Tyndale Open Study Notes

Verse 1

3:1 John links 2:25 and 3:1 by referring to humanity as a whole (“human nature,” 2:25) and then to one specific man using the same Greek word (anthrōpos) in both verses. • Nicodemus was saturated in religious knowledge and had witnessed Jesus’ work (2:13-24), but he had not experienced spiritual rebirth. • a Pharisee: See study note on 1:24. He was elite, proud of his spiritual purity, and well educated in Jewish law.

Verse 2

3:2 After dark: Nicodemus might have feared public association with Jesus. Night also symbolizes the realm of evil, untruth, and unbelief (9:4; 11:10; 13:30).

Verse 3

3:3 born again: Or born from above. John’s expression “from above” (3:31; 19:11) means “from God.” To experience spiritual rebirth, a person must be completely renewed through God’s power. • Nicodemus interpreted Jesus’ words physically; he demonstrated that those in darkness, who do not have spiritual rebirth, cannot understand Jesus or other “heavenly things” (3:12). Jesus sometimes used ironic misunderstanding as a teaching strategy.

Verse 5

3:5 John the Baptist baptized with water; Jesus baptizes with the Spirit (1:33).

Verse 8

3:8 Wind translates the same word in Greek as spirit (Greek pneuma). The wind is an apt image for the Spirit, who is sent from heaven and cannot be contained or controlled.

Verse 13

3:13 There is great distance between this world and heaven (see 1:51; 3:31; 6:38, 42). Jesus bridged that distance, validating his divine status by defeating death and returning to heaven (16:5-11).

Verse 14

3:14-15 Jesus was lifted up on the cross so that all people could understand the way of salvation, look to him in faith, and have eternal life.

Verse 16

3:16-21 Because there are no quotation marks around Jesus’ speech in the Greek text, translators debate where Jesus’ speech ends and John’s commentary begins; 3:16-21 might be John’s commentary.

3:16 The truth that God loved the world is basic to Christian understanding (1 Jn 4:9-10). God’s love extends beyond the limits of race and nation, even to those who oppose him (see “The World” Theme Note). • The Son came to save—not condemn (3:17)—men and women who habitually embrace the darkness (3:19-21).

Verse 18

3:18 As light penetrates and exposes the world’s darkness, God’s judgment on the world has already begun. Those who see this light and recognize the tragedy of their own situation have the responsibility of believing in God’s . . . Son (3:16-17).

Verse 19

3:19-20 When people live in spiritual darkness, they do not desire to be enlightened by Jesus, “the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5). Evil and darkness do not ignore the light; they wage war against it, trying to bring it down. But the darkness cannot extinguish the light (1:5). Those who refuse to believe live in darkness (cp. 13:30) and stumble because they cannot see (11:10). In the end, however, their sins will be exposed (5:28-30; Rev 20:11-15).

Verse 22

3:22-36 John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the one who is truly from above (3:31); this requires John’s followers to shift their allegiance to Jesus.

3:22 Jesus spent some time . . . baptizing: See 4:2, which clarifies that Jesus’ disciples did the baptizing.

Verse 24

3:24 Before John was thrown into prison (see Matt 14:1-12; Mark 1:14; 6:14-29; Luke 3:19-20), he and Jesus worked in close proximity at the Jordan River. Once John was arrested, Jesus moved north into Galilee (Mark 1:14).

Verse 26

3:26 everybody is going to him: Jesus’ popularity made some of John’s followers envious.

Verse 27

3:27-35 John the Baptist’s speech was inspired by two issues: (1) Some had questioned the legitimacy of his baptism (see 1:26), and (2) his disciples were concerned that people were beginning to follow Jesus instead of John (3:26).

Verse 29

3:29 John the Baptist saw Jesus as the bridegroom and himself as the bridegroom’s friend. His response deflected glory from himself and elevated Jesus’ stature.

Verse 31

3:31 Jesus had come from above, so he was uniquely able to reveal the Father (1:18; 3:13).

Verse 34

3:34-35 The Father gives the Son the Spirit without limit as a sign of his profound love (3:35). It also illustrates Jesus’ divinity. John presents the one God as three persons (cp. 1 Jn 5:5-12).

Verse 36

3:36 God gave the gift of eternal life, promising new life and intimacy in a present experience with God. • Those who reject the Son will not see life. The world in its darkness stands under God’s angry judgment (Rom 1–3).