Thoughts on John 3
Part 1
By Jonathan Mitchell
1. Now there was a man from out of the Pharisees, Nicodemus by name, a ruler (leader; chief; head man) of the Judeans (those of the Jewish culture, political organization and religion, in Judea).
2. This one comes (or: goes; came; went) to Him by night, and says (or: said) to Him, "Rabbi, we have seen and thus know that You are a Teacher having come, and are here, from God, for no one is able (or: continues having power) to constantly be doing (making; producing) these signs (or: habitually performing these authenticating tokens and attesting signals), which You are constantly doing (performing; producing), unless God would continue being with him (or: if God should not continue being existentially with him)."
Aside from the literal understanding that Nicodemus came to Jesus "by night" (presuming that his reason was that he did not want to be seen coming to speak with Jesus), does the fact that John mentioned this have figurative significance? Is John suggesting that Nicodemus' environment was a part of "the darkness [that] does not grasp or receive [the Logos], on the same level" (Jn. 1:5b)? Is the scene that John is describing in this passage setting forth Jesus, as the Logos made Flesh, being a manifestation of
"the Light [that] is constantly shining in the dim and shadowed places, and keeps on progressively giving light within the gloomy darkness where there is no light" (Jn. 1:5a)? Keep in mind that John instructs us about Jesus' "signs,"
and figurative symbols (as we find within this Gospel). Nic represented the Judean leadership during Jesus' ministry, and many of that group were
"the humans [who] loved the darkness rather than the Light" (Jn. 3:19b).
Nic seems to be an exception; he has come seeking Light. The Seed is planted within the darkness of the earth/soil/humanity, so that it would sprout and grow back up, taking the plant to a higher place.
3. Jesus considered, and replies to him, saying, "Certainly it is so, I am saying (= I now point out) to you, unless anyone may (or: someone would) be born back up again to a higher place (or: can be brought to birth again; or: would be given birth from above), he continues having no power (or: remains unable) to see or perceive God's reign, sovereign influence, activity, or kingdom."
It is interesting that Nicodemus does not say why he has come to see Jesus. He merely acknowledges, by referencing the "signs" that Jesus had been performing, that He is a Teacher that has come from God (meaning that God had sent Him to the People of Israel), and because folks had seen what Jesus was constantly doing, they had concluded that God must continue being with Him. So Nicodemus greets Jesus with an affirmation and a recognition of Him as being a rabbi. We will see, in vs. 10, below, that Jesus knew who he was, and that he has a position among the leadership in Jerusalem. So Jesus just skips the formalities and, here in vs. 3, begins speaking with him.
Thus, Jesus ignores what Nicodemus had said, and begins with a teaching about being
"born back up again to a higher place"in order to be able to
"see or perceive God's reign, sovereign influence, activity, or kingdom."
We will read in the next verse that Nicodemus has no idea of what Jesus is talking about. In vss. 5-8, Jesus will more fully develop this impromptu teaching, but in vs. 9 we will see that Nic does not understand how these things can occur, and then, in vs. 10, Jesus chides him for not knowing or being familiar with these things - since Nic is "the teacher of Israel." Having set this background of Nic's position among the Judeans, along with Jesus' expectations for Nic to be able to comprehend spiritual issues, John proceeds recording the rest of the teaching which Jesus shares with Nic, from vs. 11 through vs. 21. With this synopsis of the passage at hand, we will now consider Jesus' teaching, verse by verse.
Nic's reference to "signs" points back to what was said about signs, in ch. 2. Jesus' reference to being "born," in a way that is different from a natural birth, echoes Jn. 1:12-13 where the topic was brought up, but not developed. We suggest that when Jesus speaks of being
"born back up again to a higher place (or: can be brought to birth again; or: would be given birth from above),"
he is speaking about what John had said in 1:13, born
"from out of the midst of God." God is the "higher place,"
or, the "above" place, to which Jesus here refers. I have given three renderings of one term, 'anothen', following what the lexicons offer. My first, most literal, rendering conflates the semantic range of the particle, an-, which means "back; again; or, up." It seemed best to offer all three of these concepts, since Jesus is speaking of "spiritual things" (vss. 5, 6 and 8), or as He says in vs. 12, "the things (or: situations; ones) upon the heavens." We suggest that Jesus was speaking of an existential reality, but he was using a metaphor of natural birth to give Nic, and us, an analogy of "spiritual," or, "heavenly," birth.
