THE BOOK OF JOHN – Chapter 3

 

THE BOOK OF JOHN – Chapter 3

 

The New Birth, John the Baptist’s Last Testimony

Chapter 3 moves away from an introduction of Jesus and His first miracle to a serious introduction of Jesus’ mission, plan, purpose and method. This chapter contains some of the most amazing revelations of the foundational principles of Christianity, heaven, salvation, and judgement. Each and every one of us as Christians, should not attempt to move any farther in our faith nor stake our claim a Christians (‘Christianos’, a follower of Christ), until we have completed and mastered these fundamentals.

The New Birth

John 3:1, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; verse 2, this man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Verse 3. Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(Commentary Break): Here is an irony. Nicodemus is a ‘ruler of the Jews’ a ‘teacher of Israel’ and his name, Nicodemus translates as ‘conqueror’, yet he skulks around in the dark as a coward or as a thief in order to talk with Jesus. To his credit, Nicodemus address Jesus as “Rabbi”, (‘my great one, my honorable sir’), humbling himself before Jesus.

Then, without further introduction, Jesus responds by pointing out Nicodemus’ one greatest need, “unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Without this, Nicodemus cannot see nor understand heavenly matters, true nature of God and at this point his life is fatally flawed and condemned to destruction.

But just knowing about this encounter or just knowing about these principles does no good unless they are acted upon. This is the lesson for us to learn, “can you see the kingdom of God?”  (End Commentary Break).

Verse 4. Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” Verse 5. Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Verse 6. That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. Verse 7. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ Verse 8. The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

Verse 9. Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

(Commentary Break): Again, to his credit, Nicodemus humbles himself and admits he does not understand what Jesus has said. His answer sounds foolish, even mocking, but in reality this is the depth of the blindness and ignorance of a great teacher and ruler of Israel.

Jesus patiently explains this principal using a metaphor, comparing the movement of the Spirit of God to the wind.

Once again, let’s please be careful not to read this just as a narrative about Jesus and Nicodemus. This is meant for you and me to see and understand. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 10. Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Verse 11. Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony. Verse 12. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

(Commentary Break): These verses 10 through 15 may be some of the most insightful and important fundamental teachings of Jesus. Let’s break it down into its component parts, then reassemble them into a practical and powerful application.

(1). Jesus uses the first person personal pronoun (I) in verses 11 and 12 to contrast and compare what he teaches about heavenly things versus earthly things. Then He shifts to a collective pronoun (we), “we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen” then Jesus refers to “you people do not accept our testimony”, referring to the elite ruling religious class in Israel.

But who are the “We” Jesus identifies with? It is the Trinity? It cannot be the Holy Spirit because He has not yet been sent. Is it Jesus and the Father? This is a possibility. Or, is it Jesus and His disciples? This is possible because of their testimony.

This is important because “this phrase encapsulates the importance of speaking truth based on genuine, firsthand knowledge-especially knowledge of spiritual matters. In Scripture, “speaking what we know” is not limited to objective or intellectual information but encompasses personal experience (1 John 1:1), communal testimony (Acts 4:20), and divinely revealed truth (2 Timothy 3:16).

Across biblical narratives, believers are urged to boldly share truth they have come to know: God’s power, character, and redemptive works. The question can also be applied more broadly to any believer who is called to testify about spiritual realities. This entry will explore the concept through multiple lenses, highlighting why it is vital to speak from genuine knowledge, how that knowledge is shaped by Scripture and personal experience, and how archaeological, historical, and experiential evidence further affirms it.” (see Biblehub.com).

Although the disciples have only seen a small portion of what is yet to come their firsthand testimony based on their faith in Jesus is all that is required. The same is true for you and for me. We may not have seen it all or know it all, and seminary degree might indicate we have ‘book learning’ but do people identify you as having spent time with Jesus?

Jesus continues, asking “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” This too is important for us to remember because this truth of the Christ is only revealed to those whom the Holy Spirit draws. Ours is to testify, His is to do the Work of the Father. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 13. No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. Verse 14. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, verse 15. so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.

(Commentary Break): Jesus speaks a profound Truth. A reality. There is only One Who is, when He is lifted up, will draw all men unto Himself. What a lesson for Nicodemus around A.D. 30, and what a lesson in truth for us in the twenty-first century! (End Commentary Break).

Verse 16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. Verse 17. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him. Verse 18. The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. Verse 19. And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil. Verse 20. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed. Verse 21. But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”

(Commentary Break): Verses 16 through 21 encapsulate the truth of the Gospel message, the effects of the Gospel which is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, the consequences for those who do not believe and the rewards of those who do believe. This is the prophetic truth of the great divide: light and darkness, truth and lies, salvation and destruction, heaven and hell, eternal life in the presence of God or eternal death in darkness and fire.

Only the Chosen will understand, but to everyone else, it is folly. Pray for wisdom and pray for the lost. (End Commentary Break).

John the Baptist’s Last Testimony

Verse 22. After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea; and there He was spending time with them and baptizing. Verse 23. Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and being baptized, verse 24, for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

Verse 25. Then a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification. Verse 26. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all the people are coming to Him.” Verse 27. John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

(Commentary Break): “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” If there are things such as “predestination”, or “foreknowledge”, verse 27 would make that case. But personally, I gravitate to 1 Peter 1:1-5 when he says, “To those who reside as strangers, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time”.  

Corporately, as the Church, this gives us insights and discernment. If a pastor is unable or unwilling to teach and preach the Word of God according to the Word of God, instead of using personal illustrations and examples or contemporary examples including stories, books, movies and songs to make his points about the Word of God, you can then know, “That person cannot and has not received even one thing from heaven” and someone needs to be gone. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 28. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ Verse 29. He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. Verse 30. He must increase, but I must decrease.

(Commentary Break): John has set the example for all who follow after him when he says, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’ (Additionally, Jesus warns that in the Last Days, many will come IN HIS NAME saying, “I am the Christ”, and they would mislead many people. Whether they are foolish enough to use His Name, or they are using the authority of His Name, do not believe them! (see Matthew 24:4-6). Jesus goes on to inform us that “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them (also), and they follow Me.” (see John 10:27). This is our example to follow. (End Commentary Break).

Verse 31. “He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. Verse 32. What He has seen and heard, of this He testifies; and no one accepts His testimony. Verse 33. The one who has accepted His testimony has certified that God is true. Verse 34. For He whom God sent speaks the words of God; for He does not give the Spirit sparingly. Verse 35. The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand. Verse 36. The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (End chapter 3).

Here for us are the foundations, taught through simple contrasts and distinctions:

Earthly things versus Heavenly things.

Born of water versus Born of the Spirit.

 He who descended from heaven is the One who ascended to heaven.

Jesus came to save, not to judge.

If you believe you are not judged; if you do not believe you are already judged.

Light versus Darkness.

Eternal Life versus The Wrath of God.

Being a religious person, an educated church leader, a pastor, teacher, or a theologian does not make you able to see the kingdom of God. You must be born again to bear that fruit.

“You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? (see Matthew 7:16).

“And, if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” (see Hebrews 6:8).

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 4, Jesus goes to Galilee, The Woman of Samaria, Samaritans, Healing of an official’s son.

PREVIOUS: THE BOOK OF JOHN, Chapter 2, The Miracle at Cana, The First Passover – Cleansing the Temple.

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