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JOHN 3

Setting of the chapter
John chapter 2 concludes with the Lord Jesus not being prepared to commit Himself to those who believed on Him simply and only because He was able to do miracles. By believing in Him in this way they did not distinguish Him from Moses, Elijah and Elisha, who all performed miracles in their day. The difference between them and Christ is that they did the miracles as the agents of God, whereas the Lord Jesus did the miracles as an expression of His equality with God, as will become clearer in chapter 5:19. The people mentioned at the end of chapter 2 did not know this, however. This is one reason why the Lord referred to Himself as the Only begotten Son when He spoke with Nicodemus, thus distinguishing Himself from Elijah and Elisha.

Because He was not satisfied with this state of affairs, the Lord indicates to Nicodemus that it is not only as the Only-begotten Son that men must believe on Him, but also as one lifted up on a cross. It is as one lifted up that He draws all to Himself; He does not draw some by one means, such as miracles, and some by another, such as a death on a cross. It is only by the latter means, John 12:32.

Structure of the chapter
The chapter consists of two main sections, as follows:

Section 1
Verses 1-21 Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus.

“Ye must be born again”.

Section 2
Verses 22-36 John the Baptist’s conversation about Christ.

“I must decrease”.

Summary of the chapter
In the first section, down to verse 21, the conversation with Nicodemus sets out the principles on which a person may enter the kingdom of God, the sphere where God’s rule alone is exercised. Nicodemus had preconceived ideas about entry into that kingdom, and he has to learn from Christ the true means of entrance. That means is bound up with a Messiah who is to be lifted up to die, not immediately lifted up on a throne to reign.

In the second section, the Lord Jesus deliberately positions Himself near to where John the Baptist was ministering, and special mention is made of Him baptizing too. We know from 4:2 that Christ did not Himself baptize, but there is a convergence of persons and ministries here, before they diverge, and John is martyred. Mark’s Gospel had begun by setting John the Baptist and Christ side by side, and now near the end of John’s ministry the same thing happens. Just as when He came to be baptized of John, the Lord had sanctioned and authenticated John’s ministry, so the same is happening again, but this time so that John may recede with honour, in favour of Christ.

Section 1   Verses 1-21
Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus.

“Ye must be born again”.

It is important to follow the line of thought in this conversation:

Verse 1
The apostle John introduces us to Nicodemus, telling us of his position as a ruler in Israel.

Verse 2
Nicodemus opens the conversation with a comment about the miracles the Lord had performed at passover time, 2:23. But these miracles were “the powers of the world to come”, Hebrews 6:5. In other words, they were previews of the sort of changes that will be brought about when Christ comes to rule in His kingdom, which is what is meant by the world to come. This would explain why the Lord responded by speaking about the kingdom.

Verse 3
In His answer, the Lord answers the underlying misunderstanding in Nicodemus’ statement, and points out that the new birth is essential to even perceive or understand the nature of the kingdom of God.

Verse 4
By his response to this idea of new birth, Nicodemus displays sad ignorance of its nature.

Verses 5-8
The Lord now explains that, far from being a repeat natural birth, the new birth is completely spiritual, and is brought about by the sovereign workings of the Spirit of God.

Verse 9
Despite being a teacher in Israel, Nicodemus does not understand.

Verse 10
The Lord mildly rebukes him for his ignorance.

The remainder of John’s record is taken up with the teaching of the Lord Jesus, which has the following structure:

Verses 11-13
Christ’s authority to teach.

Verse 14,15
The illustration from the Old Testament- the brazen serpent lifted up on a pole.

Verse 16
The New Testament counterpart- Christ lifted up on a cross.

Verse 17
In contrast to the serpents that were sent in judgement, God’s Son was sent that men might be saved.

Verse 18
This does not mean that God will never judge men. In fact, by his nature as a sinner, man is condemned already.

Verses 19-21
The reaction of men to Christ when he came determines whether they are in the light or in the dark.

3:1
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews- there were those in Israel who were happy to simply believe on Christ as a miracle-worker, and there were those, by contrast, who wanted to know more. Nicodemus is one of these, and the Lord is prepared to educate him in the things of the kingdom, but on His terms. In accordance with truth, He will not commit Himself to those merely impressed by miracles, but in grace He will lead those like Nicodemus on to better things. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would think himself assured of being in the kingdom of the Messiah.

John specifically calls Nicodemus a man, and hence he comes within the category of those whose hearts the Lord knows all about, for “he knew what was in man”, 2:24,25. This becomes very evident in the conversation with him, and is also the leading thought in the sequel, where people’s responses to the light are dealt with.

John is free to name this man, for he was old when he came, and John is writing his gospel many years afterwards, when most likely Nicodemus was dead, and therefore safe from persecution. This is possibly why others in the gospel records are named or not named, according to whether they were young or old at the time. So, for instance, the younger Samaritan woman of chapter 4 is not named. The fact that Nicodemus is a ruler will come up for mention later.

3:2
The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

The same came to Jesus by night- even though he came by night, the heart of Nicodemus is brought out into the light, and the light of Christ’s holiness and righteousness penetrates it. Without realising it, Nicodemus was in the presence of one of whom it could be said, “Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.” Psalm 139:12. Those who do not come to the light are afraid of their deeds being exposed. The Lord would afterwards call the Pharisees whited sepulchres, Matthew 23:27, for they were outwardly holy, but inwardly were full of corruption, being mere natural men.

No doubt Nicodemus was fearful of the reaction of his fellow Pharisees if they discovered that he had visited the new teacher. He seems to have been gradual in his progress in Divine things, but progress there was, as later he took his stand before the Sanhedrin in 7:50-52, and then as he finally and boldly came out into the open when he assisted Joseph of Arimathaea as he buried the body of the Lord Jesus, John 19:38-42.

And said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God- notice Nicodemus gives Christ the title Rabbi, one of respect. Even the prophets had not been called this. The Jews believed that especially holy men of prayer were enabled to do mighty works by God. We do not read of the Lord Jesus teaching before this point, so perhaps Nicodemus is drawing a conclusion from the miracles that He is able to teach as well. There is perhaps a trace of a superior air with Nicodemus the Pharisee, as he states “we know”. He, as an old man, is in the presence of a young rabbi, and feels that he has greater knowledge. He is going to be met with the “Verily, verily” of Divine authority. If Jesus is a teacher come from God then He should be listened to.

We should not make the mistake of inserting the ministry in Galilee that Matthew, Mark and Luke record, before this time, for that was after John had been cast into prison, Matthew 4:12, and John 3 takes place before that event, according to John 3:24. This also means that the visit to the synagogue in Nazareth that Luke 4:14-32 records was not immediately after His temptation, despite what we might think when we compare verse 13 and 16 of that chapter.

For no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him- Nicodemus sees the connection between the deeds and the teaching, but as yet does not discern the significance of the link. Christ’s miracles and His teaching go together, so to believe He can work miracles, and yet not believe His teaching, is to miss the point of it all. He would later say, “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” John 14:11. The miracles He performed showed the truth that He and the Father were one; nonetheless to simply believe He was a miracle worker was not enough. Nicodemus thought that God was “with Him”, which was true, but he must come to see that God as Father was “in” the Son, which is an indication of Deity.

