CHAPTER III. _The conversation between Nicodemus and our Lord, about the new_ _birth and faith in his testimony_, 1-15. _The love of God, the source of human salvation_, 16. _Who are condemned, and who are approved_, 17-21. _Jesus and his disciples come to Judea, and baptize_, 22. _John baptiz... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:2. _CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT_] He had matters of the utmost importance, on which he wished to consult Christ; and he chose the _night_ season, perhaps less through the fear of man than through a desire to have Jesus _alone_, as he found him all the day encompassed with the multitude; so... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:3. _JESUS ANSWERED_] Not in the language of compliment:-he saw the state of Nicodemus's soul, and he immediately addressed himself to him on a subject the most interesting and important. But what connection is there between our Lord's reply, and the address of Nicodemus? Probably our Lo... [ Continue Reading ]
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 the Jews, and like multitudes of Christians, he rested in the _letter_, without paying proper attenti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:5. _OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT_] To the baptism of water a man was admitted when he became a proselyte to the Jewish religion; and, in this baptism, he promised in the most solemn manner to renounce idolatry, to take the God of Israel for his God, and to have his life conformed to the p... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:6. _THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE FLESH IS FLESH_] This is the answer to the objection made by Nicodemus in John 3:4. _Can a man enter the second time into his mother's womb and be_ _born_? Our Lord here intimates that, were even this possible, it would not answer the end; for the _plant_ w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:8. _THE WIND BLOWETH_] Though the manner in which this new birth is effected by the Divine Spirit, be incomprehensible to us, yet we must not, on this ground, suppose it to be impossible. The wind blows in a variety of directions-we hear its sound, perceive its operation in the motion... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:9. _HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE?_] Our Lord had very plainly told him how these things could be, and illustrated the new birth by one of the most proper similes that could be chosen; but so intent was this great man an making every thing submit to the testimony of his senses that he appears... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:10. _ART THOU A MASTER OF ISRAEL_, c.] Hast thou taken upon thee to guide the blind into the way of truth and yet knowest not that truth thyself? Dost thou command proselytes to be baptized with water, as an emblem of a _new birth_; and art thou unacquainted with the _cause, necessity,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:11. _WE SPEAK THAT WE DO KNOW_] I and my disciples do not profess to teach a religion which we do not understand, nor exemplify in our conduct. A strong but delicate reproof to Nicodemus, who, though a master of Israel, did not understand the very rudiments of the doctrine of salvation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:12. _IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS_] If, after I have illustrated this new birth by a most expressive metaphor taken from earthly things, and after all you believe not; how can you believe, should I tell you of _heavenly things_, in such language as angels use, where earthly images... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:13. _NO MAN HATH ASCENDED_] This seems a figurative expression for, _No man hath known the mysteries of the kingdom of_ _God_; as in Deuteronomy 30:12; Psalms 73:17; Proverbs 30:4; Romans 11:34. And the expression is founded upon this generally received maxim: That to be perfectly acqu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:14. _AS MOSES LIFTED UP_] He shows the reason why he descended from heaven, that he might be _lifted up_, i.e. crucified, for the salvation of man. kind, and be, by the appointment of God, as certain a remedy for sinful souls as the brazen serpent elevated on a pole, Numbers 21:9, was... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:15. _THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH_] Bp. Pearce supposes that this verse is only the conclusion of the 16th, and that it has been inserted in this place by mistake. The words contain the _reason_ of the subject in the following verse, and seem to break in upon our Lord's argument before he h... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:16. _FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD_] Such a love as that which induced God to give his only begotten son to die for the world could not be _described_: Jesus Christ does not attempt it. He has put an eternity of meaning in the particle ουτω, so, and left a subject for everlasting contempla... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:17. _FOR GOD SENT NOT_, c.] It was the opinion of the Jews that the Gentiles, whom they often term _the world_, עלמה olmah, and _omoth haolam, __אומות העולם __nations of the world_, were to be destroyed in the days of the Messiah. Christ corrects this false opinion and teaches here a co... