John 3 Bible Study

What is "Pharisees"?
Pharisees were one of the leading sects within Judaism. Pharisees took pride in trying to adhere not only to the laws in the Old Testament, but a dizzying array of man-made laws as well. They were respected by the other Jews and enjoyed social, religious and political power in the community. 

What is meant by Nicodemus being “a ruler of the Jews”?
This means that Nicodemus was one of the elite 70 or so members of the "Sanhedrin", the political-judiciary-religious body that ruled Israel.

Didn't the Roman rule Israel at this time? And wasn't there also a king named, 'Herod'?
Yes, the Sanhedrin ruled under the supervision of Herod, whom the Roman emperor had appointed for the region that included Israel. Herod in turn was under the rule of the Roman emperor, who was represented by the Roman governor and legion stationed in the region.


Why did Nicodemus come "by night" (John 3:2)?
He most likely didn’t want to be seen.

Why not?
Nicodemus was one of the nation's top religious-political leaders, and being seen with, let alone going to see a new street preacher who was doing and saying some unorthodox things may not have been the best thing for his reputation.

How would you characterize Nicodemus' opening line?
It sounds pretty gracious and respectful. He calls Jesus not only a "teacher" but one "from God".

Is Nicodemus’ opening line correct?
Not quite. Jesus IS God, not a teacher from God.

How might he have expected Jesus to reply?
Given the disparity in their relative social status, he may have expected Jesus to show some appreciation for the compliments.

Does Jesus live up to his expectations?
No.

What is Jesus saying?
Look, you have no clue because you haven’t been "born again".

What does it mean to be "born again"?
The original Greek word translated "again" more commonly means, "from above" often implying heaven. This Greek word occurs 13 times in the Bible, and is translated “from above” 5 times, “top” 3 times, “again” twice, “from the first” once, “from the beginning” once, and not translated once. Jesus is saying that Nicodemus "cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3) until he has been born spiritually.

What do you think of Nicodemus' reply?
If he had stopped with just the first question, "How can a man be born when he is old?" (John 3:4), he would have just expressed incomprehension. But with his second question, "Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?" (John 3:4), he may have been either trying to make light of Jesus’ reply, which he may consider to be a snub in front of those around, or express shock since being born a Jew was what the Jews counted on as guaranty of automatic access to heaven.


What is Jesus saying in this passage?
The Greek word for “again” (John 3:7) is the same one used in John 3:3 above that means "from above". Jesus is distinguishing between our physical birth - "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6) -  and the spiritual birth - "that which is born of the Spirit is spirit" (John 3:6) - required for us to "enter the kingdom of God." (John 3:5)

Why is "Spirit" (John 3:5) capitalized?
Jesus is referring to God the Holy "Spirit", the enabler of the spiritual birth.

Is the "Spirit" then a different God?
No, God the Holy Spirit, along with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus) comprise one God, and Jesus affirmed this in Mark 12:29 by declaring, "the LORD is one." But the Bible also clearly describes three distinct personhoods for God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. This notion, commonly labeled, "Trinity" is one that is tough for us to grasp. Just bear in mind that if God is God and created the universe, there will be some things about His truth that we mere humans won't fully understand, at least not while here on earth.

But is the Holy Spirit someone who can really be said to have a 'personhood'?
Yes, Acts 13:2 says that he speaks: "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, 'Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.'"

Can the "Spirit" be seen?
No, but neither can wind, yet you know of its existence, as Jesus says in John 3:8 above.

What is the "water" of which John 3:5 says one also needs to be born to enter the kingdom of God?
Jesus is talking about the "living water" in the next chapter (John 4:7-14).

What is this "living water"?
It's the salvation through Jesus Himself, whom John 1:1 also calls the "Word". To enter the Kingdom of God, we need to have Jesus, to know about Him, and to know Him through the Word.

Is there a more direct equation between "water" and the "word" in the Bible?
Yes, Ephesians 5:25-26 says, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word." Also, 1 Peter 1:22-23 adds, "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever."

And who enables us to do that?
The "Spirit", as Jesus says in the passage above.


What is happening in this passage?
Nicodemus, one of the rulers and "teacher" of Israel is completely lost and is being chastised by Jesus, a street preacher.

