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User-Posted Comments on John 3:3
(reply posted under John 3:1)
- jst (10/11/2010 1:28:37 AM) [qBible.com]
It seems as though you are putting words in his mouth, although I may be mistaken. I think the post was saying that you have to be "born from above" (or again, whatever the choice may be) in order to enter the kingdom, not that all who are born from above will enter the kingdom. I believe that what the editor may have been trying to say is that the passage is just letting nicodemus know that he must have been born from above in order to enter the kingdom in the first place, which is different than saying you will enter the kingdom if you were born from above. Both interpretations are confusing to me, and the passage is confusing no matter how you interpret it. But I have to ask that if "Nicodemus did not misunderstand Jesus" as the previous post said then why did Jesus ask, "You are Israel's teacher... and you do not understand these things?" (John 3:10)
- John (10/6/2010 11:17:41 PM) [qBible.com]
The post from "Editor, qBible.com (8/3/2010 6:02:54 PM)" seems to attempt - within the context of this post - to reduce the entire Gospel of Jesus Christ to a concept that if you exist, you get into the kingdom... because we all 'originate as children of God'. But Jesus says this is false elswhere in scripture:
John 8:23 And He [Jesus] said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
Matthew 18:3 ..."Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
John 12:36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light"...
Nicodemus did not misunderstand Jesus. Jesus said you must be born agian.
Doctrine should come from scripture, not the other way around.
Mat 18:7 (NET) …It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.
God's plan for salvation:
http://bible.org/article/gods-plan-salvation
- jst (9/19/2010 1:58:47 PM) [qBible.com]
The subject of this portion of scripture (John 3:1-13) is laid out in the beginning, with Nicodemus' statement: "we know that you are... come from God". The subject, therefore, is *origin* -- where we come from. Jesus' response is, "You must be born from above." Nicodemus, misunderstanding, assumes the other meaning of the Greek word anothen [i.e. "again"], and asks, "how can a man enter the womb a *second* time and be born [i.e. again]. However, Jesus is not refering to a second or "re"birth.
Jesus continues: "You must be born of water and of spirit. Do not marvel that I say you must be born from above. Just like the wind blows, and you cant tell *where it came from* or *where it is going*, so it is with everyone who is born of spirit. *We* speak that which we know, and testify that which we have seen. If I told you earthly things and you believe not, how shll you believe if I tell you heavenly things."
What Jesus is saying, is that being born of spirit is something we cannot see with our eyes. However, we (all of us) witness it every day, when we see a baby come out of the womb (i.e. being born of water/womb). Nicodemus does not realize that when we are born into this world (as babies out of the womb/water), the many are in actuality being born from above, or from God. This chapter is carefully written to take advantage of the dual-meaning of that Greek word "anothen" which can mean both "from above" and "again".
Jesus concludes: "No one has ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven..." So it may be observed: the entire subject of this portion of scripture has to do with origin:
(1)"we know you are COME FROM GOD"
(2)"you must be born FROM ABOVE (i.e. you must come from God also!!), the wind blows and you can not tell..
(3)WHERE IT COMES FROM (so it is with those who are born of spirit). However, we can witness the earthly (water/womb) birth. Finally, no one has ascended except for he who
(4)FIRST DESCENDED.
COME FROM GOD = BORN FROM ABOVE = WHERE [THE SPIRIT] COMES FROM = FIRST DESCENDED [FROM HEAVEN].
Jesus is refering to our origin as children of God, from God. And he is saying that our bodies may come from the womb, but our personages come from the spirit of God the Father. Most Christians misinterpret this teaching in the *SAME* way Nicodemus misinterpreted it! They assume Jesus is refering to a *re*birth, just as Nicodemus did! This is why the Lord said, "Do not marvel that I say you must be born from above -- we speak that which we know, and testify that which we have *SEEN*. This should not be a mystery to marvel at. This is actually not a parable at all; it is an explanation of where we come from -- literally! From the Father!
May the Father bless those who seek him.
- Editor, qBible.com (8/3/2010 6:02:54 PM) [qBible.com]
I do not understand this parable, can anyone explain?
- John (8/3/2010 11:48:33 AM) [qBible.com]
The same Greek word here translated "again"(KJV) and "anew"(ASV) is translated "from above" in verse 31 of the same chapter. A fair translation here could read, "Except a man be born from above..."
