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 to individuals, but these are not confined to Israel. The woman of Samaria and the king's officer of... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:1. AND THERE WAS A MAN OF THE PHARISEES, NAMED NICODEMUS, A RULER OF THE JEWS. That this verse does not begin a new section is clearly shown by the first word ‘And,' which links it with the last chapter; another indication of the same kind is seen when the true reading is restored in John 3:2... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:2. THE SAME CAME TO HIM BY NIGHT. Chap. John 19:38-39, seems clearly to show that the motive of Nicodemus in thus coming by night was the same as the cause of Joseph's secret discipleship the ‘fear of the Jews.' That he himself was one of ‘the Jews' only makes this explanation more probable.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:3. JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT ANY ONE HAVE BEEN BORN ANEW, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Jesus answers his thoughts rather than his words, but the connection between the address and the answer is not hard to find. John the Baptist had familia... [ Continue Reading ]
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 read his thoughts, and the answer to his unspoken question has come with the suddenness and surprise... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:5. JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT ANY ONE HAVE BEEN BORN OF WATER AND SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. The answer is a stronger affirmation of the same truth, with some changes of expression which made the words no easier of acceptance, save as the new... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:6. THAT WHICH HATH BEEN BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH, AND THAT WHICH HATH BEEN BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. In the last verse was implied the law that like is produced from like, since the pure and spiritual members of God's kingdom must be born of water and spirit. Here this law is expressly... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:7. MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YE MUST BE BORN ANEW. Nicodemus had no doubt shown by look or exclamation his astonishment at hearing such words, containing so strange a view of the kingdom of God and the conditions on which it could be entered. The use of ‘marvel' in other passages woul... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:8. The words of this verse point out to Nicodemus _why_ he must not thus ‘marvel' at the new teaching, must not cast it away with incredulous surprise. Nature itself may teach him. In nature there is an agent whose working is experienced and acknowledged by all, while at the same time it is f... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:9. NICODEMUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, HOW CAN THESE THINGS COME TO PASS? The tone of this answer is very different from that of John 3:4. Here, as there, the question is, _How can_ …? But there the added words show that the meaning is, ‘It is impossible'(comp. Luke 1:18); whereas in this v... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:10. JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, THOU ART THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL; AND PERCEIVEST THOU NOT THESE THINGS? The question which expressed the bewilderment of Nicodemus is answered by another question. He has assumed the office of teacher, teacher of God's people Israel, and yet he does not rec... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:11. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY UNTO THEE. These words form the solemn introduction to a new division, a higher stage, of the discourse. The connecting link between John 3:10-11 is reproof. The last verse laid stress on the knowledge which should have prepared the teacher of Israel for the receptio... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:12. IF I TOLD YOU THE EARTHLY THINGS, AND YE BELIEVE NOT, HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE IF I TELL YOU THE HEAVENLY THINGS? Here our Lord returns to the singular, ‘I told;' for He is not now speaking of the witness of experience, but of instruction which He Himself had personally given. It seems hardly... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:13. AND NO ONE HATH ASCENDED UP INTO HEAVEN, BUT HE THAT CAME DOWN OUT OF HEAVEN, THE SON OF MAN. The connection is this: ‘How will ye believe if I tell you the heavenly things? And it is from me alone that ye.can learn them. No one can tell the heavenly things unless he has been in heaven, a... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:14-15. AND AS MOSES LIFTED ON HIGH THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, EVEN SO MUST THE SON OF MAN BE LIFTED ON HIGH, THAT EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH MAY IN HIM HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. These verses continue the revelation of the heavenly things. The first truth is, that He who was in heaven came down to... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:16. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT EVERY ONE THAT BELIEVETH IN HIM MAY NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. In the preceding verses is recorded the first announcement of the Gospel by our Lord, the revelation of the mystery made manifest by Him who came out... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:17. FOR GOD SENT NOT THE SON INTO THE WORLD THAT HE MAY JUDGE THE WORLD; BUT THAT THE WORLD THROUGH HIM MAY BE SAVED. The thought of the last verse is expanded. There it was the gift of God's love that was brought before us; now it is the mission of the Son. To ‘may perish (John 3:16) here co... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:18. HE THAT BELIEVETH IN HIM IS NOT JUDGED: HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT HATH BEEN JUDGED ALREADY, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. The two preceding verses express the Divine purpose in itself, and that purpose passing into accomplishment; this verse speaks... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:19. AND THIS IS THE JUDGMENT, the judgment is of this kind, takes place thus, BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS COME INTO THE WORLD, AND MEN LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, FOR THEIR WORKS WERE WICKED. These words bring out clearly that the ‘not believing' spoken of in the last verse signifies a... