Above and Below

Above and Below

31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

John 3:31

John the Baptist seemed to know something very early on that others didn’t. It really makes me wonder sometimes the knowledge that John had that he either didn’t share out loud or that simply wasn’t recorded. When he states that what is from above is above all, he seems to know something about the Messiah that no one else does. John knows that he is just a human, from the earth below and therefore can only speak earthly thoughts but the Messiah will be from above and be above all.

Later in his speech he speaks about the Father and the Son. Now it can be that John the disciple is putting words into John the Baptists mouth but one has to ask why he would do that. There is no need as John the disciple could write this himself without having it be a quote from John the Baptist. So I assume here that John the Baptist indeed said these words.

It makes me think of how the world works. We read the Bible and know these beautiful truths from God and yet so many people in the world have no idea. What a strange thing that is. Something so important and life changing and yet not everyone seems to know or wants to know about it.

In the end, this strange thing of our day actually confirms the words of John. We are earthly and so our words are also earthly and limited. We don’t know all the secrets of the universe or of God. And even when we do know things, we can sometimes find it hard to speak about and share with others.

Jesus, the Messiah that John the Baptist was speaking of here in this verse, is something wholly different. He wasn’t from below but from above. That means he knew all things and could speak all things. You never see Jesus in a bind to explain something in the gospels. Religious leaders and experts in the law could never trap him. He spoke and people listened. He gave people the best chance to understand.

If only we could have the same words and ability… Well actually we can. You see everything Jesus did, he did through the Holy Spirit. It was God speaking through the Spirit that came out of Jesus mouth. And that is something we too can have.

12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:12-13

We might not be from above but we can be filled with a Spirit who is from above. Let us use the gift of the Spirit to also have words that can truly make a difference.

Blessings
Pr. Steven Couto