Episode 26 - You must be born again! John 3:3-8
John 3:3-8
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
We pick up where we left off in this conversation between a religious leader of the Jews named Nicodemus and Jesus and Nicodemus acknowledges that “we” recognize that Jesus is a teacher come from God. It’s the signs that Jesus is doing that leads them to this recognition. So, how does Jesus respond to this?
He responds with a statement that causes confusion among people to this day. Notice it begins with this expression “Truly, truly.” There is some immediate repetition here isn’t there? What does it mean? Well, in our language today, we might begin a statement that we wanted our audience to understand with the word “honestly.” (Ex. Honestly, I didn’t intend to slam the door in your face.”) But, to repeat it shows an emphasis. Jesus is saying to Nicodemus, “Listen up! What I’m about to tell you is very important and factual.” Then he says, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Does that response sound like Jesus approves of Nicodemus’ cognitive recognition that Jesus is sent from God? No. He’s saying that there is something other than understanding required in order to be where God is. A person needs to be “born again.”
What on earth does that mean? Interestingly, the Greek word translated “again” has another possible meaning. The other meaning is “from above.” This secondary meaning is what Jesus wants Nicodemus to understand; that one needs to be born from above in order to see the kingdom of God. In case you miss that importance, notice that Jesus repeats the requirement in verse 7, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again (from above).’”
Through Nicodemus’ own lack of understanding and Jesus drawing him further into this discussion and explains that he’s not talking about a second physical birth. Being born “again, from above” is an act of the Holy Spirit. When John records Jesus saying, “Unless one is born of the water and Spirit he cannot see the kingdom of God” he is not adding an additional requirement. Most likely, he is evoking this combined imagery from the Hebrew Scriptures to help Nicodemus understand what he is saying. Notice in Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” Water is used as a metaphor for the Spirit.
In verse 8 Jesus explains it further by using the analogy of wind. People perceive the wind. They feel its effects. But, they cannot see it. This is also true with people who’ve experienced the effects of God pouring out His Spirit upon them to receive His truth and blessings. This stands in stark contrast to Nicodemus’ statement about their reasoning and conclusions based upon what they’ve seen with their eyes.
Think back to John’s prologue where John states, “11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:11-13)
The emphasis both in the prologue and in Jesus teaching Nicodemus is the emphasis that our hope of being in God’s presence, in his kingdom, is not based upon human reasoning and will, but upon the will of God and Him pouring out His Spirit upon people. People may see things and recognize that Jesus was a good teacher, a miracle worker, or even sent from God. That’s good. But, it’s not good enough. People need God’s supernatural work by His Spirit in their lives to affect faith to believe in Jesus’ name; to accept who God has revealed him to be.