Nicodemus was a seeker of God and he had this terrible tension. Jesus taught what seemed like the Word of God, he lived a holy life, and he did extraordinary miracles. Certainly he was from God. But who was this man?
He went to meet with Jesus and strike up a conversation. Jesus told him he had to be born again.
?????
That phrase has become so common place we don’t even realize the shock of it all.
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
Born of the water. Baptism. Jesus taught baptism.
Born of the Spirit. There was a supernatural element to the process. It’s a mystery.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
First of all, who is the “we” here?
There have been several speculations. Perhaps it is a counter to the “we” that Nicodeumus had used in v. 2, or a reference to divine authority which is unlikely considering he does not use that often, or a reference to the trinity which seems unlikely here. The reality is that it is a mystery. One that we cannot know for sure.
But we can know the intent of the text. Jesus was saying that they were not believing the testimony provided them. And if they did not believe of earthly things and examples (like being born again), how would they believe heavenly matters? And then Jesus adds something.
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
The Son of Man has been in heaven and actually came from heaven. More, eternal life is in Jesus.
That was a clear statement in Jewish terms of Jesus’ identity as God. They said so plainly and it was why they wanted to kill him.
Interesting too is the parallel to Moses. He references the story in Numbers where there the people complained bitterly to Moses. The Lord sent venomous snakes against them in judgment. They repented and asked Moses to make to the snakes leave.
8The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Then Jesus says here in John when referencing eternal life, they are to look to him.
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
The focus is not on the snake. The focus is on being lifted up. And Jesus taking on the sins and judgment of the people. Same is in Moses’ time and same as now.
It’s in this context Jesus says the famous Scripture:
16 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.
Jesus was giving eternal life. But he was doing so as the Son of God, taking on the sin and judgment of the people. That was the purpose of the Moses reference.
And then there’s that next verse that is so neglected by most.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
It’s a message of good news. Jesus is the message of love, hope salvation, redemption and more.
But Jesus also acknowledges the truth. People will reject him. Why? Because they love sin. If they follow Jesus, they are going to need to leave their life of sin. And people don’t want to do that. Sin is pleasurable.
Only darkness needs fear the truth. Those who have repented and been saved through Christ do not fear. They have been brought into the light. And that changes everything. Because the purpose of light is to reveal beauty. In this case, it is to reveal the work of God.
John 3:1-16
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.