John Chapter 3

1. Nicodemus made an over-sweeping generalization about people knowing that Jesus was a teacher come from God. It can be assumed that he felt that all good rabbis were of God, but Jesus was different than other rabbis because he was known to do what?

2. What perplexing answer did Jesus give to Nicodemus?

3. Did Nicodemus understand right away the answer that Jesus gave him?

4. The term born again in the ancient Greek could also be translated “from above.” The word “anew” could also be translated by “from above.” Therefore, the meaning of “to be born again” is to be made anew from above. It is not simply a moral or religious change, but it is new life. “to belong to the heavenly kingdom, one must be born into it.” [Tenney] This is not something we can do to ourselves. We can not make ourselves clean and have a righteous standing before God. It is only possible through the redemptive work of Jesus that we are given new life. Jesus explained that the new life we receive is the Spirit of God (not someone we can see). He described the Spirit of God by what earthly phenomenon?

“A man may cast away many vices, forsake many lusts in which he indulged, and conquer evil habits, but no man in the world can make himself to be born of God; though he should struggle never so much, he could never accomplish what is beyond his power. And, mark you, if he could make himself to be born again, still he would not enter heaven, because there is another point in the condition which he would have violated — ‘unless a man be born of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” [Spurgeon]

5. It is clear that Nicodemus thought that he already was a member of the Kingdom of God because he was a Jew of the New Covenant. Jesus wanted him to understand that he would not see the kingdom of God unless he was born again. It is here that Jesus established His authority before this Jewish man. What did Jesus tell Nicodemus about heaven? See verse 13.

6. What Old Testament account did Jesus say was a picture of what must happen for the redemption of mankind, through the death on the cross?

7. Jesus said that He was not sent into the world to condemn the world, because the world was already what?

8. Jesus explained that He came to save the world from the evil and from darkness because He is what? He also explained that humans do not like this character about Him because it exposes their sin.

9. Did you notice that the scripture never states whether Nicodemus accepted Jesus as His Savior? Do you think he became a believer?

10. John the Baptist was questioned as to why some people were now going to Jesus to be baptized. The people seem confused by who had authority to baptize people. What did John explain to the people as to the baptizing Jesus was doing? See verse 27.

11. John then compared himself to being the best man of the bridegroom of a wedding party. Who is the bridegroom in this scenario? Who is the bride?

12. Thinking about what Jesus told Nicodemus and then reading the words of John the Baptist, what did he mean when he said, “Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true”? See verses 34-36