Commentary on the Gospel of John

                                  Chapter Three

                                                                                                                                           Verses 9-16

In effect, Nicodemus asked Jesus what causes the "born again" experience. What causes the Holy Spirit to enter into a person? Jesus told Nicodemus that he should already know something about the spiritual new birth because he had read and studied Isaiah and the other Old Testament prophets who wrote about a suffering Messiah and the spiritual new birth. Isaiah 53:1-12; Isaiah 55:1-13.

Jesus compared earthly events like being born into the world and feeling the wind blow to the spiritual event of being "born again" in order to make it easier for Nicodemus to believe in Him. But Jesus sensed that Nicodemus found it hard to believe in Jesus as his Savior. Jesus chided Nicodemus a little because Jesus had taught him earthly truths that were similar to spiritual truths, but Nicodemus had not used his imagination and intellect to come to a spiritual understanding. All through His ministry, Jesus often taught in parables, and He sometimes became annoyed when people failed to realize that His teachings about material events should illustrate spiritual truths. Humans often know far more in their unconscious minds that they are willing to admit into their conscious minds. Jesus became annoyed with the people He taught because they should have recognized His spiritual Truths, but they still clung to their false beliefs through their stubborn pride. Women seemed to be able to comprehend Jesus' spiritual teachings much quicker that did men.

Because Nicodemus was confused, Jesus began to directly teach him about who He was and what He would do to cause the new birth. Jesus taught Nicodemus that He was the Messiah who descended from Heaven. Jesus also told Nicodemus that He was on the earth, and at the same time, He was in Heaven. Nicodemus should have understood that Jesus claimed to be One with His Father united together by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus reminded Nicodemus that Moses had lifted up a fiery serpent of brass in the wilderness that symbolized the people's sins, and when any person looked at that symbol, they would be saved from death. Numbers 21:5-9. Since Nicodemus knew that the fiery serpent of brass symbolized the people's sins, then he should have understood Jesus when He said that He would be lifted up like that fiery serpent and that Nicodemus could be saved in the flesh by looking at Jesus by his faith when Jesus would be lifted up. Jesus further taught Nicodemus that whosoever looked to Jesus in faith lifted up would receive eternal life while still in the flesh which was an exact definition of being "born again."

Jesus also taught that His Love for humanity would cause Him to be lifted up to suffer for the sins and spiritual deaths of all humanity so that whosoever believed in Him would be saved from eternal death forever. God has proved in many scripture passages that He will save every living human that He ever created and loves, some by His grace and all others when they repent and believe in the Lamb while in the regions of death when He appears to them in a great worship service. God can never lose anything He has ever created and loves. Ecclesiastes 3:14; John 5:24; Revelation 5:11-14; Isaiah 45:20-25; Philippians 2:9-11; Psalm 107:9-14; Psalm 86:9; I Corinthians 15:22; Luke 20:38; Acts 3:20-21; Revelation 21:1-5 and many others.