Born Again (12)
John 3:4 (A)
Jesus has just said to Nicodemus that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." We have spent a little time explaining what the term "born again" means, and we will discuss it still more later. Right now we must turn to examine the response from Nicodemus. Does he know what it means? He says in verse 4, "How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
As mentioned, the word usually translated "again" in verse 3 can mean either "again" or "from above," and in our context, both. Nicodemus, it seems, takes what Jesus says only in a physical sense, and formulates his response as a rhetorical question that assumes a negative answer (NASB, ESV). As many commentators point out, he speaks with a "crass literalism" that, at least on the surface, betrays an extreme spiritual dullness, and this dullness is such that it has become an issue in interpretation.
That is, because Nicodemus understands the term "born again" as referring to a second birth, and because it appears he takes this in a purely physical sense, his response is to wonder incredulously as to whether a person can enter into his mother's womb, and then be physically born for a second time. The issue for interpretation is whether Nicodemus could really be so spiritually dull, and if not, then a superficial reading of his response would tend to produce a misrepresentation of his perspective.
It remains to be seen as to whether Nicodemus could really be so dull, but before we discuss that, I must point out an error that is common to both Nicodemus and the commentators, although they commit this error from different angles. His rhetorical question assumes that an old man cannot enter into his mother's womb and be born a second time, and many commentators also assume that Nicodemus could not be so dull as to understand what Jesus has said in this way because such a physical rebirth is obviously impossible.
However, when the subject is religion, then the special providence of God could always be a factor unless it is precluded by principles and assumptions that are previously stated. But once God's power is involved, not only is it possible for an old man to enter his mother's womb and be born for a second time, it is even easy for this to happen. God could make the same person be reborn this way several thousand times a day if he so wishes.
So in a religious discussion, nothing should hinge on whether something like this is possible or impossible. Why should anyone find it strange that God the Son would enter the world through a virgin? Why should anyone find it incredible that God would raise the dead (Acts 26:8)? Why? There is no rational justification for the doubt. What is strange, what is incredible, is that anyone would find miracles strange and incredible. But sin is what explains this irrationality of unbelief.
Since all things are possible with God, what is possible or impossible should have nothing to do with what it means to be born again. However, if all through the discussion the person is thinking of only what he can do to make himself more religious, then for someone to tell him that he must be born again would naturally appear impossible, because it is indeed impossible for him.
But what is impossible with man is possible with God. This is Christianity! God performs that which is impossible for man to do. Thus as long as a person is fixated on finding out what is in his own power to do to save himself, or to make himself acceptable to God, he will never enter the kingdom of heaven. This is certainly a stumbling block for the Jews, and especially for the Pharisees. It is reasonable to think that this is at least part of the difficulty that Nicodemus has with what Jesus says in verse 3, that "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
(to be continued)
Born Again (11)
John 3:3 (D)
We will say more about this when we come to verses 5-8, but right now it is clear that both "again" and "from above" are intended. This should not surprise or puzzle us, for as Leon Morris observes, John is fond of using words that can mean several different things when he intends to convey all those meanings at the same time. The difficulty for us, then, is that in the context of our passage the word cannot be translated with a single English word. Thus some translations employ marginal notes, and others like William Barclay and Leon Morris choose to translate "born again" into something like "reborn from above," so as to pack both meanings into one expression.
If my impression of the professor was correct, then although we will say more about what it means to be "born again" and "born from above," right away we can say that his use of the term differed from the way Jesus uses it. This is disastrous because Jesus insists that a man must be born again. And if the professor was "born again" in a different sense, then it means that he never had what Jesus insists to be necessary for everyone.
To be "born again," to be "born from above," is much more than to have a moral crisis and to reform one's habit and lifestyle. Above all – and this is the point that even many professing Christians fail to grasp – it is not initiated or performed by the person's own decision. The very idea of being "born" precludes this. Even with natural birth, one cannot give birth to himself, but someone else gives birth to him completely apart from his decision. In fact, that this person has any opportunity to decide anything at all is because someone has previously given birth to him.