Nicodemus has much to learn. In fact we could divide the section up according to that idea of knowing:

Verses 1,2	We know that thou art a teacher come from God.
Verses 3-9	He cannot see (know, perceive) the kingdom of God.
Verse 10	Art thou a teacher in Israel, and knowest not these things?
Verses 11-17	We speak that we do know.

3:3
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Jesus answered and said unto him- the Lord, knowing Nicodemus’ heart, was able to answer the thought that lay behind the statement, which was that every Jew had right to the kingdom simply by being born a Jew, and from that position of advantage was able to assess those who made claims in their midst. Nicodemus must learn that despite being born a Jew, and being a ruler in Israel, he is but a natural man, only born of the flesh, and therefore is not fit for a kingdom which is essentially spiritual.

The miracles performed by Christ were the powers of the age to come, Hebrews 6:5, giving clear indication that He was the true Messiah. However, Nicodemus must recognise and believe who it is that does the miracles before that kingdom can be entered.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God- the “Verily, verily” that begins the sentence shows that it is Christ’s knowledge of things that is vital, not that of Nicodemus.

Christ deliberately uses the word for see which has to do with knowing. It is not just that Nicodemus’ eyes will not see the Messiah reigning, but also that he has no mental conception of what His kingdom really is. This spiritual sight only comes when there is a spiritual birth. So the new birth is not a question of reformation, or refinement, or religion, but of regeneration.

Because the word for “again” is translated “above” in verse 31, some have suggested that we should read “born from above” instead of “born again”. But if this change is correct, why does Nicodemus immediately speak of entering his mother’s womb a second time? Would he not have queried what it meant to be born from above, rather than imply that he understood it to mean to be born in the same way as he had already been born? He was not born from above at his natural birth.

3:4
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?

Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? So convinced is Nicodemus that birth naturally gives title to the kingdom, that he immediately relates the Lord’s words to another natural birth, hence the reference to being born of one’s mother. John has already told us about the new birth in 1:12,13, (see notes on that passage), but Nicodemus is speaking with the Lord Jesus before those things were known. Later on, in John 8:31-37, the Lord will indicate to the Jews that Ishmael was just as much the physical son of Abraham as Isaac was, so natural birth is not enough, even of Hebrew parents. John the Baptist had taught the same thing in a different way, saying “And think not to say to yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” Matthew 3:9.
Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? He has misunderstood the word “again”, and thinks it means a birth of the same sort. The rabbis taught that if you had a Jewish mother, had been circumcised, and had kept the law, then you would be in Messiah’s kingdom.

3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee- the repetition of the “Verily, verily” shows that the teaching is advancing, with a fresh truth being made known. This is always a feature of passages where “verily” is repeated. The fresh truth needs a fresh assent. Before, the simple fact is stated about the impossibility of appreciating the kingdom without the new birth, now we have information as to how that new birth comes about.

Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God- Nicodemus should have been alerted to a reference to Old Testament Scripture by the Lord’s words linking water and Spirit. He should have immediately gone in thought to Ezekiel chapters 36 and 37, where these two things are mentioned. In Ezekiel 36, the prophet tells what needs to happen before Israelites can enter the kingdom of God, (meaning the manifest kingdom of God on earth under the rule of the Messiah), after their wandering away from God, verses 21-24. Then he speaks of God sprinkling clean water upon them, so that they may be cleansed from defilement.
To what does the prophet refer? To answer this question we must go back to Numbers 19, where the sacrifice of a red heifer is detailed. This was God’s provision for the people of Israel when they contracted defilement. The red heifer sacrifice was a once-for-all event, but the ashes left after it had been burnt as a sacrifice were kept. When cleansing from defilement was needed, clean water was taken, and some of the ashes were mixed with the water, and sprinkled over the defiled person to make him ceremonially clean. And all this despite the fact that the man was an Israelite!
By this ceremony God was teaching His people lessons. The main one was this, that if the value of a sin-offering was to be known, it was to be through the agency of the water. And this water must be applied to the individual in question, for it was not enough that the water was available, but must be applied personally.
But all this was in the Old Testament. Where are we to find water that has the ashes of a sin-offering mixed in it? The answer of course, is that we shall not find literal water now which fulfils the requirements. Yet unless we are born of water we cannot enter God’s kingdom! Does the Lord Jesus hold out a hope to Nicodemus which cannot in fact be realised? This He surely would not do. So what is the answer? It is found in the fact that whilst literal water is not available, its spiritual counterpart is, for it is the Word of God. Even in Old Testament times the psalmist could ask the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?” And the answer he gave to his own question was, “By taking heed thereto, according to thy word.” Psalm 119:9. The apostle Paul agrees, for he speaks of Christ sanctifying and cleansing His people by “the washing of water by the word”, Ephesians 5:26. The word of God, applied to the heart and mind, makes available the truth as to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus for sin, and thus the defilement which prevents us from entering the kingdom of God is removed, and the new birth is effected, for the water is God’s living word. As Peter wrote, “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23.
In close connection with the water, the Lord Jesus speaks to Nicodemus of the Spirit, just as Ezekiel chapter 37, with its emphasis on the Spirit’s work, follows chapter 36, where the water of sprinkling is mentioned Ezekiel saw a valley of dry bones, an illustration of the condition of the people in unbelief. The cure for the deadness was the blowing of the wind over them, Ezekiel 37:9,10, for when the wind, or breath, breathed into them, they lived. Now this is explained in verse 14 as the putting of God’s Spirit into them, so that they might live. It is important to know that the Hebrew word for wind, breath, and spirit, is the same. So in chapter 36 the water is figurative, and in chapter 37 the wind is figurative, and the Lord Jesus takes up both these figures in His conversation with Nicodemus. He is giving Nicodemus the clue to the understanding of His words by deliberately likening the action of the wind to the action of the Spirit of God. This is why the Lord speaks of the wind blowing where it listeth, or willeth, verse 8. Just as the wind seems to have a will of its own, blowing where it likes, so the Spirit of God, a Divine person, acts according to His own will.
Nicodemus has now learnt that if he is to enter the kingdom, he must have cleansing from his defilement, and be given life from God. If he has these two things he will be a completely changed person, born again by the power of the Spirit of God, and possessing the life of God in his soul.

Special note on christening
Those who teach the doctrine of baptismal regeneration by christening say that by the sprinkling of “holy” water on an infant, he or she is made a child of God, and an inheritor of the kingdom of heaven. This is a bold claim, which, if wrong, has deluded many into thinking that they are sure of heaven when they are not. This idea supposes that the one who officiates at such a ceremony has a right to do so, and that which he does is valid before God.

To decide these two questions, a further one is necessary, namely, what the authority is for the ceremony in the first place? Who is to say it is any different to bathing in the Ganges? This is an important matter, for what is involved is the eternal destiny of the soul. We ask then, where does the authority for this doctrine come from? Men, or God? If from men, we may safely discard it, but if from God, we shall find it taught in His word, the Holy Scriptures.

