You should know this by now. I want us to remember why John wrote this gospel, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (20:31). There is another theme that we will see today that was introduced in the prologue. This secondary theme comes from 1:13, “Which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Last Sunday night we left with 2:24-25. This left us with the understanding that Jesus did not trust man because, “He knew what was in man.” The very next verse starts with, “there was a man.” This is simply a literary device for transition. Jesus is still in Jerusalem at this time.
A Man Named Nicodemus (Vv. 1-2)
Verse 1. It says that Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. This would have meant that he was a member of the Sanhedrin. Nicodemus would have known the Old Testament very well and was recognized by being a part of the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees were not usually concerned about matters in the temple. Jesus would have upset the Sadducees when He cleansed the temple.
Verse 2. For some reason, Nicodemus decided to come to Jesus when it was night. Perhaps Nicodemus felt that he needed to meet Jesus at night because he was a little fearful of what other might think of a Pharisee going to see Jesus. Another reason for seeing Jesus at night was to avoid the crowds that Jesus may have been attracting. Meeting at night allowed for Jesus and Nicodemus to have a private discussion, which was rare for Jesus.
Nicodemus did well to call Jesus a teacher. However, Nicodemus was not fully grasping the entire being of Jesus when he called Him, “from God,” and “with God.” Nicodemus did not understand that Jesus was God in flesh. Jesus is a teacher from God but He is not just “from God.” He is God. This is something Jesus is going to have to teach Nicodemus.
Nicodemus’ reason for calling Jesus a man from God is because of “these miracles.” First of all remember that the miracle would be better translated to the word sign as it was in 2:18. Nicodemus must have witnessed the signs that Jesus was performing in Jerusalem that were not recorded in this Gospel that are referred to in 2:23. Not every sign/miracle was recorded (20:31).
“Except a Man Be Born from Above” (V. 3)
The words, “Verily, verily,” could also be said truly, truly. This was Jesus’ way of gaining someone’s attention because He was about to say something important.
The word for “again” comes from the Greek word ἀνωθεν which can mean “1) an extension from a source that is above, from above; 2) from a point of time marking the beginning of something, from the beginning; 3) for a relatively long period of time in the past, for a long time; 4) at a subsequent point of time involving repetition, again, anew.” ἀνωθεν is an adverb, typically of location. ἀνωθεν is usually translated as above (19:11; James 1:17), top (19:23) and from above (3:31). There is a lot of debate about how ἀνωθεν should be translated for this verse and verse 7. The word “again/anew” or “from above” would fit the present context.
Some who argue that ἀνωθεν should be translated as “again,” do so because they claim that Jesus is talking about regeneration. Jesus will later talk about the Holy Spirit and point to 1:13 from the prologue. This is also reinforced by the fact that the Holy Spirit is the Person responsible for regeneration (Titus 3:5-6). There are also multiple multiple passages that talk about a Christian becoming a new creation because he has put to death the old man, that is the flesh (Gal. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:17).
On the other hand, John could want ἀνωθεν to mean from above. This would fit the context for the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Jesus goes on to make an extensive contrast between things that heavenly/above and things that are earthy. The author uses the same word again in 3:31 when John the Baptist is speaking about Jesus saying that, “He cometh from above.” The idea that the birth is from above is also reinforce in 1 John 3:9 and 5:18.
John, the author, could also be using ἀνωθεν in both senses mentioned above.
No matter how one translates ἀνωθεν, Jesus is still making an exclusive statement. If any man wants to see the kingdom of God, he must be born from above. That person must be in Christ. That person must be born again. There is no other way that a man will even get to see/behold the kingdom of heaven. One born of God gets to see heaven, one not born of God will never see heaven.
Nicodemus should have known that it was going to take a genesis from God or a re-genesis of some kind. The law of the Old Testament was not sufficient to save man. The Law was only sufficient to condemn man. Israel failed in keeping the Law of Moses. This was why God promised a New Covenant to Israel which included putting the law into their hearts (Jer. 31:33). Man was not going to succeed where an entire nation failed.
Nicodemus Confused (V. 4)
For some reason, Nicodemus takes Jesus’ statement in a literal sense rather than in a figurative sense. Only infants are born from their mothers. An old man can not be born by his mother. The old man would not fit inside his mother’s belly. I can not imagine the look on Nicodemus’ face as Jesus told him that he must be born again.
Jesus Continues (Vv. 5-8)
Verse 5. There is a lot of confusion as to what Jesus means by, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit.” I take the phrase “born of water,” to refer to one’s physical birth. Every pregnant mother knows that the birth of her child to come very soon when her water breaks.
Jesus is saying though that being physical born is not good enough to enter the kingdom of God. This is the same exclusive statement that was made before. One must be born of the Spirit in order to enter the kingdom of God.
Verse 6. Jesus emphasizes this even more in this verse. When Jesus is speaking of the flesh, He is not using it in the Pauline sense. Jesus is only referring to the physical body. Jesus is referring to the Holy Spirit when He talks of the Spirit. This is part of the secondary them that was discussed from 1:13. The only way to be a child of God is by the will of God, not of flesh, not of blood, not of man, only by the will of God. There is a very simple but very drastic difference between the flesh and the spirit. Just because you were physically born does not mean you will get to see the kingdom of God. You must be born by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 7. This is an emphasis on what was already stated. Nicodemus must have had a hard time understanding that one must simply be born of God in order to enter the kingdom of God. Being a good person and following the Law is not going to get you into heaven. Morality will not save you.
The word “Ye” is plural. Some think that Jesus and Nicodemus were not alone in this discussion. Jesus was probably referring to the Pharisees that were stuck on the Law.
Verse 8. This is a hard verse to understand. This is due to the fact that there is a play on words going on in the Greek. The word “wind” is the same word in the Greek for “spirit.” Both use πνευμα. This is definitely a pun because the Greek word ἀνεμος is usually used for wind.
The analogy is that you cannot tell where the wind started and where the wind will finish its movement but you can see its affect on things. The same is with one that is born of the Spirit. You do not know why the person is changing, you do not know how the person is changing and you do not know where the person is going, but you do see that the Holy Spirit is working in a person’s life.
“How Can These Things Be” (Vv. 9-15)?
Verse 9. Nicodemus is starting to understand. And he inquires further.
Verse 10. Jesus gives a criticism to Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin. He should know about these kinds of things. He is supposed to know that things of heaven are not the things of earth or the physical body.
Verse 11. Jesus makes a very simple but very profound point that will be fully explained later. One cannot bare witness of things that he has not seen. One cannot speak of things he does not know. Jesus continues from this point and says, “Ye have receive not our witness.” Jesus and John the Baptist have been baring witness of things they have seen. Jesus and John the Baptist have been speaking of things that they know. However, “Ye,” the Pharisees have not listened to either John the Baptist or Jesus.
Verse 12. Jesus tried to explain things to Nicodemus with illustrations that he should be able to comprehend.
Verse 13. Jesus makes this very simple. No man has been to heaven and come back to talk to be people about it. No man has every just strolled into the gates of the kingdom of God. There is an exception to this though. The exception is the Son of Man. The Son of Man is from heaven because He was in heaven.
Jesus is able to bare witness because He has seen heaven. Heaven is His kingdom. He was there with God in eternity past. He is the prime Authority to speak of the things of heaven because He knows them better than anyone else.
There is a great possibility that the whole conversation so far has been about Jesus. Yet Jesus is much more than just born of heaven. He is the λογος. He is the only begotten Son of the Father.
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