NAU John 3:

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

Facts:

1.	How is Nicodemus described?

a.	A man

b.	Of the Pharisees

c.	Named Nicodemus

d.	A ruler of the Jews

2.	Comparing to the other people mentioned in the surrounding chapters–woman at well, ruler w/ dying son, wedding party–what is unique about the way Nicodemus is identified? (Just note the surface differences–the significance will become clear in a moment.)

a.	Gets named, gets a long description (good we'll come back to this–for now just note that Nicodemus gets quite the pedigree).

Interp:

1.	In the context why does John tell us he was 'a man'?

a.	2:23-25–many 'believed (trusted). . . observing the signs' but Jesus did not entrust Himself to them . . . not needing their testimony for He knew what was in man." Nicodemus was a man with all the rest–even though he had great titles and pedigree–and Jesus knew what was in Nicodemus. He did not need Nicodemus's testimony–although Nicodemus was about to offer it to Him.

Verse

2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

Facts:

1.	When did Nicodemus come to Jesus?

a.	By night

2.	What did Nicodemus call Jesus?

a.	Rabbi

3.	What did Nicodemus say he knew, and how did he say he knew it?

a.	We know that You have come from God as a teacher

b.	For no one can do these sings that You do unless God is with him.

4.	Notice Nicodemus's choice of pronouns.

a.	'We know'

5.	Notice what Nicodemus says he knows about Jesus

a.	You have come from God

b.	In short. "I know where you've come from." (This will be important later.)

Interp:

1.	In this context what is significant about Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night–give me scripture or give me death.

a.	In the dark–in contrast to the woman at the well who came in broad daylight and got a straightforward declaration from Jesus, 'I am the Messiah.' Nic comes in the dark to the light of the world and never quite seems to get it–in this chapter.

b.	Darkness is for concealment in vv. 19-21, so there may be something to our traditional sense that Nic was coming under cover–later in the book he comes out in the open–after the cross.

2.	What is significant about the fact that Nicodemus calls Jesus, Rabbi? (The word is literally 'my master or my teacher' as opposed to 'didaskalos' which comes later in the verse which means simply 'an instructor.')

a.	Nicodemus is putting Himself in the learner's role even though He is a ruler, and in the context called 'the teacher' of the Jews.

b.	Nicodemus may even be putting himself in the position of disciple (disciple/rabbi) by calling Jesus 'Rabbi.' –the upshot is that He's being very respectful and perhaps buttering Jesus up a bit–hinting that if Jesus has plans to do something big, he's interested in following.

3.	Who is the 'we' that Nicodemus is speaking for?

a.	Whoever his 'group' is–could be men, pharisees, rulers of the Jews–John sort of leaves it open–all would apply–but it seems clearest that Nic is speaking on behalf of those who are like Him–the Pharisee rulers, the good people who have it all together.

4.	What claim does Nicodemus make about His own ability (or that of His group) to determine where Jesus has come from?

a.	He says that by looking at the signs Jesus is doing, that he (they) can rightly judge whether Jesus is from God or not.

5.	In the context, what signs had Jesus been doing which elicited Nicodemus' vote of confidence?

a.	Clearing the temple is the only one mentioned.

Note: The Pharisees: Conservative class of Jews seeking religious purity–in contrast to the Sadducees who held the high-priestly power and who were behind the temple market according to Josephus.

6.	In light of who he is as a Pharisee, and in the context of Jesus recent actions, why might Nicodemus be coming to Jesus?

a.	Jesus has just cleared the temple of its defiling market–it's possible that the Pharisees were thrilled and Nicodemus was seeking Jesus out to link up with Him on this issue.

Verse

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Facts:

1.	What did Jesus preface His response with?

a.	Truly, truly, I say to you.

2.	What are the two parts of Jesus' conditional statement that follows?

a.	Unless one is born again (anyone have a marginal note?–could also be born 'from above')

b.	He cannot see the kingdom of God

3.	He cannot do what with the kingdom?

a.	See it

Interp:

1.	What is the significance of the 'truly, truly' statement?

a.	Emphasis–like 'take notes–this will be on the test'

2.	What is striking you about Jesus 'answer' to Nicodemus' affirmation His ministry–just on the surface–how does it strike you in the flow of thought?

a.	It seems to be off the subject.

3.	What is the connection? (Hint: What claims has Nicodemus made about being able to discern things in relation to God?)

a.	Nicodemus says he can tell that Jesus came from God by looking at the signs Jesus is doing.

4.	So what, in essence, is Jesus telling Nicodemus about himself?

a.	You can't see the kingdom just by looking at signs–those could fool you. The only people who can see the kingdom are those who are born again. Unless you go through a change as drastic as a 2nd birth you can't discern kingdom matters–something is wrong with the eyes you received at birth–they've got to be traded in and upgraded to version 2.0 for you to be able to really see. (Hubble space telescope.)

5.	What does it mean to be born again (from above) in this context? If I want to see, how can I get new eyes? Well, we're not the only ones who've got questions about this–before we answer this question, let's hear some more of Nicodemus' and Jesus' conversation since Nicodemus had questions too.

Verse

4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"

Facts

1.	What questions does Nicodemus raise about being born again?

a.	How can it happen when someone is old?

b.	Can a man enter a second time into His mother's womb?

Interp

1.	What do Nicodemus' questions tell us about his grasp of Jesus' statement?

a.	He seems to have taken it literally, or at least has phrased his question to object to a literal rebirth rather than a spiritual one.

Verses

5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

Facts

1.	What are the two parts of Jesus' conditional statement in verse 5 ? –put alongside v. 3

a.	Unless one is born of water and spirit

b.	He cannot enter into the kingdom of God

Unless born again	cannot see kingdom
unless born of water and spirit	cannot enter kingdom
2.	What is different in this statement?

a.	'Again' is replaced with 'of water and spirit' and 'see' with 'enter.'

3.	In v. 6, what two kinds of birth does Jesus contrast?

a.	Flesh and spirit

4.	What does each type of birth produce?

a.	Flesh produces flesh, spirit produces spirit

Interp

1.	What is the point of these two verses in light of Nicodemus' question about returning to the womb?

a.	Jesus is trying to make a distinction between physical and spiritual birth.

2.	So, what does 'again' mean in light of this?

a.	There has to be a first birth (of water) for the second birth (of spirit) to be an 'again' birth.

3.	What, then is the water birth in this context?

a.	The birth that Nicodemus had already experienced–one that is necessary before the 2nd birth of the spirit. (Note that the 1st Century Jewish understanding of birth was that babies were made of water.)

4.

7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'

8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?

11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.

12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up;

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.

20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."