We live in a day when relativism reigns, and the thoughts and opinions of the individual are paramount, and the views of others, however relevant and important to them, are not necessarily relevant and important to anyone else. This is not a theory that works in practice, and is just an excuse for not accepting higher authorities than ourselves. We are prepared to accept the higher authority of the bus timetable when we wish to travel by bus, but are not prepared to accept the higher authority of the Bible when it is a question of travelling to heaven.

In any case, the opposite of relativism is absolutism, the idea that there is authority other than our own, and which is unchanging, being rooted in the truth. Those who deny this in effect say “There is nothing absolute”; but this statement is an absolute one, and therefore contradicts their argument. Any idea which involves a self-contradiction is not valid. Since there are only two options, relativism and absolutism, and relativism is not valid, then absolutism is. The only possible source of absolute authority is God Himself.

There are those who, realising that we need to have an authority outside of ourselves and higher than ourselves, feel that we may safely trust the teaching of what they call “the church”. But it is not envisaged that the church should teach, but rather that it should be taught. It is the apostles and prophets who were charged with the responsibility of teaching, at the beginning. The promise of the Lord Jesus to them was that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all truth, John 16:13. This happened long ago, and they penned the New Testament under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that the Scriptures might be available for our guidance and instruction.

It may be objected, however, that this leaves us at the mercy of every supposed explainer of the Bible. Of course, if we were to accept without thinking everything that anyone said about the Bible, we would indeed be confused. If, however, we were to pray that God would guide us to the truth, and be sincerely ready to respond to that truth when it is revealed to us, then we shall not be disappointed. The Lord Jesus said that “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17. By “his will” is meant God’s will.

Another safeguard is the principle that no truth of Scripture contradicts another. If it seems to do so, then our understanding of one or other, or both, of the verses in question is at fault. The Lord Jesus said that “the scripture cannot be broken”, John 10:35. This means that the Word of God is one cohesive whole. Distort one part, and all others are affected; rightly understand one part, and all other parts will agree. Wrench a verse of Scripture out of its context, and it can easily become the support of teaching which is contrary to the rest. But if we consider every verse in the light of the whole, giving due regard to the setting in which it is found, then we shall be well on the way to a correct understanding of Scripture. It is in this spirit that we should look at the question of christening. The passage we are considering will greatly help us.

3:6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

That which is born of the flesh is flesh- notice it is “that which”, not “he who”. It is a question of natures not persons, for the born-again person is still the same person as before, but his nature has changed. We may educate and refine the flesh, (which is another term for our natural selves), and we may even make it religious, but it is still flesh nonetheless. Man is best described as flesh, or fleshen, meaning not that he is only made of soft tissue, but that he is frail and mortal. The nature of a thing determines what it reproduces, so if the nature of a man is flesh, then that is what he produces. Even if a person were to be born like this twice, nothing would have altered.

This is how the likeness of Adam was passed on to Seth, Genesis 5:3. Seth was born of the flesh of Adam, and therefore had passed on to him Adam’s sinful tendencies. This means that he was also in the image of Adam, representing all that he was as a sinner. Adam had produced a fleshen man; a man with a spirit, indeed, but whose life was only on the level of a natural man in the flesh.

And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit- there is no mention of being born of water here, for the matter of the application of the water, (the truth concerning the death of Christ), is dealt with when Christ speaks of His death in verses 14-16. We have already seen that the water of purification had the ashes of an accepted sin offering mixed with it, so the truth of death must be associated with the water of doctrine.

When the Spirit of God does His unique work in a person, then that person is raised to a higher level than the natural as far as God is concerned, a level which makes it possible for the Spirit of God to indwell and govern him. It is not so much that the human spirit is born of the Spirit, but that the nature the Spirit produces is spirit-like in character, as opposed to what man produces, which is flesh-like.

In this way a mere mortal man, once born as the child of a father who is flesh, is now begotten of a Father who is Spirit. And this different birth, which is not a similar birth to the first natural birth, is what is meant by being born again. Such a person is so changed by the Spirit of God that he can be described as being “in the Spirit”, Romans 8:9.

3:7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again- Nicodemus is evidently surprised by this line of teaching. It seems that he shared the carnal view of the kingdom that many had in Israel, that it was political in character, and involved the crushing of physical enemies and subsequent material prosperity for Israel. However, “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost”, Romans 14:17, and this is true whether it is the heavenly or the earthly aspect of the kingdom.

Note the change of pronoun here. Before it was “thee”, but now “ye”, which is plural, and refers to all in the the nation of Israel, not just Nicodemus the Pharisee. All of them must come into the kingdom of God in the same way, by new birth.

It was very difficult for the Jews to come to terms with the truth that being born of the line of Abraham was not enough. The rabbis, (including Nicodemus), would teach them that to be a circumcised son of Abraham was enough to guarantee them a place in Messiah’s kingdom. Nicodemus might think there were exceptions amongst the unlearned, (some of Nicodemus’ fellow-rulers said, “But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.” John 7:49), but he would be confident that he qualified for the kingdom. Whether he expressed that astonishment, or whether the Lord read the thoughts of his heart, we are not told. That the Lord did not need anyone to testify as to what was in man is stated in 2:25.

3:8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

The wind bloweth where it listeth- to impress the other-ness of the kingdom on the mind of Nicodemus the Lord takes up the figure of the wind that Ezekiel had used in his chapter 36. First of all, it has a will of its own, as the Spirit of God does. He is equally God with the Father and the Son, so that to lie to the Spirit is to lie to God, Acts 5:3,4. And when the Spirit comes to dwell, the Father and the Son come to dwell, John 14:23. As a Divine Person, He exercises His own will, as 1 Corinthians 12:11 indicates, but He ever acts in perfect harmony with the Father and the Son.

And thou hearest the sound thereof- whilst the word for wind used here is not the one of Acts 2:2, “a rushing mighty wind”, but is rather the soft breeze that perhaps was at that very moment gently sweeping past the housetop where Christ and Nicodemus may have been sitting, nevertheless, it makes its presence felt by its sound as it comes into contact with an object. The Spirit of God always associates Himself with the sound of the Word of God as He comes into contact with those who seek the truth.

Whilst we may judge the direction of the wind in relation to our position, we do not know where the wind started to blow from originally. The same is true of its ultimate destination, for it may veer after it has passed us, and so completely change direction. Solomon spoke of the circuits of the wind, Ecclesiastes 1:6. Such are the inexplicable workings of the Spirit of God. We may not know the first way the Spirit of God influenced us for good, nor may we know what other purpose may be served by that influence after it has touched us, but all is under the supreme and Divine control of the Spirit of God.

So is every one that is born of the Spirit- that is, “such is the situation with regard to all those born of the Spirit”. The thought is not that they do not know where they came from or where they are going, but rather that they could not influence the start of the process, could not control its exercise, nor could they alter the Spirit’s will, or the direction of that will. Since the power, effect, origin and result of the working of the Spirit is totally beyond human control, the Lord is clearly placing the new birth totally outside of the realm of the natural man. And since entry into the kingdom of God depends on the new birth, reaching that kingdom is also totally outside of the power of the natural man. This is the Divine Sovereignty of God in the matter of the new birth.