Notice the reason for this special birth: to be able to
"see or perceive God's reign, sovereign influence and activity (or: kingdom)."
Please note that He did not say, "so that you can go to heaven." This being able to see and perceive God's realm and activities continues to be the purpose for Jesus' teachings which follow, on through vs. 21. In 5b, below, He expands what He means about "seeing and perceiving" as speaking of being able "to enter into God's realm (or: reign; kingdom; sovereign activity and influence)." And all of this is tied to being "born back up again to a higher place." One must experience this "again" birth, this being born from out of the midst of God, in order to see, perceive and enter into God's sovereign activities - right here on earth, in this life. Jesus elsewhere taught folks the God's kingdom was close by, at hand, close enough to touch, and was accessible. If we can see God's sovereign activities, it means that we have entered His kingdom - in the sense in which He presented it to them. One must be "born" into this Realm.
4. Nicodemus says to Him, "How does a man continue being able to be born, being an old man? He is not able (or: remains powerless) to enter into his mother's womb (cavity; belly) a second [time] and be born!"
Nic misses the metaphor, and (like so many, today) interprets Jesus' words literally. Paul uses this same metaphor in Gal. 4:19,
"O my little children (born ones), with whom I am progressing, again, in childbirth labor (travail; labor pains) until Christ may be suddenly formed within you folks (or: = until the Anointing would at some point come full term and be birthed, centered and in union with you)!"
Having Christ formed within us is what Jesus was talking about. It equates to being born from above. It means that - in the realm of Spirit - God is our Father/Mother. God is "the Father of the spirits" (Heb. 12:9).
What Paul goes on to allegorize, in Gal. 4, sheds light on "being born from above," and just who is the mother that gives us birth:
22. For it has been, and stands, written that, Abraham had two sons: one forth from out of the servant girl (the maid; the female slave), and one from out of the freewoman.23. But, on the one hand, the one from out of the servant girl (the maid) had been born (generated and birthed) down from (in accord with; on the level of; in the sphere of) flesh (= by human means); on the other hand, the one from out of the freewoman [was] through Promise (or: a promise)
24. - which things are habitually being allegorized (or: are normally being expressed in an allegory; are commonly spoken of as something other [than what the language means]) - for these women are (= represent) two settled arrangements (covenants; contracts; wills): one, on the one hand, from Mount Sinai, habitually (repeatedly; continuously) giving birth into slavery (or: bondage) - which is Hagar. [cf Ex. 19:17 (LXX)]
25. Now this Hagar is (= represents) Mount Sinai, within Arabia, and she continuously stands in the same line (or: keeps step in the same rank; marches in a column; walks or stands in a parallel row; or: is habitually rudimentary together; or: = corresponds to) with the present Jerusalem, for she continues in slavery (or: functioning in bondage) with her children.
26. Yet, on the other hand, the Jerusalem above is (continues being) free, who is (or: which particular one continues being) our mother....
28. Now we [other MSS: you folks], brothers (= fellow believers; = my family), down from (or: corresponding to; in the sphere and manner of) Isaac, are (continuously exist being) children of Promise (or: ones-born from [the] Promise).
29. But nevertheless, just as then, the one being born down from (in accordance with; corresponding to; on the level of; in the sphere of) flesh (= human efforts) was constantly pursuing and persecuting the one down from (in accordance with; corresponding to; in the sphere of) spirit (or: Breath-effect), so also now.
