For example, to the rich young ruler, He says to "go and sell all"; to the adulteress, "go and sin no more"; and to Nicodemus He says, "YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN."

In Genesis, "Life" breathed into man is plural in the Hebrew, indicating both physical and spiritual life. But God warned: "In the day you eat...you will die." Sin destroys instantly the spiritual life and eventually takes the physical. So, man Adam I) died initially a spiritual death, with all his descendants capable of being born only into a physical life -- spiritually dead at physical birth (he could not reproduce what he did not possess to pass on). It is evident, then, that all born from the blood of Adam I (each displaying that same genetic proclivity to evil and sin as him) are clearly in need of a second birth of someone else if one is to live beyond the passed on limitations of the first. Having been born of Adam into an evil physical nature only, it is appointed for all humans to die once. But if one is born again, anew from above, as with the first, that one will not see the second death (eternal separation from God in a place prepared for all those who oppose Him, be they creatures from Heaven or earth -- Hell). The true definition of death is merely "separation." To us, physical death is defined in terms of the "separation of the soul of man from his body." The body ceases to be viable, but almost all believe the soul continues to exist beyond its earthly stay. Adam eventually died a physical death, but his spiritual death was the separation from the intimate and eternal caring of God as his Father. His exclusion from the Garden was both literal and symbolic of the death of that spiritual life.

But into this condition of man's darkness the Light appeared. A second Adam, one who was obedient, has at last come to provide a way of re-entry. He Himself has re-opened to man what has been shut to him since loosing it through the first Adam's disobedience. And He leads the way for all who will follow Him back into that intimate fellowship with the Father once again.

Based on our study, a question arises here: If man, living in darkness, cannot "see" to participate in (vs.3) the kingdom without being born again, how then is he to know of the entrance whereby he may enter (vs.5)? The twofold answer to this quandary is seen in Jesus Himself as He has come to teach man. He is both:

1.   The Light by which the Kingdom is illuminated, and
2.   Its only Door through which man can and must enter.

Follow with me for a moment. Into our world of darkness the Light has appeared for the purpose of leading one (who is blind to the Kingdom-- because it is spiritual) to the open Door. (Study Chapter 10 with Chapter 3.) Having seen the Light and being drawn to its Source, and upon arriving at that concentrated focal point of the Light emanating through the open Door into the kingdom, one is confronted with that eternal and all important decision: Do I enter, or turn away? One cannot stand in an unclean condition for very long in its presence. Truth-lovers, sensing its goodness and rightness, and being convicted of their unclean condition in its brilliant exposure, take that step of faith and instantly regeneration (new birth) occurs the moment they cross the threshold. All of a sudden, a whole NEW WORLD opens up to them. What they once could not see, or perceive, is now clearly and magnificently shown by the Holy Spirit who ushered them to and into it. (Again see 1:50,51. After Nathanael believes, Jesus made him this promise! See also 11:9-10.)

But there is another, our text teaches us, one whose deeds are evil, who, after seeing the Light and examining it for a moment, turns away to hide from its penetrating brilliance -- loving his or her own present pleasure, only to remain in darkness under self-imposed condemnation. (Such was the Pharisee, e.g., 11:37.)

Nicodemus, though a Pharisee, but unlike his associates, is representative of ALL anthropos (mankind) who comes in darkness to the Light. Hence, the SYMBOL of his coming in the NIGHT! Therefore, it matters not the physical reasons as some have suggested (Jesus and he were both busy men by day; afraid of his Council peers, etc.), the point here is to show that man comes in darkness to Jesus, even the most self-righteous descendant of Abraham. Therefore, the point of the writer, the point of the Lord, the point of the Holy Spirit, is to illustrate that ALL MEN, even the most righteous, live spiritually dead in darkness, and in Jesus is Light, the Absolute Truth! (Saul, facing it directly, was blinded by its sudden appearance to him because his sin was so great. Acts 8:3; 9:1; 22:4)

This is the message of Nicodemus and John 3:1-21. It is the GOSPEL as delivered by Jesus Himself to all mankind. The choice is simple, as He put it: Choose Him and live, or turn away into self-condemnation and eternal darkness. Only a fool would choose the latter!

Another question arises here: How can Jesus, Himself being a man born of woman, offer to another this eternal life? Does He not also need this regeneration? NO! Indeed, He spoke of the necessity of ALL men born of woman (or the first Adam) be born again (of the Second), born of the SPIRIT to inherit eternal life. And Jesus was born of woman, therefore, He was a man as all men. However, we must remember that Jesus was BORN OF THE SPIRIT -- at conception! Hence, His blood was in purity at that moment of conception by the Holy Spirit, negating the curse of the first Adam inherited through the genetics of His mother. (The blood circulatory system is the first system to develop upon conception in order to continue and sustain life.)

Now, through His becoming the Second Adam, without sin and a sinful nature, but unlike the first, kept Himself from sin. (It should be remembered here that this male Jew for 30-33 years did not offer blood sacrifices for His sins at the annual Day of Atonement, for He was without sin! As stated earlier, this should have been a sign for all in His day: family, friends, and especially the Priests of the Temple.) To continue, being born of the Spirit, this Second Adam even submitted Himself to John the Baptist or baptism for: (1) identification with all humans as human, especially those who desire to respond to the requirement of God's call to the Kingdom as it was presently being heralded by this forerunner, (2) identifying Himself through His obedience as the Lamb being prepared spotless for the FINAL and fulfilling sacrifice, and (3) thus authenticating John's work. (The Temple and its blood sacrifices were destroyed in A.D.70 just as Christ prophesied - Mt.24:1-2.) Subsequently, for 2,000 years His blood alone has been the only available and capable of cleansing man's sins and passing on the Life within it. It is only through His work are we permitted to enter into the Life promised by the Father -- His Kingdom. He said it was finished upon the Cross, and without the cleansing by His blood shed there, there can be no remission of man's guilty condition - Heb.9:22. The first Adam's impure blood passed on his evil nature and death to all his descendants, but this Second, whose Blood was pure, passes on new Life for all those who enter its flow. "YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN!"

After concluding His discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus begins a successful Judean ministry, baptizing many disciples. John will explain in 4:2 that Jesus Himself did not actually perform these, but that they were done through His then six chosen disciples. Although the Baptist was ministering in close proximity to Jesus, and a question arose concerning the difference in their two baptisms, there is no conflict seen here by either John or Jesus. However, so as not to create difficulties or further confusion with either the crowds or the authorities for the Baptist, Jesus will depart the area for a ministry in Galilee -- but not before John gives clear and convincing testimony to his subservient role to the One who is deserving of all faith, trust, and honor.