ST JOHN
CHAPTER 3
Jesus tells Nicodemus men must be born again—God so loved the world that the Only Begotten son came to save men—John the Baptist testifies: He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life.
1 THERE was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: [ One of the members of the grand Sanhedrin a religious-political body that was granted power to rule over the Jews - that power was granted by the Romans. ]
2 The same came to Jesus by night, [ Why did he come at night? Was he afraid of what people would think - so he wanted to come in secret? Or did he decide to wait until a time when Jesus would be alone so he could talk one to one? Were his questions sincere and since he was not trying to entrap Jesus - but to learn he might come at night. Symbolically one could also conclude that since he was in the dark spiritually he would come in the night. ] and said unto him, Rabbi, [ My Master, or Teacher, a title of respect given to the Jewish doctors, something like our Doctor of Divinity, i.e. teacher of Divine things. Interesting that all three men in this chapter are called Rabbi - Jesus in the verse, Nicodemus' title in v 10 and John the Baptist in v 26. ] we [ Note it is plural, not I - I suppose that he is referring to the entire Sanhedrin, and all the rulers of the people, who have paid proper attention to thy doctrine and miracles. ] know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, [ The Greek term here is "anothen" and is variously translated "again", "anew", "above", "heavenly". The term "anothen" most literally translated into English is "up-place". The term also appears in v. 31, 19:11, 19:23, James 1:17, James 3:15, 17. The idea is along the lines of transcending, as in rising above the earthly into the heavenly. The idea of being "born again" is not a NT novelty. It is present throughout the entire OT, cf. Deut. 10:16, Deut. 30:6, Isa. 44:3, Isa. 53:8-10, Isa. 66:7, Jer. 4:4, Jer. 24:7, Ezek. 18:31. ] he cannot see the kingdom [ A comparable translation for "see", which in the Greek is "eido", would be "experience","perceive", or "know". What Jesus is saying is you cannot become intimately acquainted with the kingdom of heaven by only casual contact. It is by immersing yourself in things heavenly that you become heavenly. You cannot become heavenly by superficial observation, you've got to get involved and experience it. It is akin to the Hebrew "yada", which translates to "know" and means learning and perceiving by experiencing. ] of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? [ Nicodemus seems to have no knowledge or comprehension of the notion of spiritual rebirth. He has no idea what Jesus means by being “born again”. ] can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, [ The womans role
in the great plan - to provide for physical birth. ] and be born? [What was Nicodemus saying here? Did he really not understand or was be being sarcastic? In a way, it’s quite shocking that Nicodemus doesn’t understand what Jesus means by this, because spiritual rebirth was a prominent tenant of the ancient Hebrew and Israelite tradition, as we just noted with the flood story. So, if anyone should have understood the principle of spiritual rebirth, it should have been Nicodemus. I mean, he served on the Sanhedrin as a Jewish religious authority, one who knew the law. And this might have been part of the problem. It seems that through the supremacy and minutia of the law of Moses, that the doctrine of spiritual rebirth was somehow lost, or replaced, or overlooked, to the extent that it was a foreign concept at this point to Nicodemus. ]
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water [ Interesting to note that when we are in the womb we are in what? The mans role in the great plan - through the priesthood we can be born spiritually through baptism. We first have to be baptised. Nicodemus seems to have no understanding of how spiritual rebirth is tied to being “born of water”. Jesus tells him to marvel not. So, Nicodemus must have been a little bit confused. It seems Nicodemus needed a little time to think through the presence of water, or amniotic fluid in physical birth, and the symbolic use of water or baptism, in spiritual rebirth. In this passage, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that unless he is born of water, unless he is baptized, unless he participates in this holy rite, he can in no wise see the kingdom of God. Spiritual rebirth is essential. That’s what Jesus is telling Nicodemus. ] and of the Spirit, [ Then we must be confirmed - this is where we receive the spirit to be our companion . See also 1 Cor 15:29 to see how this applies to those who have died. ] he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
