Frameworks:
John's Gospel, chapter 3
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in in italic a description of what is
happening)
(Additional
Note: As this chapter starts to increasingly use Old
Testament references, the new reader is encouraged to read the
notes at the beginning of the page covering Chapter 2)
CHAPTER
3
v.1-15
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
v.16-21
John's Commentary (1)
v.22-30
John the Baptist Testifies Again About Jesus
v.31-36
John's Commentary (2)
v.1-15
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
v.1
(introducing Nicodemus) Now
there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of
the Jewish ruling council.
v.2
(he came at night, accepting Jesus as a teacher)
He came to Jesus at night and
said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from
God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were
not with him.”
v.3
(Jesus says one need to be born again to see the
kingdom) Jesus replied, “Very
truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they
are born again.”
v.4
(Nicodemus questions how this can be) “ How
can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely
they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be
born!”
v.5
(born of water and the Spirit) Jesus
answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom
of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.
v.6
(each gives birth to its own kind) Flesh
gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
v.7
(Jesus says you shouldn't be surprised) You
should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.'
v.8
(consider the wind – so it is with the Spirit)
The wind blows wherever it pleases.
You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or
where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
v.9
(Nicodemus questions this) “How
can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
v.10 (but
you're a teacher) “You are Israel's
teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
v.11
(Jesus speaks of what he knows (from heaven) yet
is not believed) Very truly
I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we
have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
v.12
(these are earthly things, how about heavenly ones?)
I have spoken to you of earthly things
and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of
heavenly things?
v.13
(only the Son of Man has come from heaven) No
one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the
Son of Man.
v.14,15
(remember Moses' snake, so it must be with me)
Just as Moses lifted up the snake
in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that
everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
v.16-21
John's Commentary (1)
v.16
(God's love for us demonstrated by Jesus coming)
For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall
not perish but have eternal life.
v.17
(Jesus came to save not to condemn) For
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
v.18
(believers aren't condemned, only unbelievers)
Whoever believes in him is not condemned,
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because
they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
v.19
(Jesus the light came but sinful mankind preferred
darkness) This is the verdict:
Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil.
v.20
(evil hates the light and hides from it) Everyone
who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light
for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
v.21
(the righteous come to the light) But
whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may
be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the
sight of God.
(Note:
in this chapter it is sometimes difficult to know when the writer
John is quoting John the Baptist and when he had added his own
commentary. We have followed those translators who have indicated
the divisions by the presence or absence of quotation marks –
see end of v.15 & 30)
v.22-30
John the Baptist Testifies Again About Jesus
v.22
(Jesus teaches and baptises in the countryside)
After this, Jesus and his disciples
went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time
with them, and baptized.
v.23
(John was still baptizing) Now
John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was
plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized.
v.24
(This was before John
was put in prison.)
v.25
(an argument arises) An
argument developed between some of John's disciples and a certain
Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
v.26
(they ask John about Jesus) They
came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you
on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look,
he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
v.27
(John declares all ministry comes from heaven)
To this John replied, “A person can
receive only what is given them from heaven.
v.28
(he had said before he wasn't the Messiah)
You yourselves can testify that I
said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.'
v.29
(he uses the picture of the bridegroom – he's
just his friend) The bride belongs
to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits
and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's
voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
v.30
(Jesus must become more and he less) He
must become greater; I must become less.”
v.31-36
John's Commentary (2)
v.31 (earthly
ministries speak of earth, those from heaven about heaven)
The one who comes from above is above
all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks
as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above
all.
v.32
(Jesus testified about heaven but no one believed)
He testifies to what he has
seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.
v.33
(believers know it is true) Whoever
has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
v.34
(he who comes from God brings God's words) For
the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives
the Spirit without limit.
v.35
(because the Father loved Jesus He had given him
all he had) The Father loves
the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
v.36
(belief in Jesus bring eternal life, unbelievers
incur God's wrath) Whoever believes
in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will
not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.