The translation of John 3 is interesting. The ESV has a footnote: you must be born again can be translated as you must be born from above: the Gk word is deliberately ambiguous. In English, this translation makes it look like Nicodemus was obtuse. He was not. The word has two meanings, and the translators chose to emphasize this.
There is a risk here. That we will see from above and think that this implies knowledge. It does not.
It implies that our regeneration is a work of God. It is not our doing. It is the work of the Holy Spirit.
2:23When he was in Jerusalem during the Passover festival, many believed in his name because they saw the signs that he was doing. 24But Jesus on his part would not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to testify about anyone; for he himself knew what was in everyone.
3:1Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” 3Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” 5Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?
11“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
The work of the spirit is described as occurring here. On the earth: not in heaven or in any spiritual realm. The problem we have is that we don’t hear it or see it. We see the results. We are all to ready to attribute our covetousness, jealousy, greed, gluttony and lust to the Spirit. As if there is but one spirit in this world. The scripture makes it clear that Satan rages through this world like a wounded predator, raging against the dying of his time.
And the Spirit will bring us to the cross, even though it is a shame, and we will have to confront our shame there.
I pray that all the readers and all whom I love see Christ, lifted up, and taking our penalty. For it is in Christ that we are born again, and we can choose to live for him, and be a witness against the effete, corrupt and sterile narrative of this age.
