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 used as a powerful argument against its authenticity; (1) because they are unlike the discourses in t... [ Continue Reading ]
_There was a man_ Better, NOW _there was a man_. The conjunction shows the connexion with what precedes: Nicodemus was one of the -many" who -believed in His name," when they beheld His signs (John 2:23). _Nicodemus_ He is mentioned only by S. John. It is impossible to say whether he is identical w... [ Continue Reading ]
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 _Galileans_, (4) among _mixed multitudes_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_we know_ Others are disposed to believe as well as Nicodemus. _a teacher come from God_ In the Greek the order is, _that Thou art come from God as teacher_. We are not sure that -come from God" points to the Messiah, -He that should come." But if so, WE SEE the timidity of Nicodemus; he begins wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus answered_ He answers his thoughts before they are expressed. See on John 2:25, and on John 1:51. _born again_ The word translated -again" may mean either -from the beginning," or -from above." By itself it cannot exactly mean -again." S. John uses the same word John 3:31; John 19:11; John 19:... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 ordinary birth; the metaphor of -new birth" for spiritual regeneration cannot have been unfamiliar to... [ Continue Reading ]
_of water and of the Spirit_ Christ leaves the foolish question of Nicodemus to answer itself: He goes on to explain what is the real point, and what Nicodemus has not asked, the meaning of -from above:" -of water and (of the) Spirit." The outward sign and inward grace of Christian baptism are here... [ Continue Reading ]
The meaning of -birth from above" is still further explained by an analogy. What a man inherits from his parents is a body with animal life and passions; what he receives from above is a spiritual nature with heavenly aspirations and capabilities. What is born of sinful, human nature is sinful and h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye must_ The declaration is brought more closely home. In John 3:3_; John 3:5_Christ had made a very general statement, -except a man." He now shews that none are exempt from it. -Ye, the chosen people, ye, the Pharisees, ye, the rulers, must all be born from above.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The wind bloweth_, &c. This verse is sometimes taken very differently: _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_. The advantages of this rendering are (1) that it g... [ Continue Reading ]
_How can these things be?_ He is bewildered; there is no appearing not to understand, as in John 3:4. -Be," COME TO PASS (see on John 1:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Art thou a master of Israel_ Better, _art thou_ THE TEACHER _of Israel_, the well-known Rabbi, a representative of the supreme authority in the Church?... [ Continue Reading ]
_We speak that we do know_ The plural is no _proof_that any of the disciples were present, though S. John at least may have been; nor does it _necessarily_include more than Christ Himself. The plurals may be rhetorical, giving the saying the tone of a proverb; but the next verse seems to shew that t... [ Continue Reading ]
_earthly things_ Things which take place on earth, even though originating in heaven, e.g. the -new birth," which though -from above," must take place in this world. See notes on 1 Corinthians 15:40 and James 3:15. _heavenly things_ The mysteries which are not of this world, the Divine counsels res... [ Continue Reading ]
_no man hath ascended up to heaven_ No man has been in heaven, so as to see and know these heavenly things, excepting Christ. _came down from heaven_ Literally, out of _heaven_; at the Incarnation. On -the Son of Man" see on John 1:51. _which is in heaven_ These words are omitted in the best MSS. I... [ Continue Reading ]
_the serpent_ 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, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_That_ The eternal life of believers is the purpose of the - MUST " in John 3:14. For -should" read MAY both here and in John 3:16. _not perish, but_ These words are not genuine here, but have been taken from the next verse. When they are struck out it is better to take -in Him" with -have" than wi... [ Continue Reading ]
_For_ Explaining how God wills eternal life to every one that believeth. _loved the world_ 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. The word for -love," _agapân_, is very frequent both... [ Continue Reading ]
It is much disputed whether what follows is a continuation of Christ's discourse, or the comment of the Evangelist upon it. The fact that terms characteristic of S. John's theology are put into the mouth of Christ, e.g. -only-begotten" and -the Light," cannot settle the question: the substance may s... [ Continue Reading ]
_the world_ Note the emphatic repetition: the whole human race is meant, as in John 3:16, not the Gentiles in particular. _not … to condemn_ This does not contradict John 9:39, -For judgment am I come into this world." Comp. Luke 9:56. Since there are sinners in the world Christ's coming involves a... [ Continue Reading ]
_is not condemned … is condemned already_ Better, _is not_ JUDGED … HATH BEEN JUDGED _already_. The change of tense from present to perfect must be preserved. Unbelievers have no need to be sentenced by the Messiah; their unbelief is of itself their sentence. The next verse explains how this is. -Ju... [ Continue Reading ]
