John 3

John 3 is a chapter near the beginning of the Gospel of John. It follows the account in John 2 of people in Jerusalem who believed when they saw the signs Jesus performed, and it opens as a ruler who had seen those signs comes to Jesus.

Outline

• Verses 1–15 Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, comes to Jesus by night. Jesus tells him that a person must be born "of water and of the Spirit" and that the Son of man must be lifted up, as Moses lifted up the serpent.
• Verses 16–21 These verses speak of God's purpose in giving his only begotten Son, of belief and judgment, and of light and darkness.
• Verses 22–30 Jesus and John are each baptizing. John states that he is not the Christ but the friend of the bridegroom.
• Verses 31–36 These verses speak of the testimony of the one who comes from above and conclude that whoever believes on the Son has everlasting life.

Key Verses

• John 3:3 "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This is the classic verse on being born again (the new birth).
• John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son." Because it summarizes the gospel in a single verse, it is sometimes called "the gospel in miniature."
• John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease." This is John's confession of humility before Jesus.

People and Places

• Jesus Christ, Nicodemus, John the Baptist, Moses
• Aenon: A place near Salim where there was much water; its exact location is unknown.
• The land of Judea and the Jordan River

Points for Reflection

• Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and other traditions read "water and the Spirit" (v. 5) in connection with baptism. Among Presbyterians, Baptists, and others, interpretations are also found that take the phrase as a symbol of cleansing or of the Word, or as a reference to physical birth.
• Verse 14 refers to the bronze serpent of Numbers 21:8–9.
• The text does not say why Nicodemus came by night. The explanation that he came out of fear is a later interpretation.
• Scholars differ on whether verses 16–21 and 31–36 are the words of Jesus and John, respectively, or the author's commentary.
• Nicodemus appears again in John 7 and John 19.

In the Korean Church

John 3:16 is widely used as a Scripture memorization verse in Sunday schools, and it is quoted in evangelistic materials, including the Four Spiritual Laws tract of Korea Campus Crusade for Christ.