📖 Passage

John 3:1–15 Read John 3:1–15 (NKJV)

🧠 Context & Background

Nicodemus, a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council (Sanhedrin), comes to Jesus at night, likely to avoid public scrutiny. As a respected teacher of Israel, Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus is a teacher from God but does not yet grasp His true identity and mission. Jesus uses the conversation to teach the necessity of being “born again” — a spiritual rebirth brought about by the Holy Spirit. He also reveals His mission using imagery from Israel’s history, pointing to His coming crucifixion as the means of eternal life. This passage emphasizes the new birth as essential for entering God’s kingdom and the exclusivity of salvation through Christ.

🌿 Key Themes

• New Birth Required — Entrance into God’s kingdom requires spiritual rebirth by the Spirit.
• Inadequacy of Human Effort — Religious knowledge and heritage cannot save.
• Work of the Spirit — Salvation is initiated and accomplished by the Holy Spirit’s sovereign work.
• Christ’s Unique Authority — Jesus speaks with heavenly authority as the Son of Man.
• Foreshadowing the Cross — The lifting up of the Son parallels the bronze serpent in the wilderness.

📖 Verse-by-Verse Commentary

John 3:1–2

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews..." - Religious Standing — Nicodemus was part of the Sanhedrin, Israel’s highest religious court.
- Seeking in Secret — Comes at night, suggesting caution or fear of public opinion.
- Recognition of Authority — Acknowledges Jesus as a teacher from God due to His signs.

John 3:3

"Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." - Radical Requirement — New birth is necessary for spiritual perception.
- Born Again — Can also mean “born from above,” pointing to divine origin.
- Kingdom Access — Only those transformed by the Spirit can enter.

John 3:4

"How can a man be born when he is old?" - Literal Misunderstanding — Nicodemus thinks in physical terms.
- Human Limitation — Illustrates inability to comprehend spiritual truths apart from God’s revelation.

John 3:5

"Unless one is born of water and the Spirit..." - Water and Spirit — Likely alludes to Ezekiel 36:25–27, symbolizing cleansing and renewal.
- New Covenant Promise — God cleanses from sin and gives a new heart through the Spirit.
- Necessity for Entrance — No one enters God’s kingdom without this spiritual transformation.

John 3:6

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." - Two Realms — Physical birth produces physical life; spiritual birth produces spiritual life.
- Spirit’s Role — Regeneration is entirely the Spirit’s work.

John 3:7–8

"You must be born again. The wind blows where it wishes..." - Mystery of the Spirit — Like the wind, the Spirit’s work is sovereign and unseen.
- Visible Effects — Though unseen, the Spirit’s work produces tangible transformation.

John 3:9–10

"How can these things be?"... "Are you the teacher of Israel...?" - Lack of Understanding — Even a learned teacher fails to grasp God’s work.
- Accountability — Knowledge of Scripture should have prepared him for the new birth.

John 3:11–12

"We speak of what we know... yet you do not receive our testimony." - Testimony Rejected — Spiritual truths are often resisted.
- Earthly vs. Heavenly — If Nicodemus struggles with basic spiritual concepts, deeper truths will be harder to accept.

John 3:13

"No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man." - Unique Authority — Only Jesus has come from heaven to reveal God’s truth.
- Son of Man — Messianic title from Daniel 7:13–14, indicating divine authority.

John 3:14–15

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up..." - Historical Parallel — Refers to Numbers 21:8–9, where looking at the bronze serpent brought physical healing.
- Foreshadow of the Cross — Looking to Christ in faith brings eternal life.
- Exclusive Means of Salvation — Only through the crucified and risen Christ can one live.

🔍 Trusted Insight

D.A. Carson notes that the new birth is not a human achievement but a work of the Spirit, and that the serpent imagery underscores the necessity of looking in faith to the crucified Christ for salvation.
Summary: Spiritual rebirth through the Spirit and faith in the lifted-up Son are essential for eternal life.

🧩 Review Questions

1. What does it mean to be “born again” in this passage?
2. How does Ezekiel 36:25–27 help us understand “born of water and the Spirit”?
3. Why does Jesus compare Himself to the bronze serpent?
4. What does this passage teach about the Spirit’s role in salvation?

🔍 Definitions

• Pharisee — Member of a strict Jewish sect devoted to the law and traditions.
• Sanhedrin — The Jewish ruling council.
• Born Again — Spiritual rebirth through the work of the Holy Spirit.
• Son of Man — Messianic title indicating divine authority and humanity.

🙋 Application Questions

1. Have you experienced the new birth Jesus describes? How do you know?
2. How does the Spirit’s sovereign work encourage your faith?
3. In what ways can you point others to look to Christ for eternal life?

🔤 Greek Keywords

• Anōthen (Again/From Above) — Indicates spiritual origin from God.
• Pneuma (Spirit/Wind) — Wordplay showing the Spirit’s mysterious yet powerful work.
• Hōraō (See) — To perceive or comprehend spiritually.
• Hypsōō (Lift Up) — To exalt or physically raise, here referring to crucifixion.

📚 Cross References

• Ezekiel 36:25–27 — Cleansing and renewal by the Spirit.
• Numbers 21:8–9 — The bronze serpent lifted for healing.
• Daniel 7:13–14 — The Son of Man given everlasting dominion.
• Titus 3:5 — Regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
• 1 Peter 1:3 — New birth through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

📦 Next Study

Next Study → John 3:16–21