- Editor, qBible.com (10/4/2009 3:58:09 AM) [qBible.com]
- jst (10/11/2010 1:28:37 AM) [qBible.com]
It seems as though you are putting words in his mouth, although I may be mistaken. I think the post was saying that you have to be "born from above" (or again, whatever the choice may be) in order to enter the kingdom, not that all who are born from above will enter the kingdom. I believe that what the editor may have been trying to say is that the passage is just letting nicodemus know that he must have been born from above in order to enter the kingdom in the first place, which is different than saying you will enter the kingdom if you were born from above. Both interpretations are confusing to me, and the passage is confusing no matter how you interpret it. But I have to ask that if "Nicodemus did not misunderstand Jesus" as the previous post said then why did Jesus ask, "You are Israel's teacher... and you do not understand these things?" (John 3:10)
- John (10/6/2010 11:17:41 PM) [qBible.com]
The post from "Editor, qBible.com (8/3/2010 6:02:54 PM)" seems to attempt - within the context of this post - to reduce the entire Gospel of Jesus Christ to a concept that if you exist, you get into the kingdom... because we all 'originate as children of God'. But Jesus says this is false elswhere in scripture:
John 8:23 And He [Jesus] said to them, "You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world."
Matthew 18:3 ..."Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
John 12:36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light"...
Nicodemus did not misunderstand Jesus. Jesus said you must be born agian.
Doctrine should come from scripture, not the other way around.
Mat 18:7 (NET) …It is necessary that stumbling blocks come, but woe to the person through whom they come.
God's plan for salvation:
http://bible.org/article/gods-plan-salvation
- jst (9/19/2010 1:58:47 PM) [qBible.com]
The subject of this portion of scripture (John 3:1-13) is laid out in the beginning, with Nicodemus' statement: "we know that you are... come from God". The subject, therefore, is *origin* -- where we come from. Jesus' response is, "You must be born from above." Nicodemus, misunderstanding, assumes the other meaning of the Greek word anothen [i.e. "again"], and asks, "how can a man enter the womb a *second* time and be born [i.e. again]. However, Jesus is not refering to a second or "re"birth.
Jesus continues: "You must be born of water and of spirit. Do not marvel that I say you must be born from above. Just like the wind blows, and you cant tell *where it came from* or *where it is going*, so it is with everyone who is born of spirit. *We* speak that which we know, and testify that which we have seen. If I told you earthly things and you believe not, how shll you believe if I tell you heavenly things."
What Jesus is saying, is that being born of spirit is something we cannot see with our eyes. However, we (all of us) witness it every day, when we see a baby come out of the womb (i.e. being born of water/womb). Nicodemus does not realize that when we are born into this world (as babies out of the womb/water), the many are in actuality being born from above, or from God. This chapter is carefully written to take advantage of the dual-meaning of that Greek word "anothen" which can mean both "from above" and "again".
Jesus concludes: "No one has ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven..." So it may be observed: the entire subject of this portion of scripture has to do with origin:
(1)"we know you are COME FROM GOD"
(2)"you must be born FROM ABOVE (i.e. you must come from God also!!), the wind blows and you can not tell..
(3)WHERE IT COMES FROM (so it is with those who are born of spirit). However, we can witness the earthly (water/womb) birth. Finally, no one has ascended except for he who
(4)FIRST DESCENDED.
COME FROM GOD = BORN FROM ABOVE = WHERE [THE SPIRIT] COMES FROM = FIRST DESCENDED [FROM HEAVEN].
Jesus is refering to our origin as children of God, from God. And he is saying that our bodies may come from the womb, but our personages come from the spirit of God the Father. Most Christians misinterpret this teaching in the *SAME* way Nicodemus misinterpreted it! They assume Jesus is refering to a *re*birth, just as Nicodemus did! This is why the Lord said, "Do not marvel that I say you must be born from above -- we speak that which we know, and testify that which we have *SEEN*. This should not be a mystery to marvel at. This is actually not a parable at all; it is an explanation of where we come from -- literally! From the Father!
May the Father bless those who seek him.
- Editor, qBible.com (8/3/2010 6:02:54 PM) [qBible.com]
I do not understand this parable, can anyone explain?
- John (8/3/2010 11:48:33 AM) [qBible.com]
The same Greek word here translated "again"(KJV) and "anew"(ASV) is translated "from above" in verse 31 of the same chapter. A fair translation here could read, "Except a man be born from above..."
- Editor, qBible.com (10/4/2009 3:58:09 AM) [qBible.com]
Expand Comments for John 3:3.