_And this is the condemnation_ Rather, BUT THE JUDGMENT IS THIS; this is what it consists in: comp. John 15:12; John 17:3. _and men loved darkness_, &c. The tragic tone again (see on John 1:5). Both words should have the article, _loved_ THE _darkness rather_ _THAN_ THE _light_. An understatement;... [ Continue Reading ]
_doeth evil_ The Greek word for -doeth" is not the same as that in the next verse; but it is not quite certain that any distinction of meaning is intended, although John 5:29 inclines one to think so. There the words are paired in precisely the same way as here. On the other hand in Romans 7:15-20 t... [ Continue Reading ]
_doeth truth_ Or, as in 1 John 1:6, _doeth_ THE _truth_, the opposite of -doing" or -making a lie," Revelation 21:27; Revelation 22:15. It is moral rather than intellectual truth that is meant. To -do the truth" is to do that which is true to the moral law (comp. John 8:32), that which has true mora... [ Continue Reading ]
The Baptism and Final Testimony of John 22, 23. We have here a mark of authenticity similar to John 2:12. These passages "it is impossible to regard as embodiments of dogma. It is equally impossible to regard them as fragments detached from the mass of tradition. The only conclusion remains, that t... [ Continue Reading ]
_John also was baptizing_ Not as a rival to the Messiah, but still in preparation for Him. Although John knew that the Messiah had come, yet He had not yet taken the public position which John had expected Him to take, and hence John was by no means led to suppose that his own office in preaching re... [ Continue Reading ]
This corrects the impression, naturally derived from the Synoptists, that Christ's public ministry did not commence till after the imprisonment of the Baptist. The whole of these first three Chapter s and part of the fourth must be placed before Matthew 4:12, where there are great gaps in the histor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then there arose_ Better, _there arose_ THEREFORE; i.e. in consequence of John's baptizing at Aenon. _a question_ Or, QUESTIONING. _between some of John's disciples and the Jews_ Better, ON THE PART OF _John's disciples_ WITH A JEW. -A Jew" for -Jews" is the reading of the best authorities. We do... [ Continue Reading ]
_to whom thou barest witness_ Rather, _to whom thou_ HAST BORNE _witness_. This was the monstrous thing in their eyes; that One who seemed to owe His position to the testimony of John should be competing with him and surpassing him. _behold, the same_ Or perhaps, _behold_, THIS FELLOW, expressing a... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man can receive nothing_, &c. Comp. John 19:11. The meaning of John's declaration is given in two ways: (1) -Jesus could not have this great success, unless it were granted Him from Heaven. This ought to satisfy you that He is sent by God;" (2) -I cannot accept the position of supremacy, which yo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ye yourselves_ Though you are so indignant on my account. _bear me witness, that I said_ They had appealed to his testimony (John 3:26); he turns it against them. _before him_ -Before Him, of whom you complain, whom I proclaim to be the Christ." In John 1:26; John 1:30, John spoke less clearly.... [ Continue Reading ]
John explains by a figure his subordination to the Messiah. _He that hath the bride_ 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. Song of Solomon,... [ Continue Reading ]
_MUST_] It is so ordained in the counsels of God. Comp. John 3:7_; John 3:14_, John 9:4; John 10:16; John 20:9. This joy of the friend of the Bridegroom, in full view of the inevitable wane of his own influence and dignity, is in marked contrast to the jealousy and vexation of his disciples.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that cometh from above_ i.e. Christ. Comp. John 3:13; John 8:23, He -is above all," John included. No one, however exalted a Prophet, can rival Him. _is earthly_ There is loss instead of gain in obliterating the emphatic repetition of the words -of the earth" as they appear in the Greek. _He that i... [ Continue Reading ]
A question is raised with regard to this section similar to that raised about John 3:16. 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 taking th... [ Continue Reading ]
_what he hath seen and heard_ In His pre-existence with God; John 3:11; John 1:18. He has immediate knowledge of heavenly things. _that he testifieth_ Better, _that he_ WITNESSETH (see on John 1:7). Precisely this is the substance of His witness. _and no man_ The tragic tone again; see on John 1:5,... [ Continue Reading ]
The Baptist shews at once that -no man" is hyperbolical; there are some who received the testimony. _hath received … hath set to his seal_ Better, RECEIVED … SET _his seal_. _his testimony_ HIS WITNESS. -His" is emphatic, balancing -God." -He that received _Christ's_witness, set his seal that _God... [ Continue Reading ]
_whom God hath sent_ Better, _whom God_ SENT, viz. Christ -who cometh from above," John 3:31. _God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him_ -God" is of doubtful authority; -unto Him" is not in the Greek. We must translate HE _giveth not the Spirit by measure_; or, THE SPIRIT _giveth not by measure... [ Continue Reading ]
_loveth the Son_ Comp. John 5:20. This is the reason for His giving all things into His hand. Christ is thus made -Head over all things" (Ephesians 1:22), and -Lord of all" (Acts 10:36).... [ Continue Reading ]
_hath everlasting life_ Or, ETERNAL _life_(see on John 3:16). Note the tense; -hath" not -shall have." Believers are already in possession of eternal life. Christians often think of eternal life as something yet to be won. It has been already given to them; the question is whether they will lose it... [ Continue Reading ]