Chapter 3: Jesus teaches the necessity of being born again, and John the Baptist exalts Christ.
3:1 Pharisees. A religious sect among the Jews that had begun in the second century BC. Their great error was to add the authority of man-made tradition to Scripture. Nicodemus. A ruler and prominent teacher among the Jews (v. 10, 7:45–52; 19:38–39).
3:2 by night. Evidently to avoid being seen by other Pharisees. This event appears to have occurred in Jerusalem, and Nicodemus exhibited the kind of miracle-based faith that Jesus has just been depicted as rejecting (2:23–25). Rabbi. Teacher.
3:3 Verily, verily. See note at 1:51. born again. Birth represents the beginning of new life in relationship to the Father who causes the birth (1:13; James 1:17–18; 1 Peter 1:3). Though Nicodemus was highly educated in the Bible, positive toward Jesus, and very religious, he was unable to spiritually perceive the glory and reign of Christ (cannot see the kingdom; vv. 10, 19–20) until God changed his heart (2 Cor. 4:4–6).
3:5 born of water. Not baptism but an allusion to Old Testament imagery of the renewing power of the Spirit (Isa. 44:3–5; Ezek. 36:25–27), given through the Mediator, Jesus Christ (v. 34; 1:33; 4:10; 7:37–39; Isa. 32:1–2, 15; Titus 3:5–6). cannot enter into the kingdom. It is impossible for people to be converted and saved unless God works a miracle in their souls (6:44, 65; Matt. 19:25–26).
3:6 born of the flesh is flesh. Fallen human nature in its sin and misery can only produce more of the same. Salvation requires a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit (6:63), who produces His image (spirit) in sinners by the new birth (1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18).
3:8 wind. The same Greek word as Spirit, perhaps alluding to Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones (Ezek. 37:9, 14). Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is powerful, invisible, and beyond the scope of man’s control or manipulation through ritual or method; He works as He chooses (listeth).
3:10 master of Israel. Teacher of the Jewish people. Jesus’ rebuke implies that His teaching on the new birth is rooted in the Old Testament, and also that Nicodemus’s mind was blind to the truth despite his Pharisaic training in the Scriptures.
3:12 earthly things … heavenly things. The new birth is a basic teaching of the faith, a foundation for understanding deeper teachings.
Joel R. Beeke, Michael P. V. Barrett, and Gerald M. Bilkes, eds., The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 1514.
3:1 Pharisees. A religious sect among the Jews that had begun in the second century BC. Their great error was to add the authority of man-made tradition to Scripture. Nicodemus. A ruler and prominent teacher among the Jews (v. 10, 7:45–52; 19:38–39).
3:2 by night. Evidently to avoid being seen by other Pharisees. This event appears to have occurred in Jerusalem, and Nicodemus exhibited the kind of miracle-based faith that Jesus has just been depicted as rejecting (2:23–25). Rabbi. Teacher.
3:3 Verily, verily. See note at 1:51. born again. Birth represents the beginning of new life in relationship to the Father who causes the birth (1:13; James 1:17–18; 1 Peter 1:3). Though Nicodemus was highly educated in the Bible, positive toward Jesus, and very religious, he was unable to spiritually perceive the glory and reign of Christ (cannot see the kingdom; vv. 10, 19–20) until God changed his heart (2 Cor. 4:4–6).
3:5 born of water. Not baptism but an allusion to Old Testament imagery of the renewing power of the Spirit (Isa. 44:3–5; Ezek. 36:25–27), given through the Mediator, Jesus Christ (v. 34; 1:33; 4:10; 7:37–39; Isa. 32:1–2, 15; Titus 3:5–6). cannot enter into the kingdom. It is impossible for people to be converted and saved unless God works a miracle in their souls (6:44, 65; Matt. 19:25–26).
3:6 born of the flesh is flesh. Fallen human nature in its sin and misery can only produce more of the same. Salvation requires a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit (6:63), who produces His image (spirit) in sinners by the new birth (1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18).
3:8 wind. The same Greek word as Spirit, perhaps alluding to Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones (Ezek. 37:9, 14). Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is powerful, invisible, and beyond the scope of man’s control or manipulation through ritual or method; He works as He chooses (listeth).
3:10 master of Israel. Teacher of the Jewish people. Jesus’ rebuke implies that His teaching on the new birth is rooted in the Old Testament, and also that Nicodemus’s mind was blind to the truth despite his Pharisaic training in the Scriptures.
3:12 earthly things … heavenly things. The new birth is a basic teaching of the faith, a foundation for understanding deeper teachings.
Joel R. Beeke, Michael P. V. Barrett, and Gerald M. Bilkes, eds., The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 1514.
Chapter 3: Jesus teaches the necessity of being born again, and John the Baptist exalts Christ.
3:1 Pharisees. A religious sect among the Jews that had begun in the second century BC. Their great error was to add the authority of man-made tradition to Scripture. Nicodemus. A ruler and prominent teacher among the Jews (v. 10, 7:45–52; 19:38–39).
3:2 by night. Evidently to avoid being seen by other Pharisees. This event appears to have occurred in Jerusalem, and Nicodemus exhibited the kind of miracle-based faith that Jesus has just been depicted as rejecting (2:23–25). Rabbi. Teacher.
3:3 Verily, verily. See note at 1:51. born again. Birth represents the beginning of new life in relationship to the Father who causes the birth (1:13; James 1:17–18; 1 Peter 1:3). Though Nicodemus was highly educated in the Bible, positive toward Jesus, and very religious, he was unable to spiritually perceive the glory and reign of Christ (cannot see the kingdom; vv. 10, 19–20) until God changed his heart (2 Cor. 4:4–6).
3:5 born of water. Not baptism but an allusion to Old Testament imagery of the renewing power of the Spirit (Isa. 44:3–5; Ezek. 36:25–27), given through the Mediator, Jesus Christ (v. 34; 1:33; 4:10; 7:37–39; Isa. 32:1–2, 15; Titus 3:5–6). cannot enter into the kingdom. It is impossible for people to be converted and saved unless God works a miracle in their souls (6:44, 65; Matt. 19:25–26).
3:6 born of the flesh is flesh. Fallen human nature in its sin and misery can only produce more of the same. Salvation requires a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit (6:63), who produces His image (spirit) in sinners by the new birth (1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18).
3:8 wind. The same Greek word as Spirit, perhaps alluding to Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones (Ezek. 37:9, 14). Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is powerful, invisible, and beyond the scope of man’s control or manipulation through ritual or method; He works as He chooses (listeth).
3:10 master of Israel. Teacher of the Jewish people. Jesus’ rebuke implies that His teaching on the new birth is rooted in the Old Testament, and also that Nicodemus’s mind was blind to the truth despite his Pharisaic training in the Scriptures.
3:12 earthly things … heavenly things. The new birth is a basic teaching of the faith, a foundation for understanding deeper teachings.
Joel R. Beeke, Michael P. V. Barrett, and Gerald M. Bilkes, eds., The Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2014), 1514.
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