8 The wind [ The Greek term here is "pneuma", and is translated either to "wind" or "spirit". The Greek "pneumatikon", is always translated to "spiritual". Here Jesus is playing on the Hebrew "ruach" which has similar applications as both "wind" and "spirit" What do we know about wind? It is invisable, you cannot describe it very well (spiritual side of wind), we know that it has a lot of power, we have seen the results after the fact (Physical side of the wind). here the wind is likened to the spirit - How does what we know about the wind apply? Interesting choice of symbolism - Nicodenus can only see the physical side of wind - not the spiritual side of it. Are we that way? ] bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound [ The Greek term here is "phone" (pronounced: foe-nay). This term translated to "voice" or "sound". ] thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. [ "Many deductions might be taken from that statement, but there are three that I want to call to your attention. In order even to see the kingdom of God, one must be born again. This suggests that to become converted, one has to have some spiritual change in order to know the gospel or to see the Church. There must be some kind of spiritual experience. And to enter into the kingdom of God -- that is, to become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- there has to be a new birth. The final deduction, knowing how this birth takes place, is as impossible to explain as to explain where the wind comes from or where it goes. In other words, one who is born of the Spirit is like the wind when it comes or when it goes." Born Of The Spirit Harold B. Lee - Stand Ye in Holy Places: Selected Sermons and Writings of President Harold B. Lee. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1975), p. p.47-65 ]
10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel,[ Jesus questions the title that Nicodemus bears - that of teacher or "Rabbi". With the analogy of the wind and this answer here I get the odea that Jesus was saying to Nicodemus. "You consider your self to be a master teacher, but where have you learned from, where did you deriver your knowledge from? Other men; that is not where you get the true source for what you need to be teaching you need personal revealation." ] and knowest not these things? [ Remember that Nicodemus is a teacher - he has the scripture available to him. As teachers they can see the signs in nature (or at least some of them) yet they fail to see the signs of the times and acknowledge who he Jesus is. Compare with Matt 16:1-4 were they understand the meaning of the red sky - but they fail to understand the meaning of Christs coming. In otherwords they ignore or are blind to the signs of the times - that to which they have been studing for years. Here, Christ is teaching Nicodemus, a “master of Israel,” regarding things he should have known but did not. Just like Paul’s rebuke to the Hebrews about needing milk when they should be eating meat. Christ is using the wind as a metaphor. The wind that blows through a town, blows upon everything within the town, but its impact on its residents varies. For example, the laundry out on the line will flap away in the wind, yet a person within the walls of their home may not even be aware that the wind is blowing. A person’s acknowledgement of the wind has no bearing on its existence. However, those who acknowledge its presence can learn to engage the wind, using it to dry the laundry or pump water via a windmill.
The same is true for the spiritual winds in our lives. In this regard, Christ likened the wind to the Holy Ghost. You cannot see the wind itself, but you can feel its presence and observe how it impacts things. So, just as the wind is all around us, so is the Light of Christ. ]
11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We [ Jesus and John The Baptist. ] speak that we do know, [ Jesus and John The Baptist. ] and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. [ It was deemed criminal among the Jews to question or depart from the authority of their teachers. Nicodemus grants that our Lord is a teacher come from God, and yet scruples to receive his testimony. ]
12 If I have told you earthly things, [ What has Nicodemus been told? That Jesus is the Messiah, that he is here in his presence, John the Baptist has also born his record of this and yet he still does not believe. ] and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, [ No man can ascend up to heaven because of the fall - we cannot get to heaven without some help from the Lord through the atonement. ] but [ Except. ] he [ Jesus Christ. ] that came down from heaven, [ His condescension as a God to a man. ] even the son of man [ This name was first known to Adam Moses 6:57. As the Father is called "Man of Holiness" hence Jesus is called "son of Man of Holiness" - shortened to "Man of Holiness" The earliest use of this title "Son of Man" (man here means "King") that I can find in the scriptures comes from the Book Of Enoch(Enoch 46:1-3). Other references to that title include Daniel(), Abraham() and Christ himself() and all of them would have had available the Book Of Enoch.
