John 3:1-21; Nicodemeus

This passage occurs in both the Narrative and Revised Common Lectionaries.  The Revised Common Lectionary breaks it up into two separate passages; the narrative leaves it as one.

Summary:  I don't know if one truly can summarize John 3.  One could describe it as THE chapter of Scripture.  The Greek shows a number of interesting wrinkles in the text, each of which can help get at the core message about the work of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, in saving the world.  Perhaps one little tidbit: eternal life doesn't begin after death in the Gospel of John.

Νικόδημος ("Nicodemus" vs 1):  It is worth noting that Nicodemus gets a name; the woman at the well in chapter 4 will not.  Nicodemus, like the woman at the well, misunderstands Jesus.  His story should end in chapter 3, but it does not.  It keeps going.  Because God is author of our story, our own failures do not end the narrative.  In chapter 7 Nicodemus will defend Jesus; at the end of the Gospel he will help bury Jesus (19).  Jesus invites people to come and see.  For Nicodemus, this invitation changed his life, as he came and saw, and was drawn in. 

Little side note:  Nicodemus' general confusion is emphasized in the Greek that he repeatedly says "How can it be that..."  (The tense of λεγω in 3:4 is present tense).

νυκτος (νυξ, "night", vs 2)  The fact that he visits at night might have many meanings.  It might mean that he is worried about shaming himself by association with Jesus.  It might also suggest he is still 'in the dark'.  Finally though it might suggest that he does not want a confrontation.  He is not seeking to embarrass Jesus but wants to meet with him alone.

ο διδασκαλος ("the teacher", vs 2)  Nicodemus calls Jesus "a" teacher; Jesus calls Nicodemus "THE teacher."  Obviously Jesus is catching Nicodemus in his words!

βασιλεια του θεου ("Kingdom of God", vs 3).  It is interesting that Nicodemus didn't ask about the Kingdom.  Jesus seems to give a strange reply.  One might argue that Jesus is simply pushing his own agenda.  However...Jesus never will use the phrase Kingdom of God in the Gospel of John outside of this conversation.  He somehow is addressing a concern specifically for Nicodemus.  I wonder if one could make the argument that Jesus whose listening is so powerful that he can force us not only to listen to him, but somehow to listen to ourselves.  Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus?  Because he wanted to enter into the Kingdom of God.  Nicodemus must realize that this is both a gift but also comes with a profound transformation of Nicodemus' life, one akin to a new birth. 

ανωθεν ("again" or "above" vs 3)  I would argue that 'above' is a better translation here. Not simply because of the context (Jesus says you don't have to come out of the womb, but must be born of the water and Spirit), but because above includes again.  If you are born from above, this is the second birth anyway!  We must be born again, but this birth isn't through human agency, but God alone.

πνευμα (literally, "pneuma"; meaning "spirit" vs 5, 6 and 8)  The word Spirit is related to breath, but also blow and wind.  So the verse that reads "The wind blows where it will" could and arguably should be translated "the Spirit blows where it will."  In fact, one could read it as "The spirit spirits where it will."

πιστευω ("believe" vs 15 and 16, etc).  Believe is only a verb in the Gospel of John.  It means trust; it is an action not a thing.  It is also in the present and active tense:  the one is who is trusting...

εχη ("have" vs 16)  The word here is in the present tense.  ETERNAL LIFE begins NOW.  It is not a future reality, but a present one found in Christ!  Whoever is trusting in God has life which continues into eternity.

κοσμος ("world" vs 16).  Throughout the Gospel of John, the world doesn't like God.  It doesn't understand God (1:10); it doesn't give like God (14:27) ; in fact, it hates God (7:7).  This is the world God loves!

Also important to recognize that the WORLD is the object of salvation.  The individuals receive eternal life, but the scope of salvation is broader than simply humans.

John 3:16

This passage occurs in the RCL Lent Season, Year A and B, most recently March of 2026 and also on Holy Cross day.  It also occurs in the Narrative Lectionary Year 4 Epiphany cycle.
 
