Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
John 3:4
Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Verse John 3:4. _HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD?_] It is probable that Nicodemus was pretty far advanced in age at this time; and from his answer we may plainly perceive that, like the rest of...
HOW CAN A MAN ... - It may seem remarkable that Nicodemus understood the Saviour literally, when the expression “to be born again” was in common use among the Jews to denote a change from “Gentilism”...
II. ETERNAL LIFE IMPARTED: What it is and What it Includes Chapter 2:23-17 The second part of this Gospel contains the blessed teachings the Son of God gave concerning eternal life, how it is impart...
THE CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS. Nicodemus is an example of those to whom the Lord could not trust Himself. The story shows how He tried to bring those whom His teaching had impressed to a truer conce...
HOW CAN. MAN BE BORN AGAIN WHEN HE IS OLD? The question of Nicodemus indicates his surprise and skepticism. He ought to have apprehended the meaning of Jesus better. The Jews were wont to admit Gentil...
There was a man who was one of the Pharisees who was called Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for...
THE MAN WHO CAME BY NIGHT (John 3:1-6)...
UNTO. Greek. _pros._ App-104. HOW... ? Note other such questions, John 4:9; 1 Corinthians 15:35. All answered by "the gift of God "(John 3:16;...
John 2:13 TO JOHN 11:57. The Work We here enter on the second portion of the first main division of the Gospel, thus subdivided: The Work (1) among _Jews_, (2) among _Samaritans_, (3) among _Galilean...
_when he is old_ He purposely puts the most impossible case; the words do not imply that he was an old man himself. It is difficult to believe that Nicodemus really supposed Christ to be speaking of o...
John 3:1-21. The discourse with Nicodemus This is the first of the eleven discourses of our Lord which form the main portion, and are among the great characteristics, of this Gospel. They have been u...
ΓΈΡΩΝ ὬΝ. He puts the most impossible case, possibly with reference to himself, ‘_when he is an old man_, like myself.’ New birth as a metaphor for spiritual regeneration cannot have been unknown to N...
John 3:1-21. THE DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS This is the first of the discourses of our Lord which form the main portion, and are among the great characteristics, of this Gospel. They have been used as a...
Ver 4. Nicodemus said to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say to you, Except a man be b...
_NICODEMUS LEARNED ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH -- JOHN 3:1-8:_ Nicodemus exalted Jesus by saying, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is...
ΓΕΝΝΗΘΉΝΑΙ _aor. pass. inf. от_ ΓΕΝΝΆΩ, _см._ John 3:3. _Inf._ — дополнение основного гл. ΔΎΝΑΤΑΙ, ΓΈΡΩΝ (G1088) старец, ών _praes. act. part. от_ ΕΙΜΊ (G1510) быть. _Сопутств. part._ описывает однов...
NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, &C.— Nicodemus, hearing Jesus affirm that the posterityof Abraham needed a second generation and birth to fit them for becoming the people of God, could not take his words in...
TEACHING ON THE KINGDOM AND NEW BIRTH _TEXT 3:1-8_ 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know...
EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN John 3:1-8 We begin with the usual Analysis of the passage that is to be before us:— "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The sam...
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? Ni...
1 We have found an unholy temple, an unspiritual priesthood, and now we are introduced to an ignorant teacher! Intense application to a single text book for a whole life had not taught him the element...
HOW CAN A MAN] Nicodemus is unwilling to believe that he, an orthodox and pious Jew, and withal a ruler and a Pharisee, must undergo so radical a change, before he can enter Christ's Kingdom. He there...
THE NEW BIRTH. JOHN'S TESTIMONY TO JESUS 1-15. Conversation with Nicodemus. The ministry at Jerusalem, though disappointing, was not fruitless. Christ's miracles and teaching had made an impression, n...
JOHN TELLS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS GOSPEL OF JOHN _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 3 JESUS TEACHES NICODEMUS 3:1-21 V1-2 A *Jewish leader called Nicodemus came to speak to Jesus. Nicodemus was a *Pharis...
HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN...? — Nicodemus understands the words “born again” in the sense given above. The thought is not wholly strange to him. The Rabbis were accustomed to speak of proselytes as childr...
πῶς δύναται ἄνθρωπος γεννηθῆναι γέρων ὤν; μὴ δύναται, etc. In this reply there is no attempt to fence with Jesus, but merely an expression of the bewilderment created by His statement. The emphasis is...
NEW LIFE FROM ABOVE THE NEED OF ALL John 2:23-25; John 3:1-8 A solemn question is suggested by John 2:24. Can Jesus trust Himself to us? We must show ourselves worthy of His trust. In John 3:1-36; Jo...
Nicodemus would seem to have been one of the finest products of Judaism. He was thoroughly sincere. Moreover, he was determined to investigate for himself, and so came to Jesus by night, not because h...
Nicodemus saith unto him, How (f) can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? (f) How can I who am old be born again? For Nicodemus answers as...
CHAPTER 8 REGENERATION THE GREAT SINE QUA NON John 3:1-21. _“There was a man of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; the same came to Him by night, and said, Master, we know...
ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. XII. CHAPTER III. The first twenty-one verses of the third chapter contain the account of the interview between Jesus and Nicodemus. This interview occurred d...
VER. 4. “ _Nicodemus says to him: How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time, can he, into his mother's womb and be born?_ ” This saying, to the view of several modern critics...
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do...
The opening verses (John 1:1-18) introduce the most glorious subject which God Himself ever gave in employing the pen of man; not only the most glorious in point of theme, but in the profoundest point...
4._How can a man be born when he is old? _Though the form of expression which Christ employed was not contained in the Law and the prophets, yet as renewal is frequently mentioned in Scripture, and is...
