John 3:1-17: Seeing the Kingdom of God
Jesus
speaks often of the kingdom of God. It can actually be a confusing topic of
discussion, but this is because only those who are in the kingdom of God can
understand it and its purpose. In response to Nicodemus’ question, Jesus tells
how one can see the kingdom of God in John 3. Furthermore, the fact that anyone
at all is able to see the kingdom of God is amazing in and of itself, and this
is only possible because of the love of God.
John 3:1-17
English Standard Version (ESV)
You Must Be Born
Again
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This
man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to
him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one
can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus
answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one
is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of
God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be
born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be
born?”5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to
you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the
kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh
is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not
marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The
wind[e] blowswhere it wishes, and you
hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it
is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can
these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are
you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these
things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we
speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you[f] do not receive our
testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and
you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?13 No
one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the
Son of Man.[g] 14 Andas
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in
him may have eternal life.[h]
For God So Loved the
World
16 “For God so loved the world,[i] that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God
did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order
that the world might be saved through him.
We Only See the Kingdom of God if We
Are Born from Above (vv. 1-15)
Jesus
responds to Nicodemus by saying that the only way to see and understand the
kingdom of God in all of its glory is by being born again. The term, again, in verse 3 is purposely ambiguous
because it can also mean from above
in Greek. Only those who are born of only in the flesh but are also born from
God above will see and understand the kingdom of God. Jesus makes it quite
clear when he says, “You must be born again,” in verse 7. The Greek word, you, in verse 7 is plural meaning that
Jesus is speaking to us all. To understand the things of God, we must first be
born of him.
We Are Only Able to See the Kingdom of
God because of the Love of God (vv. 16-17)
The
fact that anyone is even able to see and understand the kingdom of God is
amazing in and of itself. Without the love of God, it would not be possible, but
it is because of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross that we are able to not only
see and understand his kingdom but also to be a part of it.
