- John 3:1-6
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- John 3:1 (KJB)
- There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
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- John now introduces a man named Nicodemus and his name means “Innocent
blood or victory over the people.” Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. He was
a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin which was the ruling body in Israel
at that time. The answers and understanding Nicodemus had, had shown the
tremendous dearth of biblical understanding which pervaded the rulers in
Israel. This is a case in which the common people probably had more
spiritual insight than the leaders which should excel. Since their
understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures had waned drastically, it was for
this reason that they could not recognize Jesus.
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- John 3:2 (KJB)
- The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that
thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou
doest, except God be with him.
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- Nicodemus had come to Jesus by night perhaps for two reasons. First,
Jesus was thronged by people wherever He went and He would be unapproachable
by reason of the crowds and nighttime would have been an excellent time to
have a lengthy conversation. Secondly, if it was found out that Nicodemus
went to Jesus, he could be suspected of being a disciple which could cause
him to be removed from the Sanhedrin. Now the second part of this verse
tells us that Nicodemus stated that “they knew” that Jesus was a teacher who
came from God. They are only seeing Him as a teacher and not the Son of God
as John the Baptist saw Him. They claimed to believe that they knew He came
from God, yet they did not believe Him nor the claims He made. Jesus must
have done some kind of miracle to confirm His Messiahship because it was
like the prophets of old that did miracles and that is why they stated they
knew He was from God. Yet, if they believed He was from God, their response
to Jesus showed just the opposite.
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- John 3:3 (KJB)
- Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
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- Nicodemus had probably thought that there was no need for any change in
him and since he was under the Mosaic law, then everything would be fine.
There had to be some type of discourse at this point between Jesus and
Nicodemus since Jesus now tells him how a person can be saved and readied
for Heaven. The Jews thought that since they received the law of God, they
were already on their way to Heaven. Now Jesus introduces the only way that
a person can become right with God. For the last 1500 years, the way a
person became right with God was through animal sacrifices under the Mosaic
system. Now Jesus is telling Nicodemus that no longer will an animal
sacrifice suffice to make you right with God. A person must be born again.
The words “born again” in the Greek may also be understood as “born from
above.”
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- Jesus is now pointing to the fact that a person must be changed from
above. Israel, in obedience to Moses, for 1500 years was sacrificing animals
but now the way to God is from God. The animal sacrifices represented the
ceremonies which were tied to the earth.
(Gal 4:25-26 KJV) For this Agar is mount Sinai
in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with
her children. {26} But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the
mother of us all. The apostle Paul had written
that there are two Jerusalems. The earthly Jerusalem is tied to the law and
is in bondage to that law, which means under its system no one could ever be
eternally saved. Then Paul points to the heavenly Jerusalem whereby if a
person is part of that, it means, they have become born again or born from
above from Heaven.
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- So Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless he becomes born again, he can never
see the Kingdom of God. He would have been under the impression that he was
already part of the kingdom of God having the law of God but now a change
was about to take place. No longer would God deal with only one country or
people, He was about to begin to evangelize the entire world. To be born
from above is to be indwelled with the Holy Spirit who comes from above.
There is nothing on earth which contributes to a person’s salvation, it is
all done from above and sent to the person becoming saved. Once the Holy
Spirit indwells a person, they are given spiritual eyes and ears so they can
see the Kingdom of God and hear and understand the true teachings of the
Kingdom of God.
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- John 3:4 (KJB)
- Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he
enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
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- The answer of Nicodemus shows how much his thoughts are tied to this
world. Jesus was speaking about being born from above and Nicodemus was
still thinking about birth in the natural realm. Let us not condemn him for
his misunderstanding because he has been under a system all his life which
is works oriented and earth based with all its sacrifices coming from the
world. So when Jesus speaks about being born again, Nicodemus wants to know
how a grown man can enter a second time into his mother’s womb. He is also
confused about how a man can be born when he is old, since he is already
alive, then what type of birth can he experience? These questions were
perplexing to him.
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- John 3:5 (KJB)
- Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
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- In verse 3, Jesus had spoken about seeing the Kingdom of God but here He
is giving Nicodemus the way a person can enter the Kingdom of God. In the
natural birth, there is water associated with it. Nicodemus would have known
this but the earthly water is not what Jesus is speaking about.
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- (John 4:14 KJV) But whosoever drinketh of
the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting
life.
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- The water in view which the true believer will experience is the water
of grace. Once a person has become truly saved by grace, they will never
thirst for anything else because they will have everything they need for
salvation and to keep them eternally. Grace is the way into the Kingdom of
God which springs up into eternal life. Grace is not only something which
happens for a temporary time here on earth, such as the animal sacrifices or
the High Priest who had to go into the Holy of Holies each year, but it is
for eternity. Once you are in the Kingdom of God, it is forever. Not only is
the believer given the water of grace but at the time of salvation they are
indwelled with the Holy Spirit and with these two, a person enters into the
Kingdom of God. Jesus is now saying that no works of any kind nor any animal
sacrifice will ever allow a person to enter into the Kingdom of God. This is
why Jesus, in John 4, Jesus made a great distinction between the natural
water of earth and the spiritual water of grace. It was to show the
difference between religion and the true way to God. Religion will never get
anyone into the Kingdom of God. So to summarize, once a person is born of
grace and indwelled by the Holy Spirit, they are born again into the Kingdom
of God. Earthly water can only clean the body but the heavenly water of
grace cleans the soul totally.
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- John 3:6 (KJB)
- That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the
Spirit is spirit.
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- Here Jesus is making a straight distinction that flesh and spirit are
two different things and they represent two different things. When a person
is born naturally, they are a product of their earthly parents which means
they are flesh and blood like their parents are. Those who are born of the
Spirit, are born from above and their souls have been cleansed of all sin.
The spiritual cleansing comes from above and has nothing whatsoever to do
with the natural man. Flesh is tied to this world which Jesus is teaching
that religions of the world cannot save. If one is born the second time,
experiencing the second birth from above, then they will be saved. The
physical bodies are not saved from above but only the soul of man is saved,
it goes from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive unto God by means
of the water of grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which are all
acts of God. Salvation is all of the Lord and man is passive in it, that is,
he receives it as a an eternal gift of God.
(Jonah 2:9 KJV) But I will sacrifice unto thee
with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD. Even Jonah knew that
salvation was of the Lord.