That a person needs to be born "again" means that the first birth by which a person enters the world is insufficient for the purpose that Jesus has in mind. And that a person needs to be born "from above" further clarifies this in that now we see he is referring to a different kind of birth altogether. Also, that the person is to be born "from above" again emphasizes the fact that this birth cannot be performed by another human person, and still less by the person himself. It is neither initiated nor accomplished by human relation or human volition. A person reborn from above is "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:13, NASB).
Jesus says that unless a person is born again or born from above, he cannot "see the kingdom of God." An equivalent expression appears in verse 5, and says that without being born thus, a person cannot "enter the kingdom of God." To someone with a background like Nicodemus, this means that no one can participate in the messianic kingdom that every Jew expects to come, and that unless otherwise enlightened by Scripture, every Jew expects to enter just by virtue of his natural descent. In conjunction with this kingdom, they expect to inherit eternal, resurrected, glorified life from God. John also addresses this in our passage.
The pivotal question here is how one may inherit life and escape death and condemnation, how one may receive life and not perish (v. 16-18). The message of Jesus comes as a shock and an offense, saying to them, "God can raise for himself children of Abraham even from a pile of rocks, and you are deceived if you think you can rely solely on your natural heritage. I tell you the truth, and that is you must be born again, and unless you are born again, you will not see or enter the kingdom of God, but you will perish like the rest."
Of course, John is not addressing only Jews here, nor does he use language that only Jews could understand. Rather, he says that whoever believes in Jesus Christ will be saved and receive eternal life, but whoever rejects him is condemned already. To enter the kingdom is to find life, and to be shut out is to perish. But you will never see or enter into this glorious kingdom unless you are born again – that is, born from above – not by human decision, but by God's decree and power.
(to be continued)
Born Again (10)
John 3:3 (C)
Let us read what Jesus says again: "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." The word translated "again" can convey three meanings. Commentators usually say that there can be two meanings because it is commonly agreed that one of these three does not apply in our context.
One of the meanings is "from the first." For example, the word appears in Luke 1:3, and there it is translated as "from the beginning" (NIV) or "from the very first" (KJV). In Acts 26:5, where the KJV gives the literal translation, "Which knew me from the beginning," the NIV translates according to the meaning demanded by the context, and reads, "They have known me for a long time." It is this meaning that appears to commentators as inapplicable in our context, although William Barclay suggests that it can refer to the radical nature of the new birth.
The second meaning is "again," and this is the translation usually selected. For example, Paul writes in Galatians 4:9, "Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?" Then, the third meaning is "from above." Considering the context of this passage and other portions of the New Testament, it seems that both of these meanings are intended.
The response from Nicodemus in verse 4 indicates that he took the word as meaning only "again," although he fails to understand the term even from this perspective. Since, as we will see, there is a deficiency in his understanding about spiritual things and in what Jesus says in this verse, we cannot depend on his interpretation alone as an indication of what Jesus intended to convey by the word.
But we may know that "again" is at least part of his meaning here, since this would be consistent with his own teaching elsewhere, as well as the teaching of the New Testament writers. For example, he says on another occasion, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). Peter writes that "he has caused us to be born again" (1 Peter 1:3, ESV), and here he definitely refers to being born anew.
Then, there is perhaps even stronger evidence that Jesus includes "from above" as part of his meaning. First, we must note that just as the kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God, and just as to say that something has come from heaven is the same as to say that something has come from God, to be born "from above" is just another way of saying to be born "of God." Once we are reminded of this, we realize that what Jesus teaches here has already been mentioned in the introduction of this Gospel, where John refers to those who are "born of God" (John 1:13).
