John 3:1
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:1 RULER OF THE JEWS refers to a member of the Sanhedrin, the court of the Jews. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:1 RULER OF THE JEWS refers to a member of the Sanhedrin, the court of the Jews. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:2 BY NIGHT symbolizes spiritual darkness elsewhere in John 1:1 (John 9:4; John 11:10; John 13:30; but not John 21:3). RABBI (meaning “teacher”) implies respect, especially since Jesus had no formal rabbinic training (see John 7:15). [ Continue Reading ]
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 Ezekiel 36:25. BORN AGAIN. See John 1:12; John 8:39; John 11:51. The KINGDOM OF GOD, a major topic in the other Gospels, i... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:7 The change from singular to plural in I SAID TO YOU [singular], “YOU [plural] MUST BE BORN AGAIN,” probably is meant to include Nicodemus and his fellow Sanhedrin members (compare “we” in v. John 3:2). The plural also carries broader application to all people: everyone “must be... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:10 See Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:33; and Ezekiel 36:26. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:11 EARTHLY THINGS probably refers to Jesus’ teaching about the new birth, which takes place in a person’s life on earth. YOU is plural in the second instance in v. John 3:11 and all four times in v. John 3:12. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:13 ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN probably means “entered into God’s heavenly council and remained there.” When Jesus DESCENDED FROM HEAVEN he did not lose all fellowship with the Father. Rather, the focus of his activity became his earthly life. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByT... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:14 LIFTED UP. The first of three “lifted up” sayings in John 1:1 (see also John 8:28; John 12:32). All three have a double meaning (see notes on 4:10; 8:24; 19:19), referring to both Jesus’ death and his resurrection and exaltation. SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS. See Numbers 21:9 [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:16 FOR connects to v. John 3:15 and explains what happened to make it possible that someone can “have eternal life” (v. John 3:15). GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD. God’s love for “the world” made it possible for “whoever” (v. John 3:15) believes in Christ, not just Jews alone, to have et... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:17 SEND HIS SON. See also vv. John 3:34; John 5:19; John 6:40; John 8:35; John 14:13; John 17:1. It was a common idea in Jewish thought that the messenger is like the sender himself (see Joh [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:18 Those who do NOT BELIEVE in Christ do not have a neutral standing before God. They stand CONDEMNED ALREADY. This refutes the idea that a sincere person following any religion can have eternal life (see John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:5). ⇐ ⇔... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:19 LOVED THE DARKNESS. See John 1:5, John 1:10. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:22 Jesus WAS BAPTIZING, that is, overseeing his disciples (see John 4:2) as they continued administering John’s baptism of repentance (see note on 1:28). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:28 SENT BEFORE. See Malachi 3:1; Matthew 11:10; Mark 1:2; and Luke 7:27. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for ... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:29 John the Baptist’s reference to Jesus as THE BRIDEGROOM (see Matthew 9:15 and parallels; see Ephesians 5:25; Revelation 19:7) identifies Jesus as Israel’s long-awaited King and Messiah. In the OT, Israel is frequently depicted as God’s “bride” (e.g., Isaiah 62:4; Jeremiah 2:2;... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:32 WHAT HE HAS SEEN AND HEARD refers to Jesus’ eternal existence in heaven and his knowledge of God. NO ONE RECEIVES HIS TESTIMONY likely means that very few people (at least to that point) had received it (but some had: WHOEVER RECEIVES). SETS HIS SEAL. See note on 6:27. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:34 See John 1:32. The Father gives Jesus the Spirit WITHOUT MEASURE. All true believers are empowered by the Spirit to some degree, but Jesus had an unlimited anointing. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:35 THE FATHER... HAS GIVEN ALL THINGS INTO HIS HAND indicates the supreme authority of the Father within the Trinity. He gives authority over the whole created universe to the Son (John 1:3; John 3:16, John 3:17; John 5:22; John 6:38; John 14:16,... [ Continue Reading ]
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:36 HAS ETERNAL LIFE. See note on v. 16. THE WRATH OF GOD REMAINS ON HIM. Compare vv. John 3:19; Romans 1:18. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]