John 3:1-21
John 3:1-21
Jesus and Nicodemus
1 There was a man from the Pharisees (A) named Nicodemus, (B) a ruler (C) of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, " Rabbi, (D) we know that You have come from God (E) as a teacher, (F) for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him." (G)
3 Jesus replied, " I assure you: Unless someone is born again, (H) [a] he cannot see the kingdom of God." (I)
4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, " I assure you: Unless someone is born (J) of water and the Spirit, (K) [b] he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6Whatever is born of the flesh (L) is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit (M) is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you [c] must be born (N) again. 8The wind [d] blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. (O) So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (P)
9 "How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus.
10"Are you a teacher [e] of Israel and don't know these things?" Jesus replied. 11" I assure you: (Q) We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you [f] do not accept Our testimony. [g] 12If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13No one has ascended (R) into heaven (S) except the One who descended from heaven (T) —the Son of Man. (U) [h] 14Just as Moses (V) lifted up the snake in the wilderness, (W) so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in Him will [i] have eternal life. (X)
16"For God loved (Y) the world in this way: He gave His One and Only (Z) Son, (AA) so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (AB) 17For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge (AC) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18Anyone who believes in Him is not judged, (AD) but anyone who does not believe is already judged, (AE) because he has not believed in the name (AF) of the One and Only Son (AG) of God.
19"This, then, is the judgment: the light (AH) has come into the world, (AI) and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who practices wicked things hates (AJ) the light and avoids it, [j] so that his deeds (AK) may not be exposed. 21But anyone who lives by [k] the truth comes to the light, so that his works (AL) may be shown to be accomplished by God." [l]
In reading commentary, it is suggested by most that Nicodemus went to Jesus by night because he didn't want anyone to know that he was there. This man was a pharisee. They were known to be outwardly moral, prideful that they were not like other sinners, and were rigidly outspoken about following the laws of the elders--the OT. (see topical study on pharisees)
When reading about being born both of water and of spirit, I understand the born of spirit part, but is the born of water meant to represent baptism or is it when we are born as a baby? I really thought it meant being born as a baby, but the commentaries that I've read all seem to say that it means water baptism. It makes me wonder if this is where the controversy between those who say that you must be baptised in order to BE saved and those who say that it is just an act of obedience, but not necessary.
Vs 14 & 15 refers to Numbers 21:4-9
The Bronze Serpent
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people [a] became impatient because of the journey. 5 The people spoke against God and Moses: "Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!" 6 Then the LORD sent poisonous [b] snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died. (A)
7 The people then came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so that He will take the snakes away from us." And Moses interceded for the people.
8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake [image] and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover. (B) 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.
Just as the Israelites in the wilderness, if we do not "look upon our Savior" or accept and believe that Jesus is the one who died on the cross for our sins, we will die and NOT recover, but if we believe and accept Him we will live eternally.
It really doesn't matter how we come to Jesus, AMEN? But it does matter that we make our Salvation public (Mark 8:38 (NIRV) "Suppose you are ashamed of me and my words among these adulterous and sinful people. Then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
It wasn't really recorded in John 3 whether Nicodemus accepts Jesus as the Messiah or not, but later John reveals that he made his association public (John 7:50-53).
Jesus and Nicodemus
1 There was a man from the Pharisees (A) named Nicodemus, (B) a ruler (C) of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, " Rabbi, (D) we know that You have come from God (E) as a teacher, (F) for no one could perform these signs You do unless God were with him." (G)
3 Jesus replied, " I assure you: Unless someone is born again, (H) [a] he cannot see the kingdom of God." (I)
4 "But how can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked Him. "Can he enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?"
5 Jesus answered, " I assure you: Unless someone is born (J) of water and the Spirit, (K) [b] he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6Whatever is born of the flesh (L) is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit (M) is spirit. 7Do not be amazed that I told you that you [c] must be born (N) again. 8The wind [d] blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going. (O) So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (P)
9 "How can these things be?" asked Nicodemus.
10"Are you a teacher [e] of Israel and don't know these things?" Jesus replied. 11" I assure you: (Q) We speak what We know and We testify to what We have seen, but you [f] do not accept Our testimony. [g] 12If I have told you about things that happen on earth and you don't believe, how will you believe if I tell you about things of heaven? 13No one has ascended (R) into heaven (S) except the One who descended from heaven (T) —the Son of Man. (U) [h] 14Just as Moses (V) lifted up the snake in the wilderness, (W) so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15so that everyone who believes in Him will [i] have eternal life. (X)
16"For God loved (Y) the world in this way: He gave His One and Only (Z) Son, (AA) so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. (AB) 17For God did not send His Son into the world that He might judge (AC) the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18Anyone who believes in Him is not judged, (AD) but anyone who does not believe is already judged, (AE) because he has not believed in the name (AF) of the One and Only Son (AG) of God.
19"This, then, is the judgment: the light (AH) has come into the world, (AI) and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone who practices wicked things hates (AJ) the light and avoids it, [j] so that his deeds (AK) may not be exposed. 21But anyone who lives by [k] the truth comes to the light, so that his works (AL) may be shown to be accomplished by God." [l]
In reading commentary, it is suggested by most that Nicodemus went to Jesus by night because he didn't want anyone to know that he was there. This man was a pharisee. They were known to be outwardly moral, prideful that they were not like other sinners, and were rigidly outspoken about following the laws of the elders--the OT. (see topical study on pharisees)
When reading about being born both of water and of spirit, I understand the born of spirit part, but is the born of water meant to represent baptism or is it when we are born as a baby? I really thought it meant being born as a baby, but the commentaries that I've read all seem to say that it means water baptism. It makes me wonder if this is where the controversy between those who say that you must be baptised in order to BE saved and those who say that it is just an act of obedience, but not necessary.
Vs 14 & 15 refers to Numbers 21:4-9
The Bronze Serpent
4 Then they set out from Mount Hor by way of the Red Sea to bypass the land of Edom, but the people [a] became impatient because of the journey. 5 The people spoke against God and Moses: "Why have you led us up from Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread or water, and we detest this wretched food!" 6 Then the LORD sent poisonous [b] snakes among the people, and they bit them so that many Israelites died. (A)
7 The people then came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so that He will take the snakes away from us." And Moses interceded for the people.
8 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake [image] and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will recover. (B) 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. Whenever someone was bitten, and he looked at the bronze snake, he recovered.
Just as the Israelites in the wilderness, if we do not "look upon our Savior" or accept and believe that Jesus is the one who died on the cross for our sins, we will die and NOT recover, but if we believe and accept Him we will live eternally.
It really doesn't matter how we come to Jesus, AMEN? But it does matter that we make our Salvation public (Mark 8:38 (NIRV) "Suppose you are ashamed of me and my words among these adulterous and sinful people. Then the Son of Man will be ashamed of you when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
It wasn't really recorded in John 3 whether Nicodemus accepts Jesus as the Messiah or not, but later John reveals that he made his association public (John 7:50-53).
posted by Marilyn at 2:42 PM
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