30. Still, what does the Scripture yet say? "Cast out (or: At once expel) the servant girl (the slave-girl; the maid) and her son, for by no means will the son of the servant girl (the slave-girl; the maid) be an heir (take possession of and enjoy the distributed allotment) with the son of the freewoman." [Gen. 21:10]
31. Wherefore, brothers (= fellow believers; family), we are not (we do not exist being) children of a slave-girl (a servant girl; a maid), but, to the contrary, of the freewoman.
We submit that what Paul shared with the folks in Galatia, above, is the same thing to which Jesus is referring, here in Jn. 3. Being born back up again to a higher place makes one a "child of Promise" (Gal. 4:23, 28, above), a person "born from out of God" (Jn. 1:13b), and a participant of the second of the two covenants (Gal. 4:24), who has "the Jerusalem above" as a mother (Paul being a citizen of this city, and thus a person giving birth to those in Galatia - Gal. 4:19, above). Such a birth is,
"the one down from (in accordance with; corresponding to; in the sphere of) spirit (or: Breath-effect)" - Gal. 4:29
, above. Put another way, with a different metaphor, we have Paul saying:
"Now since you folks belong to Christ (or: have [the] Anointing as your source and origin; or: So since you people have the qualities and character of Christ, and [are] that which is Christ), you are straightway and consequently Abraham's Seed: heirs (possessors and enjoyers of the distributed allotment), down from, corresponding to and in the sphere of Promise!" (Gal. 3:29).
Notice how Paul brought Israel's story into his explanations about this "new birth" into the "new covenant." In this, we can see where Jesus had expected Nic to understand these things (Jn. 3:10), and showed surprise that he did not.
Union with God produces His Son in us. Intimacy with God brings conception, and then growth, and at some point the birth of Christ within us. And then our journey begins...
5. Jesus decisively replies, "Certainly that is so. I am now saying (laying it out; = pointing out) to you, unless anyone may (or: someone would) be born forth from out of water and spirit (or: - as well as Breath-effect and attitude -) he continues being unable (remains having no power) to enter into God's realm (or: reign; kingdom; sovereign activity and influence).
6. "The thing being birthed, having been born forth from out of the flesh, is flesh (or: from the estranged human nature, continues being the estranged human nature; or: = from out of a flesh system is a flesh system), and the thing being birthed, having been born forth from out of the Spirit, is spirit (or: what is birthed out of the Breath-effect continues being Breath-effect; or: what is born from the Attitude is an attitude).
Jesus did not explain what He meant by the term, "water," in vs. 5, and many have suggested that He was speaking of the water in the womb of a woman that is associated with a natural birth. This would, indeed, be a "flesh birth" (vs. 6). Others have interpreted this to refer to John the immerser's baptism (immersion), or to the cleansing rituals of the Jewish religion, or even to Israel passing through the Red Sea just prior to their becoming a nation. Recall Paul in 1 Cor. 10:2, speaking figuratively of that historical event:
"they all immersed themselves into Moses (or: got themselves baptized [other MSS: were baptized] unto Moses), within the cloud and within the sea."
So it is possible that Jesus was alluding to Israel's first birth, and their current state of existence: living in the Mosaic covenant. Jesus refers to the Jews in vs. 7, using the plural pronoun, "you folks." He was speaking corporately, about the entire nation. Water can be traced out from Gen. 1, through Israel's history, to John the immerser, to the Living Water that Jesus offers the Samaritan woman in Jn. 4, on through to the River of Life in the new Jerusalem.
In Rom. 6:3-4a, Paul uses the implied metaphor of water as the experience of death:
"as many as are immersed (or: were at one point soaked or baptized) into Christ Jesus are immersed (or: were then baptized) into His death? We, then (or: consequently), were buried together (entombed together with funeral rites) in Him (or: by Him; with Him), through the immersion (baptism) into the death..."
