NOTES for Joh 3:1-21

It is not surprising that Jesus’ words shocked Nicodemus so deeply. In his understanding, his place in the Kingdom of the coming Messiah was guaranteed by the mere fact that he had been born to Jewish parents and belonged to the chosen people. But the Lord tells him—and us—that what is born of flesh, that is, of human beings, even Jewish ones, is flesh; to enter the Kingdom of the Spirit, one must be born of water (Baptism) and the Spirit (the gift of the Spirit that, according to the Lord’s word, is received by whoever believes in Him—John 7:38). Of course, it is easy for us to laugh at an authoritative Jewish teacher who does not understand such simple things, because we know what the Lord Jesus is speaking about. Yes, thank God, unlike Nicodemus, we understand when the Teacher speaks “of earthly things”; but does that mean we will understand when He speaks “of heavenly things”? If He calls birth from the Spirit “earthly,” then what is “heavenly”? Perhaps we should not exalt ourselves too greatly above Nicodemus after all, for beside the Lord Jesus we always remain slow-witted disciples...