And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world — Jesus establishes the ultimate contrast. They are 'from beneath' (katōthen, from below), of 'this world' (kosmos), while he is 'from above' (anōthen), not 'of this world.' This is not a judgmental condemnation but a statement of the cosmic divide: Jesus belongs to God's realm; they belong to the world's realm that opposes God. The contrast determines everything about communication and understanding: he speaks from the divine perspective; they listen from the human and worldly perspective.

COMMUNITY REFLECTIONS

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