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JOHN 3:13 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
John 3:12John 3:14
“And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man' — the exclusive claim that only the transcendent Son of Man can access heaven establishes Jesus' unique status. The principle that only heavenly origins grant heavenly access undergirds John's Christology: Jesus alone bridges divine and human realms. The present tense ("has gone") may suggest the Son of Man's ongoing heavenly presence alongside his earthly ministry.

Church Fathers on John 3:13

After taking notice of this lack of knowledge in a person, who, on the strength of his magisterial station, set himself above others, and blaming the unbelief of such men, our Lord says, that if such as these do not believe, others will: No one has ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man who is in heaven. This may be rendered: The spiritual birth shall be of such sort, as that men from being earthly shall become heavenly: which will not be…

Augustine · 4th century

Forasmuch as we are made one with Him, to the place from which He came alone in Himself, thither He returns alone in us; and He who is ever in heaven, daily ascends to heaven.

Gregory the Great · 6th century

Nicodemus having said, We know that You are a teacher sent from God; our Lord says, And no man has ascended, &c. in that He might not appear to be a teacher only like one of the Prophets.

Chrysostom · 4th century · Or thus
Read all 10 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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