|
Gospel of John
Chapter
III |
|
King James
Bible Text |
Study Notes
Commentary |
|
1 There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
|
Verse 1 Remember that the
Pharisees were an ancient Jewish sect that followed the Laws of
Moses with their strict rituals and customs! Nicodemus knows there
is something very different about Jesus’ teaching – do you? Read
on!
|
|
2 The same came to Jesus
by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou
doest, except God be with him.
|
Verse 2 Nicodemus is a
Pharisee, a teacher of the Old Testament laws of vengeance and
judgment! He doesn’t want to be seen going to Jesus in daylight!
He asks Jesus how He does miracles! Jesus’ teachings are not the
same as the Old Testament laws! He teaches only love one another
and forgive!
|
|
3 Jesus answered and said
unto him, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God.
|
Verse 3 Here is where you
can question your own beliefs! How do you operate – from vengeance
or love? Be very honest! Yes, you have to be born again! Why?
Because "as ye sow, so shall ye reap" – what you ask for, you get!
Ask Jesus to enter your
heart and mind right now! You’ll be surprised to find He has
always been there! Go on – do it!
|
|
4 Nicodemus saith unto
him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second
time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
|
Verse 4 Good question!
What do you think being born again means? How about "born
again" in a change of your mind – a new way of thinking?
|
|
5 Jesus answered,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a
man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God.
|
Verse 5 Jesus is telling
Nicodemus that a man must be born into the world, and then
remember that he is Spirit before he can enter the kingdom of
God! This is all about you remembering you are Spirit!
|
|
6
That which is born of the flesh is flesh;
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
|
Verse 6 You are born as a
man – now you are reborn as the Christ Mind! It is an experience
unlike anything you have ever had – a wake-up call! You are waking
up! |
7
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again.
|
Verse 7 You have the
power to change your mind (your thinking) right now! Just let go
of your resentments and grievances and be born again! Don’t be
surprised – it’s a natural occurrence! |
|
8
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
|
Verse 8 This sounds very
fancy, but all you really have to do is breathe! God has
you, and that would have to be a total surprise – and a
mystery, right?
|
|
9 Nicodemus answered and
said unto him, How can these things be? |
Verse 9 This is another
really good question! How can these things be? Can it be of God?
Oh yes, it is! |
|
10 Jesus answered and
said unto him, Art thou a master
of Israel, and knowest not these things? |
Verse 10 Here’s where the
rubber meets the road! Jesus says, "You don’t know what I mean?!
You’re supposed to be a master of Israel!"
|
11
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak
that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not
our witness.
|
Verse 11 This whole
chapter is Jesus telling you to "walk the talk!" He says, "Look,
I’m telling you the truth, but you’re not accepting it!" Words
mean nothing if you are not willing to live them! The "We" that
Jesus speaks of includes the Christ Mind in you! There is only you
– it’s your story, remember?! |
|
12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye
believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly
things?
|
Verse 12 Jesus asks how
can you possibly learn of heavenly things, when you don’t even
believe Him when He tells you the condition of the world (pain,
misery, suffering and death)! You already know there is a Heaven,
because you came from there in the first place! Remember – you are
not from here! Good news! |
|
13
And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but
he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven. |
Verse 13 Jesus says that
you must be born into the world as a human before you are reborn
as the Son of God! In Truth, everything is in Heaven because
nothing is apart from God! Are you willing, for an instant, to
accept that possibility? |
|
14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
|
Verse 14 The story of
Moses lifting up the serpent, as a way of trusting in God, comes
from the Old Testament! Now Jesus is asking you to be
lifted up by God!
|
|
15
That whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have eternal life. |
Verse 15 Jesus asks
Nicodemus to believe in His offering of eternal life right now!
This offering is for you, too!
|
|
16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.
|
Verse 16 This is the most
favorite of all Jesus’ messages! Yes – God did send Jesus Christ
into the world to save you! God is your Strength! His Voice speaks
to you all through the day, and there is nothing to fear! Go for
It!
|
|
17
For God sent not his Son into the world to
condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
|
Verse 17 Who do you think
Jesus is talking to? Yes, you! It’s through you that the
world (your world) is saved! Forgive your enemies, and you will
understand the Love of God for you – simply because you are
already forgiven in God’s eyes!
|
|
18
He that believeth on him is not condemned:
but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
|
Verse 18 Jesus knows you
think you are guilty, but that’s not where He’s coming from!