Summary:  We've heard John 3:16 a million times before.  For this week, I broke it down, word by word.  Awful for a sermon, yes, but a closer look reveals how this really is the Gospel in a nutshell.  Fun Greek fact:  The phrase eternal life is literally "eons of a zoo."  God's eternal party is a zoo!  Helpful Greek fact:  This eternal zoo is not a future reality, but a present one, available here and now.

John 3:16.  Broken down.

ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον, ωστε τον υιον τον μονογενη εδωκεν, ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

ουτως γαρ:  Two interjections, combining to mean:  "For in this manner"  Don't spend too much time here, we have bigger fish to fry.

ηγαπησεν (αγαπη):  This word supposedly means divine, only from God love.  In this particular sentence that's what it means: divine, pure, gracious, awesome, life changing love.  Interestingly, later in this section people will love (αγαπη) the darkness more than the light.  First, this shows that agape is not simply a divine thing.  Second, it reminds us how absurd (and misdirected) some of our love really is.

ο θεος:  God (think theos as in theology)

τον κοσμον:  The world.  This word in English is cosmos, like universe or cosmopolitan or cosmetic.  The point is that in the Gospel of John the world does not love God (John 7:7; 15:18,19; 17:14).  God's love comes over and against the world that does not like God

ωστε:  that.  Conjunction.  Don't worry.

τον υιον τον μονογενη:  only begotten son.  Nice like adjectival participle here.  The son, the only begotten.  If you break the Greek down you get :  mono-gene.  The only one who has the Father's genes are the son.  In this case, Christ is the only one who really is of the Father, who has his dna to love a world that doesn't love him back.

εδωκεν:  Gave.  Jesus Christ is the gift.

ινα:  In order.  God's giving of his son had a purpose

πας ο πιστευων:  Substantive participle:  All who believe.  Because it is present tense we should make it:  All who are constantly believing.  Remember, in John's Gospel, believe is a verb; faith is a not a thing, it is an action.  Faith is not the evaluation of whether a statement is likely true over and against a certain degree of uncertainty, but a constant trusting in a person.

 
εις αυτον:   In fact you cannot trust in something but have to trust INTO something.

μη αποληται:  Be lost, be destroyed.  This verb is in the "middle" voice, which means that it is not simply active "He destroyed" or passive "He was destroyed" but is reflexive "He destroyed himself."  This particular verb is one that often appears in active or middle voice; I would not want to confidently assert the full semantic difference between the two.  However, I think is interesting that in this case, we are left with some agency, however unclear, in our own destruction.

αλλ :  but

εχη :  STOP.  read carefully: This is a present tense verb.  This means that we HAVE the eternal life, not we will have, but we HAVE the eternal life.  In John's Gospel life begins here and in as we, through faith, live in the son.  This means that we experience both spiritual living at the same time as we are physically dying.

ζωην αιωνιον:  literally:  eons of zoo.  That is the grand goal of God:  eons of zoo.  The word for eternal (αιωνιον) is kind of interesting, but in the singular form it can be understood as eternal.  

Matthew 4:1-11

This passage occurs during Lent in the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A) and Epiphany (Year 1) of the Narrative Lectionary, most recently Feb 22, 2026.

Summary:
This is a text of testing.  That verb, πειραζω, appears three times!  Testing allows us to discover the nature of something.  What do we discover?  We discover that the devil is pretty good at tempting...tempting with the flesh, the power and the glory.  Even using scripture!  More importantly, we learn that Jesus draws his strength from the Word of God.  We learn that the Word of God comes from God's mouth, brings life in the wilderness, overcomes evil and is even worshiped by angels.

New for 2026:  The connection between fasting and praying

Key Words:

πειραζω & εκπειραζω ("tempt" or "put to the test,"  Found in 4:1, πειρασθναι (aorist passive infinitive), 4:3, πειραζων (participle present) and 4.7, εκπειρασεις (2nd person future)):   BDAG offers that this word means, "to endeavor to discover the nature or character of something by testing."  In this story, we discover the nature of two people, both the devil and Jesus.  The devil is the one who tempts us, tempts us with the flesh, glory and finally deceptive power, all so that we would worship him and not God.  He will quote Scripture and has no fear of God.  We learn also, here, by experience, that Jesus will draw on his power from the Word of God.  He alone, and not the devil, is master of Scripture.  He will also be ministered by angels, and though human, cannot be defeated by human weakness, but only by the will of God.

