Trinity Sunday

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On this Trinity Sunday, 2025, we meet for the first time in our Gospel readings, a man named Nicodemus, whose name meant he was a champion among his people. Nicodemus was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, an officer of the Sanhedrin. This group of men were responsible for leading the people in Jerusalem directly, and Israel indirectly, socially, politically, and religiously. They were arbiters of the Law of Moses, and the tradition of interpretations given by generations of rabbis before them. They were the righteousness teachers, and in the Pharisees’ case, above reproach. So, when JESUS cleansed the Temple on the eve of the Sabbath of the moneychangers and the marketeers in St. John 2, the righteous teachers had their curiosities pricked. For if they honestly reviewed the scene, they would have agreed with the LORD JESUS: the Sanhedrin had allowed the Temple to become a house of trade, and not a House of prayer unto YAHWEH GOD. 

So, it is traditionally believed that Nicodemus went to speak to JESUS at night, on the Sabbath Day, because due to superstition, men would not go out after midnight for fear of an encounter with the Angel of Death that visited Egypt so many years before. This situation allowed Nicodemus to avoid any controversy with his fellow Sanhedrist, for sure, a feud had begun between JESUS for His acts in the Temple, and the religious leaders in Jerusalem. 

Undoubtedly having some connection to a friend of JESUS, Nicodemus was able to locate the LORD, who allows an intimate, but not private conference. Once together, Nicodemus curious to know more about the mind of the One who was doing the miracles that captured the hearts of the people, and who said He could rebuild the Temple in three days. He said, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from GOD; for no one can do these signs that You do unless GOD is with him” (St. John 3.2).  

And before Nicodemus could even get to the point of his visit by questioning the LORD, JESUS as was His style, spoke to this righteous teacher and judge of Israel at the point of the matter in his heart and said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of GOD” (3.3). 

Where did this statement come from? What is JESUS talking about? Nicodemus did not ask about the Kingdom of GOD. Did he? Then why does JESUS respond to this ecclesiastical and liturgical prince of Israel in this way? It is because the Kingdom of GOD was indeed at the heart of Nicodemus’ curiosities, and as we read at the end of the previous chapter in St. John’s Gospel, JESUS knew what was in the heart of all men. (cf. Jhn. 2.24)  

Consider for a moment Nicodemus’ context. In the immediate context, he would have been thinking about JESUS’ words and actions the week of the Paschal Feast. He would have also been thinking about the words of John the Baptist, who was still preaching in the wilderness just outside of Jerusalem. And what were these men saying? They were saying, “Make straight the way of the LORD’ … Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” (St. John 1.23 & 3.2). John claimed to be the forerunner of the Kingdom that the Jews expected to come, and JESUS, though speaking enigmatically about Himself, was doing the works of the Kingdom that everyone expected. With these men speaking, preaching, and enacting the effects of the Kingdom of GOD that the righteous teachers knew was at hand, Nicodemus came to JESUS with the heart that spoke for many, which was this: was this the time when YAHWEH GOD would restore the Kingdom to Israel?  

With these contemporary actors and events playing themselves out, Nicodemus would have also been thinking about the context of the Old Testament prophets. Isaiah had prophesied that GOD would send His Servant, the Messiah, the Anointed One to sit at the helm of the Kingdom as its Christ. And Christ leading the Kingdom, would be GOD’s minister of judgement against the nations and liberator of Israel from Gentile domination. And of her occupiers, Rome had been one of the most dictatorial and oppressive. Concerning this Servant of GOD, Isaiah writes, “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles … Behold, the LORD GOD shall come with a strong hand and His arm shall rule for Him [through His Christ]; Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work is before Him” (Isaiah 42.1 & 40.10).  

These are the reasons Nicodemus came to JESUS. It was the Kingdom of GOD that was on his mind and the mind of all the conscientious and pious Jews looking to YAHWEH for their salvation in Heaven and on earth. But JESUS’ statement is confusing to Nicodemus, and perhaps to us as well. Again, JESUS says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of GOD.” Nicodemus, representing the best and purest minds, hearts and souls of Judaism “had no conception of moral renovation, or spiritual rebirth as an initial condition for reformation, far less as a condition for seeing the Kingdom of GOD.”¹ 

Even though JESUS knew Nicodemus’ heart, Nicodemus is confused by what the LORD says. Thus, he responds: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (St. John 3.4). Nicodemus was making the assumption, that a man, without changes to his nature and character, would need to enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be physically born again to experience the Kingdom of GOD. Remember, Nicodemus is a prince of Israel – a member of the Sanhedrin – a Pharisee – very cultured and of the upper echelon of Jewish society – as Paul might say, ‘a Hebrew of the Hebrews’ – a perfect adherent to the Law of Moses and the traditions of the rabbis. For Nicodemus and the “we” like him, there was no higher order of birth among men than to be the princes of Judaism. Why in the world would he need to go through natural birth AGAIN, to see the Kingdom of GOD? If anyone should be allowed to experience the Kingdom of GOD, (Nicodemus thought), it was he and his fellow cohorts of the Sanhedrin. 

