Question
John 3:1-15
1.Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26124a" \o "See footnote a" a]”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26127b" \o "See footnote b" b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26128c" \o "See footnote c" c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26129d" \o "See footnote d" d]
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26134e" \o "See footnote e" e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness,so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26135f" \o "See footnote f" f] 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”[ HYPERLINK "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3&version=NIV" \l "fen-NIV-26136g" \o "See footnote g" g]
(Numbers 21:8-9)8 The LORD said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” 9 So Moses made a bronze snakeand put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.
Read verses 1-4. Who was Nicodemus (1, 10)? Why did he come to Jesus at night? (3) What did he know about Jesus (2)?
According to Jesus, how can anyone see or enter the kingdom of God (3, 5)? What does it mean to be born again? How did Nicodemus respond to what Jesus said (4)?
Read verses 5-8. What does ‘born of water and the Spirit’ mean (5-7)? How did Jesus help Nicodemus to understand the work of the Spirit (8)?
Read verses 9-15. Why did Nicodemus respond to Jesus’ explanation?(9) Why was Jesus’ testimony trustworthy (10-13)? What event did Jesus mention to help Nicodemus to believe? (Nu 21:8-9)? How does this event foreshadow Jesus on the cross (14-15)? What does this event teach us about faith and salvation?