Comments

• jay_emm Kerygmania Host

  March 25

  Jesus and Nicodemus was definitely the first thing that came to mind.
  When I checked the verses in the NLT, it even has born again (which would have made me more likely to lock into that even I hadn't anyway).
  
  The writer rockets through his metaphors. And many of them are not unique.
  
  I guess there's 4 and a bit options:
  'Peter'* just had a similar idea
  'Peter' is echoing John consciousnessly.
  (Or even "Peter"** was first)
  Peter*** is directly thinking of the actual challenge of Jesus.
  There's an old testament or Jewish tradition all three refer to.
  
  All seem plausible to me, at first sight.
  
  *The basic principle works with the writer being Peter, and works with anonymous writer. You decide.
  ** Works better with the writer not being Peter.
  *** Works better with the writer being Peter
  
  --
  In this passage there definitely seems a theme if a new start (more so than I. John). Leaning from scratch. Craving spiritual milk.
  
  
• Gamma Gamaliel Shipmate

  March 26

  Back in my evangelical days I used to wonder how St Ignatius of Antioch could have claimed to have followed Christ for 80-odd years or however long it was.
  
  How old would he have been when he was 'born again.'
  
  It now looks to me that the early Church believed in 'baptismal regeneration'.
  
  These days, though, I tend not to get too hung up on the precise 'point' when someone is 'regenerated' or 'converted' or 'born again' or whatever term we use to describe it.
  
  'By their fruits ye shall know them.'
  
  And, 'The Lord knows who are his.'
  
  We are all work in progress.
  
  I hasten to add that I wouldn't consider Salvationists and others who don't practice baptism as not being Christians.
  
  But I think it's pretty clear from what I understand of the Patristic witness that baptism was seen as regenerative back in the early days.
• Lamb Chopped Shipmate

  March 26

  I suspect you mean Polycarp--the one who said, "Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Savior?" And yes, I agree that he's referring to the time since his almost certainly (infant) baptism.
• Gramps49 Shipmate

  1:01AM

  One thing that strikes me is while we modern people talk about our personal relationship with Christ, Peter is talking about how our spiritual rebirth happens in a new community.