Page 31 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

The placing of the chapter break
here is unfortunate, since the
story of Jesus’ interaction with
Nicodemus is logically tied to the
previous section (2:23 – 25). This
previous section described Jesus
refusal to accept shallow, sign –
based faith, since his
omniscience, he understood
people's hearts. The story of
Nicodemus is a case in point,
since Nicodemus himself was one
of those superficial believers
whose heart he read like an open
book. Instead of affirming his
profession, the Lord refused to accept Nicodemus's faith which was solely based on the signs he had witnessed
(verse two). Jesus pointed him to the life transforming nature of true saving faith.

But Nicodemus was no ordinary Pharisee; he was a ruler of the Jews. That is, he was a member of the Sanhedrin,
(John 7:50), the governing Council of Israel. The fact that Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin probably
explains why he came to Jesus by night. He might not have wanted his coming to imply the approval of the
entire Sanhedrin, nor did he want to risk incurring the disfavor of his fellow members. Nighttime would also
have affronted more time for conversation than during the day, when both he and Jesus would be occupied. The
important point, however, is not when Nicodemus came but that he came at all. Though coming to Jesus does
not always guarantee salvation, it is a necessary beginning. (For a fuller explanation of who the Pharisees were
see John MacArthur's commentary PP 100 – 101) Notice also the respect that Nicodemus shows to Jesus by
addressing him as Rabbi. This is amazing that he would address Him in this fashion because Jesus had no formal
training from any rabbinical school. (John 7:15)

The use of the word unless should get our attention. When we see it in the New Testament, it signals a
necessary condition, something that has to happen before some desired consequence will follow. The word
born again could also be translated “born from above.” The significance and the meaning are the same either
way. Clearly Jesus was acknowledging that everyone has a natural birth, a biological birth. But Jesus said that in
addition to our natural birth, something more must happen before we can see the kingdom of God, and that is a
supernatural birth. In this case, the necessary condition is the new birth, and the desired consequence is seeing
the kingdom of God. Jesus is not referring here to the universal kingdom. Instead, he is speaking specifically of
the kingdom of salvation, the spiritual realm where those who have been born again by divine power through
faith now live under the rulership of God mediated through his son.

The Insight

John 3:4-8 “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?” Jesus answered, “I assure you: Unless someone is born of water and the
5
6
Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the
Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. The wind blows where it
8
7
pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with
everyone born of the Spirit.”

Jesus was asking for something that was not humanly possible (to be born again); he was making entrance into
the kingdom contingent on something that could not be obtained through human effort. But if that was true,
30