John 3 - NLT Study Bible

3:1 John links 2:25 and 3:1 by referring to humanity as a whole (“mankind,” 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 note on 1:24. He was elite, proud of his spiritual purity, and well educated in Jewish law.

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

3:3 born again: Or born from above; also in John 3:7. John’s expression “from above” (John 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” (John 3:12). Jesus sometimes used ironic misunderstanding as a teaching strategy (see “Misunderstanding” on John 7:32-36).

3:5 water and the Spirit (or and spirit; the Greek word Spirit can also be translated wind; see note on 3:8): John the Baptist baptized with water; Jesus baptizes with the Spirit (1:33).

3:6 the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life: Literally what is born of the Spirit is spirit.

3:7 The Greek word translated You is plural; also in 3:12.

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.

3:13 There is great distance between this world and heaven (see John 1:51; 3:31; 6:38, 42). Jesus bridged that distance, validating his divine status by defeating death and returning to heaven (John 16:5-11). • Son of Man: Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.

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.

3:15 everyone who believes in him will have eternal life: Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him. The Greek syntax allows for either interpretation.

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” on 17:5-26). • The Son came to save—not condemn (3:17)—men and women who habitually embrace the darkness (3:19-21).

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

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).

3:19-20 When people live in spiritual darkness, they do not desire to be enlightened by Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 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 (John 1:5). Those who refuse to believe live in darkness (cp. John 13:30) and stumble because they cannot see (John 11:10). In the end, however, their sins will be exposed (John 5:28-30; Rev 20:11-15).

3:21 can see that they are doing what God wants: Or can see God at work in what he is doing. The Greek syntax allows for either interpretation.

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

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.

3:24 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 together at the Jordan River. Once John was arrested, Jesus moved north into Galilee (Mark 1:14).

3:25 a certain Jew: Some manuscripts read some Jews.

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

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).

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

3:31 Jesus had come from above, so he was uniquely able to reveal the Father (John 1:18; 3:13). • Some manuscripts do not include and is greater than anyone else.

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).

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).