My thoughts. I believe Nicodemus gradually becomes a believer. Evidence suggests in the first encounter with Jesus, he is not a believer. However, by Nicodemus’ third encounter recorded my John, he is seen preparing Jesus body for his burial…. a strong suggestion he is a believer.
In the preceding pericope of John’s gospel, it is revealed Jesus has an inherent distrust of those who follow him specifically due to His performing signs.
“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them…” John 2:23
Jesus had a hard time trusting some individuals who believed in him and followed him through out his three year ministry (possibly false beliefs) because of His miracles. Jesus knew their belief was probably a thin, superficial belief. It wasn’t based on anything other than an admiration of the spectacular. Knowing this, Jesus did not entrust Himself to them. They saw great signs and on account of that had some understanding of who Jesus was, but they did not actually receive and rest upon Him for salvation. It was a primarily signs-based faith and not a primarily gospel-based faith.
These followers of Jesus possibly could be a close equivalent of the Parable of the Sower, specifically referencing the seeds cast upon the thorns, rocks, and roadway. Or maybe, Simon Magnus who believed and was baptized fell away due to his desire to possess supernatural gifts.
So in John 3:1, Nicodemus comes to Jesus because of his performing miracles. And John’s readers are curious at this initial encounter with Nicodemus whether he is a believer that Jesus is the Messiah or not.
Jesus allows John’s readers to make that determination by using the greek word γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν as a
Double Entendra which means either born from above or born again;
John’s readers know they are "born from above" as stated in his Prologue (John 1:12-13).
John tells his readers that all "who believed in His name" are given "the right to become children of God." Most of us, upon reading this, would assume that this "right to become children of God" comes through adoption. John, however, is saying much more. Here in verse 13, we find that it is not adoption that John is speaking of, but birth. This is the new birth or regeneration. John says: "Children born...". We are "born of God", given a new birth. This has staggering implications. First, a new birth implies that God is the source. Just like natural birth form parents, the new birth is of God Himself. Second, new birth implies a drastic change; New birth, however, gives rise to a new person, a new creation. As Paul wrote: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (II Cor. 5:17). Those who experience the new birth have new appetites, new desires, new strengths, new talents, new values, as they are "born of God” or “born from above.”
However, there is a second category of humanity John speaks about in the Prologue: the world (John 1:10-11). When the Word came into the world, there was a separation between the people who accepted him, and those who rejected him (v10). John uses the word 'world' in two ways: The wide usage would be Jesus made the physical world and his mission was to the world (3:16), but the world rejected him. The narrow usage of the “world” is the unbelieving culture that was opposed to Jesus and his disciples. He was not only rejected by the world, but also by his own people (v11). John uses the term “the Jews” as a mostly negative phrase to describe the Jewish leaders who rejected him as their Messiah.
Jesus just floats a statement to Nicodemus and allows him to choose the meaning of the
double entendra from himself….
I say to you, unless one is γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus replies with a naturalistic understanding of the double entendre.. “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
This statement by Nicodemus says a lot. As a high-ranking Pharisee, Nicodemus was the ancient equivalent of a politician and professor all rolled into one. Jesus breaks through Nicodemus’ self-reliance by showing him that he doesn’t understand religion as well as he might think. John’s readers know Nicodemus is an unbeliever as he inquired about Jesus’ miracles. Nicodemus doesn’t know Jesus is the Messiah. For the Jews, especially the Pharisees (like Nicodemus) believed they were children of God, due to being Children of Abraham. Towards the end of Jesus’ three year ministry, this rejection from the Jewish leadership was so profound, Jesus calls them spiritual children of the Devil for the “Devil is their father’ (John 8:44).
John’s readers know immediately which category they are in: they are born from above…they are children of God and born of God (John 1:12-13). Nicodemus predictively is an unbeliever at this point and takes a naturalistic understanding of Jesus usage of ἄνωθεν
Jesus now reveals he is the Messiah to Nicodemus, but he does it cryptically by referencing the OT. “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Additionally, Jesus speaks of the Spirit vs. 7-8 which should give Nicodemus a massive hint to what Jesus is speaking of.
Nicodemus doesn’t understand what Jesus is speaking, so he states “How can these things be?” At which point, Jesus thunders severe criticism at him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?” Nicodemus, as a teacher of Israel should have known “born of water and the Spirit” is a major Messianic theme in the OT but completely fails to comprehend it.
When Jesus stated “one born of water and the spirit” he clearly is referring to one of the most well known Messianic prophecies of the OT.
- Ezekiel 36:24-27 For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
This prophecy in the immediate context assures the exiles in Babylonia the land of Judah will be restored. It’s greater fulfillment is in the New Covenant. There will be spiritual cleansing, renewal (a new heart), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. John’s prologue does address some of these aspects of New Covenant for all people via the new birth.
Whereas the phrase γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος alludes to being physically born a Jew , Jesus clearly states that this is not enough to become part of God’s (new) kingdom. Those, then, who are born of Israel need to also be born again of the Holy Spirit with the water which is baptism. This points to the regeneration caused by the Holy Spirit, having the salvation of God’s people in mind. It therefore indicates here that, in future, the true Israelites (people of God) will not only be the Jews, but ‘everybody’ who believes in Jesus – those who are born of the Spirit. Whereas the Jews have thought that being born a Jew was good enough for them to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus adds that ‘born of the Spirit’ or being was required in the ‘new dispensation’ to become part of God’s people.