So being "born forth from out of water" may refer to the first, or old, creation coming into being. And this could be speaking of the Gen. 1 account, or the Red Sea and Sinai account. On whatever layer we read Jesus' words about water, in vs. 5, He was setting it in contrast to "having been born forth from out of the Spirit," in vs. 6. You see, the term "spirit" is a symbol for "the above place" - where we encounter the "Breath-effect." It is the new arrangement (or, covenant) and the realm of the new creation - what Matthew frequently termed "the kingdom of the HEAVENS (atmospheres)." It is the realm in which God's sons (the mature children from God) are continuously led by God's Breath-effect (Rom. 8:14) and where:
(or: a Breath-effect which set you in the position of a son),
within which
(or: in union with Whom)
we are habitually crying out, "Abba, O Father!" The same Spirit
(or: spirit; or: The Breath-effect Himself)
is constantly witnessing together with our spirit that we are, and continuously exist being, God's children (ones born of God).
Now since children
(or: Yet if ones born by natural descent),
also heirs
(possessors and enjoyers of an allotted inheritance; those who hold sway over the allotted portion):
on the one hand, God's heirs, on the other, Christ's joint-heirs.... because (or: that) even the creation [note: can = Israel and the Law] itself will continue being progressively set free (will be habitually liberated and constantly made free) from the slavery of, and from, decay - even the bondage of deterioration which leads to fraying and ruin - [and released] into the freedom of the glory and splendor of God's children.... we ourselves - constantly holding
(or: having; possessing) the firstfruit of, and which is, the Spirit (or: the Firstfruit from the Breath-effect; or: the first offering, or first portion, which is spirit and breath, and is from the Attitude)
- we ourselves also continually sigh and groan within (in the center of) ourselves, continuously accepting and with our hands taking away from out of (or: fully receiving) a placing in the condition of a son
(or: [the] deposit of the Son; a setting in place which is the Son; a constituting as a son; a placing in the Son):
the process of the release of our body from slavery" (Rom. 8:15b-23).
Paul simply expanded Jesus' words that we read in vss. 5-6, above.
"To enter into God's realm" (vs. 5b) comes via "having been born forth from out of the Spirit," and the realm (and new existence) into which we are born, "is spirit" (vs. 6b). Therefore, in Gal. 5:25 Paul informs us:
"Since we continue living in and by spirit (or: for [the] Spirit; to Breath-effect; or: with Attitude), we also can habitually advance orderly in line in regard to, or amidst, elementary principles (or: [observing] rudimentary elements), in and by spirit (or: for [the] Spirit; by Breath-effect; with Attitude; or: = walk in rank following [the footsteps] behind the Spirit)."
In contrast to this spirit existence, 6a instructs us that "The thing being birthed, having been born forth from out of the flesh, is flesh." The old covenant was a "flesh system" that was centered around animal sacrifices or literal grain offerings. What was born from that flesh covenant was flesh. This is one reason why the Logos became flesh - in order to fulfill the Law of the flesh covenant (that was symbolized by a circumcision of "the flesh." The priests of the Mosaic covenant ate the flesh of those sacrifices. This may be why (still being in the age of the old covenant) Jesus told folks,
"The person habitually eating (constantly chewing [on]) My flesh and repeatedly drinking My blood is continuously remaining (abiding; dwelling) within, and in union with, Me - and I Myself within, and in union with, him" (Jn. 6:56).
In Jn. 15:1ff, He used the metaphor of a Vine, into which His disciples were to be
"remaining (abiding; dwelling) within, and in union with, [Him]."
However, metaphors aside, Paul informs us that we no longer know Christ after (or: according to; on the level of) the flesh (2 Cor. 5:16). You see:
"[there is] a new creation (or: [it is] a framing and founding of an essentially different kind; [he or she is] an act of creation having a fresh character, a new quality): the original things (the beginning [situations]; the archaic and primitive [arrangements]) passed by (or: went to the side). Consider! New, essentially different things have come into existence" (2 Cor. 5:17).
Is it not wonderful, how Paul builds upon, and expands upon, the Gospels?
7. "You should not be amazed (or: begin to marvel; at some point be filled with wonder; suddenly be astonished; or: Don't be surprised) that I said to you, 'It is necessary and binding for you folks to be born back up again to a higher place (or: for you people to be given birth from above).'
