John 3

You Must Be Born Again

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Given that Nicodenus has such an important role in the third chapter of John’s gospel, it is curious that the synoptic gospels do not mention him at all, not even once.

Most scholars believe that John’s gospel was probably written at least thirty-five years after the synoptics. We might assume that God’s intention was that these very important issues should not be circulated until after Paul’s missions were well established.

The gospels and Paul’s epistles were circulated during those decades after Christ’s resurrection. It was only after the churches were established that John’s gospel made its first appearance.

The synoptic gospels lent credibility to believers because of the unity of the messages and Paul’s epistles built upon those united messages.

Now John’s message comes along and supplements those other gospels with confirming words and only heightens what was already believed. The message of being born again would make more sense relating to Paul’s messages about growing faith and maturity.

There is a sense that if John’s message had been delivered at the same time as Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s that the Jews receiving his message would have been just as confused as Nicodemus, if not more so. The timing of John’s message makes sense from that point of view.

What can we learn from the other differences between John’s gospel and the synoptics?

I am glad you asked.

16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

6 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

6 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.

16  in their paths are ruin and misery,

16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed

16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses?

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 

16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers

16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.