To this, JESUS goes further by saying, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of GOD. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (St. John 3.5-8).  

Orthodox theologians have offered several ways to understand this passage, and I would like to explore one of them. This understanding attempts to take the meaning of JESUS’ symbolic language and find its meaning from the Old Testament prophets, specifically, Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 36, the LORD GOD spoke to the prophet and gave him a vision of the renewal of Israel after they had sinned against the LORD’s Holy Name. It was a promise of renewal of the people of GOD from their exile into Assyria and Babylon. Yet, there is more to it than just the promise of their return to Judea and Jerusalem! The vision contains a spiritual element that looks far into the future, (some six hundred years), to a time of renewed covenantal fellowship between man and GOD – instituted and sustained by the Holy Spirit. It was a vision of the new birth of a faithful people – those often referred to in the Old Testament as the Remnant. – We read in GOD’s Word: “Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own ways and deeds … But I had concern for My Holy Name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations wherever they went … [Yet, for My Name’s sake], I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean, (by implication making one holy, physically, morally and spiritually); I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them” (Ezekiel 36.17, 21, 24-27).   

The dynamic of Israel’s sin (and of all mankind’s sin), even when they are working toward a valorous virtue of religious, ceremonial, and social purity between one another or within themselves, is that they do it from the starting and finishing point of a heart of stone. That is, through regiments and rituals that appear to have a positive outcome on one’s body, personality, and demeanor. Yet, these good intentions always stem from the same family: a father of personal edification, a mother of personal gratification, and offspring of personal deification. 

And in the process, even for the best among us, we profane GOD’s Name, doing, saying, and thinking things that proclaim ourselves as gods and kings of our universe, and not JESUS the King and Creator of the cosmos. Out of our own hearts, says JESUS, come “that which defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, and foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (St. Mark 7.21-23). “As a corrupt fountain sends forth corrupt streams, so doth a corrupt heart send forth corrupt reasonings, corrupt appetites and passions, and all those wicked words and actions which are produced by them.”² For it is Solomon the Wise who has said, “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find? [Who can say], “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? (ESV – Proverbs 20.6 & 9). As a righteous teacher, even St. Paul says of his Pharisaical accomplishments: “As to zeal, [as a Pharisee], a persecutor of the Church; as to righteousness under the Law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ JESUS my LORD” (Philippians 3.6-8).   

Thus, JESUS tells Nicodemus that he needs a rebirth by the Spirit of GOD that yields a new heart; a heart that loves GOD in a new way, apart from his heritage– apart from his Judaism. No man or woman, no matter their pedigree, bank account, or education (robust or regressive), can attain to what only GOD has prepared for those who love him. Brothers and sisters, spiritual regeneration is of GOD, and is not for sale – neither of services, nor of silver and gold. And for those who desire the Spirit’s purifying heart transplant, these need only ask GOD the Holy Spirit for this regeneration, and He will provide. For the Kingdom of GOD is like the wind. One cannot see from where it has come, nor to where it is going. Yet, stepping out into it, one can easily see and feel the effects of it as it passes by. So, it is with them that are born of the Spirit of GOD. For that which is born of the flesh is flesh and is called male, female, Jew, Gentile, Pharisee, Sadducee, Egyptian, Libyan, visitors from Rome, Cretans, Arabians, Americans, and Texans. And that which is born of the Holy Spirit is spirit, and he or she is called regenerate, clean, holy, faithful servant, dear child, and son and daughter of the Living GOD. 

These are the things that JESUS and John the Baptist were testifying to in the early days of JESUS’ earthly ministry, and the things that Nicodemus and his honest cohorts were struggling to understand. Nicodemus’ visit to JESUS in St. John 3 was the beginning of the revelation of the Holy Trinity, as our Collect for today testifies. The Holy Trinity at work in the world: the Father sends; the Son is lifted up and saves, and the Holy Ghost regenerates. As we begin our journey through Trinitytide, what does your pedigree depend upon – family, tradition, accomplishments … or faith. For I tell you of a truth, unless one is born again of the purifying waters of the Word of Truth and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit, one cannot see the Kingdom of GOD. May the GOD of all truth, by the confession of the true Faith, allow us to acknowledge the glory of the eternal Trinity in the power of the Divine Majesty, worshipping the Unity, so that we may be born again of water and of the Holy Spirit, seeing, experiencing, and testifying to the Kingdom of GOD in Christ. Amen. 

1 Edersheim, Reverend Alfred, The Life and Times of JESUS the Messiah, (New York: Longmans, 1899), 385. (https://archive.org/details/lifetimesofjesus01ederuoft/page/384/mode/1up) 

2 Henry, Matthew. BlueLetterBible.org. “Commentary on St. Mark 7”. Accessed 14-June, 2025. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Mar/Mar_007.cfm?a=964021 

3 1928 The Book of Common Prayer, pg. 186.