Cf. If you've never seen it before, or if you haven't realized what the specific location of it is, this is the verse under that we talk about when we mention John 3:16. If, on the contrary, a soul has been taught of God the glory of the person of Him who was made flesh, he receives in all simplicity, and rejoices in, the glorious truth, that He who was made flesh was not made flesh only to this end, but rather as a step toward another and deeper work the glorifying God, and becoming our food, in death. Man was judged: another Man was there, the Lord from heaven, soon to stand in resurrection. The truth is, the design of manifesting His glory governs all; place or people was a matter of no consequence. The third chapter of John contains two related stories. VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. He also knew that Jesus would increase in honour and influence, for of his government and peace there would be no end, while he himself would be less followed. The first thing to look at is the verse itself. It can have meaning in the secular world, such as a "born again" politician who changes political parties, or in the religious world, where "born again Christian" is sometimes used to differentiate one from a "regular" Christian. FOR HOME USE ONLY (for church or group use see links below)Buy this Video here:https://www.seedsfamilyworship.com/product/i-believe-john-336/Buy I Believe DV. John knew that Jesus came from heaven as the Son of God, while he was a sinful, mortal man, who could only speak about the more plain subjects of religion. Nicodemus was told: "Unless a person is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God." Unless one has a new birth, a spiritual birth, one cannot see God's kingdom. 24 "Faithis a work of God in the sense it is that which God has ordered man to do"Guy N. Woods (1989), A Commentary on The Gospel of John (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company), p. 125. (Verses John 6:59-71) What and if they should see Him, who came down and died in this world, ascend up where He was before? At once their malice drops the beneficent power of God in the case, provoked at the fancied wrong done to the seventh day. obedience to the faith, Romans 1:5.). No doubt Jesus Himself had the Holy Ghost given to Him, as it was meet that He in all things should have the pre-eminence; but it shows yet more both the personal glory of Christ and the efficacy of His work, that He now gives the same Spirit to those who receive His testimony, and set to their seal that God is true. By the grace of God, John had come to know and appreciate the true identity of Jesus Christ. It is now eternal reality, and the name of Jesus Christ is that which puts all things to a final test. This question is raised, or rather settled, by the Lord in Jerusalem, at the passover feast, where many believed on His name, beholding the signs He wrought. Thus we have here the other side of the truth: not merely what God is in life and light, in grace and truth, as revealed in Christ coming down to man; but man is now judged in the very root of his nature, and proved to be entirely incapable, in his best state, of seeing or entering the kingdom of God. Truth and grace were not sought nor found in man, but began to subsist here below by Jesus Christ. abideth on himIt was on Him before, and not being removed in the only possible way, by "believing on the Son," it necessarily remaineth on him! From the very first, man, being a sinner, was wholly lost. And in fact, the original hearer apparently . This gives occasion to Jesus to teach us the lesson that conscience must be reached, and sense of sin produced, before grace is understood and brings forth fruit. Heavenly things, therefore, could not but be natural to Him, if one may so say. , , . The Christian here has a foretaste of the world of glory, and enjoys the same kind of felicity, though not the same degree, that he will there. He gave them title to take the place of children of God, even to those that believe on His name. (Verses John 3:1-6), But the Lord goes farther, and bids Nicodemus not wonder at His insisting on this need. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, He that believeth on the Son Who is a proper object of faith and trust; which, if he was not truly and properly God, he would not be: and this is to be understood not of any sort of faith, a temporary, or an historical one; but of that which is the faith of God's elect, the gift of God, and the operation of his Spirit; by which a man sees the Son, goes unto him, ventures and relies upon him, and commits himself to him, and expects life and salvation from him; and who shall not be ashamed and confounded; for such an one. But John was not merely an earthly witness pointing us to Christ. Though He could not, would not deny Himself (and He was the Son, and Word, and God), yet had He taken the place of a man, of a servant. As there is no way of escaping the wrath of God but by the Lord Jesus Christ, so those who will not believe must go to eternity "as they are," and bear alone and unpitied all that God may choose to inflict as the expression of "his" sense of sin. They had stumbled before, and the Lord brought in not alone His person, as the Word made flesh, presented for man now to receive and enjoy; but unless they ate the flesh, and drank the blood of the Son of man, they had no life in them. The refusal of His precious blood will, on the contrary, make their case incomparably worse than that of the heathen who never heard the good news. The hour was one for faith, or unbelief. After this we have, suitably to this gospel, John's connection with the Lord Jesus. They should have understood more about Him those that were specially favoured. A. John 3:16 King James Version. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. If He judges, it is not without full warning. Of course it is the revelation of Christ; but here He was simply revealing the sources of this indispensable new birth. As there is no way of escaping the wrath of God but by the Lord Jesus Christ, so those who will not believe must go to eternity as they are, and bear alone and unpitied all that God may choose to inflict as the expression of his sense of sin. John is not saying that Christ in himself is not already as great intrinsically as he could possibly be. If He put forth His power, it was not only beyond man's measure, but unequivocally divine, however also the humblest and most dependent of men. ", To report dead links, typos, or html errors or suggestions about making these resources more useful use the convenient, Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ): This leads Philip to Nathanael, in whose case, when he comes to Jesus, we see not divine power alone in sounding the souls of men, but over creation. The Christian here has a foretaste of the world of glory, and enjoys the same kind of felicity, though not the same degree, that he will there.Shall not see life - Shall neither enjoy true life or happiness here nor in the world to come. The resurrection of the Lord is not more truly a demonstration of His power and glory, than the only deliverance for disciples from the thraldom of Jewish influence. At this time, Israel's Roman occupiers have given a small group of Sadducees and Pharisees limited powers to rule, and Nicodemus is one of the Pharisees. Many people think that believing in the Son means believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that Jesus' way is the way of everlasting life. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Further, if Jesus had made such a statement, He would have contradicted numerous other Bible passages that make it clear that salvation is by faith (John 3:16; John 3:36; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). The sacrificial death of Him who is God goes far beyond the thought of Israel. Jesus not only could go up, as He did later, but He had come down thence, and, even though man, He was the Son of man that is in heaven. Granted He was the Son of man; but as such, He had all judgment given Him, and would judge. Thus we feed on Him and drink into Him, as man, unto life everlasting life in Him. But the chilling words that follow warn usthat whoever chooses to reject the clear teaching of the gospel of grace, will experience shocking and eternal consequences: "For he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.". Therefore, it seems to me, He adds verse 24. Home COMMENTARY What is the meaning of John 3:36? This, of course, supposes the setting aside of Jerusalem, its people and house, as they now are, and is justified by the great fact of Christ's death and resurrection, which is the key to all, though not yet intelligible even to the disciples. He borewitness that:"The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. This only secures His honour in those that believe God's testimony to Him, the Son of God; and to these He gives life, everlasting life now, and exemption from judgment, in this acting in communion with the Father. John 3:1-36 follows this up. (Verses John 1:44-51). But they learn that it was his divine Physician who had not only healed, but so directed him. A second and wholly new man appears the bread of God, not of man, but for men. Both words are used in the phrase wrath of God, which commonly denotes a distinct manifestation of God's judgment (Romans 1:18; Romans 3:5; Romans 9:22; Romans 12:19). In truth, Christian baptism did not yet exist, but only such as the disciples used, like John the Baptist; it was not instituted of Christ till after His resurrection, as it sets forth His death. 1. John 7:37) It is not a question of eating the bread of God, or, when Christ died, of eating His flesh and drinking His blood. Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 44:3, Isaiah 59:21, Ezekiel 36:25-27 ought to have made the Lord's meaning plain to an intelligent Jew. Notably He is now applying it to the reconciliation of a people, who are also baptized by the Holy Ghost into one body. Judgment is the alternative for man: for God it is the resource to make good the glory of the Son, and in that nature, in and for which man blind to his own highest dignity dares to despise Him. Today, the phrase "born again" can have any one of a host of meanings. John 3:8; John 3:8.. Here we see Him accepting, not as fellow-servant, but as Lord, those souls who had been under the training of the predicted messenger of Jehovah that was to prepare His way before, His face.