Second, the word translated "again" here in verse 3 clearly means "from above" everywhere else in John's Gospel. In the same chapter of this Gospel that we are studying, verse 31 says, "The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all." The other instances are John 19:11 and 23. The word is translated "from above" in the former, whereas the latter verse has no direct relevance to our text, but the translation there is "in one piece from top to bottom."
(to be continued)
Born Again (9)
John 3:3 (B)
So it is not that I always choose to wait for a "perfect" opportunity, which might never come, but I am against setting down very rigid rules as to how long you are permitted to wait before you must mention the gospel. I have heard a number of preachers say that if someone has known you for more than a week and still have no idea that you are a Christian, then there must be something wrong with you. Perhaps your faith is defective, or perhaps you are not a Christian at all. Not only is this rule unbiblical, but because it is unbiblical, it injects unnecessary fear and guilt into God's people, and into believers who could become effective witnesses for Christ given the proper instructions and exhortations.
Of course, these preachers intend to encourage zeal in evangelism, but what they say is too simplistic, and betrays ignorance of anything beyond the most plain and superficial spiritual operations. I am certainly not encouraging timidity, but rather a boldness that can work together with a mature sense of spiritual timing, as well as confidence in God's providence to prepare people's hearts and direct our conversations.
I had known this student for several months, and we were in another class together previous to this, although we never spoke then. This was the first natural opportunity to speak to him about religion, and it came as a direct invitation to talk about the heart of the matter. Starting a discussion about religion in such a manner has a number of advantages, one of which is that the person will more likely follow through with it to the end, instead of turning away to escape when the conversation becomes uncomfortable for him, perhaps when the believer begins to expound on sin, its consequences, and the only solution in Jesus Christ.
There is something else remarkable about this, and that is that he asked the question at all. The term "born again" has become so familiar in some cultures that many people assume that they understand what it means, or what it refers to, when in fact they have far less understanding about spiritual things than someone like Nicodemus. But although the language might be familiar, the concept is still foreign to most people, and even to some professing Christians. So it surprised me that my friend would ask me what the professor meant when he referred to himself as "born again." It gave me the opportunity that I had been waiting for to tell him about the Christian faith.
This student did not understand the meaning of "born again," and he was willing to admit it. The professor, on the other hand, used the term as if he knew its meaning. Although I could not be sure, from the way that he used the term, my impression was that by it he was referring to a drastic moral reformation determined and executed by himself at a point of crisis in his life. And it seemed to me that it was this kind of "new birth" that he was trying to offer people in his inner-city and prison ministries.
For example, if he could persuade a gang member to leave the gang and start a new life, or to awaken an alcoholic to his drinking problem so that he would begin to deal with the difficulties of life by investing in work, hobbies, and relationships instead, then he would have considered such a person as "born again," especially when his outreach was done in association with the church.
If my impression was correct, then the professor did not know what the term meant when he said it. Or, more precisely, he was using it in a very different way than the way it is used in the Bible. What, then, does it mean to be born again? Does Nicodemus know? Do you know? Will you understand it if I were to tell you?
(to be continued)
Born Again (8)
John 3:3 (A)
Keeping in mind that "he knew all men," that "he knew what was in a man," and therefore that he knows what is in Nicodemus, verse 3 says, "In reply Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'" Jesus is not saying this to a common criminal or some drunk on the street, but to an educated, powerful, and religious rabbi. And he says, "No one" – no one – "can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
When I was in college, I took a course from a professor of economics who was well-known for his participation in Christian inner-city and prison ministries. One day, he referred to himself as a "born again Christian" in his lecture as he was talking about his work with prison inmates, using them as examples to illustrate a point about economics and racial issues.
When the class was over, a classmate whom I had befriended asked if I would like to have lunch with him, and mentioned a certain restaurant. I recalled the meal that I had the last time I was there and instantly agreed. As we sat down and started to peruse our menus, he suddenly looked up and said to me, "What did he mean by born again?" What a delicious opportunity, to be asked a question like that.
