Nicodemus at Night (John 3: 1-21)

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Any thoughts about the light that has come into the world?

Some people love the darkness rather than the light because it might expose their evil deeds.

The one who practices the truth comes to the light because it will make evident that their deeds were done in God.

This is the basis for judging (John 3: 19)

Thoughts?
 
Here are the relevant verses from the NET. I am putting up the text from this version because I have it in hard copy and have been referring to it.
www.biblegateway.com

Bible Gateway passage: John 3:19-21 - New English Translation

Now this is the basis for judging: that the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. But the one who...
www.biblegateway.com www.biblegateway.com
 
There are many bible verses which refer to God or Jesus as the Light.

References to Light abound in our hymns and liturgies. We have the advent candles of hope, joy, peace and love. At my church we light the Christ candle every week.

Jesus told the disciples they were salt and light. I have spent much more time thinking about salt than light. We have had discussions here at WC2 about what it means to be the salt of the earth. (Hint: salt has many properties)

When I think of Jesus as Light, it has always been in the context of hope or promise. But at its most basic definition, light is illumination which allows us to see.

Is there where John's Gospel is coming from? The light of Jesus will expose both good and evil? John tells us Jesus has not come into the world to condemn it. But in v.19 he speaks of judging.

So interesting! Please share your thoughts.
 
Imagine the light from a great array of books, tomes and other manuscripts yet unseen ... as referred to in the last verse of John ... and many great authoritarians haven't even read the entire text of what they preach on ... or they can't swallow it because of the counter textuality ... enigmas? More reading is demanded ... get intuit ... the larger circle of wheel of the outlander ... fringe observations?

Charles Dickens addressed this literary device in the essence or past, present and anon (what's coming)! Some restrict it to pious authority for unknown rational ... poor reason! Thus excessive deficiency ... should thoughts as mental process be wasted under the rules of ghost-like efficiency ? There it went like that ink blot test ... disarranged pic tsales ...

Imagine among those of vast possession-ism a tale of disposition and dis emanation ... unheard of?

Then the lights go out ... a ballad ... legendary as 40 pigs ... Pegasus? If you believe you pegged ide ... id'll cost!

The vast recovery ...
 
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Life is draining to all but the pair of 49'Ire ... 98 percentage??? Imagine the nar, dwarf and little phoque ... small stuff!

There is no icon of zero in romanticism ... except the omega expression ... peculiar or just queer ... ode? Upended vesicle!
 
Could there be a distinction between 'judging' and 'condemnation?' I don't think the two words are synonymous.
 
Redbaron said:
Could there be a distinction between 'judging' and 'condemnation?' I don't think the two words are synonymous.
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The divination can get sophisticated for those desiring simple! Reminds me of the array of thinking, feeling, sensing and intuiting in the character construct sometimes known as a personality build ... many collapse ... because of the void?

Someone indicated it was a rabid ole thing ... Haggai? Imagine the Ancient Mother Myth and the 6th command regarding honouring both sides of ide ... Sophie is like that!

Leaves me MB ling to myself ...
 
Redbaron said:
Could there be a distinction between 'judging' and 'condemnation?' I don't think the two words are synonymous.
Click to expand...
Agreeing with this completely.

The verb "to judge" has many nuanced meanings. It can mean to assess. To evaluate. To discern.

In mental health practice we used to talk about judgment in the same breath as insight.

We also have this familiar verse to consider: Judge not lest ye be judged. (Matthew 7: 1) Quoting it from the KJV tells me I have known it since childhood.

I have always considered the meaning to be akin to condemnation. But looking it up just now, I think the meaning is closer to using the same standard to evaluate others and ourselves
 
paradox3 said:
Agreeing with this completely.

The verb "to judge" has many nuanced meanings. It can mean to assess. To evaluate. To discern.

In mental health practice we used to talk about judgment in the same breath as insight.

We also have this familiar verse to consider: Judge not lest ye be judged. (Matthew 7: 1) Quoting it from the KJV tells me I have known it since childhood.