Special note on sovereignty
We should be very cautious when dealing with the subject of the sovereignty of God, lest we begin to speak about it in terms that border on fatalism. This is the mistake that the Calvinist makes, for he so emphasises what he thinks of as the sovereignty of God at the expense of the fact that God gave man a free will, that his whole system degenerates into a mechanical process. It is well to remember that Calvin, (insofar as he is responsible for Calvinism) adopted the views of Augustine, who himself was versed in the philosophy of Aristotle. Given such a doubtful source, it is no surprise that human logic is used to explain Divine truth, with disastrous results. We can do no better than to constantly ask ourselves the question that the apostle Paul asked, “what saith the scripture”, and give due breadth to all the statements of scripture, and not try to squeeze them into a straitjacket of our own devising.

3:9
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? This is a justifiable question in view of the content of verse 8. The word used here for “be” is not a form of the verb to exist, but of the verb to become. So Nicodemus is asking how these things can happen, given that the Spirit of God who brings them to pass is like the wind, which we cannot control or influence. He is not suggesting that the things Christ speaks of may not actually exist, but rather, is enquiring how can they be brought about in his case.

3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? As one trained in the Old Testament scriptures, and as one who constantly searched them, John 5:39, Nicodemus should have been aware of the truth of the sovereignty of God. The passages in Ezekiel 36 and 37 should have taught it to him. He had prided himself in verse 2 on what he knew, and now he is finding out that in fact he is ignorant of the most important things.

The phrase is literally “the teacher of Israel”, but that does not mean he was the only one. The definite article signifies that he was a typical teacher in Israel, so if he did not know we can be sure the others did not either. The Lord exposes his ignorance, not to make him uncomfortable, but so that he may be preChrist was teaching were not foreign to the Old Testament.

3:11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

Verily, verily, I say unto thee- the Lord uses this formula a second time, for again He anticipates that Nicodemus may be reluctant to believe what He is about to say to him. He is about to embark on another side of the subject of the new birth. The first “Verily, verily” introduced teaching about the sovereignty of God, the second introduces teaching about the responsibility of man.

We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen- we do not know whether there were any disciples present at this interview. In any case, they had not been sent forth to preach yet, so the “we” is not a reference to them. The word “we” may be an expression of dignity, like the “royal we”, but in that case why does the Lord resort to “I” in the next verse?

Note the use of the two words that had been used before, namely, “know” and “see” in connection with entry into the kingdom. The Lord is claiming that John the Baptist is involved with the kingdom, as He is. John is the herald of the King, whilst Christ is the King Himself. The present tense “we speak” would indicate the character of them both, for the Lord had not begun His preaching ministry yet. He waited until John was put in prison, Mark 1:14.

As far as John the Baptist was concerned, he knew the Old Testament scriptures, and testified in line with them. He knew also that Jesus was the Son of God, because he had seen the dove descending on Christ, and this showed him that here was the Son, who would be given the uttermost parts of the earth for His possession, Psalm 2:7,8. John the Apostle expressly says that when John the Baptist saw the dove descend, he saw and bare record that this was the Son of God, John 1:33. John now knew what he did not know before. So as far as John was concerned he spoke what he knew, for he was full of the Spirit, and he could testify as to what he had seen, namely, the Spirit descend on Christ and remain on Him.

As far as Christ was concerned, He knew because He is God, and He saw what His Father was doing in heaven, as He later explained, John 5:19.

And ye receive not our witness- unhappily, the Pharisees whom Nicodemus represented, (note the plural “ye”), in general received neither the testimony of John or of Christ. We read, in connection with John’s baptism, “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptised of him.” Luke 7:30. It is true that the formal preaching ministry of the Lord Jesus had not begun yet, as we have just noticed, but He had worked miracles in Jerusalem at the Passover, and these were a witness to His person.

3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? The matters referred to in Ezekiel 36 and 37 were to do with the earthly kingdom of the Messiah, although they did hold principles that the Lord applied to Nicodemus personally in relation to the present. Nicodemus, the “teacher in Israel”, was ignorant about the earthly application, and worse still, unbelieving. How then would he believe if he were to be told about the heavenly things that would come in after the death of the Messiah?

Note the change from “we” to “I”, for whereas John the Baptist was able to prepare men to enter the earthly kingdom of the Messiah, he was not able to speak of the heavenly things of this present age. He himself said, as he contrasted his ministry with that of Christ, that “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.” John 3:31,32. So John confesses that he can only speak of earthly things, whereas Christ is uniquely able to speak of heavenly things. So Nicodemus had heard John, and believed not; had seen Christ’s miracles, and believed not. What could convince him?

3:13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

And no man hath ascended up to heaven- both Enoch and Elijah were taken up to heaven at the end of their ministry, but neither of them ascended up as of personal right. And no-one else has ascended to heaven in order to bring down a message from God.

Notice that verses 13 and 14 both begin with the word “and”. This is not so much to join the verses together, but to explain the idea of “heavenly things”. In verse 13 the Son of man comes down from heaven, showing He is privy to heaven’s thoughts. In verse 14, together with verse 15, the Son of Man is lifted up, for that is the means whereby the heavenly things may be gained by those who repent and believe.

But he that came down from heaven- Christ’s competence to speak of heavenly things is seen in that He came down from heaven. As it is His proper sphere, He is able to speak of heaven with authority. He is “that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us”, 1 John 1:2. As we have just noticed, John the Baptist will say later, “He that cometh from heaven is above all”, John 3:31. But the heavenly things will only be brought in after His return to heaven, hence the reference to His ascension here. The Lord speaks as if this has already happened, and this He does because to one who is God, the future is as sure as the present. He is not saying He ascended to heaven before He came down from heaven.

There are three references to the ascension in John’s gospel, and they are all from the lips of the Lord Himself. In John 6:62, the point is that He will ascend up to where He was before, in eternal fellowship with His Father. In John 20:17 the thought is that He will ascend to one who is His Father and ours, His God and ours, and thus He is the link between His people and the Father. He has ascended to represent His people in the Father’s presence.

Because these truths had been brought out in the body of his gospel, John does not record the ascension of Christ, although he does imply it through the words of Christ that He is coming again, John 21:22,23.

Even the Son of man which is in heaven- this expression must be interpreted in context, and that context is the knowledge, by Christ, of heavenly things. This knowledge has already been referred to by the apostle John when he wrote, “the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him”, 1:18. This is the climax to John’s prologue to his gospel, in which he sets out ways in which the Word has revealed God. As one who is the only begotten Son, (a unique person), in the bosom of the Father, (a unique place), He is in a unique position to tell out the Father.
To be “in the bosom of” means to be in a place of intimate communion. Because that is Christ’s unvarying position He can tell out the secrets of His Father’s heart.

When He gave His discourse on His equality with the Father, the Lord said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do…for the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth”, John 5:19,20. So from the privileged vantage point of the Father’s bosom, the Son is fully aware of what His Father’s actions are. Moreover, He is fully aware, also, of His Father’s words, for He could say, “I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him”, 8:26.