Enoch was given the title Son of Man as a descriptor for Jesus Christ. We find in written in the Book of Enoch 46:1-3 “And I asked the angel who went with me and showed me all the hidden things, concerning that Son of Man, who He was, and whence He was, (and) why he went with the Head of Days? And he answered and said unto me:
This is the Son of Man who hath righteousness, with whom dwelleth righteousness, and who revealeth all the treasures of that which is hidden, because the Lord of Spirits hath chosen Him, and whose lot hath the pre-eminence before the Lord of Spirits in uprightness forever. (BoE 46:1-3)”
So from these verses we can see that Enoch's angelic guide has declared that "the Son Of Man" is another name for Jesus Christ. This phrase is used by Daniel when he likens the person that he saw in his vision "like the Son of Man" (Daniel 7:13-14) as does Abraham when he described the individual who volunteered Himself to do the will of the Father as being “like unto the Son of Man.” Therefore the phrase “like the Son of Man” or “like unto the Son of Man,” (Abr 3:27) used in these two examples promote the familiarity through an external source to which both prophets would have had access to that being the Book of Enoch. (Abr 1:31)
This is also why Christ would have referred to himself as "the Son Of Man" because it was the messianic title that embodied the works and mission that would be preformed creation, example, atonement, resurrection, judgement(John 5:22-23,27) are all responsibilities that were given to the Son Of Man. Christ seems to use this title to place specific importance upon the subject matter He was teaching at the time, because the use of that title by Christ typically focuses on the prophecies of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and His latter-day responsibilities. ] which is in heaven.
14 ¶ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, [ Remember they had to look to the serpent to live. ] even so must the son of man be lifted up: [ So too we must look to son, who will be lifted up - if we are to live. "the Son Of Man" used as a title for Christ. (BoE 46:1-3; Daniel 7:13-14; Abr 3:27) ]
16 ¶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten [ Hebrew - "son that is the only one"; same words as God used with Abraham as he was ready to sacrifice Issac. The phrase "only begotten" is translated from the Greek word "monogenes". Which can be translated into English as "only," "one and only," and "only begotten."
What does monogenes mean? According to the Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BAGD, 3rd Edition), monogenes has two primary definitions. The first definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind within a specific relationship." This is its meaning in Hebrews 11:17 when the writer refers to Isaac as Abraham's "only begotten son" (KJV). Abraham had more than one son, but Isaac was the only son he had by Sarah and the only son of the covenant. Therefore, it is the uniqueness of Isaac among the other sons that allows for the use of monogenes in that context.
The second definition is "pertaining to being the only one of its kind or class, unique in kind." This is the meaning that is implied in John 3:16 (see also John 1:14, 18; 3:18; 1 John 4:9). John was primarily concerned with demonstrating that Jesus is the son of God (John 20:31), and he uses monogenes to highlight Jesus as uniquely God's son—sharing the same divine nature as God—as opposed to believers who are God's sons and daughters by adoption (Ephesians 1:5). Jesus is God’s “one and only” son. ] son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world; [ Judgement and damnation was not brought on by Jesus coming to the world - but rather our choosing. Whether we choose to keep the comandments or not we condemn ourselves. ] but that the world through him might be saved. [ The mission of Jesus fulfill the covenats made to Abraham, The redemption of Israel. ]
18 ¶ He that [ IV:who. ] believeth on him is not condemned: but he that [ IV:who. ] believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God [ IV: , which before was preached by mouth of the holy prophets; for they testified of me. ] .
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. [ See D&C 93:39. ]
20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
22 ¶ After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
23 ¶ And John also was baptizing in Aenon [ Hebrew for "springs" as in springs of water. ] near to Salim, [ Derivative of "shalom", meaning "peace". As John typically only includes details for a purpose, we can assume that he included these names for their spiritual applications. ] because there was much water there: [ Interesting they are there BECAUSE - the reason why they are there is why? there was much water. What is the signifigance of stating that they are there because there is alot of water there? Do you need alot of water for immersion? ] and they came, and were baptized.
