John 3:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: 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?"

NIV: "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!"

NASB: Nicodemus *said to Him, 'How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?'

CSB: "How can anyone be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked him. "Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?"

NLT: What do you mean?' exclaimed Nicodemus. 'How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?'

KJV: Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?

NKJV: 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?”

Nicodemus doesn't misinterpret Jesus, or take a physical, literal view of His reference to being "born again." He asks this question because he knows Jesus did not intend a literal meaning. But Nicodemus is confused. Jesus is, in fact, referring to birth, but not a physical one. Rather, this is a spiritual birth.

The term "born again" can become a cliché, but it's an important metaphor. Parents endure pain so their child can be changed and inherit their attributes. God endured our pain, in the form of Jesus on a cross, to give us a new birth (1 Peter 1:3). According to Scripture, being "born again" is an absolute, universal requirement for salvation (John 3:3). The gospel is offered to everyone, yet it is also exclusive: restricted to only a certain group. Only those who put their faith in Christ are saved. The gospel of John repeats this concept several times (John 3:5, 18, 36; 14:6).

John 2:24—3:15 describes a meeting between Jesus and a Pharisee. The last two verses of chapter two highlight the fact that Jesus knew men better than they knew themselves. Nicodemus was the ancient equivalent of a politician, cleric, and professor all rolled into one. Jesus proves that this man doesn't understand religion as well as he'd like to think. In contrast to the loud, public spectacle of clearing the temple, this encounter is a private, nighttime meeting. Their actual conversation was probably longer than the summary recorded here.

John chapter 3 is one of the most important passages in the entire gospel. Many crucial ideas are explained here, including the role of Jesus as Savior. After the loud, public commotion at the temple, John transitions to a quiet, nighttime discussion. The speakers are Jesus and a Pharisee, Nicodemus, who is sincerely interested in understanding Jesus' ministry. These verses make it clear that Christ—and Christ alone—is the means of salvation for the entire world. This text also states that those who reject Jesus are rejecting God.

The gospel of John intends to prove that Jesus is God. Chapter 3 contains some of the most direct, most important concepts in Christianity. The ideas of spiritual rebirth and the necessity of belief in Christ are reinforced by the rest of the information in this gospel. John continues to use contrast, moving from the loud and public temple cleansing to the quiet of this conversation. After Jesus injects humility into a powerful leader, chapter 4 will transition again, as Jesus gives dignity to an outcast stranger.

The disciple John wrote the gospel of John decades after the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke were written. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls "signs"— to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 11/23/2024 7:07:20 AM