But it is as a man upon the earth that Christ speaks these things. In other words, even as the Son of Man He is privy to God’s thoughts, and in that sense He is the Son of man in heaven in spirit even while speaking to Nicodemus in the body. So the Lord Jesus is in the bosom of the Father not only as only begotten Son, but also as Son of man since His incarnation.

Because He is a man He can communicate those thoughts directly to men. When the law was given, the people could not endure the sound of the voice of God, so they appealed to Moses to speak with them. As a result, God promised them a Prophet, saying, “I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.” Deuteronomy 18:18. The apostle Peter made it clear that the Lord Jesus was that prophet, Acts 3:22-26.

3:14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up:

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up- Nicodemus is now about to learn how to enter the kingdom. He has been told that the new birth is totally the work of the sovereign Spirit of God, and puzzled by this, has asked how this new birth can take place. He must learn first of all that, despite his position in Israel as a teacher, he is outside at present, for it was in the wilderness, not in the land of Canaan, that Moses lifted up the serpent. Despite being for nearly forty years in the wilderness under the Law of God given at Sinai, the people still murmured at God. As a judgment, fiery serpents were sent amongst them, to bring them to repentance, Numbers 21:4-9. Nicodemus is learning that in order that the kingdom may be reached, repentance must be exercised. The sending of the serpents was a condemnation of their murmuring, which, in turn, was a reflection of what was in their hearts. The lifting up of the brazen serpent gave them opportunity to renounce their thinking, and accept what God’s thinking was. This is the essence of repentance.

And not only so, but faith was needed also, for it was only those who looked expectantly to the serpent on the pole that were healed, and thus were able to enter the land. Those who refused to look died outside of the kingdom. In the book of Numbers it is repentance that is emphasised, whereas here it is faith that is to the fore. Both are necessary, and in fact always go together. When Christ comes to earth it is said of Israel as a nation, that “they shall look on me whom they have pierced”, that is the look of faith. And also, “and they shall mourn for him”, this is the result of repentance, Zechariah 12:10. It must have been a surprise for Nicodemus to learn that the same Son of Man who in the distant future would come to set up His kingdom, would also, in the near future, be lifted up in the same way as the brazen serpent was. It was only by rendering powerless the “Old Serpent, the Devil, and Satan”, Revelation 12:9, that men could be free to enter the kingdom.

3:15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life- the word “believeth” would surprise Nicodemus, for he had been taught that circumcision and the keeping of the law qualified a Jew to be in the kingdom.

He would also be surprised by the word “perish”, but he could not deny that many in Israel perished outside of the land, so there are many who will perish outside of the kingdom, whether that kingdom is the earthly one or the heavenly.

Eternal life is the same life as everlasting life. That life is not only for ever, but it is lasting and durable as well. Both the quantity and quality of the life are contained in the word. There are only two references to everlasting life in the Old Testament, and both have to do with the enjoyment of life in the kingdom of the Messiah, Psalm 133:3 and Daniel 12:2. Nicodemus is learning of the possibility of the enjoyment of everlasting life as soon as a person believes, without having to wait for Christ’s kingdom to be set up on earth. To have everlasting life is to be in the kingdom of God already, and is part of the “heavenly things” Christ spoke of in verse 12.

3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world- this is not so much an indication of the intensity of the love as the purpose of it. He loved so that men, (not just Israelites, for it is “the world”), might have everlasting life. This is the force of the second use of the word “that”, meaning “in order that”. So God loved the world with the object of giving eternal life to those who would believe, and in order that might be a righteous possibility, He needed to give His Son to the death of the cross. His love was not vague but purposeful. He had a specific company in mind when He expressed His love historically by giving His Son.

Notice that the verb is in the past, for it refers to God’s demonstrated and historic love for the world expressed at Calvary. The love of God in a personal way is only known by those who have believed, for “the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”, Romans 5:5. If men wish to come into the good of that love, they must believe. Too often, evangelists emphasise the love of God at the expense of His righteousness, and thus give the impression that God cannot be too concerned about our sins if He loves us as we are. The fact is that God hates sins, and is angry with the wicked every day, Psalm 7:11, but it is also true that He has clearly demonstrated His general love for the world through what His Son endured at Calvary. This is how the love of God realises its object.

We should bear in mind that we have been given samples of the addresses the apostles gave to various audiences in the Book of Acts, but in none of them is the love of God mentioned. Of course, the grace of God is an expression of His love, but the fact remains that the apostles did not mislead sinners into thinking that they had any claim upon God. We see from the words of this verse that God’s love is active, for He gave; it is righteous, for He was dealing with the cause of our perishing, namely sin; it was purposeful, for it is so that whosoever believeth should not perish.

That he gave his only begotten Son- we should notice the way verses 14 and 15 parallel verse 16, so that we learn that the equivalent of the serpent being lifted up in the wilderness is the giving by God of His only begotten Son. In other words, the giving of the Son is when He is lifted up on the cross; it is not His birth but His death that is in view. So it is not as Jesus of Nazareth the miracle worker, or the good example that men are to believe in Him, but as the Only begotten Son of God lifted up on a cross to die for sins.

Clearly the Lord is presenting a parallel between what happened when Moses put the brazen serpent on the pole, and what happened at Calvary. We could set out the comparisons and contrasts as follows:

Contrasts between living serpents and brass serpent

Living serpents	Lifeless serpent of brass
Sent by God in judgement	Provided by God in grace
Harmful	Harmless
Sign of Satan successful	Sign of Satan powerless
Object of fear	Object of faith

Contrasts between serpent of brass and Christ lifted up

Harmless because brass	Harmless yet living
Sign of Satan powerless	Source of Satan’s powerlessness
Lifted up on a pole	Lifted up on a cross
Made like the cause of distress	Made sin, the cause of the distress
Dealt with the immediate cause	Dealt with the root cause
Object of faith for the occasion	Object of faith for all time
Subsequently made into an idol	Subsequently wrongly preached

That whosoever believeth in him should not perish- blessing came to the bitten Israelites in the wilderness through the look of faith. That look was realistic, for the bite of the serpents was very real, but so was the Divine remedy. The look was repentant, for the people confessed, “We have sinned”, Numbers 21:7. The look was obedient, for we read, “when any looked…they lived, Numbers 21:9, and this result only came because God had said it would, there is no logical reason why looking at a lump of brass should heal a snakebite. The look was dependant, too, for they looked away from self to the Divine remedy. The look was also expectant, for that idea is enshrined in the word used for look. They were not looking by chance, or in unbelief, but in confident expectation that God would heal them, and He did.

The word whosoever is often spoken of in this setting as if it means the whole world. This is clearly not the case. The whosoever is a limited number, even those who believe on the only begotten Son of God. It is whosoever, (or “every one that”), believeth that is granted eternal life, not the whole world. It was only those who looked in faith to the serpents in the wilderness that was healed. It did not apply to the whole nation, or even to all who had been bitten.