But there was a man (chapter 3) and that a Pharisee who was not satisfied with this inoperative conviction. His conscience was reached. Seeing Jesus, and hearing His testimony, had produced a sense of...
NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM,.... Understanding him of a natural birth, to be repeated: HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? as it seems by this, he himself now was: CAN HE ENTER THE SECOND TIME INTO H...
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Ver. 4. _How can a man, &c._] He understands no more of the doctrine...
_Nicodemus_ Exceedingly surprised at Christ's declaration; _saith, How can a man be born when he is old_ As I now am? _Can he enter_, &c. As if he had said, It would be perfectly absurd to think that...
HOW CAN A MAN; this question referred to natural birth, of earthly parents; the assertion of Christ referred to a spiritual change by the Holy Ghost....
NICODEMUS, AND NEW BIRTH (vs.1-21) Among the many who believed because of the miracles, there was however one individual who was more seriously affected. Nicodemus comes to the Lord by night, evident...
1-8 Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore came in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are many Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welco...
By the answer of Nicodemus, it should seem that he was an old man; which is also probable, because he was one of the rulers: he puts the case as to himself; I am, saith he, an old man, how should I be...
John 3:4 Nicodemus G3530 said G3004 (G5719) to G4314 Him G846 How G4459 can G1410 (G5736) man...
‘Nicodemus says to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” ' Nicodemus takes what Jesus says to mean born again physically, and spea...
John 3:4. NICODEMUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? CAN HE ENTER A SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER'S WOMB, AND BE BORN? These are the words of a man amazed beyond measure. Jesus has...
It is of much importance to keep the closing verses of chap. 2 in close connection with the opening verses of chap. 3 (see the commentary on John 3:1). Rejected by the theocracy of Israel Jesus turns...
Being old (γερων ων). Nicodemus was probably familiar with the notion of re-birth for proselytes to Judaism for the Gentiles, but not with the idea that a Jew had to be reborn. But "this stupid misund...
We can scarcely find a chapter in which the gospel lies so compact and so plainly stated. John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:_ Christ's door is open at...
John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man...
If you were sent for to visit a dying man, and you wished to select a chapter which would set the truth before him very briefly and very clearly, you could not make a better choice than this 3 rd chap...
If we were asked to read to a dying man who did not know the gospel, we should probably select this chapter as the most suitable one for such an occasion; and what is good for dying men is good for us...
If you were called in to see a person who was dying, and wished to read a chapter from the Word of God, and you were afraid that the sick one did not know the way of salvation, you could not select a...
John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man...
This is a very wonderful chapter, because, while it teaches the doctrine of regeneration, and the necessity of a great moral and spiritual change, it yet also reveals the doctrine of salvation by fait...
Let us once more read together part of this blessed soul-saving chapter. I suppose that more souls have been saved through the reading of this chapter than through almost any other portion of Holy Wri...
CONTENTS: Nicodemus and the new birth. The last testimony of John the Baptist. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Nicodemus, John the Baptist, Moses, John's disciples. CONCLUSION: Since the natural...
John 3:1. _Nicodemus, a ruler of the jews._ This rabbi is named by John as defending our Saviour in the council, and as attending the crucifixion. A gospel of the passion and the resurrection of Chris...
HOW CAN A GROWN MAN BE BORN AGAIN? Nicodemus states the literal meaning of Jesus' words, to ask for an explanation. If Jesus meant this literally, he sees himself forever barred from the Kingdom....
_How can a man be born when he is old?_ THE INCREDULOUS LISTENER I. THE AMAZED INTERROGATION (John 3:4). 1. Its origination: astonishment and perplexity. 2. Its intention: investigation and inquir...
_Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God_ THE BIRTH OF THE NEW MAN Man is confronted with two facts. 1. The existence of evil. 2. The hope of deliverance. Christ here shows how...
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:3 BORN OF WATER AND THE SPIRIT refers to spiritual birth, which cleanses from sin and brings spiritual transformation. The background for “water” is probably...
_Nicodemus saith_, &c. "He knew," says S. Augustine, "but of one birth, that from Adam and Eve....
1-36 CHAPTER 3 _There was a man_, &c. Nicodemus means in Greek _the conqueror of the people._ Such was this man; who, overcoming the fear of the people, the Pharisees, and the priests, believed in Ch...
_EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES_ John 3:1. In John 2:23, we read of many who believed in Jesus because of the miracles He wrought. But their belief was so imperfect that Jesus had “no faith” in it. He...
EXPOSITION This is the first of the eleven discourses recorded by this evangelist, and for the most part addressed to the cultivated, hierarcical party in Jerusalem, who questioned him in an unfriend...
Have we got a message for you tonight from the Word of God! John chapter 3 and 4, oh my, how rich! How blessed! There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (John 3:1). We k...
1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 2:14; John 3:3; John 4:11; John 4:12
When he is old [γ ε ρ ω ν ω ν]. Literally, being an old man. Can he [μ η δ υ ν α τ α ι]. The interrogative particle anticipates a negative answer. Surely he cannot. Second time. Nicodemus looks at t...
SALVATION MADE PLAIN John 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We are using the story of Nicodemus as the basis of our message for today. However, we are planning to bring out some very vital considerations whic...
THE NEW BIRTH John 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS The story of Nicodemus is common to us all, and yet there is, perhaps, much in it which needs to be emphasized, and there may be some things hidden away th...
When he is old — As Nicodemus himself was....
Two things are observable in this question of Nicodemus, HOW CAN. MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD? 1. His ignorance and weakness in propounding of such. question. So true is that of the apostle, THE NATUR...