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

2 Kor 13:11-13 – Genade, liefde en samesyn

Gepreek te NGK Stutterheim 4 Junie 2023

Drie-eenheidsondag is die eerste Sondag in Koninkrykstyd. Dit vervul ons elke keer met verwondering oor wat die Bybel van God getuig. Meer nog, ons word met verwondering vervul om te ontdek wie hierdie God vir ons is, d.w.s hoe God by ons betrokke is. Die voorreg om uit genade in ‘n verhouding met God te staan, oorweldig mens. Paulus sluit hierdie brief, gerig aan die gemeente in Korinte, af met ‘n groet in die Naam van die Drie-enige God (13:13): “Die genade van die Here Jesus Christus en die liefde van God en die gemeenskap van die Heilige Gees bly met julle almal.”

Hierdie groet, wat deur die eeue Sondag vir Sondag in Christelike gemeenskappe weerklink, openbaar God en God se gawes aan ons: genade, liefde en gemeenskap met God deur die Heilige Gees.

Kom ons gesels oor die uitdagings van die stad Korinte en van die eerste gemeente in Korinte, die ontvangers van hierdie brief. Korinte was ‘n belangrike stad in die tyd van die Nuwe Testament. Mense het tipies hul ambagte sowel as hul godsdienste na die stad gebring. Talle probleme het hierdie toestroming van mense na die streek vergesel. Soos die meeste antieke hawestede het Korinte ‘n reputasie vir seksuele onsedelikheid gehad met ‘n verskeidenheid heidense praktyke. Binne hierdie gemeenskap moes die christene leef. 

Dit het tot heelwat probleme en verdeeldheid in die gemeente gelei. Paulus moes hulle in meer as een opsig oor hulle sondes aanspreek.

Dit is teen hierdie agtergrond dat die genadegroet van God drie-enig aan die einde van die brief so helder glinster: “Die genade van die Here Jesus Christus en die liefde van God en die gemeenskap van die Heilige Gees bly met julle almal.”

In een kort sin word die volle inhoud van dit wat God aan ons skenk raakgevat. Dit is soos ‘n waterval van seën aan gebroke mense en ‘n kwesbares gemeente.

Teen die agtergrond van die genade, liefde en geestelike gemeeenskap met God, roep ons teks die gemeente op om nou nuut te lewe (13:11-12): “Ten slotte, wees altyd bly, streef na vervolmaking, aanvaar vermaning, wees eensgesind, leef in vrede – en die God van liefde en vrede sal met julle wees. Groet mekaar met ‘n heilige soen. Al die heiliges stuur vir julle groete.”

In ‘n tyd van ontwrigting gekenmerk deur korrupsie en politieke spanning in ons land en elders, oorlog en geweld op globale skaal, pandemies en epidemies soos selde gesien, ekonomiese uitdagings en hongersnood, armoede en werkloosheid – om enkeles te noem – is dit te verstane dat daar ook in ons dag en tyd spanning in geloofsgemeenskappe is. 

Ook vir ons is die oproep tot eensgesindheid en vrede tussen Christene onderling tydig en belangrik. Soos in Korinte van ouds, mag dit selfs wees dat onenigheid tussen gemeente en leraar kan bydra tot spanning in gemeentes en verbrokkeling van verhoudings. 2 Korintiërs 13 maak nie alleen ‘n sterk oproep op eensgesindheid en harmonie onder Christene nie, maar maak veral ook die basis vir die oproep baie duidelik: die drie-enige God. 

2 Korintiërs 13:11-13 maak dit baie duidelik dat God van Christene verwag om met mekaar in gemeenskaplike vrede saam te lewe. Paulus spreek dit nie uit as ‘n moralistiese wens of behoefte nie, maar as ‘n oortuiging wat juis berus op die trinitariese God, Vader en Seun en Heilige Gees.

Soos die drie persone van die Drie-eenheid vreugde, vervolmaking, aanmoediging, eensgesindheid en vrede verteenwoordig, so moet gelowiges ook met mekaar omgaan.