To perish means to lose well-being, not lose being. The idea that at death a person goes into oblivion is contradicted in Scripture. Hebrews 9:27 says that after death there is judgment, and the Lord Jesus taught that the rich man of whom He spoke, when he had died, lifted up his eyes in hell, Luke 16:23. The perishing of the sinner is not only expressed in his loss of well-being, but also the loss of the blessing he might have had if he had believed. Not only did the Israelites lose their lives in the desert, but they also lost the enjoyment of the land of Canaan that was just ahead of them. Note that the second half of this verse is the same as verse 15, which confirms that the first half of this verse is an explanation of the meaning of the serpent-lifted-up incident.

3:17
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world- the serpents were sent from God as judgment, whereas Christ was sent in grace and mercy. The word for condemn here is one which means to pronounce sentence. If Christ had come to do this, then there would not have been salvation for men, but immediate execution of God’s just judgment against their sins. It is otherwise, however, for Christ came in grace not judgment. In the synagogue at Nazareth He stopped short after reading “the acceptable year of the Lord”, Luke 4:19, and sat down without reading what follows, which was “and the day of vengeance of our God”, Isaiah 61:2.

But that the world through him might be saved- if the serpents were sent to judge, the serpent of brass was God’s provision for their salvation. That provision, however, only concerned those amongst the children of Israel who had been bitten. But God’s provision of salvation now is for the whole world, for all men have been infected with the poison of the Devil’s lies, and the Devil is the Ancient Serpent who led men away from obedience to God at the beginning.

Note the vastness of what Christ did when He was hanging upon the cross, for if the whole world came to God for salvation He would have to turn nobody away, for there is salvation for all. Notice, though, it is “might be saved”. That does not mean that there is some doubt about whether those who believe will be saved. It means that God gave His Son so that it might happen, as long as they believe.

3:18
He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

He that believeth on him is not condemned- notice the use of the full title here of “only begotten Son of God”, emphasising the gravity of not believing in such a glorious person. Such is the character of what the Son of God did when lifted up on the cross at Calvary, that every matter which could be laid against those who believe was fully and eternally dealt with. How blessed to be in a position before God where we do not fear His condemnation!

But he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God- how solemn to think that those who do not believe already know the terms of their final condemnation, for they are detailed in the next verse. The wrath of God is said in verse 36 to abide on sinners, and here is the reason, for they stand condemned because of their sins and unbelief. Those who have not yet believed on the Son of God may learn here that the condemnation that will eventually be pronounced can be known beforehand, so that action in the form of the obedience of faith may be in evidence.

3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

And this is the condemnation- having been assured in verse 18 that those who believe are not condemned, we now learn the basis upon which those who refuse to believe, and continue in that refusal until they die, are condemned. This condemnation applies now, as well as in the future judgment day.

That light is come into the world- chapter 1:9 has already informed us that the true light lighteth every man, and now we are told the light is come, not just into Israel, but into the world. The reaction of men to Christ as He came into the world is the test now.

And men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil- so two things have happened. The light has come, and men have reacted by hating the light as it was expressed in Christ. Note the past tense, “loved”. John is looking back to when he was with the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry, and he has to testify that men hated Him. As the psalmist said prophetically of Him, “they that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head”, Psalm 69:4, words the Lord Jesus quoted of Himself, showing that He knew and felt the hatred deeply, John 15:25.

There is no discrepancy here. They did not hate Him without any cause, but they did hate Him for a reason that lay within themselves. There was no genuine cause in Him for them to hate Him. They refused to come into the light because their deeds were deeds of darkness and they did not wish them to be exposed.

Light does at least four things:

Light radiates. Christ is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His person or essence, Hebrews 1:3, and is uniquely fitted to display God, and this He has done. So by seeing and hearing God’s Son when He was here, those who had an interest could see the light of God’s glory.

Light illuminates. As the Lord Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life”, John 8:12. This was spoken after the great lampstands in the temple had been dismantled. They represented the pillar of fire that had led Israel through the trackless desert. Now Christ presents Himself as the one the pillar of fire typified, which would never be dismantled. Those who believe may have the light of life, and walk in the light of His presence now and for ever.

Light investigates. When light shines, things become apparent. With the coming of Christ all doubt is removed as to what is good and what is evil, for perfect goodness was on display in Him.

Light discriminates. When light was caused to be in Genesis 1:3, then immediately there was a division between day and night. So the light of Christ’s person showed up the dark deeds of men. They could judge their spiritual condition accurately by reference to Him.

3:20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light- note the three-fold use of the word “for” in these verses. In verse 16 it is an explanation of verse 15. In verse 17 it gives the reason for the mention of perishing. Here it is an explanation of the difference between the saved and the unsaved.

Since the fall of man in Adam, his natural tendency has been towards the darkness of sin, rather than the light of holiness. And since that light of holiness is expressed perfectly in Christ, then man’s hatred is towards Him. Just as when a stone is moved, and those creatures that live in the dark scurry for cover, so man shuns the light, lest he should be exposed as a sinner. There is hatred of the light as a constant attitude, and as the next phrase tells us, resistance to coming to the light when the opportunity is given.

Neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved- these words were likely to startle Nicodemus, for he had come to speak with Christ by night. Does this mean he hates the light, or does it mean he comes in the night of his sin to Christ, the only answer to his sin? Men do not come to the light not only because they do not wish their sins to be exposed, but also because they know those sins, once exposed, will be reproved.

3:21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light- since in the next verse John tells us that the Lord went with His disciples into the land of Judea, this must be the Lord’s final word to Nicodemus. It takes the form of a gentle appeal to him, and beginning with the word “but” as it does, it presents the alternative response to the hating of the light of the previous verse.

Note the Lord does not make the opposite of doing evil the doing of good. He speaks of those who do truth. That is, those who have learned a certain amount of truth, and have sought to live by it. Those who were John’s disciples were of this class, as also was Cornelius. And there were those of Old Testament times who earnestly sought God and who lived up to the truth they had. The apostle Paul speaks of those who “by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life”, Romans 2:7. In this age eternal life is a present possession, but in former times could only be looked for after death.

That his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God- those who are of the sort just described will not fear to come to God, despite the fact that they know they are sinners. Cornelius is said by Luke to be “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always.” Acts 10:2. And yet he was not a saved man! When he learned that Peter was near at hand, he took steps to have him come to his house and tell him how to get saved. That his deeds were “wrought in God” is seen in the words of the angel to him, “Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God”, verse 4. Furthermore, when Peter began preaching he said, “But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” Acts 10:35. By “accepted”, Peter does not mean, for instance, “accepted in the beloved”, Ephesians 1:6, the secure position of the true believer, but rather, accepted in the sense of not rebuffed when he seeks the knowledge of God.

This is not a question of a man earning salvation by works, but of showing he is ready to receive and act upon further light when it comes to him. Earnest attempts to please God are done in the context of who God is seen to be, hence “in God”. The Lord is appealing to Nicodemus to persist in his coming, if he is of this sort.

Section 2   Verses 22-36
John the Baptist’s conversation about Christ. “I must decrease”.

