John 3:8-12 (WEL) “The Spirit [or wind] blows where it wants. You hear its sound but cannot tell where it comes from, and so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are a master teacher of Israel and don’t know these things? 11 “Very truly, I say to you, ‘We speak what we know and testify what we have seen,’ but you don’t accept our testimony. 12 “If I told you earthly things, and you won’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
V8 “The Spirit [or wind] blows where it wants. You hear its sound but cannot tell where it comes from, and so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
When one is born of the Spirit, it is not as obvious as our human birth. It is subtle, quiet, and unnoticeable, but it is real and is seen in a change of attitude, conviction, and willingness to tell others.
A number of commentators wonder if the night breeze was sweeping by Jesus and Nicodemus as Jesus was teaching the Master teacher of Israel.
V9 Nicodemus answered and said to him, “How can these things be?”
Nicodemus is shocked. If one of the greatest teachers in Israel does not know, it reveals a few things:
Bad Bible interpretation instead of the plain, normal sense
Bad theology instead of holding the Bible as the highest authority; he used theology, trust in good works, and adherence to Mosaic Law
Bad examples and teachers before him instead of the authority of the Bible.
Even the best of teachers cannot find truth through human efforts. It is only through the effort of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).
V10 Jesus answered and said to him, “You are a master teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?
Jesus is surprised that the Master teacher does not know this. This surprise might be rhetorical or actual.
Comments:
Vincent: “Nicodemus is not reproved for the want of previous knowledge, but for the want of perception or understanding when these truths are expounded to him.”
Barclay (beware): “There are two kinds of misunderstanding. There is the misunderstanding of the man who misunderstands because he has not yet reached a stage of knowledge and of experience at which he is able to grasp the truth. When a man is in that state, our duty is to do all that we can to explain things to him so that he will be able to grasp the knowledge which is being offered to him. There is also the misunderstanding of the man who is unwilling to understand; there is a failure to see which comes from the refusal to see. A man can deliberately shut his mind to truth which he does not wish to accept.”
The New Birth is a concept taught in the Old Testament (Ezekiel 18:31 and Ezekiel 36:26).
V11 “Very truly, I say to you, ‘We speak what we know and testify what we have seen,’ but you don’t accept our testimony.
This is very revealing. We refers to God Himself telling Nicodemus the truth through Israel’s prophets and directly from God Himself who is talking to him.
The Greek word for accept is G2983 λαμβάνω lambanō, which means (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged – Little Kittel)) “From the basic sense ‘to take,’ lambánō acquires the active senses a. ‘to take to oneself,’ ‘to receive,’ ‘to collect,’ and b. ‘to seize.’”
(Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains (Louw & Nida)) “to take hold of something or someone, with or without force – to take hold of, to grasp, to grab.”
The information concerning the New Birth is taught, but that people will suppress or reject. It appears that up to new Nicodemus did both.
V12 “If I told you earthly things, and you won’t believe, how will you believe, if I tell you about heavenly things?
[Most translate this sentence…. “and you don’t believe.” I understand there is a decision here, so translated it…. “and you won’t believe.” They refuse to believe the facts and the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Old Testament’s prophets].
Earthly things refers to wind.
Heavenly things refers to the New Birth.
We must accept reality, that is, truth. More and more people accept their opinions as truth instead of reality.
They suppress it—Romans 1:20
Substitute it—Acts 13:46-47
Love of sin—2 Timothy 3:5-8
Hate Jesus and His message (Gospel)—Luke 6:22
What we need in truth in our soul and spirit, that is, our emotions, thinking, reasoning, deciding, etc.—Psalm 51:6.
We learn:
- The ignorance of natural man.
- The message of Jesus.
- The counseling of Jesus.
Questions:
- What is truth?
- Do you reject Jesus and His message?