John Chapter 3

John Chapter 3: “You Must Be Born Again”

1. Nicodemus Comes by Night

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God.’” (John 3:1–2)

Nicodemus represents sincere religion still groping in darkness.
He is learned, upright, devout — yet he comes by night, symbolizing the shadows of the old covenant not yet illumined by grace.

St. Augustine remarks:

“He came by night, but his night was turning to dawn. For whoever comes to the Light, though late, will be enlightened.” (Tractates on John XI.3)

Nicodemus approaches as a scholar seeking truth; Christ will teach him as a soul needing rebirth.

2. The Need for a New Birth

“Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

Here is the Gospel’s great paradox:
The kingdom cannot be learned into — it must be born into.

The Greek word anōthen can mean both “again” and “from above.”
Christ’s meaning is both — a birth that is new in time and divine in origin.

St. John Chrysostom explains:

“He did not say, ‘Unless you learn,’ but ‘Unless you are born again.’ The new life does not come from teaching but from regeneration.” (Homilies on John XXV.1)

Nicodemus is being told that religion without rebirth remains fleshly; one must be made new by grace.

3. Flesh and Spirit

“Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ … Jesus answered, ‘Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:4–5)

Nicodemus misunderstands literally; Jesus answers sacramentally.
The birth “of water and the Spirit” is the sacrament of Baptism — the very entrance into the Kingdom.

St. Augustine says:

“What is born of the flesh is flesh; what is born of the Spirit is spirit. The first birth brings guilt, the second grace; the first death, the second life.” (Tractates on John XII.7)

And St. Cyril of Jerusalem declares:

“He joins water and the Spirit because they cannot be separated: the one cleanses the body, the other seals the soul.” (Catechetical Lectures III.4)

Here Jesus reveals the necessity and meaning of Baptism — not a mere symbol, but a true rebirth into divine life.

4. The Wind of the Spirit

“The wind blows where it wills, and you hear its sound, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)

Christ uses a play on words — the same Greek word (pneuma) means both wind and spirit.
The Spirit’s action is invisible yet powerful, gentle yet sovereign.

St. Ambrose comments:

“You see not the wind, yet you feel its breath; so the Spirit works secretly, but the fruits of His presence are manifest.” (On the Mysteries III.11)

Grace is not mechanical. The Spirit moves freely, creating sons of God not by human will but by divine generosity.

5. “How Can This Be?”

“Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can this be?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?’” (John 3:9–10)

Christ rebukes gently — the scholar must become a child.
True wisdom is not found in law or lineage but in faith.

St. Augustine notes:

“Nicodemus learned from the law but not from grace; he read the letter but had not tasted the Spirit.” (Tractates on John XII.9)

In the kingdom of God, every disciple must pass from curiosity to conversion.

6. The Testimony from Heaven

“We speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.” (John 3:11)

Here “we” signifies the divine communion — Father, Son, and Spirit bearing united witness.
Revelation is not human speculation but heavenly communication.

St. John Chrysostom explains:

“He speaks as one from heaven, who alone knows heaven. For He who came down is the only one who can lead up.” (Homilies on John XXVII.1)

Faith begins where human sight ends — it receives what heaven reveals.

7. The Son of Man Lifted Up

“No one has ascended into heaven but He who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.” (John 3:13–15)

The serpent of bronze (Numbers 21:8–9) healed those who looked upon it in faith.
So too the Cross heals those who look upon the Crucified with love.

St. Augustine beautifully interprets:

“The serpent signified death by sin; the lifting up signified the death of Christ. As they looked and lived, so we believe and are saved.” (Tractates on John XII.11)

The Cross is both judgment and mercy — sin condemned, salvation bestowed.

8. The Heart of the Gospel

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

This verse is the credo of grace.
God’s motive is love; His gift is His Son; His goal is eternal life.

St. Irenaeus declares:

“The glory of God is man fully alive; and the life of man is the vision of God.” (Against Heresies IV.20.7)

Every word here reverses the curse of Eden.
The Father gives what Adam grasped for, and the Son restores what sin lost.
Love is not sentiment but self-gift unto death.

9. Salvation and Judgment

“God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” (John 3:17)

The mission of Christ is salvation, not condemnation.
Yet rejection of light is itself judgment.

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (v.18)

St. Augustine writes:

“He came as physician, not as judge; but the sick who will not be healed judge themselves unworthy of health.” (Tractates on John XII.12)

Divine judgment is not arbitrary — it is the soul’s response to light.

10. The Light and the Darkness

“And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)

The crisis of humanity is not ignorance but love misplaced.
People cling to the shadows that conceal their sins rather than embrace the light that heals them.

St. John Chrysostom laments:

“The condemnation lies not in being sinners, but in loving sin more than the Savior.” (Homilies on John XXVIII.2)

Grace exposes not to shame but to transform; yet pride resists conversion.

11. The Truth That Frees

“He who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God.” (John 3:21)

The Gospel ends this dialogue with hope.
The believer who loves truth does not fear exposure, for he lives already in the light of grace.

St. Augustine says:

“To do the truth is to confess to God what we are, and to praise Him for what He makes us.” (Tractates on John XII.13)

The new birth thus flowers into the new life — transparent, thankful, and radiant.

12. Theological Summary

ThemeRevelation
Nicodemus by nightSincere seeking amid spiritual darkness
New birthBaptismal regeneration — life from above
Water and SpiritSacrament of initiation and sanctification
Wind of the SpiritFreedom and mystery of grace
Son of Man lifted upThe Cross as healing and exaltation
God’s loveThe motive and measure of salvation
Light and darknessFaith’s acceptance or rejection of truth

St. Augustine summarizes:

“Here is the Gospel in full — the new birth by grace, the death of the Son, the love of the Father, the light of the Spirit.” (Tractates on John XII.14)

13. Moral and Spiritual Application

Seek like Nicodemus. Come to Christ even if your understanding is still dim.

Receive the new birth. Treasure your Baptism — live from its grace daily.

Let the Spirit blow freely. Be docile to divine promptings.

Look to the Cross. Healing begins with the gaze of faith upon the Crucified.

Walk in the light. Live transparently before God — truthfully, humbly, joyfully.

14. Christ the New Birth of the World

In the Church’s life, this chapter unfolds constantly:

In Baptism, we are born of water and Spirit.

In the Cross, the Son of Man is lifted up for healing.

In the Eucharist, we receive eternal life.

In the Church, we walk as children of the light.

St. Ambrose beautifully writes:

“Every baptized soul is another Nicodemus, born from above; every font is a womb of heaven.” (On the Mysteries IV.24)

15. Closing Prayer

Father of lights and Giver of life,
You loved the world so much that You gave Your only Son.
Grant us to be born again of water and the Spirit,
to gaze upon the Crucified and live,
and to walk always in the brightness of Your truth.
May we who were born in Adam now live in Christ,
and bring others from darkness to light,
through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.