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 powerful argument against its authenticity; (1) because they are unlike the discourses in the Synop... [ Continue Reading ]
ἮΝ ΔῈ ἌΝΘ. NOW _there was a man_. The δέ marks the connexion with what precedes: Nicodemus was one of the ‘many’ who believed on beholding His signs (John 2:23). Ἄνθρωπος probably refers to John 2:25, as in John 1:6 to John 1:4; Nicodemus was a sample of that humanity whose inmost being Jesus could... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡῸΣ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ for πρ. τὸν Ἰησοῦν (a correction for clearness at the beginning of a lection: comp. John 4:16; John 4:46; John 6:14; John 8:21; John 11:45). 2. ΟὟΤΟΣ. S. John’s use, to recall a previous subject; comp. John 1:2; John 1:7; John 1:42; John 4:47;... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΠΕΚΡΊΘΗ. He answers his thoughts (John 5:17; Luke 7:40). Nicodemus wonders whether Jesus is about to set up a kingdom. see on John 2:25 and John 1:51. ἘᾺΝ ΜΉ ΤΙΣ. _Except one be born:_ quite indefinite. Nicodemus changes τις to ἄνθρωπος. ἌΝΩΘΕΝ. The strict meaning is either 1. ‘from above’ literal... [ Continue Reading ]
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 Nicodemus. He purposely misinterprets, in order to force a _reductio ad absurdum_: or, more probably,... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΞ ὝΔΑΤΟΣ Κ. ΠΝΕΎΜΑΤΟΣ. The ἐξ answers to the εἰς which follows and reminds us of the ἐν in John 1:33. The convert is immersed _in_ the material and spiritual elements, rises new-born _out of_ them, and enters _into_ the kingdom. Christ leaves the foolish question of Nicodemus to answer itself: He g... [ Continue Reading ]
6. The meaning of γεννηθῆναι ἄνωθεν is still further explained by an analogy. What man inherits from his parents is a body with animal life and passions; what he receives from above is a spiritual nature with heavenly capabilities and aspirations: what is born of sinful human nature is human and sin... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἾΠ. ΣΟΙ. ΔΕΙ͂ ὙΜΑ͂Σ. Note the change of number and comp. John 1:51. The declaration is pressed home: τις in John 3:3; John 3:5 is no vague generality; excepting Him who says ‘ye,’ it is of universal application. ‘Ye, the chosen people, ye, the Pharisees, ye, the rulers, who know so much (John 3:2),... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸ ΠΝΕΥ͂ΜΑ Κ.Τ.Λ. This verse is sometimes rendered thus: _the Spirit breatheth where He willeth, and thou hearest His voice, but canst not tell whence He cometh and whither He goeth: so is every one_ (_born_) _who is born of the Spirit_. It is urged in favour of this rendering (1) that it gives to π... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΕΝΈΣΘΑΙ. COME TO PASS (see on John 1:6). He is bewildered; but there is no attempt at a rejoinder, as in John 3:4. Comp. Job 40:4-5.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣῪ ΕἾ Ὁ ΔΙΔΆΣΚ. _Art thou_ THE TEACHER, a representative of the highest knowledge and supreme authority in the Church? Jesus is astonished at the ignorance of Rabbis, just as He marvelled at the unbelief of His countrymen (Mark 6:6). ἸΣΡΑΉΛ, frequent in Matt., Luke, and Acts, occurs only 4 times in... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἼΔΑΜΕΝ. The plurals between singulars are to be noted. They may be rhetorical, giving the saying the tone of a proverb; but the next verse seems to shew that they are literal. Jesus and His disciples tell of earthly things, Jesus alone of heavenly. Note the order and the pairing of the verbs; _That... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤᾺ ἘΠΊΓΕΙΑ. _Terrena_, things which take place on earth, even though originating in heaven, e.g. the ‘new birth,’ which though ‘of God,’ must take place in this world. See on 1 Corinthians 15:40, and James 3:15. Prophets and other teachers can make known ἐγίγεια. ΤᾺ ἘΠΟΥΡΆΝΙΑ. The mysteries which ar... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ΔΕῚΣ�. No one has been in heaven, so as to see and know these ἐπουράνια, excepting the Son of Man (see on John 1:51). There is probably no direct reference to the Ascension. ἘΚ Τ. ΟΥ̓Ρ. OUT OF _heaven_, at the Incarnation, when from being ἐπουράνιος He became the Son of Man. Ὁ ὪΝ ἘΝ Τ. ΟΥ̓Ρ. Thes... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ὌΦΙΝ. We here have some evidence of the date of the Gospel. The Ophitic is the earliest Gnostic system of which we have full information. The serpent is the centre of the system, at once its good and evil principle. Had this form of Gnosticism been prevalent before this Gospel was written, this... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι for εἰς αὐτόν (a correction to S. John’s usual construction): μὴ�' before ἔχῃ is an insertion (A) from John 3:16; אBL omit. 15. ἽΝΑ. see on John 1:8. The eternal life of _all_ believers, whether Jew or Gentile, is the _purpose_ of the Divine δεῖ. The lifting up on the Cross was the turni... [ Continue Reading ]