Note:  Although a slightly different word, εκ-πειραζω, is used when Jesus says to the Devil, "Don't test God," (4:7) I don't think this distinction is key.  It means essentially the same thing.  Furthermore, because it is a direct quote from the LXX, Jesus (Matthew) is forced to use it instead of simply, "πειραζω."  Regardless, this word comes into English in very clear way: "experiment"!  (literally e-x-p-e-r-i-m-e-n-t) Jesus is saying, "Don't experiment with God!" 

νηστεύω ("fast"; 4:2)  Just a little connection here -- nearly every time the word fast is used in the Old Testament, it is connected with praying

• Then all the people of Israel, the whole army, went up and came to Bethel and wept. They sat there before the LORD and fasted that day until evening, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD. (Judg. 20:26)
• David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David fasted and went in and lay all night on the ground. (2Sam. 12:16)
• So we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.  (Ezra 8:23)
• As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. (Neh. 1:4)

Often when we think about fasting we think about it as a separate activity from our praying, perhaps even a diet thing.  In the Bible, it is typically accompanied by praying and even mouring.

εκπορευομαι   ("come out" 4:4, εκπορευομενω (dative participle))  This word here is a fairly common word in Greek -- "come or go out."  What is significant here is that is goes hand and hand with the word and the mouth of God.  God's Word does not stay still, but goes out from God's mouth.  And what does it do?  It brings life in the middle of the wilderness and overcomes all evil.

προσκυνεω and λατρευω ("worship" 4:10, προσκεησεις & λατρευσιες (2nd person future))  προσκυνεω comes from the Greek for "forward kiss" as in lean down to touch and kiss the ground in front of the person.  λατρευσιες can also mean worship, but has to do with serving God in the temple, or more broadly, serving God as a way to fulfill obligations.  The root of the word is payment!  In the sense of "paying one's vows" before God.  When you put these two together, you have the image of full body worship, with both our knees (on the ground) and our arms (serving God through the offering plate, the acts of worship).

διακονεω ("serve" 4:11, διηκονουν (imperfect))  This word means to "serve" like a waiter serves on tables.  It comes into English and the church vocabulary through a variety of servant ministries.  It might be fun to play with the connection between worship service (4:10) and service as worship (4:11).  In the early temptation, Jesus (and we as humans) are tempted to worship the devil with his knees.  Here the temptation is about worshipping with our feet through acts of service.  You could argue that the angels fulfill the word of the Lord as the both worship and serve Jesus.

Grammar:  εαν vs ει

εαν is nice for translators.  It means "if" in a truly hypothetical sense.  "εαν" it rains today, the game will be canceled.  For example, in Matthew 4:9, the devil says, "εαν" you throw yourself down Jesus, I will give you all of this.
ει, however, is much harder.  It can mean "if" or "since" or "because not" depending on the context and the verb moods used around it.  Let's look at 4:3:
ει υιος [ει] του θεου, ειπε ινα οι λιθοι ουτοι αρτοι γενωνται
The  [ει] has breathing marks that indicate it is a form of the verb "to be," in this case, "are."  In fact, most of the words in this sentence an individual learns in the first couple weeks of Greek:
if son are of God, say in order the stones these bread [some form of become]
Because you know the sentence, you probably piece it together:
If you are the son of God, tell these stones to become bread.  Why the subjunctive γενωνται?  Why ουτοι?  For another day!  In this sentence, it seems odd that the devil would wonder if Jesus is the son of God.  The devil is saying, more likely, "As the son of God, do X, Y and Z."  Not only does this make more sense in the narrative, but grammatically, the fact that the verb [ει] is in the indicative and not subjunctive mood, also suggests this.

Matthew 17:1-9 (Transfiguration)

This passage occurs as the Transfiguration Sunday Gospel in the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A) and Narrative Lectionary (Year 1), most recently February 2026.