25 ¶ Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying. [ Most likely Levites or Temple Priests sent to question the authority of John. Interesting to note his Aaronic lineage as described in Luke 1:5. ]
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, [ John is called Rabbi by his disciples - and he suggests that it is Jesus to whom that title should belong. ] he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. [ IV:"and he receiveth of all people who come unto him". Jesus is taking away disciples from John Baptist, and everyone else for that matter, because he receives all who come unto him. John's disciples are jealous for his sake, but John sets them straight. ]
29 He that hath the bride [ Who is the Bride referred to here? The Jewish people ] is the bridegroom:[ Who is the Bridegroom referred to here? Jesus]: but the friend of the bridegroom, [ Who is the friend of the bridegroom referred to here? John The Baptist. The person or known as shoshabinan by the Jews - there were two at each wedding: one waited on the bride, the other on the bridegroom: their business was to serve them, to inspect the concerns of the bridechamber, and afterwards to reconcile differences between husband and wife, when any took place. John considers himself as standing in this relation to the Lord Jesus, while espousing human nature, and converting souls to himself: this is the meaning of standeth by, i.e. ready to serve. ] which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.[ So what does John The Baptist mean by that statement? He means that he has fullfilled his duties as the friend of the bridegroom or shoshabinan. What are those duties? ].
[ Some of the responsibilities of shoshabinan - looking at their responsibilities come the works of John the Baptist acting as the shoshabinan for Christ (the Bride Groom)
had a threefold office to fulfill, viz. before, at, and after the marriage: of each of these in order.
I. Before the marriage: it was the business of the shoshabin: - 1. To procure a husband for the virgin, to guard her, and to bear testimony to her corporeal and mental endowments; and it was upon this testimony of this friend that the bridegroom chose his bride.
2. He was the internuncio between her and her spouse elect; carrying all messages from her to him, and from him to her: for before marriage young women were very strictly guarded at home with their parents or friends.
II. At the wedding: it was the business of the shoshabin, if necessary: - 1. To vindicate the character of the bride.
2. To sleep in an apartment contiguous to the new-married pair, to prevent the bride from receiving injury.
3. It was his office to see that neither the bride nor bridegroom should be imposed on by each other; and therefore it was his business to examine and exhibit the tokens of the bride's purity, according to the law, Deut. xxii. 13-21. Of their office, in this case, the rabbins thus speak: Olim in Judea paranymphi perscrutati sunt locum (lectum) sponsi et sponsae-ad scrutandum et officiose observandum ea, quae sponsi illa nocte fecerint: ne scilicet alter alteri dolo damnum inferat: ne sponsus sanguinem virginitatis agnoscat, illum celet aut tollat: et ne sponsa pannum sanguine tinctum secum inferat.
4. When they found that their friend had got a pure and chaste virgin, they exulted greatly; as their own character and the happiness of their friend, were at stake. To this the Baptist alludes, chap. iii. 29, This my joy is fulfilled.
5. They distributed gifts to the new-married couple, which, on their marriage, were repaid either by their friend, or by his father. The same thing is done at what are called the biddings, at marriages in Wales, to the present day.
6. They continued with the bride and bridegroom the seven days of the marriage, and contributed variously to the festivity and hilarity of the occasion.
III. After marriage.
1. The shoshabin was considered the patron and advocate of the wife, and in some sort her guardian, to which the apostle alludes, 2 Cor. xi. 2.
He was generally called in to compose any differences which might happen between her and her husband, and reconcile them when they had been at variance.
2. They appear to have had the keeping of the marriage contract, which in certain cases they tore; when they had reason to suspect infidelity on the part of the woman, by which the marriage was dissolved; and thus the suspected person was prevented from suffering capitally. ]
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure [ In other words, the Spirit is poured about abundantly, it is not doled out drop by drop and measured. ] unto him.
36 He that believeth on the son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not [ The New
American Standard (NAS) renders it "does not obey", and the Concordant Literal NT (CLNT) renders it "stubborn towards". ] the son shall not see life; [ Shall never enjoy it: there being no way to the kingdom of God, but through Christ Jesus. ] but the wrath of God abideth on him.
American Standard (NAS) renders it "does not obey", and the Concordant Literal NT (CLNT) renders it "stubborn towards". ] the son shall not see life; [ Shall never enjoy it: there being no way to the kingdom of God, but through Christ Jesus. ] but the wrath of God abideth on him.