3:22
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea- at this critical moment, the paths of the Lord Jesus and John the Baptist converge, and that for the last time. They met when Christ came to be baptized, at which time John announced Him as the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, when some of John’s disciples left him to follow Christ, and now there is the last occasion before John’s imprisonment. It is true that we are not told that they met, but it would surely be strange if they did not for this last time. Just as the Lord had come to be baptized of John to sanction his baptism as being of God, so now it is endorsed again, for the baptism of Christ was of the same sort as that of John. It was not Christian baptism, as practised now. If Christ’s baptism had been different, then surely this would have been revealed to John, and he would have ceased baptizing. It is important for it to be seen that John and Christ were in harmony, for there would be those who would suggest otherwise. The Jews sought to drive a wedge between their respective followers in verses 25 and 26.

And there he tarried with them, and baptized- this is clarified by John in 4:2, where he tells us that Christ did not baptise personally. There might be a temptation for some to say that their baptism was extra special, since the Lord Himself did it. 

3:23
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized.

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there- there are plentiful springs in this area even today, so there would be much water available even in the dry season. In fact, the word Aenon means “Natural fountains”. This provides further confirmation that the baptism was by immersion, or else a plentiful supply of water would not be essential.

Significantly, the name “Salim” means “completeness”, and John the Baptist is indeed completing his ministry, and his final testimony is to the superiority of Christ. The apostle Paul spoke of John fulfilling his course, Acts 13:25.

And they came, and were baptized- we are not told who the “they” are, but the statement highlights the fact that John was still baptizing, showing that there was no difference between his baptism and Christ’s.

3:24
For John was not yet cast into prison.

For John was not yet cast into prison- in a short while the Lord Jesus will go into Galilee, 4:43. So what the apostle John has recorded for us in chapters 1-3 takes place before the other gospels begin their account of Christ’s public ministry. Accordingly, we read in Mark 1:14 that it was after John the Baptist had been cast into prison that He began His public preaching. So the Galilean ministry we read of in Matthew and Mark is not the same as is recorded in John 1:43-2:12. When we read Matthew 4:11 and 12, we must remember that John’s account comes in between those two verses.

Possibly the wrong inference had been drawn from the other gospels that the Lord entered straight into His Galilean ministry as soon as He was baptised. This verse corrects that idea. John the Baptist must disappear when Christ comes to the fore. It must not seem that they are rivals.

3:25
Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.

Then there arose a question between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying- we are not told why this dispute arose, but possibly the Jews mistook the baptism in the Jordan as a purifying rite, rather than an act of repentance. They may have connected it with the story of Naaman, and how he washed in the Jordan at the command of Elisha, and was clean, 2 Kings 5:10. Naaman had contrasted the waters of Jordan unfavourably with the rivers of Damascus. It may be that John had moved from baptising in the river because the waters were running low and becoming unclean. This would highlight the dirtiness of the river, and those who misunderstood the ceremony, (thinking it was to purify the soul), would point out that it could not purify if it had to be abandoned because the waters were dirty. They may even have been linking it with the Lord’s words to Nicodemus about being born of water, and Ezekiel’s words about clean water making clean, Ezekiel 36:25.

3:26
And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness- the sentence begins with “and”, so there is a connection between the dispute of verse 25, and what is said now. The matter of the relative popularity of John and Christ becomes an issue in the dispute which had begun about purifying. They have to admit not only that Christ was with John, but was also borne witness to by John, so there was not a competition between them.

The Jews had come to John in chapter 1:19-28, and he had been insistent that he was not the Christ, but was only sent to herald Him. This incident will tell us whether he is still prepared to take the humble place. Those who come to John in this verse have not taken in what he had to say about the greatness of Christ, so he takes the opportunity to remind them. These people make no mention of the voice from heaven or the dove descending.

Behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him- they are trying to make out that John has been eclipsed. Little did they know that this was welcomed by John, as he goes on to explain.

3:27
John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven- John affirms that he, or anyone else who acts for God, can only carry out what has been commanded from heaven. He had not been commanded to make a name for himself. His work was done in the strength God gave him, for he had no strength of his own. This is so different to the rulers in Israel, who sought positions that God had not given them. As the Lord will say later on, they climb up some other way, John 10:1. Their position was not given them from heaven.

3:28
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him- he refers them to his previous testimony, as found in 1:19-28. Nothing had changed. They knew of his witness, for they refer to it in verse 26, but just as they had ignored John’s testimony both to Christ’s role as the sin-bearer and His Deity on that occasion, so now they do the same. This is one reason why the Lord gives very clear testimony to His Deity in chapter 5. The one John prepared the way for was “the Lord”, or Jehovah, as Isaiah 40:3 had said. They are not even prepared to give Christ a name, simply calling Him “he that was with thee beyond Jordan”. They are far from believing on “the name of the Only begotten Son of God”, verse 18.

3:29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled- John uses a series of terms about the Lord Jesus all of which serve to show that He is superior to John. In verse 28 by implication He is the Christ, or Messiah. Here He is likened to a bridegroom, whose relationship to the bride is so much closer than that of the friend of the bridegroom. This latter expression is a Judean one, whereas “children of the bridechamber”, Matthew 9:15, is a Galilean one. The friend of the bridegroom was responsible for asking the maiden concerned if she is willing to marry the man (which John attempted to do by preparing the way as he preached before Christ appeared); he then acts as intermediary between the man and his betrothed wife, (which John did by introducing Christ to the nation at His baptism); his last duty was to preside at the marriage ceremony, (which has not happened yet because the nation refused the proposal offer).

The mystery of Christ and His bride, the church, was not revealed until the time when Ephesians 5 was written, so we cannot insert that truth here. Even though John the apostle would very likely have known it by the time he wrote the gospel, the figure is used by John the Baptist. Note the emphasis John places on the bridegroom’s voice, in preparation for what is said in verse 32. Clearly John had taken note of the teaching of Christ, and rejoiced because of it. Full joy comes when Christ comes, and is known, 1 John 1:4. The law that John the Baptist represented could not bring in full joy, but Christ did. The first wine ran out before the wedding feast was over in John 2, but Christ’s wine never ceases.

3:30
He must increase, but I must decrease.

He must increase, but I must decrease- how fitting that John should close his ministry with such a statement. His humility is impressive, and we would do well to follow his example. We notice the ways in which this decrease is manifest in this passage:

(i)	Because he is not the Christ, verse 28.
(ii)	Because he is the friend, not the bridegroom, verse 29.
(iii)	Because he is of the earth, and speaks of the earth, not heaven, verse 31.
(iv)	Because Christ is above all, verse 31.
(v)	Because Christ is uniquely able to speak of heavenly things, verse 32. (Remember the change of pronoun in verses 11 and 12. Both John and Christ tell of earthly things, but only Christ tells of heavenly things).
(vi)	Because the Lord Jesus imparts the truth of God in its fullness, verse 34.
(vii)	Because the Son has been given all things to administer for the Father.
(viii)	Because it is faith in the Son, not John, that brings everlasting life.

Since these reasons follow on the one from the other, the whole passage from verse 27 to the end must be the reply of John to what was said to him in verse 26.

3:31
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all.