Summary:
Obviously a familiar and beautiful passage.  Matthew lets us know that this event occurs "six" (hex) days after the first messianic prediction.  This is the only time in the Gospels that anything happens six days later.  Why? The last time we found something happening on the six day was the creation of humans, which the Bible calls good; in fact, very good.  Peter likewise calls it "good" to be on the mountaintop.  The sixth day of creation was good, but it was not the ultimate day; the 7th was and is.  In the same way, the transfiguration is a good day.  Moses and Elijah, the law and the prophets, are great and to be celebrated.  By they are not the ultimate; Jesus is.  Likewise, turning bright as light is good and to be celebrated.  But it is not the crucifixion and resurrection Jesus for which has come.

Key words:
εξ ("six" -- there is a rough breathing mark over the e, so this word is read "hex" like "hexagon"; 17:1):  This is the only event that occurs "six" days after something in any of the Gospels or in the whole Bible.  The last event is a series of teachings in which Jesus foretells his death and resurrection and Peter rebukes him.  So why six?  In the Bible six often refers to incomplete (yet not entirely bad!) things, chiefly creation.  Transfiguration is good.  But not ultimate.

αναφερω  ("took up" or "sacrificed"; 17:1):  This word literally means "take up," but is often used to describe the action of the priest in sacrifice.  It is also used for Abraham taking up Isaac to Mount Moriah.  Is Jesus taking up his disciples for a sacrifice?  Is he sacrificing them?  I think in this case, the verb probably just means "took up" but an interesting connection.  It is interesting to note that when Jesus "takes" us "up" we come back changed!

μεταμορφομαι ("transfigured" or "metamophisized"; 17:2):  The Latin "transfigured" is not as "cool", imho, as the Greek "metamorphisized."  This word is fairly rare in the NT.  It also occurs in Romans 12:2 (Do not let your minds be confirmed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of your minds...) and 2 Corinthians 3:18, which reads something like "Shine, Jesus, Shine."  Transfigured sounds so churchy.  Try "transformation" or "metamorphosed" as see what reaction you get.  "Transformer Sunday"

φος ("light"; 17:2 see also 5:14).  Jesus called his disciples to be the light of the world; a city on a hill cannot be hidden.  In this passage we again have light on the hill, but this time it is Jesus himself.  The NRSV covers up the literal phrase, "white as light," which is too bad because it is one of the few times, outside of John, that Jesus is referred to as light.  Even the angel at the resurrection (28:3) will not be bright as light!

αγαπητος ("beloved"; 17:5; 12:18; 3:17):  This phrase harkens back to Jesus baptism.  It also reaches back to the prophet Isaiah and the love song for the beloved.  (A few times God calls Israel his beloved).  Most significantly, it leads us back to Abraham and his near sacrifice of Isaac, his beloved son. Baptism, sacrifice, a mountaintop, God's promises to Abraham.  Something Lutheran stirs in these waters...

αψαμενος ("touch"; aorist participle of απτω; 17:7):  I find it interesting that Jesus touches them.  I had missed that before.  I think it greatly softens Jesus words.  He touches them.  Tells them to arise and not be afraid.  We often remember his words at the end of the story, not to tell anyone, but this is a powerful gesture by Jesus:  to uplift with his touch and his words.

οραμα ("vision," 17:9):  The NIV probably gets this right by translating it "what you have seen" instead of vision, because vision for most of us sounds like something made up.  Freiburg Lexicon says, (1) literally what is seen, appearance, spectacle; (2) in the NT a supernatural vision, given as a means of divine communication, to be distinguished from a dream (οναρ)

εγερθη ("stand up" or "resurrect"; aorist passive of εγειρω; 17:7 &9)  Jesus uses the same verb for talking about his resurrection as he does to tell the disciples to "stand up."  Jesus tells them to stand up.  And then he tells them he will "stand up."  Jesus resurrection leads to our own resurrection too.

