The Life of Christ

This rather difficult verse has been debated down through the ages.

• Does being “born of water” refer to natural childbirth or water baptism?

Keeping within the laws of Hermeneutics, we must take into account whom Jesus is addressing .

• Nicodemus confused “new birth” with climbing back into his mother’s womb.

• Jesus answers Nicodemus’ lack of understanding by explaining the difference between physical birth and spiritual birth.

• To be born of water in that culture referred to natural childbirth, which included the discharge of water, resulting from the breaking of the amniotic sac.

• Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that “natural birth is not enough; you must also experience a spiritual birth.”

Verse 6 essentially says the same thing.

• “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit.”

Jn. 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life.

Jesus refers to the story in Num. 21:8-9 when the Israelites sinned, and God smote them with serpents.

• After the Israelites repented, God told Moses to make a serpent of brass, lift it up on a pole, and whoever would look at it would be healed.

• The Hebrew word for “pole” in Num. 21:8 is the same word for “standard,” which held up the tribal banner.

• These poles were about nine feet tall, which included a crossbar to uphold the banner signifying the tribe.

As a result, we see a serpent affixed to what would resemble a cross.

• Jesus explains to Nicodemus that He was the serpent upon the pole by saying, “the Son of Man must be lifted up.”

• They had sinned against the Lord, and now by making the effort to look at the Lord they would be healed by the Lord.

• 2 Cor. 5:21 reads, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us.”

• The genius of this healing, which prophetically foretold the cross, was that what made them sick would also become their cure.

• The Afflicter, the Afflicted, and the Healer are all the same Person.

To respond to this promise required each Israelite to travel a certain distance, not a small thing in a community of several million.

• Healing was promised to any and all who made the effort to position themselves in front of the serpent upon the pole and simply “look up.”

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