I have always considered the meaning to be akin to condemnation. But looking it up just now, I think the meaning is closer to using the same standard to evaluate others and ourselves
Click to expand...

Imagine a personality based on irrationality (opposed to knowledge) figuring that out adequately to be optimum in the utopian sense! This could split some psyches down the middle as the poles get too powerful!

Is schizoid like divorce of the vast civil get together? Jesus did say man legalized marriage ... allowing a great mystery to construct separation powers ... thus part of me went ... as we get deeper it gets sophisticated ... and not for those demanding simplicity ... life is like that ... contrary to those simply dead!

Is dead to the world an adequate expression for those avoiding culpability for part of the state we're in? Is chaos and A' Din part of civil relations? Imagine a man right out of his tree ... some pas Zions are like that ...

If I seem out of it by times ... just accept I am into deeper concerns ... and few will understand! Is that Lo' ve mei? Some say Mae I, others Moe-I! Determining the vole ... could be a fole, or phoe? Construct of phi ... Fey'd ... comes in the end!
AD Continuum ... poly misunderstood things go on ... alien sects and Picts? You may make a draft of what could be imagined in the magi wilderness ... pictogram? Then there is pseudo π graphic in Greek terms ... slick expressions ... explaining more than one sense of snaky as a comfortable fitting ... catz odes, or Gadzooks?

The expression may be sacred between two secret lo' verses ... ineffable as Ephraim of essence, vaporous dreams!

Every read of Cloud Maps? Hard to grasp thoughts laid out ... for those without grip!
 
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Mental irregularities or psyche diversions may require knowledge of psyche, neural, irrational, endogeneity ... a dark set that few would get into!

It is a tough etude ... some say if at it too long you become like the topic and thus rest and break from crazy reality is expected ... The Dead Poet Society outlines the enigma ... there are many alternate texts! Admit you cannot say it as it is and thus the myth, ballad, legend or whatever deep tome you would find nominal ... even right it!

Insane vocation? Consider what Job contended with ... eternal dark and mysterious items of curious nature ... said to be bad characters if you do not read into the depth of Lady Chatterley ... and the alien hidden cultivator ... a wooden MU!

Shipbuilding is often related to Mews ... mores to it? Potentially ...
 
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paradox3 said:
Any thoughts about the light that has come into the world?

Some people love the darkness rather than the light because it might expose their evil deeds.
Click to expand...

I think we need to have some understanding of what darkness really is in Bible terms -----

divinemercy.life

Reflection 162: Light Dispels the Darkness

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy: 365 Days with Saint Faustina
divinemercy.life divinemercy.life

Light dispels the darkness. Scientifically speaking, we know that light and dark are not opposing forces; rather, dark is the absence of light. And when light enters in, the darkness is no more.

The Greek word for darkness is
skotia: darkness​
Definition: darkness
Usage: darkness; fig: spiritual darkness.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 4653 skotía (a feminine noun) – darkness, a brand of moral, spiritual obscurity (i.e. which blocks the light of God when faith is lacking). See also 4655 /skótos ("darkness").

So the evil deeds that we do ---are really not covered by the dark -----and exposed in the light--We deceive ourselves with that type of thinking---- in my view-----the darkness here denotes ignorance of knowing that the light (God ) knows what evil deeds we commit when we commit them ----so there is no covering of our evil deeds ---except in our own ignorance of no understanding of the light -----
 
unsafe said:
I think we need to have some understanding of what darkness really is in Bible terms -----

divinemercy.life

Reflection 162: Light Dispels the Darkness

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy: 365 Days with Saint Faustina
divinemercy.life divinemercy.life

Light dispels the darkness. Scientifically speaking, we know that light and dark are not opposing forces; rather, dark is the absence of light. And when light enters in, the darkness is no more.

The Greek word for darkness is
skotia: darkness​
Definition: darkness
Usage: darkness; fig: spiritual darkness.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 4653 skotía (a feminine noun) – darkness, a brand of moral, spiritual obscurity (i.e. which blocks the light of God when faith is lacking). See also 4655 /skótos ("darkness").