Grammar:  The quick and easy circumstantial participle
A number of verses in this section have easy circumstantial participles.  17:7 for example, puts one right in the middle of the sentence (after the και)
και αψαμενος αυτων ειπεν
first step:  plug in English words in "untranslated format."  I will put an * by the part that we need to clarify in order to translate.
and touch* of them he said
It turns out that the "he said" is the main part of the sentence.  The αψαμενος αυτων is the participle
The participle is in the aorist, which means it happened before the other verb.  So
"touched of them, he said."
We need to clean up the word "touched" but two things are tricky.  First, the verb is in the middle voice.  Don't worry about that.  He did not touch himself; what languages consider "middle voice" varies.  In this case, we can translate this as an active voice, "touch."  Second, αυτων is in the genitive simply because this verb takes a genitive object.  So
"and touched them, he said."
Now we figure out who is doing the action
Here it should be obvious that Jesus touched them.  You could also check that the participle is in the nominative, which means the subject of the rest of the sentence is doing the action...who is Jesus.
Then we add in the circumstance
"and after he touched them, he said"

Consider also 17:9 
επαραντες δε τους οφθαλμους αυτων ειδον...ει μη...
Here again we have a circumstantial participle.  Step one, fill in English that you know
look up* and the eyes of them they saw...
Once you figure out that ειδον = they saw = the main verb of the sentence, you should be able to move quickly through this participle.  Indeed, your brain can probably figure out the actual reading:
"After lifting their eyes they saw..."
You could work through this in sequential steps:
Fix tense:  "lifted their eyes they saw"
Fix voice...already done
Figure out who -- the disciples!  (Again, you can check the case and number, but disciples makes sense!)
Then add circumstance.  Since it is aorist, it happened first...
"After lifting their eyes they saw..."

Matthew 5:13-20

This passage occurs in the Epiphany season of the Revised Common Lectionary (Year A), most recently February 2026.

Summary:
The basic meaning of the passage should not be lost:  Discipleship of Jesus means living our lives in contrast to the world's general order.  This might invite the preacher to lean heavily on the law for such a sermon.  A closer examination of verses 18-20 suggests that Jesus clearly rejects the law as a path to salvation.  First, those who don't do law are still in the kingdom of heaven; second, those who love the law do not have the necessary righteousness and finally, the law eventually will give way in the new creation. 

Key words:
μωρανθη ("lost flavor" or "made fools," aorist passive subjunctive of μωραινω, 5:13):  The word here means "lose flavor" but elsewhere means "make fools."  Paul uses this word when saying that people, thinking they are wise, have become fools (Romans 1:22; 1 Cor 1:20).  Interesting to think about salt (ie, us) becoming fools!  One way to look at this is that we can, if we get too prideful (as Paul suggests in Romans and Corinthians), lose our flavor.  In this way, Paul clarifies what his teacher meant -- that when we lose our roots, when we lose our earthiness, we become useless.

Another wilder take:  Maybe being foolish is precisely the call of the beatitudes and the sermon on the mount:  We are to become beaten down by the world, trampled underfoot.  

Gentler take:  When we've lost our way in life, the way forward is humility, falling back to the ground.  Our hope is not in the world's kindness, but the power of Christ's resurrection to renew and restore us.

αλας (salt, 5:13)  Salt was valuable in the ancient world.  It is a working mineral, not one to be adored or adorned with.  It receives no benefit from its own actions either.  Lastly, one molecule isn't particularly useful; why you all (you plural!) are the salt of the earth!

It is interesting that in Leviticus 2:13, the Israelites are commanded to salt their grain offerings.  This would have cost money (and made the bread more tasty for the priests).

ορος ("mountain" or "hill", 5:14).  A small reminder that this passage takes place during the sermon on the mount!  In another blog post I look at how Matthew uses mountains.

λαμπει ("shine," of λαμπω, 5:15; also 5:16; also 17:2, during transfiguration).  The only time anyone truly shines in the Gospel of Matthew is Jesus during the transfiguration.  A reminder that the church only functions as the light when it reflects the light of Christ.

As someone said in Bible study:  American culture teaches the first half: let your light so shine... ; the church must confess and instill the second half, to glorify your father in heaven!