ΓΆΡ. Explaining how God wills life to every believer. ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ = the whole human race (see on John 1:10). This would be a revelation to the exclusive Pharisee, brought up to believe that God loved only the Chosen People. ἈΓΑΠΑ͂Ν very frequent in the Gospel and First Epistle, and may be considered... [ Continue Reading ]
16–21. It is much disputed whether what follows is a continuation of Christ’s discourse, or S. John’s comment upon it. That expressions characteristic of S. John’s diction appear (μονογενής, πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα, ποιεῖν τὴν�, τὸ φῶς), cannot settle the question; the substance may still be Christ’s... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤῸΝ ΚΌΣΜΟΝ. Thrice for emphasis; characteristic of S. John’s style (comp. John 3:31; John 1:10; John 12:36; John 15:19; John 17:14). ΟΥ̓ … ἽΝΑ ΚΡΊΝΗΙ. _Not in order to_ JUDGE (comp. Luke 9:56). This does not contradict John 9:39. Since there are sinners in the world, Christ’s coming involves a separ... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ ΚΡΊΝΕΤΑΙ … ΚΈΚΡΙΤΑΙ. Change of tense: _is not_ JUDGED … HATH BEEN JUDGED. The Messiah has no need to sentence unbelievers; their unbelief in the self-revelation (ὄνομα) of the Messiah is of itself a sentence. They are _self_-condemned; comp. John 3:36. Note the change from fact to supposition ma... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑὝΤΗ ΔΈ ἘΣ. Ἡ ΚΡ. BUT THE JUDGMENT IS THIS; this is what it consists in. We have precisely the same construction 1 John 1:5; 1 John 5:11; 1 John 5:14; and almost the same (ἵνα for ὅτι) John 15:12; John 17:3. ΤῸ ΦΩ͂Σ. This is not only S. John’s term (John 1:4-9) but Christ’s (John 8:12; John 9:5;... [ Continue Reading ]
ΦΑΥ͂ΛΑ. Whereas πονηρός (John 3:19) expresses the _malignity_ of evil, its power to cause suffering (πόνος), φαῦλος (perhaps akin to _paulus_) expresses the _worthlessness_ of it. The one is positive, the other negative. Satan is ὁ πονηρός, the great _author of mischief_ (John 17:15; 1 John 2:13-14;... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΟΙΩ͂Ν Τ. ἈΛΉΘ. To _do_ THE _truth_ (1 John 1:6) is the opposite of ‘doing’ or ‘making a lie,’ ποιεῖν ψεῦδος (Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:15). It is moral rather than intellectual truth that is meant, moral good recognised by the conscience (John 18:37). To ‘do the truth’ is to do that which has... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤᾺ ΤΑΥ͂ΤΑ. Quite vague; a less close connexion than is indicated by μετὰ τοῦτο. Contrast John 5:1; John 5:14; John 6:1; John 19:38; John 21:1 with John 2:12; John 11:7; John 11:11; John 19:28. ΕἸΣ Τ. ἸΟΥΔΑΊΑΝ ΓΗ͂Ν. Occurs here only; comp. ἡ Ἰ. χώρα... [ Continue Reading ]
22, 23. A mark of authenticity similar to John 2:12. It is impossible to suppose that these verses were written in the interests of dogma. S. John records these events, not for any theological purpose, but because he was present, and remembers them.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BAPTISM AND FINAL TESTIMONY OF JOHN... [ Continue Reading ]
ἮΝ … ΒΑΠΤΊΖΩΝ. Not as rival to the Messiah but still in preparation for Him, as Samuel continued to be Judge after the King was appointed. John knew that the Messiah had come; but He had not taken the public position which John expected Him to take, and hence John was not led to suppose that his own... [ Continue Reading ]
24. The Evangelist has not said a word that could imply that the Baptist was in prison. This remark refers to the Synoptists, and guards us against the inference easily drawn from them (Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14) that John’s imprisonment followed close on the Temptation and preceded the beginning of C... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤᾺ ἸΟΥΔΑΊΟΥ for μ. Ἰουδαίων. 25. ἘΓΈΝΕΤΟ ΟΥ̓͂Ν. _There arose_ THEREFORE; in consequence of Jesus and John baptizing so near together. The Evangelist’s favourite particle to mark a sequence in fact: see Introduction, Chap. John 3:6 (c). ΖΉΤΗΣΙΣ ἘΚ Κ.Τ.Λ. QUESTIONING ON THE PART OF _the disciples... [ Continue Reading ]