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:18. _HE THAT BELIEVETH_] As stated before on John 3:16. _IS NOT CONDEMNED_] For past sin, that being forgiven on his believing in Christ. _BUT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT_] When the Gospel is preached to him, and the way of salvation made plain. _IS CONDEMNED ALREADY_] Continues under the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:19. _THIS IS THE CONDEMNATION_] That is, this is the reason why any shall be found finally to perish, not that they came into the world with a perverted and corrupt nature, which is true; nor that they lived many years in the practice of sin, which is also true; but because they refused... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:20. _FOR EVERY ONE THAT DOETH EVIL HATETH THE LIGHT_] He who doth vile or abominable things: alluding to the subject mentioned in the preceding verse. The word φαυλος, _evil_ or _vile_, is supposed by some to come from the Hebrew פלס _phalas_, to _roll_, and so _cover oneself in_ _dus... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:21. _WROUGHT IN GOD._] In his presence, and through his assistance. This is the end of our Lord's discourse to Nicodemus; and though we are not informed here of any good effects produced by it, yet we learn from other scriptures that it had produced the most blessed effects in his mind,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _CAME - INTO THE LAND OF JUDEA_] Jerusalem itself, where Christ held the preceding discourse with Nicodemus, was in Judea; but the evangelist means that our Lord quitted the city and its suburbs, and went into the _country_ parts. The same distinction between Jerusalem and Judea is made, A... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _IN AENON_] This place was eight miles southward from Scythopolis, between Salim and Jordan. _THERE WAS MUCH WATER_] And this was equally necessary, where such multitudes were baptized, whether the ceremony were performed either by _dipping_ or _sprinkling_. But as the Jewish custom requi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _JOHN'S DISCIPLES AND THE JEWS_] Instead of Ιουδαιων, _Jews_, ABELS. M. BV, nearly 100 others, some versions and fathers, read Ιουδαιου, _a Jew_, which _Griesbach_ has admitted into the text. The _person_ here spoken of was probably one who had been baptized by the disciples of our Lord; a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _AND THEY CAME UNTO JOHN_] That he might decide the question.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _A MAN CAN RECEIVE NOTHING_, c.] Or, _A man can receive_ _nothing from heaven, unless it be given him_. I have received, not only my commission, but the power also by which I have executed it, from above. As I took it up at God's command, so I am ready to lay it down when he pleases. I hav... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _HE THAT HATH THE BRIDE_] The congregation of believers. _IS THE BRIDEGROOM_] The Lord Jesus - the Head of the Church. See Matthew 22:2, c., where the parable of the _marriage feast_ is explained. _THE FRIEND OF THE BRIDEGROOM_] The person whom the Greeks called the _paranymph_ - there... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _HE MUST INCREASE_] His present success is but the beginning of a most glorious and universal spread of righteousness, peace, truth, and good will among men. _I_ must _decrease._] My baptism and teaching, as pointing out the coming Messiah, must _cease_; because the Messiah is now come, a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _IS ABOVE ALL_] This blessed bridegroom, who has descended from heaven, John 3:13, is above all, superior to Moses, the prophets, and me. _HE THAT IS OF THE EARTH_] John himself, who was born in the common way of man. _SPEAKETH OF THE EARTH_] Cannot speak of heavenly things as Christ can... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _AND NO MAN RECEIVETH HIS TESTIMONY._] Or, _And this his_ _testimony no man taketh up_. That is, the testimony which John had borne to the Jews, that Jesus was the promised Messiah. _No man_ _taketh up_. - No person is found to tread in my steps, and to publish to the Jews that this is the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _HATH SET TO HIS SEAL_] That is hath hereby confirmed the truth of the testimony which he has borne; as a testator sets his seal to an instrument in order to _confirm_ it, and such instrument is considered as fully confirmed by having the testator's seal affixed to it, so I, by taking up t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _FOR GOD GIVETH NOT THE SPIRIT BY MEASURE_] He is the most perfect of all teachers, as having received the Holy Spirit as none before him ever did. _Without measure_-not for a particular _time, people, purpose_, c., but for the whole compass of time, and in reference to all eternity. Form... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:35. _ALL THINGS INTO HIS HAND._] Matthew 11:27. A principal design of John is, to show that Christ was infinitely above every teacher, prophet, and Divine messenger that had ever yet appeared. The prophets had various gifts: some had visions, others dreams; some had the gift of _teachin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 3:36. _HATH EVERLASTING LIFE_] He has already the seed of this life in his soul, having been made a partaker of the grace and spirit of him in whom he has believed. John 3:8, John 3:8. _HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT_] Or, _obeyeth not _- απειθων: from α, negative, and πειθω, to _persuade_, or πε... [ Continue Reading ]