Now, I am never one to shy away from a spiritual discussion, nor do I mind initiating one with a friend or stranger. But contrary to some, I disagree that I must always tell someone that I am a Christian as soon as possible no matter what. If it is clear that I am unlikely to meet the person again, then I would have a greater sense of urgency about it, but even then I know that I am not the only one whom God can use to speak to the person. (The doctrine of divine sovereignty does not undermine evangelism, but if it does not mean that God is sovereign, and that he does not need men or a particular man, then it means nothing.) However, if it is clear that I will have the opportunity to meet the person again, or even many times afterward, then I would often wait for the right opportunity, or at least take time to set up the conversation better when introducing the topic.
Do not misunderstand – I would not hesitate to bring up the gospel even at inconvenient times, nor do I think that we must be asked before preaching to people. Once I was doing street evangelism with a church in Hong Kong, and on this particular night, we had decided to enter a fast food restaurant and speak to the customers there one-on-one. Each of us would approach a table and speak to the diners about the gospel. Each conversation involved an explanation of Christianity and would often require a defense of it as questions and objections were raised. It would conclude with an invitation to visit the church to learn more, and if the people would accept them, we would always give them several audio cassettes to bring home. Sometimes a conversation would last for thirty minutes or more, and sometimes even more than a hour. So each of us could usually talk to only several people each night.
On this night, as I was looking for the final person to talk to, I spotted a young man sitting alone at the corner of the restaurant. I said that he was a young man, but he was perhaps ten to fifteen years older than I was, as I was even younger. As I approached, I noticed that there was a rose on the table, and he was writing slowly on a notepad. I went up to him and started to tell him about God, Jesus, and the gospel. Without looking up, he cried, "My girlfriend just broke up with me. Please leave me alone!" I looked over his shoulder – he was writing a letter to her girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend, to convince her to take him back. I could not make out what he wrote, but I noticed that there were tear stains on the paper.
I was not deterred, but went right on preaching to him. I was too young at the time to have any regard for the type of problem he was experiencing anyway. I continued, and at times he would respond to my probing questions through his tears, so that we actually had a conversation despite his reluctance. Finally, as he was not in the mood for a thorough spiritual discussion about his soul, I asked if I could give him a sermon tape, and he cried, "Leave it! Leave it!" I placed a tape on the table, patted him on the back, and left. As I thought about that incident, I realized that I could have done better, but I never regretted approaching him and talking to him despite his pain and reluctance.
(to be continued)
Born Again (7)
John 3:2 (D)
Putting all of this together, the implication is that these miracles were bursting forth from Jesus in such a concentrated fashion that they were constantly happening, one after another, or even many at the same time. His ministry was characterized by miracles on top of miracles. It seems legitimate to infer that he must have performed tens of thousands of miracles during his ministry. The exact number is unimportant, but what is important is to realize that there were so many miracles coming from Jesus that these miracles were happening left and right, and literally spilling forth all over the place around him. This explains why his miraculous power had become one of his distinguishing marks even at the earliest point of his ministry.
Nicodemus perceives the significance of these miracles, and says, "For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." Nevertheless, we must recall how John concludes the second chapter of his Gospel: "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man." So we cannot infer too much about the spiritual condition of Nicodemus from 3:2.
His statement implies a generally positive view about Jesus, but in itself, it falls far short of a full appreciation for who Jesus is, and it fails to reflect an understanding of the heart of his mission. At least Nicodemus could infer that the magnitude and the abundance of miracles that Jesus is performing imply that he has come from God. However, what he says does not tell us how much he understands about spiritual operations. At the most, it tells us that he is aware of the outward effects of spiritual power in the ministry of Christ, and to him this means that Jesus has come from God as a teacher.
From what John says at the end of chapter 2, we can be certain that Jesus knows exactly what is in the heart of Nicodemus, his concerns and motives, what he lacks and what he needs. So the exact condition of Nicodemus remains to be seen from how Jesus interacts with him, from what is coming up in this conversation.
