September 13, 2023

John 3:31-36 (HCSB)
The One from Heaven
 31 The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The One who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what He has seen and heard, yet no one accepts His testimony. 33 The one who has accepted His testimony has affirmed that God is true. 34 For God sent Him, and He speaks God’s words, since He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who refuses to believe in the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

BJ Stahlin
John takes the opportunity to expound upon Jesus’ words to Nicodemus and the Gospel. In verses 6, 31, and 34, we understand Jesus is from Heaven (above), from God (v. 34), and is distinguished from any created being, above all...I think the word “holy” is appropriate. We continue to read that God the Father loved the Son so much, he imparted the Spirit “without measure”.  It then goes even further, “given all things into His hands.” The Son of God, from the Father, full of His Spirit! Keeping all this in mind, let’s go back to verse 32. He, the one from above, testifies to what He has seen and heard...things you and I have not. Did some of the things He was saying to Nicodemus go over your head a little? Don’t feel bad, Nicodemus, a leader of Israel, didn’t get it either. Stay with me, because John writes later “But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.” (20:31)