νομισητε ("think," aorist subjunctive of νομιζω, 5:17).  Jesus kind of does a play on words here.  He says that he has not come to abolish the law (νομος).  He starts out the sentence with a verb that has the same root.  Okay, nothing here for a sermon, more a little smile when you read the Greek :-)

ιωτα  ("iota," 5:18).  This is fascinating.  The law here has already been translated from Hebrew to Greek.  The tiddle of Hebrew has been changed.  Yet Jesus argues that even the smallest point of the law remains.  So do we assume here that this means the law is so eternal that it transcends language?

εως ("until," 5:18).  It is worth stopping for a second here -- until heaven and earth pass away, the law remains in power.  This suggests that the law is incredibly enduring, yet not eternal.  It too shall pass away.  It is worth remembering that the law was given to deal with sin (Galatians 3:19).  Once sin is gone, no more need for the law.  However, we will not get rid of sin until heaven and earth pass away and therefore, the law is with us.

ποιηση ("do" aorist subjunctive of ποιεω, 5:19):  Alas my Lutheran heart sinks.  Jesus actually expects us to do stuff.  It is fascinating to look up the word faith in the Gospel of Matthew.  Faith leads to sins being forgiven (9:2), heals people (9:22; 9:29; 13:58; 15:28), moves mountains (17:20), empowers prayer (21:22).  So it is not that faith and justification are separate in Matthew's Gospel.; rather, Jesus expects people to do stuff!

δικαιοσυνη ("righteousness"; 5:20)  If the Pharisees and teachers of the law have not achieved enough righteousness before the law to get into the Kingdom of Heaven, what hope do we all have?  Practically, I think Jesus reminds us that observation of the law is not just about the letter, but also the Spirit (which the Pharisees miss).  Existentially and ultimately, this verse, like so many others in Scripture, reveals that our righteousness before the law is not what gets us into heaven.  Even the most law observing people cannot achieve righteousness.  However, Jesus said in the verse prior that  people who don't do the right things are the least in the Kingdom.  So we need a righteousness that exceeds the most moral of people to get in; yet the least moral get in.  Clearly, righteousness before the heavenly throne is not based on the law.

Grammar review α:

Hebrew poetry rhymes in images rather than sounds.  I can't help but think this is a Hebrew rhyme: salt of the earth and light of the world.  In what way do they play off each other?  How do they resonate and clarify each other?

Grammar review β:  How to translate the aorist subjunctive
As you can tell from the words above, Greek likes to employ the aorist subjunctive.  This is both complex yet simple for the English reader.  It is complex because it is used in many and unusual ways.  "Subjunctive" normally refers to hypothetical events.  However, Greek conceives of the subjunctive in some different ways than English.  So understanding what is signified by the aorist subjunctive may not be very intuitive or directly translatable.  What makes it simple is that there are basically six (or so) categories of use and they all have a translation formula.  This passage has most of the categories for translation.

εαν clause
In 5:13, you have the aorist subjunctive in εαν clause: μωρανθη
The word εαν signifies an uncertain event (technically ει αν) and will almost certainly have a verb in the subjunctive mood.  In this case, Jesus is saying that the salt may or may not lose its flavor.  The way to translate this is with the word "if."  If salt loses its flavor...

εαν + μη or ει + μη clause
In 5:20 you have this in εαν μη περισσευση.  The way to translate this is with "unless"

ος αν clause
This is akin to εαν in terms of hypothetical translations.  In 5:19 you have this with ποιηση, when its used with ος αν.  In this case you can translate it with, "whoever"

μη prohibition
5:17 reads μη νομισητε.  Greek will put simple commands in the μη + aorist subjunctive.  This implies that the listener should do this activity without implication of the action being on-going.  You could think of this as a prohibition.  It is how Greek does negative aorist prohibitions.  Like "Don't eat that" would employ aorist subjunctive.  In contrast, when Jesus says, for example, "Do not let your hearts be troubled," he uses the present tense, implying that they were worrying and they shouldn't ever again.  The way you translate this use of the aorist subjunctive is by saying, "Do not XYZ."  Aorist subjunctive makes no implication about past or future action.

ου μη prohibition
5:20  ου μη εισελθητε.  This simply should be translated as "no, not ever"  Strongest negative possible in Greek!