(to be continued)
Born Again (6)
John 3:2 (C)
As for the statement, "For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him," this is not necessarily a statement of flattery, but it could be his honest opinion as to why he thinks that Jesus has come from God as a teacher. Considered in itself, there is nothing wrong with this statement. The New Testament writers readily describe the ministry of Jesus as one characterized by the miracles that he performs, as well as the abundance and magnitude of these miracles.
We read in Acts 10:37-38, "You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached – how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him." Peter uses the same language to explain why Jesus could perform all the miracles that he performed. It was because "God was with him."
Then let us also take a look at the final verse in the Gospel of John. There, John writes, "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written" (21:25; see also 20:30). This statement refers to everything that Jesus did, and not only to the miracles that he performed, although his miracles are certainly included, since this statement refers to everything that he did. Not only are his miracles included in everything that he did, but as we have just noted, they are a significant part of his ministry. And here John tells us, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."
Even if we regard this statement as a hyperbole – that is, as an obvious exaggeration not intended to deceive but used as a literary device, and for effect – the image that John presents to us is still significant. He does not say, "If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even a whole room would not have the space for the books that would be written." If this is what John says, we would already be impressed with the idea that Jesus accomplished a great number of things, for how many people could perform so many things that if these things were all recorded in writing, the books would fill even a whole room? Even if all our significant deeds were to be recorded on the scrolls that the New Testament writers used at the time, they might still not be enough to fill a large room. But John says that if all the things that Jesus did were recorded in writing, even the whole world might not have room for the books that would be written.
In other words, Jesus must have done many, many things, and he must have done many, many miracles, so that if they were all written down, even the whole world would not have the room to contain all the books that would be written. Again, even if we regard this statement as an exaggeration, and even if only a small fraction of these "many things" were miracles, it would still mean that Jesus performed an overwhelming number of miracles. It would still mean that he performed an outright ridiculous number of miracles. We must also remember that the ministry of Jesus spanned only several years, and it was during these several years that he did these "many things," including his miracles.
(to be continued)
Born Again (5)
John 3:2 (B)
So Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night and says to him, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." Now let us consider what Nicodemus says in this verse. First, he states, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God." A more literal translation is, "We know that you have come from God as a teacher" (NASB). The reason Nicodemus gives for this belief is, "For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
Because he uses the word "we," some suggest that Nicodemus comes to Jesus as a representative of a number of Pharisees who hold the same generally positive view toward Jesus, and who wish to inquire of him, to know more about his teaching, his mission, and what he has to say about their greatest concerns. We need not speculate about whether there are others among the Pharisees whose thinking are similar to Nicodemus, although this is probably the case, for at this moment we are interested in what we can clearly derive from what he says.
What we notice is that Nicodemus is very different from most of the other Pharisees, who would accuse Jesus of performing miracles by the power of the devil. Of course, Jesus would refute such an accusation when it is brought up (Matthew 12:24-37), but here the important thing is to note that Nicodemus does not hold the same attitude as these malicious Pharisees. He is not out to destroy Jesus, and what he says to Jesus here presents no apparent criticism.
Some commentators think that there is a note of either condescension or flattery, or condescending flattery, in how Nicodemus approaches Jesus. As Nicodemus is a rabbi himself, it seems incredible to these commentators that he would have so much respect for Jesus that he would call him one of his own. But this is what he says to him: "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God." So it seems to them that he must be saying this out of a condescending attitude, or as flattery to disarm Jesus. However, this is an inference from what the commentators assume about Nicodemus, and not an inference from the text itself. The text offers no evidence that would support such an interpretation, and thus it is nothing more than speculation.
(to be continued)
Born Again (4)
John 3:2 (A)
Then, John continues, "He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.'" With his distinguished background, education, wealth, and power, it is remarkable that he would come to Jesus at all. What is his reason for coming? What is his motive? Does he come to mock Jesus, to test him, to entrap him? From what we read here, it appears that this is not the case, but it seems that he comes to Jesus to inquire of him, to learn more about him and his teaching, to discuss theology with him.