He that cometh from above is above all- by this time John has a large and settled appreciation of the person of Christ, for he declares He is above all twice over in this verse. As the Son of God, the object of God’s pleasure, and the one anointed with the Holy Spirit, He is clearly superior to created beings, even those in heaven.

He that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth- John must decrease because he can only speak of the earthly kingdom of the Messiah, whereas Christ came to bring truth to fit men for the heavenly kingdom Paul referred to in 2 Timothy 4:18. He does this perfectly because He possesses Deity, having been with the Father in eternity, 1 John 1:2.

He that cometh from heaven is above all- John makes it clear what “cometh from above” means, for he exchanges “heaven” for “above”. It is not just that He was sent from God, for John was that, John 1:6. The Lord had already referred to this matter of coming down from heaven in His conversation with Nicodemus, verse 12. Of course John is speaking about the man Jesus, so his words cannot be misunderstood to refer to a angel come from heaven.

3:32
And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth- this is similar language to 1 John 1:1-5, where the apostle John shows that the Son of God had come to impart to others what He had eternally known and enjoyed. That joy is known through what He said and who He is. What He had seen as being privy to the eternal purpose of God, He made known in the form of miracles. What He had heard as He communed with His Father before the world was He made known by His teaching.

And no man receiveth his testimony- what a privilege it was for men to have unfolded to them the things Divine persons had enjoyed eternally! Yet such is the blindness and deafness of man to spiritual things that he receives not this first-hand testimony. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, because they are foolishness unto him, and he cannot understand them until he is prepared to receive Divine wisdom, as 1 Corinthians 2:14 indicates.

By “no man” is meant men who are not willing to respond to God; it is not an absolute statement, because the one who wrote it had received the testimony. It is “no man unaided by the Spirit”.

Note that the Lord Jesus is spoken of here as a testimony bearer or witness, a term that John the apostle had used of John the Baptist, so he was decreasing even in this way, for he is being replaced, just as Elijah was replaced by Elisha. John could write much later, as he looked back on Christ’s life down here, “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness”, Revelation 1:5. The Jews had said “all men come to him”, verse 26, but John makes clear that they were not necessarily coming to receive His testimony, and hence believe in Him.

3:33
He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true- to receive the spoken testimony of Christ is to acknowledge that what He said was true. But He spoke the words His Father gave Him, so to believe Christ is true in His statements, is to believe that God is too. The converse is the case, for to believe not is to make God a liar, 1 John 5:10. A person seals a document because he believes that it is complete. He would not seal it and then add other things. So the next verse goes on to speak of the completeness of the testimony of Christ.

When Abraham believed in the Lord, Genesis 15:6, he was in effect saying “Amen” to what God had said to him, for the Hebrew verb believe used there is “aman”, from which we get the word Amen. Couple this with the fact that Isaiah calls God the “God of truth”, Isaiah 65:16, and the word for truth is “amen”. So when Abraham believed, he was acknowledging that God was the God of truth, and therefore His word was to be believed. The same is true of those who set to their seal that God is true, for they recognize that God is the God who speaks truth through the Lord Jesus as He testifies about Him. The words of Christ were the same words that God the Father would have spoken if He had come down to men. God promised that He would put His words in the Prophet’s mouth, and in this way He would speak to the people all that God commanded Him, Deuteronomy 18:18. So the words of the Prophet would have the same authority and validity as the words of God at Sinai.

3:34
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God- the following scriptures bear out this statement:

“Jesus answered them, and said, my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” John 7:16.

“I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.” John 8:26.

“Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of Man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.” John 8:28.

“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak, therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” John 12:49,50.

For God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him- this is the reason why Christ speaks the words of God. He has unlimited resources as the Son of God made flesh to fully tell out that truth it was God’s will should be known at the time. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit to preach, Luke 4:18. When God gave instructions for the making of the holy anointing oil, He specified that it was to be of a hin of oil. In other words, a full measure. So Christ was anointed with the fullness of the Spirit in order to preach, and was empowered thereby to fully announce the truth of God.

It is true that when He left this world there was still truth to be imparted, and this would be done by the Holy Spirit leading the writers of the New Testament into all the truth, John 16:13. Nonetheless He said, “I have yet many things to say unto you”, John 16:12, so even when the Holy Spirit inspired the apostles and others to reveal further truth, it was Christ who was doing it by the Spirit. The only difference was that He was no longer on the earth to do the teaching face to face.

So it is that the apostle Paul can claim that the things he taught were “the commandments of the Lord”, 1 Corinthians 14:37. He could refer to “wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ”, 1 Timothy 6:3. The whole of the New Testament may be thought of as the testimony of the Son of God. And Luke alludes to this when he tells his friend Theophilus that his gospel is an account of “all that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day in which he was taken up”, Acts 1:1,2. This implies that Jesus continued to do and teach after He had gone back to heaven; the only difference was that He was using others to do the teaching. As Mark says, “he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them”, Mark 16:20. And Matthew agrees, for he tells us that the Lord promised to be with His servants as they went into all the world to teach, Matthew 28:20.

3:35
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand- such is the intense and eternal love of the Father for the Son, and such is the perfection of the return of that love to the Father, that the Son has shown Himself competent to handle everything for the Father. He is not only the Only begotten Son of God, but the Firstborn Son too, and as such all things have been committed to Him for their faithful discharge. The pleasure of the Lord prospers in His hand, Isaiah 53:10. Whether the first creation, or the new creation, all is in the hands of Christ, the Firstborn Son of God, Colossians 1:12-19. We see this to be true in this chapter, for Christ is the discloser of the truth of God to men. In the next chapter He will show that He can grant the Holy Spirit also. So even the Holy Spirit, a person of the Godhead, is available for Christ to dispense as the Firstborn.

3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life- to believe on the Son is to rely on the one the Father has the utmost confidence in, with the result that eternal life is imparted to the soul. Because the context is the testimony of the Son with regard to the heavenly things of the Father that He has been entrusted with, then to believe on the Son is to acknowledge Him to be the imparter of the truth of God. This is a safe thing to do, for the Father counts Him competent to handle everything to His glory.

Everlasting life is the life of God, and gives the believer the capacity to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, John 17:3. This verse therefore prepares the way for the teaching of the rest of the gospel, which will unfold to the believing heart and mind the knowledge of the Father and the Son.

How typical of John the Baptist to close his recorded ministry by appealing to men to believe on the Son of God. That he has not lost the sense of his mission to call to repentance is seen in his warning in the rest of the verse.

And he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him- to not believe is not simply a negative of the positive belief of the beginning of the verse. Here the idea is that unbelief takes the character of disobedience, for if Christ has been charged with administering everything for God, He must have been given a position over all, including men. Those amongst them who are not prepared to respond to Him in that character are disobedient, and duplicate the sin of Adam, Romans 5:19. Such people shall, if they persist in unbelief, not see life, meaning everlasting life, the life of God just mentioned. It is no surprise to find that those who are so daring as to disobey God’s Firstborn Son, have His wrath hanging over their heads ready to fall. God is very sensitive to what happens to His Son, and if there are those who disobey Him, they may expect to be the objects of His wrath. Their only hope is to stop disobeying, and believe to life eternal.