Born Again Through Jesus: John 3:1-21. Gospel of John Study 4.
Historical Background:
Pharisee: The 1st century historian Josephus presents the Pharisees as one of the religious sects in existence during the time of Jesus. They are often depicted as an “attractive, popular, and powerful faction, ascetic in lifestyle, concerned to present themselves as rigorists for the Torah (Jewish law). They have a body of additional interpretations and traditions, and religious practices are performed according to their interpretation. (This definition comes from the New Bible Dictionary’s definition of Pharisees.)
Son of Man: The phrase Son of Man is a direct allusion to Daniel 7:13-14. Whereas the “Son of Man” is often thought to indicate the humanity of Jesus, just as the reflex expression “Son of God” indicates his divinity. In fact, just the opposite is true. The Son of Man was a divine figure in the Old Testament book of Daniel who would come at the end of the world to judge mankind and rule forever. Thus, the claim to be the Son of Man would be in effect a claim to divinity.
Moses lifted up the snake in the Wilderness: In verse 14 of John 3 in Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus, he references an occurrence in Israel’s history where Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness. This reference is found in Numbers 21:4-7 of the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). The context is the Israelites have been delivered from oppression under the hand of Pharaoh and have been traveling around the desert for years. Time and time again, the people grumble against God though He continues to show up for them:
4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” 6 Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. 8 The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Read John 3:1-21
1) Who is Nicodemus? When and why does He come to Jesus? What has attracted him to Jesus?
2) How does Jesus respond to Nicodemus’ coming to him? What do you think about Jesus’ response to Nicodemus? Is there anything surprising about Jesus’ response? Why may Jesus have responded in this way? According to Jesus, how does one enter the Kingdom of God? What does it mean to be born of water and the spirit?
3) How does Nicodemus react to Jesus’ teaching that in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, one must be born again? Is Nicodemus’ response to Jesus reasonable?
4) Why would one need to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God?
5) What may Jesus be trying to tell Nicodemus in verse 13? What may it mean for Jesus to refer to Himself as the “Son of Man” in this context?
6) According to the apostle John verses 16-21, why is God the Father’s motivation for sending Jesus into the world? How do human beings come to know salvation?
Application:
*How do you feel about Jesus’ teaching that we must be born again to enter the Kingdom of God? What does it mean to you to be born again? What are the areas of or habits in your life that you would like God to cleanse and make new?
*How does it make you feel to know that God’s motivation in sending His Son to save the world was love?
