【Review】The writer of the Gospel of John might have intended to make clear that the Word, the spirit of truth, is the substance of Jesus through out of the Gospel of John, saying "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He (Jesus) was with God in the beginning." at the beginning of the Gospel.
Jesus preached to a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus who came to him at night, and said "Flesh gives birth to flesh. No one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of the Spirit. Thus you must be born again if you want to see the kingdom of God.".
Then he told Nicodemus that the only sign he would show this world was being lifted up just as the snake that had been lifted up in the desert by Moses. After saying this, Jesus went out into the Judean countryside and started to baptize with The Holy Spirit.
○Spiritual regeneration
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus. He came to Jesus at night and consulted him. Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Nicodemus asked. “Surely anybody cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born.” Jesus answered, “Only a man who is born of water and the Spirit can enter the kingdom. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 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.” (John3:1-8)
Surely, you cannot, by polishing a piece of fired clay, make it into a mirror. (Zen masters often use these words to cheer the learned priests in their meditation halls.) Neither does every sentient being who tries hard to become a Buddha succeed. Every living and lifeless thing in this world has its own karma. A cat cannot become a dog; a dog cannot become a human. Likewise it is impossible that we sentient beings, filled with blind passions, isolate ourselves from our karma and become Buddhas. Indeed flesh only gives birth to flesh.
【Read More】
○The snake that was lifted up in the desert is my role
○Fruit of absolute mediation of Absolute Other-power
○Jesus' collaborators
○Cross point between Self-Power and Other-Power
○Gates of Hades
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