It was the only TV ad during the big game with a 2,000-year-old script.

The 30-second spot of children reciting the biblical verse John 3:16 during the second quarter of tonight’s Broncos-Patriots game on CBS was brought to you by the Colorado Christian ministry Focus on the Family.

It’s too soon to tell if this Focus gameday religious message will generate as much controversy as its 2010 Super Bowl ad, a subtly pro-life message featuring quarterback Tim Tebow.

CBS faced a storm of criticism for accepting that ad — an apparent change of its policy not to take ads advocating a political cause.

Last year Fox Sports rejected a John 3:16-themed spot for the Super Bowl, stating it “does not accept advertising from religious organizations for the purpose of advancing particular beliefs or practices.”

Tebow, though not mentioned in tonight’s Focus commercial, is the cultural phenomenon that inspired it, Focus spokesman Gary Schneeberger said.

Tebow racked up what many considered some uncanny stats during the Broncos’ big playoff win over the Steelers — throwing for a season-high 316 yards and setting an NFL record with an average 31.6 yards.

Tebow, known during his college football career for wearing eye black with John 3:16 inscribed in it, isn’t allowed under NFL rules to carry any under-eye messages. The fascination with the numbers reappearing as Tebow stats made the Bible verse a top Internet-search subject this last week.

For four decades evangelical Christians have made the verse a motto of their faith by holding up signs displaying the verse at televised sporting events: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

Focus President and CEO Jim Daly said he doesn’t read too much supernatural messaging into the stats.

“God does have a sense of humor,” Daly said, “but I think sports are something we’re more interested in than God is. It just hit us when there were something like 100 million Google searches on it: ‘Why not make it easy for people? Why make people get off the couch during the game to look for it?”

Focus on the Family, which saw a series of budget shortfalls and layoffs in recent years, received earmarked donations to pay for the ad, Schneeberger said. No money came out of the general fund, he said. He wouldn’t disclose the ad’s cost.

Schneeberger said he expects criticism from groups opposed to religious messages in sports.

“We will hear about shoving religion down people’s throats,” Schneeberger 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.”

Daly said bringing people the simple message of the Gospel is central to Focus on the Family, which uses radio and other media to counsel families on marriage and child-rearing.

“We also have to introduce people to the Author of the family,” Daly said. “It’s a message that transcends politics. That’s a great place for people of faith to be.”

Other conservative Christian leaders, including Focus founder and former leader James Dobson, met this weekend in Texas to announce support for Rick Santorum in the Republican presidential primary.

Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com