John 3:1-17 – One does not simply “understand” the Trinity

Preached in Stutterheim United Congregation on Trinity Sunday, 26 May 2024

For many Christians, the doctrine of the Trinity is the toughest part of their faith. It isn’t logical and it’s almost impossible to explain. As Richard Rohr writes: “Trinity leads you into the world of mystery and humility where you cannot understand, you can only experience”.

And when we speak about God, it is always good to remember that all language—even biblical language—for God is inevitably metaphorical. By definition, God is beyond our capacity to understand and so, whenever we speak of God, mystery, metaphor, and humility are essential.

And that is what the story of Nicodemus illustrates. It is easy to look back and be a know-it-all, be scornful even – How could Nicodemus misunderstand Jesus so! But when we talk about God, as said above, humility is essential! Also, this is not a story of doctrine; it is to tell a story about God’s love for the world. In the story of Nicodemus, the language of God, Son, and Spirit reveals unity of purpose in the full expression of God’s love for the world. 

Now to Nicodemus: He says to Jesus, “We know you are a teacher who comes from God,” but Jesus responds in a way that turns what Nicodemus thinks he knows, on its head, leaving him in a state of befuddlement. All this talk of “Kingdom of God” and being “born again” doesn’t make sense to him – and the Jesus responds: “’You are Israel’s teacher,’ said Jesus, ‘and do you not understand these things? (John 3:10)

Nicodemus describes Jesus as a teacher who has come from God; in other words, who stands in the presence of God (3:2). Nicodemus’s words are true, but what he does not yet understand is more important: 

– First, Jesus is not just a teacher, but has seen God (6:46), speaks the word of God (8:26), and is one with God (10:30). 

– Second, Jesus has been sent into the world by God (for example, 1:9; 3:13, 16–17; 6:14, 51; 10:36; 11:27; 16:28; 18:37) in order to:

– Be the light of the world (for example, 1:9; 8:12; 9:5; 11:27; 12:46) 

– Save the world (for example, 1:29; 3:17; 4:42; 12:47) 

– Give life to the world (3:14–16; 6:33, 51; see also 14:19)

Jesus is the means by which God reaches out to the world, entering into the world as flesh so that what is flesh may receive the Spirit of God.

If we want to take these statements and make it a doctrine, something we must “learn” and know, we are missing John’s point totally! This is not about “knowing” or even “believing” with our minds, this is about living! To “believe in Him” means to live in a relationship of complete trust and reliance. Living in a relationship with this Triune God that loved us first, that reached out to us and called us to Him. Called us to be so radically changed by His love that Jesus says we have to be “born again” to truly understand it!

You see, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are so in unity in their love for us, that Jesus was willing to lay His life down for us (10:18), in order that “the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (17:23). The story of Nicodemus is the story of God’s love. It is a story of God’s patience with us despite our denseness, our not accepting His love. It is a story about living now already in the eternal live Jesus gave us, and that live in abundance!!

Nicodemus’s view of Jesus did not go further than seeing him as a teacher with the stamp of God upon him. He could not grasp that the kingdom required an act of regeneration, of change, of repenting – Where do I need to change in order to show the world the love of God through the way I live?

Bibliography:

Guthrie, D. (1994) “John,” in Carson, D.A. et al. (eds.) New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 4th ed. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

Hearon, Holly (2024) Commentary on John 3:1-17. https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/the-holy-trinity-2/commentary-on-john-31-17-12

Keener, C.S. (1993) The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Louw, J.P. and Nida, E.A. (1996) Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains. electronic ed. of the 2nd edition. New York: United Bible Societies.

Van de Laar, John (2024). The other Trinity. https://sacredise.substack.com/p/the-other-trinity