12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?
31 The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all.
These two verses are closely related. Its a frustrating thought to me, to know that I'm from this earth, and therefore have a hard time shaking off its limitations of thought and mindset. I don't want to be stuck in it. I think what Jesus is saying in this concept is that without him, its hard for us to ever achieve it. But, he is above all. It doesn't say above all the earth. Its says above all. In my mind that means he is so far above everything, including the earth.
tp
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d]
ReplyDeleteThe parables and visions he creates with language always seem to take the complex and make them so much more simple. This one may not explain the Spirit but for me it does make me doubt my own doubts. I'm like yeah you know I don't see or understand the ways of the wind but I have no doubt they exist and that they have a lot of power to make change in earthly things--waves, destruction of trees, etc.--they are so real. Why just because I don't see or fully understand the Spirit would I ever have doubts about the existence or the ability for the Spirit to change lives just because I don't see it physically?
knut