So the evil deeds that we do ---are really not covered by the dark -----and exposed in the light--We deceive ourselves with that type of thinking---- in my view-----the darkness here denotes ignorance of knowing that the light (God ) knows what evil deeds we commit when we commit them ----so there is no covering of our evil deeds ---except in our own ignorance of no understanding of the light -----
Click to expand...

Thus we imagine: "In the beginning a dark formless void" ... an emptied point without virtue of anything?

Would this intimate (hint at) a state of intense emotion of being alone? Thus the creative urge that many deny as they say all is created as it is and cannot alter ...

There Eris Cis with questions ... demonstrated in a flash ... the rest is history resembling that pair of twins A Damn and Eve ... one looking into what was indicated by the other ... a sign as icon? The myth takes off from there ...
 
unsafe said:
I think we need to have some understanding of what darkness really is in Bible terms -----

divinemercy.life

Reflection 162: Light Dispels the Darkness

Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy: 365 Days with Saint Faustina
divinemercy.life divinemercy.life

Light dispels the darkness. Scientifically speaking, we know that light and dark are not opposing forces; rather, dark is the absence of light. And when light enters in, the darkness is no more.

The Greek word for darkness is
skotia: darkness​
Definition: darkness
Usage: darkness; fig: spiritual darkness.

HELPS Word-studies
Cognate: 4653 skotía (a feminine noun) – darkness, a brand of moral, spiritual obscurity (i.e. which blocks the light of God when faith is lacking). See also 4655 /skótos ("darkness").

So the evil deeds that we do ---are really not covered by the dark -----and exposed in the light--We deceive ourselves with that type of thinking---- in my view-----the darkness here denotes ignorance of knowing that the light (God ) knows what evil deeds we commit when we commit them ----so there is no covering of our evil deeds ---except in our own ignorance of no understanding of the light -----
Click to expand...
Could you comment on what you think is being conveyed in John 1: 19-21? I am having a bit of trouble following you here.
 
Redbaron said:
Could there be a distinction between 'judging' and 'condemnation?' I don't think the two words are synonymous.
Click to expand...
Condemnation is a form of judgement. So is praise, really. In either case, we are passing judgement on someone or something they have done. In the sheep and the goats, both are judged, one positively and one negatively.That said, we often seem to associate judgement with its negative side.
 
Been wondering if we will hear the Nicodemus story in church on Sunday because it is in the lectionary.

Interestingly enough, the reading is John 3: 1-17. The whole tricky bit about judging, light and darkness isn't even included.

An alternative gospel reading from Matthew is also provided.

Edit for typo on number row
 
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Christians are suppose to be the salt and the light of the world ------

My view
There are if you look at this scripture 2 Ministries that are being played out here ---

Salt preserves and keeps things from decay --and from Corruption ----so there is a Preservation Ministry and Light -illuminates ----so there is an Illumination Ministry that Christians are to be involved in ------

If you do some research on this you will find out that the fishermen in Jesus day used sodium chloride that was mixed with some other chemicals and watered down and when it rained it took a lot of the sodium chloride and washed it out ---so the salt would become less salty ---so Jesus is using this as the people of His day would have understood this ------

Once Christians are seasoned in their right Christ like Character and knowledge they are to go into the world and preach and be an example for others ------their humbleness ----Agape toward-others ----Etc is vital to keep and preserve the Gospel -----

So a Christian who have lost that saltiness is of no use to preserving the Gospel and will allow corruption to infiltrate the truth of the Gospel

Christians are also are to Preach the Gospel to spiritually Illuminate the Word to the understanding of it ------
 
paradox3 said:
Could you comment on what you think is being conveyed in John 1: 19-21?
Click to expand...
this is that scripture ---but I am confused as to what your asking ? this is pretty straight forward in what it is saying ------

John 1:19-21

Amplified Bible​

The Testimony of John​

19 This is the testimony of John [the Baptist] when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed [truthfully] and did not deny [that he was only a man], but acknowledged, “I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed)!” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the [promised] Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
 
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