As I mentioned, Nicodemus appears two more times in the Gospel of John, and in both instances he stands on the side of Jesus. We have already read from chapter 19 where he invests his money and effort to give Jesus a proper burial. Previous to that in chapter 7, when his peers are ready to condemn Jesus, Nicodemus warns them against drawing a hasty conclusion, and says, "Does our law condemn anyone without first hearing him to find out what he is doing?" (v. 51). So it is natural in chapter 3 to understand that Nicodemus comes to Jesus because he has an interest in what Jesus has to say. And as he is himself a prominent teacher in Israel, surrounded by other prominent teachers and religious leaders, it is remarkable that he would come to Jesus at all.
John says that Nicodemus comes to Jesus "at night." It is common for people to assume that he does so because he is afraid of being seen by others and being associated with Christ. Because of his teachings and his miracles, Jesus has been generating controversy and drawing much attention from the public. Religious leaders who are eager to retain their traditions and their control over the people regard him with suspicious, if not outright malice. So it is suggested that Nicodemus comes at night under the cloak of darkness. Although this is possible, it is by no means clear from the text. John does not say that this is his reason for coming at night, nor is this the necessary implication derived from anything in our passage.
There is another possible explanation. The rabbis think that the best time to study and discuss theology is at night when they could read, think, and converse for hours undisturbed. So for one rabbi to visit another at night is a common practice, and does not demand any deeper reason or motive to explain it. Yet a third possibility is that this is just one of the details that John chooses to include as he recalls this incident. At any rate, whatever the reason, we cannot insist that Nicodemus comes by night for fear of persecution or embarrassment.
(to be continued)
Born Again (3)
John 3:1 (C)
Now, the external is not unimportant or irrelevant in religion. God's commands pertain to both our thoughts and our actions. But what defines a person's spiritual condition and drives his actions is the heart, his thoughts and his motives. The evil things that come forth from a man's heart are what make him unclean in God's sight (Matthew 15:18-20). Jesus perceives the evil and the malice in the hearts of the Pharisees, as well as their outward disobedience to God's Law. Although they appear extremely pious to some people, and certainly to themselves, their religion is dead. They bring spiritual bondage and condemnation to the people, and they have become the enemies of God.
Nicodemus is a Pharisee. From what we read in chapter 3, as well as his subsequent appearances in the Gospel of John, we can agree that he is better than the typical Pharisee. But still, it is from this background and this mentality that he comes to inquire of Jesus. Also, we can assume that he is at least outwardly religious, that he is respected by the people, and that he is very educated. Later in the passage, Jesus even calls him "the teacher of Israel" (v. 10, NASB).
But there is more to him. Verse 1 also refers to him as "a member of the Jewish ruling council." This means that he is a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme ruling body among the Jews. The council is headed by the high priest, and has religious, civil, and criminal jurisdiction over the people. Of course, its power is limited while Israel is under the rule of foreign nations at various times in history, but its authority is nevertheless considerable. Among its powers and duties, the council is responsible to investigate and deal with those whom they suspect to be false prophets and heretics. Other New Testament characters who are also members of the Sanhedrin include Joseph of Arimathea (Mark 15:43) and Gamaliel (Acts 5:34).
In addition, something that John writes elsewhere suggests that Nicodemus must be a wealthy man. Nicodemus also appears in chapters 7 and 19 in this Gospel. In chapter 19, after Jesus had died on the cross, Nicodemus accompanies Joseph of Arimathea to bury the body of Jesus. Verse 39 says, "Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds." Only a wealthy man could bring all of this, and as one scholar comments, Nicodemus brings such a large amount of myrrh and aloes that it is as if he is preparing for a royal burial.
(to be continued)