What is Jesus referring to in John 3:14?
It's Numbers 21:7-9: "Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, 'We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD that He take away the serpents from us.' So Moses prayed for the people. Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.' So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.'"

The bronze serpent on a pole is an image of whom?
Jesus.

After what moment?
When He is hanging on the cross after he had taken on the sins, cried out, "Why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) to God the Father, followed by, "It is finished!" (John 19:30) and His death. The snake wasn’t foreshadowing the baby Jesus in a manger. It was foreshadowing Jesus stricken on the cross for our sins, and this is what the next two verses, John 3:15 and 16, are referring to in "believing in Him."

Believing in what about Him?
That He is God who loved us so much that He came and paid the death penalty for your our sins, and it is that substitutional death which has cleared our way to heaven. So to go to heaven, we need to realize and believe THAT about Jesus.

What if I don't feel like a sinner?
According to the Bible, a sinner isn't just a mass murderer or rapist. It's everyone who has failed to meet God's standard of perfect holiness. The Bible declares that every single person has "sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) and that "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).


Why is Jesus called the "only begotten" Son of God in John 3:16 and 18?
The original Greek translated "only begotten" aren't two words that mean "only" and "begotten" but is a single word - monogenes - that we translate into two words as above. One of the meanings of monogenes is "only child." If this expression were used to describe Jesus, it would at least preclude Jesus from having had any sibling Gods as some cults try to claim. But the other meaning of this word - and the sense in which the word is employed above - is simply, "unique", "unparalleled" or "incomparable". Jesus wasn’t created, made or born. He simply existed from the beginning.

Did Jesus come to "condemn the world"?
No, John 3:17 says that He came to save it.

But how do those who don’t believe in Jesus end up?
"Condemned" (John 3:18).

Why do people have troubling believing in Jesus?
They love their sins, referred to as "darkness" and "deeds" that are "evil" in John 3:19-20.

Are there any sins in your life, your love for which is making you turn away from the "light"?

How do you think Nicodemus felt as he left Jesus that night?
Probably somewhat overwhelmed if not confused.

Do you know what happened to Nicodemus thereafter?
We will read about Nicodemus twice more in the remainder of this Gospel. In John 7:45-52, he stands up for Jesus in front of his peers, and John 19:38-39 shows him a disciple so close to Christ that he is one of two who clean His body and bury it in the tomb. So if you feel overwhelmed at first, take heart. All of us are like Nicodemus. We’re all God’s work in progress.


Which John is baptizing?
John the Baptist, not the John who wrote this Gospel.

Where is the "land of Judea" (John 3:22)?
Judea was the name of the southern province of Israel that included Jerusalem, so Jesus and His disciples had left Jerusalem but hadn't gone far.

What may the Jews have been trying to do John in 3:26?
It sounds like they were trying to incite John to jealousy.

How does John respond in John 3:27-28?
He puts them in their place, and himself in his place.

Who does John say is in control in John 3:27?
God.

What is John saying about the "bride", "bridegroom", his "friend" in John 3:29?
Weddings worked as follows in those days. After the marriage had been agreed upon, the bridegroom began to build a room for himself and his bride by adding 3 walls and a roof to one of the walls of his father's house. Since he also had to farm or work his trade full time, this construction took up to a year, during which time the bride and the bridegroom were "betrothed" to one another; they weren't yet married but betrothal was more binding than "engagement" is today. When the bridegroom had finished building the room, he came calling for his bride, hence the "voice" in John 3:29. A wedding feast would ensue and he would take her to her new home to consummate their marriage. John is saying that Jesus is the bridegroom, those who believe in Him is His bride, and he is just a friend of the bridegroom. When the bridegroom comes calling for his maiden bride, any feeling for jealousy by his friend would be inappropriate. He should feel nothing but complete "joy" for his friend and His bride.

Do all churches and Christian leaders today adhere to John 3:30?
Some if not many try to elevate their doctrines and traditions above Jesus, the Word of God.

God the Father has placed what in Jesus' hand?
Everything, as per John 3:35

What is the outcome of belief or unbelief in Jesus as per John 3:18 and John 3:36?
He who believes "is not condemned" (John 3:18) and "has everlasting life." (John 3:36) He who does not believe "is condemned" (John 3:18) and "the wrath of God abides on him." (John 3:36) It's one or the other. There is no third option.