Anyone who thinks he is guilty is seeing himself as the son of
man; not as he truly is! You are the Holy Son of God –
Jesus’ brother! One, in Christ!
|
|
19
And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. |
Verse 19 The Light has
come! Do you want it? – or do you still prefer the darkness of
your own thoughts? You are the only one condemning yourself – stop
your disbelief! God loves you! |
|
20
For every one that doeth evil hateth the
light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be
reproved. |
Verse 20 You do hate the
Light, if you think you are evil! You are frightened of the
Light because you believe God will judge you as a sinner!
Nonsense! God does not
judge!
|
|
21
But he that doeth truth cometh to the light,
that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
|
Verse 21 Once again –
this is all about you forgiving you! There is
nothing that Faith cannot forgive! You are already wrought
(created) in God! What a grand surprise! Relax – God’s in charge! |
22
After these things came Jesus and his
disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them,
and baptized.
|
Verse 22 Tarry
means to wait or stay! Jesus is just doing God’s work! Baptize
also means to cleanse – and wouldn’t cleanse mean to
let go of all your old resentments and hatreds? You are the one
who needs to change what you believe – no one else can do
that for you! Yes – that will take a miracle, because you are so
used to being resentful and bitter that it would have to
take a miracle! Go on – have mercy on yourself – forgive yourself! |
|
23
And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to
Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were
baptized.
|
Verse 23 John’s story –
that’s all! Sounds like the song, "Take Me to the River!"
|
|
24
For John was not yet cast into prison.
|
Verse 24 Here’s the
moment of truth! Look at where you find yourself! Your idea of
where and what you are is a prison of your own making, but it’s
just your idea that you are separate from God! There
is no wall between you and God! You are not a victim! You made up
the prison in which you see yourself and you could see peace
instead of prison! It’s all up to you! |
|
25
Then there arose a question between some of
John’s disciples and the Jews about purifying.
|
Verse 25 Purifying,
baptizing, cleansing all mean the same! They are all from God, and
Jesus tells you so! What’s there to question? |
|
26
And they came unto John, and said unto him,
Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest
witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
|
Verse 26 The people are
now noticing Jesus! He’s causing a stir among the crowds, and they
come to John the Baptist, questioning him about Jesus baptizing
the people!
|
|
27
John answered and said, A man can receive
nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
|
Verse 27 All real
gifts are from heaven – such as gifts of forgiveness, honesty,
patience, generosity, thankfulness, open-mindedness! Thank God!
|
|
28
Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said,
I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. |
Verse 28 John really is
the "Herald of Eternity!" You need to learn that he is bringing
into your heart the good news that Jesus is coming and
is here!
|
|
29
He that hath the bride is the bridegroom:
but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him,
rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy
therefore is fulfilled. |
Verse 29 John says Jesus
is like a bridegroom, and he is like his best man! How happy and
joyful John is to be Jesus’ friend, helping Him, by announcing His
coming! You do love to hear the story of Jesus - because
He’s your Savior!
|
30
He must increase, but I must decrease.
|
Verse 30 Christ becomes
more present (real) in you as you let go of your old ideas of what
you think you are and let God in! Only God does the work in you!
|
|
31
He that cometh from above is above all: he
that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he
that cometh from heaven is above all.
|
Verse 31 This is John
telling you to turn your eyes to God and heaven! Let go of the
world, not through death, but through Life, and this day you will
be in heaven!
|
|
32
And what he hath seen and heard, that he
testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
|
Verse 32 The message of
Jesus is not of this world, nor are you! It’s a New Commandment,
"Love one another as I have loved you!"
|
|
33
He that hath received his testimony hath set
to his seal that God is true.
|
Verse 33 God is a fact!
You need to know this!
|
|
34
For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words
of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
|
Verse 34 God does not
give you just a little! He gives you everything – forever! It is
beyond measurement! Don’t try to understand it! Just accept it!
|
|
35
The Father loveth the Son, and hath given
all things into his hand. |
Verse 35 With God all
things are possible! Expect miracles all the time! |
|
36
He that believeth on the Son hath
everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see
life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
|
Verse 36 Remember, the
wrath (fury) of a "punishing God" is an Old Testament idea!
Yet God gives only life, not death! Fear not! Jesus is the
New Covenant, a new agreement or promise of what God is!
Believe Jesus! He says
that God is Love and God is life, and so you are Love and
you are Life! This is your whole new reason for
being here!
How would this idea
change the way you do things, or the way you see others?
|