared on the ground for the Israelites every morning except Saturday mornings.
Numbers 21:6
Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One sends fiery serpents among the people, and they bite the people so that many people of Israel die.
Note: The fiery serpents were venomous snakes.
Numbers 21:7
Therefore, the people come to Moses and say, “We have sinned because we have spoken against Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One and you; intercede with Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One that He may remove the serpents from us.” Moses intercedes for the people.
Numbers 21:8
Then Jehovah / Yahweh / I am I am / the existing One says to Moses, “Make [literally: Make for yourself] a fiery serpent and set it on a standard/pole, and it has come about, that everyone who is bitten, when he has looked at it, he has lived.”
Note: In this verse, the uses of the perfect tense in the phrases it has come about and he has lived are references to the future. Such uses of the perfect tense have a rhetorical effect. In that regard, why would verbs in the perfect tense be used to refer to what will happen in the future? Doing so in reference to something being indicated can communicate that what will occur in the future is 100% certain to happen and that because it is 100% certain to happen, it is as though it has happened already.
The standard/pole was something like a pole on which a flag or some other sort of banner is hung. In this case, a serpent design was on the standard/pole. Also, the Israelites were unable to save themselves from the snake bites. Looking up at the serpent design on the standard/pole was a non-meritorious act, just like believing in Jesus Christ as the Savior for eternal salvation is a non-meritorious act. In a non-meritorious act, the person doing the action receives zero merit. In other words, there is nothing about which a person can boast with regard to that action. The same applies to faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior for eternal salvation. Ephesians 2:8–9 covers that subject matter: “…for by grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, lest any man should boast.” In addition, the standard/pole and the serpent design on it served as typology that foreshadowed the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. The details of the cross might have been a mystery to those Israelites, but what was available to them to know was that eternal salvation could be obtained through faith that the Messiah would come to be judged for the sins of humanity.
Numbers 21:9
Moses makes a brass serpent and sets it on the standard/pole, and it has come about, that if a serpent has bitten any man, when he has looked to the bronze serpent, he has lived.
Numbers 21:10
The sons of Israel move out and camp in Oboth.
The helplessness of the Israelites with regard to the venom of the serpents could call attention to Genesis 3:14–15, which references the serpent in the Garden of Eden and involves a prophecy about the Savior being judged for the sins of humanity and about the Savior defeating Satan. Regarding the content of Genesis 3, the contrast between the man-made garments consisting of fig leaves that are referenced in Genesis 3:7 and the garments consisting of animal skin that are referenced in Genesis 3:21 calls attention to the helplessness of people to provide eternal life for themselves. In that regard, the reference to garments of skin in Genesis 3:21 calls attention to the fact that the Savior would later be judged for the sake of the rest of humanity, which is analogous to an animal or animals dying so that the garments of skin could be provided. The fact that the man-made garments consisting of fig leaves were inadequate in contrast with the garments consisting of animal skin indicates that the means of obtaining eternal life has zero dependence on the works of the person being saved.
The content of John 3:14 is repeated below for reference.
John 3:14
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
John 3:15
so that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life,
John 3:16
for God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten [uniquely born] Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Note: In John 3:16, the Koine Greek verb translated as “loved” is ἠγάπησεν [pronounced ay-GAH-pay-sen and transliterated as ēgapēsen]. The root form of that word is ἀγαπάω [pronounced ah-gah-PAH-oh and transliterated as agapaō]. In that regard, in sending God the Son to be judged for the sins of humanity, the love that God the Father exhibited toward the world was an expression of benevolence/goodwill rather than an expression of sappy emotionalism like that of a person trying to have emotional appreciation for those who are unworthy of such emotional appreciation.
Also, in John 3:16, the Koine Greek adjective translated as “only begotten” / “uniquely born” is μονογενῆ [pronounced mah-nah-geh-NAY and transliterated as monogenē]. That adjective is an inflected form of the root word μονογενής [pronounced mah-nah-geh-NAYS and transliterated as monogenēs]. The Lord Jesus Christʼs birth was unique in that He was conceived without a human father.
John 3:17
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world but that the world might be saved through Him.
Note: Absent from this verse and the surrounding verses is anything indicating that a person is eternally saved by means of anyone other than the Lord Jesus Christ. With regard to people who claim that Jesus is the Savior but who also claim that the means of eternal salvation involves something being added to faith in Jesus as the Savior, the people who make such claims are contradicting themselves because if something is needed to be added to faith alone in Christ alone, then Jesus Himself would be unable to save people, and He would therefore be something like a helper rather than the Savior. With regard to the matter of eternal salvation, the content of the Bible unequivocally reveals that Jesus is the Savior rather than some mere helper.
John 3:18
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten [uniquely born] Son of God.
John 3:19
“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light because their deeds were evil.
Note: In this verse and the next two verses, the word Light refers to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John 3:20
“Indeed, everyone who practices evil hates the Light and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Note: In this verse, coming to the Light refers to believing in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and then learning and obeying the Word of God.
John 3:21
“Nevertheless, he who does/produces the truth comes to the Light so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought/done in the sphere of God.”
Note: As used in this verse, the word sphere means “an area of activity, interest, power, or influence.” In that regard, this verse refers to people who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior and who then learn and obey the Word of God. Nicodemus eventually believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Savior. Nicodemus is also mentioned in John 7:50. The context for that verse involves John 7:37–52. In addition, Nicodemus is mentioned in John 19:39. The context for that verse involves John 19:31–42.
Sincerely,
John