A teacher of Israel should not have been amazed about what Jesus was teaching Nic. The higher place (Paul referred to this as a high, or upward, call - Phil. 3:14) was Israel's destiny, and therefore it was "necessary and binding" for them to be born back up to that place from which Adam had been evicted. They needed to get back to the Garden (which was typified by the Tabernacle/Temple) which became a City (Rev. 21 and 22), which now is a People (Rev. 21:9b) that follows the Path (Way) set forth by Jesus, and thus is
"the set-apart (or: holy; sacred) city, Jerusalem, progressively (or: habitually; or: presently) descending out of the atmosphere (or: heaven), from God" (Rev. 21:10b).
They descend in order to be the Light of the world (Rev. 21:24), and to heal the ethnic multitudes (Rev. 22:2). We see this City also described in Heb. 12:22-24. There it is described as being in, and on, an above place.
(or: The wind constantly blows where it presently sets its will, and you constantly hear its sound, but yet you have not seen and do not know from where it is coming, nor where it is going; or: = The wind continuously blows and the Spirit normally breathes {respires} - in the place that each has purpose. And so you are often hearing the sound that either makes, although you have not perceived from what place it is presently coming, as well as to what place it is presently leading, under [its influence or control].)
Thus is everyone (or: does everyone constantly exist being) - the person (or: the [corporate] Person [= the Second Humanity]) being birthed, having been born forth from out of the midst of the Spirit (or: In this manner exists all mankind, which is in the state of being born from the Breath-effect)."
This verse is an expansion upon what Jesus said about the Judeans ("you folks," in vs. 7b, implying all of the "lost sheep" of the house of Israel to whom Jesus had been sent - Mat. 10:6; 15:24) being "born back up again to a higher place." This is the "place" where "The Spirit (or: Breath-effect, or, exhaled Breath; Wind) habitually breathes or blows" - the atmosphere, and the sky (figuratively called "heaven;" and referring to the realm of the activities of God). The atmosphere, and lower sky, is where the winds blow. Of course in our day, we read of solar winds in "space." But Jesus was speaking of both the winds that blow upon the earth/land, and the Spirit/Breath-effect of God that breathes wherever It intends, and goes in accord with Its purpose.
The parenthetical expansion gives Jesus' analogy to nature, rendering pneuma as "wind." As with all of nature, we can gain spiritual insights from contemplating God's creation. But Jesus had been teaching Nic about a spiritual birth, and having this insight, it is best to read this Greek word as "Spirit," or, "Breath-effect."
Notice that vs. 8b begins with
"Thus is..."
Therefore, He is saying that "the person (or: the [corporate] Person [= the Second Humanity]) being birthed, having been born forth from out of the midst of the Spirit" actually
"habitually breathes or blows where It (or: He) is presently intending (willing; purposing)..."
This is what Paul was speaking of, in Rom. 8:14, when he described God's sons (i.e., those having been born from out of the Spirit) as being those who are "led by the Spirit." But we can also read of our own freedom (Gal. 5:1) in this, because we, too, can also "breathe" (or, live) where the Spirit of Life, within us, blows us over the land. The Spirit's freedom is now our freedom, because we are now "one Spirit" (1 Cor. 6:17). But this freedom is to be sons who do only the things we see our Father doing. This verse is a great expansion of Jn. 1:13b.
The Spirit (and we who are born of this Spirit) "progressively goes and habitually brings [things and folks] under [Its] control." Does this remind you of Gen. 1:26?
9. Nicodemus considered in reply, and says to Him, "How is it possible for these things to occur (or: How can these things come to be; How is it repeatedly able [for] these to come to birth)?"
Nic is still one of the blind who had been leading the blind (Mat. 15:14; Lu. 6:39). But His eyes are being healed, and he will begin to see (as can be observed in Jn. 7:50 and 19:39).
10. Jesus decisively responded and says to him, "You yourself are the teacher of Israel, and yet you continue not knowing and being intimately familiar with these things!