ὯΙ ΣῪ ΜΕΜ. _To whom_ THOU HAST BORNE WITNESS. This was what seemed so monstrous; that One who appeared to owe His position to John’s testimony should be competing with him and surpassing him: σύ and οὗτος are in emphatic opposition. ἼΔΕ ΟὟΤΟΣ. LO (see on John 1:29) THIS FELLOW, expressing astonishm... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ ΔΎΝΑΤΑΙ. Comp. John 19:11. The meaning is disputed; either (1) ‘Jesus could not succeed thus without help from Heaven, and this should satisfy you that He is sent by God;’ or (2) ‘I cannot accept the supremacy which you would thrust on me, because I have not received it from Heaven.’ The former... [ Continue Reading ]
ΑΥ̓ΤΟῚ ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ. ‘_Ye yourselves_, though you are so indignant on my behalf.’ They had appealed to his testimony (John 3:26); he turns it against them. He is not responsible for their error. ἜΜΠ. ἘΚ. John speaks more plainly in John 1:26; John 1:30 : now that Jesus has manifested Himself he feels fre... [ Continue Reading ]
29. John explains by a figure his subordination to the Messiah. ΤῊΝ ΝΎΜΦΗΝ. Here only in this Gospel does this well-known symbol occur. It is frequent both in O.T. and N.T. Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 2:19-20; Ephesians 5:32; Revelation 19:7; Revelation 21:2; Revelation 21:9. Comp. Matthew 9:15;... [ Continue Reading ]
ΔΕΙ͂. See on John 3:14. This joy of the Bridegroom’s friend, in full view of the certain wane of his own influence and dignity, is in marked contrast to the jealousy of his disciples. With this triumphant self-effacement he ceases to speak of himself, and the second half of his discourse begins: 1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ἌΝΩΘΕΝ ἘΡΧ. Christ: John 3:13; John 8:23 : ἄνωθεν here _must_ mean ‘from above’; see on John 3:3. He is above all, John included, little as John’s disciples may like the fact. Comp. Matthew 11:11. Ὁ ὪΝ ἘΚ Τ. ΓΗ͂Σ. Εἶναι ἐκ, expressing a moral relation, is characteristic of S. John 7:17; John 8:23;... [ Continue Reading ]
31–36. A question is raised with regard to this section similar to that raised about John 3:16-21. Some regard what follows not as a continuation of the Baptist’s speech, but as the Evangelist’s comment upon it. But, as in the former case, seeing that the Evangelist gives us no intimation that he is... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὃ ἙΏΡΑΚΕΝ Κ. ἬΚ. In His pre-existence with God; John 3:11; John 1:18. He has immediate knowledge of τὰ ἐπουράνια. Τοῦτο, precisely this is the substance of His witness: comp. John 14:13. This use of a retrospective pronoun for emphasis is frequent in S. John 5:38; John 6:46; John 7:18; John 8:26; Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
33. The Baptist at once shews that οὐδείς is hyperbolical: some did receive the witness; ‘but what are they among so many?’ ἘΣΦΡΆΓΙΣΕΝ. Of sealing a document to express one’s trust in it and adherence to it (John 6:27; 1 Corinthians 9:2): but in this figurative sense the middle is more usual (Romans... [ Continue Reading ]
34. Omit ὁ θεός (GLOSS) AFTER ΔΊΔΩΣΙΝ, with אBC1L against Acts 2D. 34. ΤᾺ ῬΉΜΑΤΑ. S. John uses this word only in the plural (John 5:47; John 6:63; John 6:68; John 8:47; John 12:47; John 15:7); it means the separate utterances, as distinct from ὁ λόγος (John 6:60; John 8:43;... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΓΑΠΑ͂Ι. See on John 3:16 and comp. John 5:10. The words seem to be an echo of the voice from heaven which John had so lately heard; οὖτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ�. The love explains the giving all into His hand, so that He becomes πάντων κύριος (Acts 10:36), and κεφαλὴ ὑπὲρ πάντα (Ephesians 1:22). ΔΈΔΩΚ... [ Continue Reading ]
ἜΧΕΙ Ζ. ΑἸΏΝΙΟΝ. See on John 3:16. Present; ‘hath,’ not ‘shall have.’ Believers already _have_ eternal life. We often think of it as something to be won; but it has already been given. The struggle is not to gain, but to retain: John 5:24; John 6:47; John 6:54; John 17:3. Winer, p. 332. Ὁ�. _He that... [ Continue Reading ]