Dr. Michael Peppard

So not the horizontal temporal way, but the vertical way. They're born from above. And then he goes into their, you know, they're born of water and spirit and kind of leads into the baptismal idea of rebirth.

So not the horizontal temporal way, but the vertical way. They're born from above. And then he goes into their, you know, they're born of water and spirit and kind of leads into the baptismal idea of rebirth.

And the anoth, I mean, we do this in English too, but if you're a native speaker, you don't think about that our prepositions like often have multiple meanings, you know? So for example- Uh, before is one before has a temporal and a spatial meaning. So, you know, I had lunch before I came to camp. Right. But I kneel before the King.

And the anoth, I mean, we do this in English too, but if you're a native speaker, you don't think about that our prepositions like often have multiple meanings, you know? So for example- Uh, before is one before has a temporal and a spatial meaning. So, you know, I had lunch before I came to camp. Right. But I kneel before the King.

And we just, we're native speakers, so we don't think about that. It's that kind of idea. Interesting. Right, where that's a, yeah. So anothen, the Greek word is doing, has both of those meanings.

And we just, we're native speakers, so we don't think about that. It's that kind of idea. Interesting. Right, where that's a, yeah. So anothen, the Greek word is doing, has both of those meanings.

And the way Jesus teaches in John, he does this a number of times where he presents an idea that kind of trips up the listener and that it allows Jesus to expand further and like work with their misunderstanding and then give a longer explanation. Yeah. It's just a style in John or the way Jesus is narrated in John.

And the way Jesus teaches in John, he does this a number of times where he presents an idea that kind of trips up the listener and that it allows Jesus to expand further and like work with their misunderstanding and then give a longer explanation. Yeah. It's just a style in John or the way Jesus is narrated in John.

Yeah. Well, I mean, and he does this in outside of John too, in the parables, but not quite as often. But one of the best ones, I think one of the most clever teachings he has is a parable called, usually called the Pharisee and the tax collector, which only happens once in the gospel of Luke. And I'll just tell it real quick and then tell you why I think it's a very clever teaching move.

Yeah. Well, I mean, and he does this in outside of John too, in the parables, but not quite as often. But one of the best ones, I think one of the most clever teachings he has is a parable called, usually called the Pharisee and the tax collector, which only happens once in the gospel of Luke. And I'll just tell it real quick and then tell you why I think it's a very clever teaching move.

So, it's a teaching about what true righteousness is. What does it mean to be holy? And this Pharisee who thinks of himself as very holy is at the temple praying. And there's also a tax collector there praying. And tax collector is a very negative term because... Um, not cause like the IRS today or like we're democratically electing and our Congress people who declare taxes.

So, it's a teaching about what true righteousness is. What does it mean to be holy? And this Pharisee who thinks of himself as very holy is at the temple praying. And there's also a tax collector there praying. And tax collector is a very negative term because... Um, not cause like the IRS today or like we're democratically electing and our Congress people who declare taxes.

So we've only ourselves to blame, you know, in a sense, but they are being imposed from a foreign occupying government. So the person collecting taxes is really like collecting tribute to a military occupation. Right. And they're, the Romans are hiring, uh, in many cases, hiring locals to do the collection. Yeah.

So we've only ourselves to blame, you know, in a sense, but they are being imposed from a foreign occupying government. So the person collecting taxes is really like collecting tribute to a military occupation. Right. And they're, the Romans are hiring, uh, in many cases, hiring locals to do the collection. Yeah.

So it's like one of your own townspeople who's taking your grain and your coinage and delivering it to a foreign distant government. Like a capo. Yeah. And then they're probably skimming off the top a percentage for themselves because they're putting themselves in it. So that's a very, very negative person, right?

So it's like one of your own townspeople who's taking your grain and your coinage and delivering it to a foreign distant government. Like a capo. Yeah. And then they're probably skimming off the top a percentage for themselves because they're putting themselves in it. So that's a very, very negative person, right?

So that's why the story is placed this way, right? You've got like this person who thinks of himself as very holy and this other person who they think of as very, very negative morally and low social status. So they're both there and the tax collector is humble. The tax collector like knows that they're a sinner. And they're, they're, they're down, down on themselves.

So that's why the story is placed this way, right? You've got like this person who thinks of himself as very holy and this other person who they think of as very, very negative morally and low social status. So they're both there and the tax collector is humble. The tax collector like knows that they're a sinner. And they're, they're, they're down, down on themselves.

And, you know, I'm, I'm so, I'm so terrible and I need mercy. And the Pharisees looking over and it's like, I'm so glad I'm not like this, this tax collector. Like, I'm so glad basically like I'm, you made me how I am, you know, that I'm, I'm so righteous and I'm just going to continue to be that way. Okay, why do I think this is a brilliant story?

And, you know, I'm, I'm so, I'm so terrible and I need mercy. And the Pharisees looking over and it's like, I'm so glad I'm not like this, this tax collector. Like, I'm so glad basically like I'm, you made me how I am, you know, that I'm, I'm so righteous and I'm just going to continue to be that way. Okay, why do I think this is a brilliant story?