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

2 This man came to Jesus 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."

1. (verses 1-2) Why do you think Nicodemus came to Jesus at night? How much faith do you think Nicodemus had in Jesus?

This verse tells us Nicodemus was "a ruler of the Jews" — apparently a member of the Sanhedrin or ruling council. This is probably his first direct encounter with Jesus although he may have seen Jesus ministering on the streets or in the temple at Jerusalem. Nicodemus is mentioned two other times in scripture. A little later we find Nicodemus defending Jesus before the Sanhedrin in John 7:51 when he said, "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?" And then in John 19:38-40 we see Nicodemus openly taking a stand for Jesus as he helps Joseph of Arimathea prepare the body of Jesus for burial. Nixon suggests, "He seems to have been an earnest man attracted by the character and teaching of Jesus but afraid to allow this interest to be known by his fellow Pharisees."

3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, 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, "Most assuredly, 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."

2. (verse 6) According to verse 6, how many births can we have? What is your definition of born again?

Jesus explains that we have two births: one of the flesh and one of the spirit. You have all been born into the flesh. But we also need to be born into the spirit. There is a spiritual side of us that we may not understand too well. It’s the side of us that longs to do what is right, that longs to be in God’s presence, and that longs to learn more about God. This is the part of us that must be made alive. We are born first in the flesh, and then we are born again in the spirit.

A peach is born from the tree. It could stay a peach for the rest of its life. But when it’s planted, it’s born again into a new peach tree. We can remain a sinner the rest of our life or we can become born again and reach our full potential in God.

7 "Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

8 "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

3. (verses 7-8) What does Jesus use the wind as a metaphor of? What is your interpretation of the metaphor of the wind in this verse?

Jesus uses the metaphor of the wind to explain how we are born again of the Spirit. The wind is used as a picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. Notice it’s the wind (the Spirit) that does all the work. It’s not the trees that go chasing after the wind! Even though we have to cooperate with God to accept what he offers us, he is the one who does all the work to save us.

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"

10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?"

4. (verses 9-10) From Jesus’ response to Nicodemus, how important do you think this teaching on being born again is?

Jesus asked Nicodemus his question, but he’s also asking us the same question: Are you a Christian and don’t you know these things? We are not talking about head knowledge here. Nicodemus was highly educated and knew the Hebrew scriptures backward and forward. What Jesus is talking about is heart knowledge. You may know a lot about the Bible. You may know a lot about the Christian religion. You may be able to debate theology with the finest scholars. But do you have spiritual understanding? Have you felt the Lord’s presence deep inside of you, and do you sense a transformation happening in your mind and your heart?

11 "Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness.

12 "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

13 "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

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

5. (verse 14) Read Numbers 21:7-9. Why do you think Jesus used this analogy? How was Jesus lifted up?

Jesus does something truly remarkable for Nicodemus here. Jesus gives him a sign, that when he sees it, he will believe. Jesus refers to Numbers 21:7-9 where the nation of Israel was invaded by fiery serpents. God told Moses to raise a brass serpent on a pole. Everyone that looked at the serpent lifted up on the pole was healed.

The Hebrew word for pole < sn'> nes means standard or banner. It was a long pole often with a cross bar near the top to hold the ensign or flag of the tribe or military unit. This standard was usually raised on a mountain or other high place to draw the people together for action as a point of focus or hope. Do you see what Jesus was doing here for Nicodemus? He was giving him a sign that he could not miss. Many Pharisees were at the cross when Jesus was crucified. I am convinced that Nicodemus was there too. As he looked at Jesus raised up on that cross bar lifted high on the hill of Mount Calvary, he had to see the picture of Moses raising the pole of healing for Israel. I believe it was at this point that Nicodemus was either persuaded to become a believer, or if already a believer, his faith was forever confirmed.

15 "That whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

6. (verse 15) Who has eternal life?

The message of Christ is a simple message. We can spend long hours of debate on interpretation of scripture and the differences in doctrine from one church to the next, but Jesus never said you had to be a Bible scholar to be part of his family. All he said is that you have to believe in him. How often have Christians wandered off far from the simplicity of the gospel message into the complexities of theology, prophecy, Bible scholarship and argument. Most people when they accept Christ as their Savior know very little about the Bible, they may not understand the doctrine of the Trinity, they may be clue-less when it comes to end-time prophecy, and they may know little about the great theological debates which have raged in the church over the past centuries. All they know is that they are in need of a Savior, and that God loves them. They accept Christ as their Savior in simplicity. Perhaps today we need to emphasize more the simplicity of the gospel message.

16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."

7. (verse 16) Why did God send Jesus to the world? What must we do to have everlasting life?

Notice that this verse tells us that God gave his only begotten Son. God gave to us Jesus so that we could believe on him and have everlasting life.

17 "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

8. (verse 17) Look up John 7:45-53 and John 19:38-40. What kind of an impact did Nicodemus’ meeting with Jesus in John 3:1-16 have on him? Do you think he became a believer?

From John 19:38-40 it seems that Nicodemus committed his life to Christ, for in these verses we see him openly taking a stand for the body of Jesus. We can’t be sure when Nicodemus made this full commitment to Jesus. It may have taken him a long time as he pondered the things that Jesus told him. Sometimes we, like Nicodemus, have to struggle with questions, doubts, and fears before we are able to commit our life to Christ. But when it came time for Nicodemus to step forward, he took a stand.

18 "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

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

20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed."

9. (verses 19-20) Why do people hate to hear about Christ?

People are sometimes very uncomfortable with the gospel message of Christ. It’s because when the light of Christ starts to shine in their life, it reveals all the darkness. No one likes to see their own darkness.

21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

10. (verse 21) What happens when we come to Christ? What will this cause us to do?

When we come to Christ, we quit lying to ourselves and making excuses for ourselves. We can now be truthful and admit our shortcomings and not hide from them. When this happens, we discover a real liberty inside of us. As we ask God for help in our different circumstances, we come to him ready to admit our own failures, and willing to accept his help. What a difference this makes in our whole outlook on life.

Footnotes:

This study on John 3:1-21 © 1997 by David Humpal. All Rights Reserved.

Nixon: The New Bible Dictionary pg. 886