Out of the mouths of babes came Tim Tebow's favorite Biblical verse.
During the second quarter of last night's Broncos-Patriots game the Colorado Christian ministry Focus on the Family unveiled a new, 30-second spot featuring young children reciting John 3:16.
The anti-abortion group, which aired a controversial commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl starring the pious quarterback, used last night's showdown between Tebow and Tom Brady to share another message.
In last night's commercial a group of children recite, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Religion and football seem to be intermingling more these days as "Tebowing," the act of spontaneously getting down on one knee to pray, has gained a life of its own.
And though Tebow was not mentioned in last night's Focus commercial, he is the cultural phenomenon that inspired it, the group's spokesman Gary Scheenberger told the Denver Post.
The number 316 seems to repeat itself when it comes to Tebow's career. He threw 316 yards during the playoff win against the Steelers and set an NFL record with an average of 31.6 yards -- and there's the eye black with 3:16 inscribed in it that he wore during his college football days.
The Biblical verse has been held as a motto for evangelical Christians and Scheenberger told the Denver Post he expects criticism from groups opposed to mixing religion with sports.
"We will hear about shoving religion down people's throats," he said. "But if it's OK to shove Doritos down people's throats, and cars and everything else, we have the right to advertise, too."
Although Focus' 2010 ad featuring Tebow did not contain an overtly pro-life message, CBS still came under fire from many groups for airing it, and apparently changing its policy of not taking ads that advocated a political cause.
Other networks, however, are still holding on to that policy. Last January Fox Sports rejected a John 3:16-themed commercial for the Super Bowl from the Fixed Point Foundation.