Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
Signs in John's Gospel - The Lamp Broadcast
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Except a Man… (II) 85<br />
8<br />
Except a Man… (II)<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a<br />
ruler of the Jews:<br />
<strong>The</strong> same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him,<br />
Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for<br />
no man can do these miracles [‘signs’] that thou doest except<br />
God be with him.<br />
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say<br />
unto thee, Except a man be born aga<strong>in</strong> [‘born from above’], he<br />
cannot see the k<strong>in</strong>gdom of God.<br />
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when<br />
he is old? Can he enter the second time <strong>in</strong>to his mother’s<br />
womb and be born?<br />
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man<br />
be born of water and of the Spirit [‘out of water and Spirit’],<br />
he cannot enter <strong>in</strong>to the k<strong>in</strong>gdom of God.<br />
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is<br />
born of the Spirit is spirit.<br />
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born aga<strong>in</strong><br />
[‘born from above,’ ‘brought forth from above’] (John 3:1-7).<br />
John <strong>in</strong>troduces a br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g forth out of God (1:13), a birth [a<br />
br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g forth] from above (3:3-7), <strong>in</strong> the open<strong>in</strong>g part of his gospel.<br />
And the context surround<strong>in</strong>g John’s <strong>in</strong>troduction is <strong>in</strong> relation to<br />
the Jewish people, signs, and the proffered k<strong>in</strong>gdom (1:11, 12; 3:2, 3).<br />
John then calls attention to the same th<strong>in</strong>g — a br<strong>in</strong>g<strong>in</strong>g forth<br />
out of God — ten times <strong>in</strong> his first epistle (2:29; 3:9 [twice]; 4:7; 5:1<br />
[three times]; 5:4; 5:18 [twice]). And from the subject matter of I<br />
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