Extrapolate

This has shown up several times across the web. The accompanying comments usually state a professor is wearing the T-shirt and had students that stated the second type was missing.

I thought there could be a lesson here and found a good example in John 3 while studying. The Pulpit Commentary discusses what scholars had to say about Jesus’ knowledge of Nicodemus’ reason for coming to Him:

A controversy has arisen on the point—Did our Lord, by these penetrative glances, manifest his Divine nature, assume a Divine prerogative, or exercise a lofty, penetrative human gift? Westcott, on the philological ground of the contrast in meaning between γινώσκειν and εἰδέναι, urges that the former word, used here, represents knowledge acquired by processes of inquiry and perception, as distinct from the latter, which is reserved for absolute and settled knowledge. Godet, on theological grounds, urges that the phrase refers to the human faculty of observation rather than to the Divine prerogative of heart-searching. There are, however, many other indications of this same thought-mastery, which the evangelists appear to regard as proofs of Divine power; so that I think the real significance of the passage is an ascription to Jesus of Divine power. The supernatural in mind, the superhuman mental processes of Jesus, are part of the proof we have that, though he was Man, he created the irresistible impression that he was more than man.

It helps to know the different connotations between γινώσκειν and εἰδέναι, but that goes very deep into theological studies.  While I find them interesting, no controversial discussions have changed my mind that Jesus is the promised Messiah, supernaturally created by God.

I believe Nicodemus “extrapolated”, or extended his knowledge of God’s work with the Jews to include Jesus’ actions, assuming the miraculous occurrences were a continuing trend of God’s intervention in mankind. I believe we can extrapolate across the centuries, based on the wide range of eye witness writers during that first century as well as the number of theologians who have studied those writings, that what we see of God’s work in our lives is a continuation, too.

Although there have been detractors and deniers, The Bible continues to be a best seller around the world. People read it, study it, pray with it, define their days with it, and best of all – share it with others. That’s all Peter and Paul did as they reached Jews and gentiles – witness to others their personal experiences with Christ.

Peter means to me that we can err and return. Paul means to me that we can be willfully involved in fighting Christ and meeting Him, follow in service. While I love reading Hebrews’ 11th chapter, that list of Judaic faithful, I love even better:

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV)

We’ve had another two-thousand years to see additional faithful join that great cloud of witnesses. We’ve also seen some who failed, miserably, taking others with them. Stick with the full story of God’s gift to us – because He loves us. Read more in the Bible.