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:20. FOR EVERY ONE THAT COMMITTETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT, AND HE COMETH NOT TO THE LIGHT LEST HIS WORKS SHOULD BE CONVICTED. This verse explains the last, and refers the action there described to a general principle. The universal law is, that he who committeth evil hateth the light. Not ‘he t... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:21. BUT HE THAT DOETH THE TRUTH COMETH TO THE LIGHT, THAT HIS WORKS MAY BE MADE MANIFEST, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN WROUGHT IN GOD. In contrast with those who commit evil is another class those who do the truth. The words expressing _action_ in John 3:20-21, are different: that in John 3:20 (‘co... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:22. ALTER THESE THINGS CAME JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES INTO THE LAND OF JUDEA; AND THERE HE TARRIED WITH THEM, AND BAPTIZED. The introductory words ‘After these things' may possibly include a considerable period. Apparently several months intervened between the Passover of chap. 3 and the visit... [ Continue Reading ]
This section affords us our last view of the great Forerunner when, at the moment of his disappearance, he utters his highest testimony to Jesus as the true Bridegroom of the Church, alone to be welcomed by all waiting hearts. Hence it immediately precedes Christ's proclamation of His truth beyond J... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:23. AND JOHN ALSO WAS BAPTIZING IN AENON NEAR TO SALIM, BECAUSE THERE WERE MANY WATERS THERE: AND THEY CAME AND WERE BAPTISED. Where Ænon and Salim were situated it is not easy to determine. The position assigned them by Eusebius and Jerome, near the northern boundary of Samaria, does not agr... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:24. FOR JOHN WAS NOT YET EAST INTO PRISON. Words in which the Evangelist vindicates the accuracy of his narrative, and corrects a mistake apparently prevailing in the Church when he wrote. The earlier Gospels, dealing mainly with the Galilean work of Jesus, do not mention His entering upon Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:25. THERE AROSE THEREFORE A QUESTIONING ON THE PART OF JOHN'S DISCIPLES WITH A JEW ABOUT PURIFYING. In the circumstances just described, discussion would inevitably arise as to the relative position and value of the two baptisms. A ‘Jew' (see note on chap. John 1:19) had placed the baptism of... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:26. AND THEY CAME UNTO JOHN, AND SAID UNTO HIM, RABBI, HE THAT WAS WITH THEE BEYOND JORDAN, TO WHOM THOU HAST BORNE WITNESS, BEHOLD, THE SAME BAPTIZETH, AND ALL MEN COME TO HIM. Their description of Jesus (whom they do not name) shows their feelings. This man came to thee beyond Jordan, it ha... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:27. JOHN ANSWERED AND SAID, A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING, EXCEPT IT HAVE BEEN GIVEN HIM OUT OF HEAVEN. Not for a moment does he enter into their jealous advocacy of his claims. Understanding the true force of their hasty words, ‘All men come to him,' he tells them that such honour, such position... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:28. YE YOURSELVES BEAR ME WITNESS, THAT I SAID, I AM NOT THE CHRIST, BUT, I AM SENT BEFORE HIM. The acceptance of the lower place was no new thing to John. ‘Ye remind me that have borne witness to Him; ye yourselves bear witness to me, that my testimony to Him contained in it all that now off... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:29. HE THAT HATH THE BRIDE IS THE BRIDEGROOM: BUT THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM, WHICH STANDETH AND HEARETH HIM, REJOICETH GREATLY BECAUSE OF THE BRIDEGROOM'S VOICE: THIS MY JOY THEREFORE HATH BEEN FULFILLED. He that hath the bride,' he and no other, ‘is the bridegroom. The Lord is taking home... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:30. HE MUST INCREASE, BUT I MUST DECREASE. What the disciples now see is but the beginning of a process that must continue. The necessity spoken of here is another statement of the heavenly gift of John 3:27. John must become less and less, whilst the glory of his Lord will increase without l... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:31. HE THAT COMETH FROM ABOVE IS ABOVE ALL: HE THAT IS OUT OF THE EARTH IS OUT OF THE EARTH, AND OUT OF THE EARTH HE SPEAKETH. The claim of the Baptist's disciples that to their master should be accorded a higher place than to Jesus, and John's emphatic testimony to his own lower station, lea... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:32. HE THAT COMETH OUT OF HEAVEN BEARETH WITNESS OF WHAT HE HATH SEEN AND HEARD; AND NO MAN RECEIVETH HIS WITNESS. In JOHN 3:12 we have seen that heaven is spoken of as the place of immediate divine knowledge and light. Jesus alone belongs to this sphere: all the prophets before His coming, t... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:33. HE THAT RECEIVED HIS WITNESS SET HIS SEAL TO THIS, THAT GOD IS TRUE. Every man who accepts His witness and thus declares that Jesus is true, in that very act attests, sets his seal to, the declaration that God is true. (For the opposite, see 1 John 5:10. A mere prophet might be unfaithful... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:34. FOR HE WHOM GOD SENT SPEAKETH THE WORDS OF GOD. The last verse rests on the thought that the words of Jesus are the words of God. Here it is shown that this is involved in the very proposition that Jesus is the Sent of God. Strictly, there have been many whom God has sent,-for example, Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:35. THE FATHER LOVETH THE SON. There is a continual heightening of the thought and expression. We read of Him ‘that cometh from above,' Him ‘that cometh out of heaven,' Him ‘whom God sent,' ‘the Son,' whom ‘the Father loveth.' In John 3:17 we read that the Father sent the Son to save the worl... [ Continue Reading ]
John 3:36. HE THAT BELIEVETH IN THE SON HATH ETERNAL LIFE. As all things are in the Son's hand by the gift of the Father, the destiny of all men depends on their relation to the Son. He that believeth in the Son has in Him the highest of all blessings, life eternal; has this in present possession-in... [ Continue Reading ]