Recall 3:1, above, where John describes Nic as
"a ruler (leader; chief; head man) of the Judeans (those of the Jewish culture, political organization and religion, in Judea)."
A person in this position should have had spiritual insight, and also be familiar with metaphorical teaching.
11. "Certainly it is so, I am now saying to you, that which we have seen and thus know (or: perceive), we are constantly speaking (or: telling; chattering [about]), and what we have caught sight of and seen we repeatedly bear witness of (constantly give testimony to), and you folks continue not receiving (or: none of you are laying hold of) our witness (or: testimony; evidence).
Notice the plural pronoun that Jesus uses: "we." That means that their witness is true. Was Jesus referring to John the immerser, and to Himself? Or was He referring to Himself and the Father (Jn. 5:31-36). Remember, the heavens were opened back up again (Mat. 3:16; Lu. 3:21). They were open to the immerser, too (Jn. 1:33). Those proclaiming the kingdom had actually seen it being manifested. They spoke about that of which they had "caught sight of and seen." We read another witness of this in 1 Jn. 1:1,
"The One who was continuously existing from a beginning (or: He Who was progressively being parted away from [the] Source, Headship and Rule). The One whom we have listened to, and still hear; the One whom we have discerningly seen, and now yet perceive with our eyes (or: in our eyes); the One whom we contemplatively gazed upon as a public spectacle (as an exhibit in a theater) and our hands handled in investigation (felt about for and touched) - groping around the Word of the Life [cf Lu. 24:39] (or: the Logos, which is the Life; the thought which pertains to life; the Information and Idea from the Life; the message with the character and qualities of the Life; the Reason which belongs to the Life)."
But the Judean leadership did not receive the witness of John or Jesus, nor of the Father (through the works that Jesus was doing).
12. "Since I tell (or: If I told) you folks the earthly things (or: ones; situations), and you folks are not continuing in belief (do not presently believe; are not proceeding to trust), how will you continue to believe or trust if I should speak to you the things (or: situations; ones) upon the heavens (or: the super-heavenly occurrences; the fully-atmospheric things [taking place]; the things or folks being in a position of control upon the atmospheres)?
What Jesus had just told Nic was about the Spirit (Breath-effect), and about being born from out of the Spirit (vs. 8, above). These were things that were both present on earth (from Gen. 1:2, on through the Scriptures) and which happened to people, here on earth (Jn. 1:13). Thus, these are "the earthly things (or: ones; situations)." Notice that in His speaking to Nic, He uses the plural pronoun, "you folks." In vs. 2, above, Nic had spoken on behalf of his fellow Judeans, and Judaism, in general, where he had used the personal pronoun, "we," when he had addressed Jesus.
But now Jesus makes reference to another layer of teachings, which neither Nic nor the Judean leadership were at that point prepared to believe: "the things (or: situations; ones) upon the heavens (or: the super-heavenly occurrences; the fully-atmospheric things [taking place]; the things or folks being in a position of control upon the atmospheres)." In Jn. 16:12-13, Jesus even told His disciples that:
"I still have (or: hold) many things to be progressively telling (laying out for; informing) you folks, but yet, you continue not yet being able (or: having no power) to habitually or progressively pick it up and carry (or: bear) it right now (at present). Yet, whenever that One - the Spirit of the Truth (or: the Breath-effect from Reality; the attitude which is genuineness) - would come (or: Nonetheless, at the time when that spirit which is truth and reality should come), It (or: He) will constantly be a Guide and will progressively lead you on the Path (or: it will continue leading the way for you) directed toward and proceeding on into all Truth and Reality..."
These were revelations and disclosures that were given to Paul and other NT writers (e.g., Heb. 12:22-24) after Jesus' resurrection and His sending the Breath-effect into them at Pentecost (Acts 2ff).
From here through vs. 21, Nicodemus fades from view and Jesus continues on a monologue, continuing His teaching in this passage.
To be continued...
Jonathan
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