Twue Wuv

1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.

• As a Pharisee, Nicodemus belonged to the strict religious sect of Judaism in contrast to the Sadducees, who were less rigid in their beliefs, and were more politically minded (Tenney 46).
• The “ruling council” here is known as the “Sanhedrin.”a

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2 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.”

• Nicodemus uses the pronoun, “we,” which begs the question: where/who are the other Pharisees that believe that Jesus is a teacher who has come from God?
• Apparently both Nicodemus and the others don’t spread the word, because in John 7 (45-52), Nicodemus half-heartedly defends Jesus, and the response from another Pharisee was, “Are you from Galilee, too?”
• In John 19 (38-42), Nicodemus is recorded as bringing myrrh and aloes to wrap Jesus’ body with.

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3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

• The word anothen can be translated as “again” or “from above.” Both meanings are likely in play.
• The word see, here implies discernment or perception of meaning rather than simply registering a visual image (Tenney 49).
  • Without spiritual rebirth, a person cannot discern the Kingdom of God
• “above” was a Jewish circumlocution for God

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4 “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!”

• Nicodemus is confused, by Jesus’ saying.
• Tenney allows Nicodemus two possible meanings in his response to Jesus: the first is the impossibility of second physical birth; the second in terms of spiritual change, that is to say, “How can a man whose habits and ways of thinking have been fixed b y age expect to change radically?”

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5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

• There are two ways that one can see “water and the Spirit” that are not in conflict with each other:
  • A hendiadys (two words that refer to the same thing) that is common in Hebrew poetry, particularly the Psalms, for which “water” and “Spirit” are the same reference point (c.f. John 7.37-39), or
  • a reference to the ministry of John the Baptizer, wherein John baptized the people for repentance, and where we see the water and the Spirit paired (c.f. John 1.31-33).
  • He may also be drawing a connection to God’s promise to “put a new spirit in you” and “put [His] Spirit in you (c.f. Ezekiel 36.25-28).
  • The rabbis connected the concept of baptism with the ceremonial purification of complete immersion… it was not merely for the purpose of expiating special transgressions… but was the first step in a practice of holy living and a preparation for the attainment of a closer communion with God. (Tenney 49)
  • For the Essenes, a Jewish sect around at that time, the bathing in water constituted a rebirth and made him a “new creature” (Tenney 49).

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6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

• Jesus reaffirms that spiritual birth is a work that is done by the Spirit, not legalism, not a particular race or culture,

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7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 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.”

• “Wind” here is a play on words that works in both the Hebrew (ruach) and Greek (pneuma) in that both could be translated as “spirit” or “wind.”

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9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

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10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?

• In the Greek, the definite article is used for the word teacher. In other words, the phrase can be translated, “Are you the teacher of Israel?”

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11 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.

• Who is the “we” that Jesus refers to here? The Trinity? He and the disciples? The prophets of Israel (He being the greatest, of course)?

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12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

• Parables

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13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.

• Son of Man was Jesus’ favourite designation for Himself (c.f. Daniel 7).

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14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

• c.f. Numbers 21.4-9
• Tenney notes that there are several applicable aspects to this reference:
  • The ancient Israelites were guklty of disobedience and a grumbling and unthankful spirit
  • They were under the condembnation of God and were being punished for their sins
  • The object elevated before them was the emblem of their judgment.
  • They were unable to rescue theselves
  • The poinson of the serpents was deadly, and there was no antidote for it
  • They were urged to look at the serpent in order to received life.
• Jesus said that “the Son of Man must be lifted up,” a word used in John 8.28 and John 12.32-34 for crucifixion.
  • Also word used for “exalted”
  • The Greek could have been translated from the Aramaic word, Zəqiḇā, which could mean either “to elevate” or “to execute on a gibbet” (a gibbet is a 17th-19th century upright structure, similar to a gallows, used to display the bodies of executed criminals in chains or cages as a public warning. It also refers to the act of hanging someone or exposing them to public scorn).
• Isaiah 52.13 – the Suffering Servant would be lifted up

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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.

• You could read the “so” here as “how much”… but you can also read it “in this way”… so it reads more like, “This is how God loved the world…”
• “only begotten” means “special,” “beloved”

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