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John 3 & Acts 2 – Playing With Words
Punsters like to play with words as much as children like to play in puddles. And amazingly so does the Holy Spirit. The Bible is a book not only to be read and applied, but to be enjoyed and be surprised by.
After telling Nicodemus he must be born again, Jesus adds, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8 NASB)
Missing in our English translation is the play on words – both wind and Spirit are the same Greek word, pneuma. This means that being reborn and the wind are products of God.
Now let’s look at another play on words – Acts 2:3-4 NASB And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
The tongues (glossa) as of fire were a visual aid of the tongues (glossa) being spoken by the apostles.
In John, those born of the Holy Spirit are compared to wind (3:8). In Acts, the Holy Spirit comes with the sound of wind (2:2). In John, Jesus said we must be born again of water and Spirit (3:3,5), which is baptism. In Acts, Jesus prophesied to the apostles they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit (1:5). In John, being born again or from above by the Holy Spirit leads one to seeing and entering the Kingdom of God (3:3,5). In Acts, the baptism of the Holy Spirit ushers in the coming of God’s Kingdom (2:33).
Putting these scriptures together allows for more word play fun. And considering the Holy Spirit is the author of both books, I would not be surprised such was intended.
Keep in reading in Acts 2 and we see baptism and the Holy Spirit again – Acts 2:38 NASB Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
What happens when we repent and are baptized? We become born again of water and Spirit. What happens when we are born again? We enter the kingdom of God. And that is something to be enjoyed.
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