John 3:1-6
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It was nighttime, and he came to the source of light. The darkness represented the time of his visit with Jesus and the condition of Nicodemus’s heart.
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (Vss. 1, and 2). It is almost as though Nicodemus had come to Jesus on his own, yet there is a hint that perhaps the Pharisees had reasoned that perhaps if you come to Jesus at a time when the crowds are not around him, you can learn more about him. One-on-one, you might be able to find something on him we can use later if necessary. Yes, it is obvious there is something different about Jesus. Even common fishermen could see this. But we need to understand Him to determine if Jesus will be a threat. For it is clear that Jesus had cleansed the temple and, by doing so, won the hearts of the people. But beyond this, on a personal level, Nicodemus was intrigued. He wanted to know more.
So Nicodemus said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God.” Nicodemus is saying, I (we) acknowledge that without God, you could not do these things. It is obvious you are a great teacher. And here comes the reasoning for this statement, “For no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Nicodemus falls short of stating what many were thinking: are you the Messiah? He states, “You are a teacher, a great teacher, come from God.” Let’s give you praise to disarm you and, in a roundabout way, ask the question people are thinking, “Are you the Messiah?” But I’m not going to ask that question directly. Why? Because I and all of us fear the answer. Because if you are, then we will lose our power over the people. It was in this way that Nicodemus came to Jesus out of the darkness of his own heart. It is in this way that today, many fail to follow Jesus because they do not want to surrender their heart to the Messiah.
Jesus cuts through the smoke screen to answer Nicodemus’s real question. The answer shocks Nicodemus. “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God’” (John 1:3).
The phrase “Born again” is only used three times within the Bible. Twice in Johns’s gospel (John 3:3, 7) and in I Peter 1:23. But for Nicodemus, the word was familiar. Pharisees, being teaching of the Jewish faith, when a Gentile wanted to become part of the Jewish faith, a Pharisee would study with them, and then the gentile was baptized, and this was called being born again. Now imagine the shock by Nicodemus upon hearing that he needed to be born again. Jesus is saying, “Nicodemus, you need to become teachable, as the Gentiles are teachable to understand the true good news of the gospel. Unless you become teachable, you cannot see the kingdom of God. This shocked Nicodemus and so he responds with sarcasm by saying in verse 4, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” When you understand the implications of what Jesus said, it comes across as a stinging response. You either respond with anger or sarcasm. Nicodemus’ intrigue regarding Jesus keeps him from getting mad, but he does respond with sarcasm. “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born” (Vs. 4)?
In verse 5, Jesus responds. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
For the second time, Jesus has cut to the heart of the matter, which is “The kingdom of God.” For Nicodemus, this came as a real shock. First, in stating he needs to be born again, Jesus is telling this learned teacher of Israel that he is standing outside the circle of salvation. According to Jewish theology, to be born a son of Abraham was almost certainly a guarantee of admission into the kingdom of heaven. But in order to be saved, non-Jews must become sons of Abraham by adoption, which is called being born again. This comment by Jesus that Nicodemus must be born again would have startled him. But it would not have startled Nicodemus to hear Jesus affirm that non-Jews must be “born again” to “see the kingdom of God.” The idea that he, a circumcised Jew, stood outside the circle of salvation was very disturbing. Two and a half years later, Jesus said in John 8:39, “That descent from Abraham is to be reckoned by moral likeness rather than by physical relationship.” Paul in Romans 2:28, 29 and Galatians 3:9, 28, and 29 said the same thing. Here is the other kicker: Jesus is referring to a spiritual kingdom, while Nicodemus is thinking spiritual and physical.
So Nicodemus knew perfectly well that Jesus did not speak of physical rebirth. This is why Nicodemus response is stated as sarcasm and disbelief. The Old King James states it as Verily, verily for the opening of verse 5. This is a Jewish code to pay close attention, this is important. Jesus is about to say something profound. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Verse six: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh.” Jesus now refers to natural birth, that for the Jews this meant they were sons of Abraham. Their connection to Abraham and circumcision does not assure them of salvation. So, then what does assure one of salvation? Jesus answers this in the next part of verse 6: “And that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Therefore, do not marvel I said you must be born again.” This happens through baptism.
I want to make one final point before closing this post. As Nicodemus was confronted with the fact that his salvation was not guaranteed through Abraham or for us through Christianity. Meaning if your parents are Christian, it does not guarantee you are saved for it is only through a relationship with Christ, that our salvation is assured. Jesus is saying you must be born of the Spirit, by surrendering your life to Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit into your heart. Then you will see the kingdom of God.
The Bible In Your Hand 