Lesson 4: What It Means To Believe

Opening Questions:

1. What reasons did Jesus give to Nicodemus for why he should believe / trust in Jesus (vss. 9-17)?
2. What is the faith-building value of John’s testimony in vss. 27-36?
3. What questions do you have from the text?

When we think of John 3 our minds often turn to Jesus’ well known words in vs. 16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Sadly, a verse full of so much grace has become a battle ground for various doctrines regarding salvation. The purpose of this lesson is not to go over all of the controversies that have arisen over the years, rather we want to examine the crux of the verse: what does it mean to believe? John 3 reveals much about what believing in Jesus involves, and if we understand what it means to “believe in Him,” we can know that we “have eternal life”.

Conversation with Nicodemus (vss. 1-21).

Believing in Jesus starts with being convinced about who He is (vss. 1-2).

The chapter begins with Nicodemus, noted as both a member of the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews, coming to Jesus. Some have speculated that his coming by night was out of fear, but there is nothing in the text which demands that assumption. What is significant is his conviction that Jesus is both a rabbi and that He came from God. No, Nicodemus did not yet believe in the true nature of Jesus as revealed in John 1, rather he believed that God was with Jesus much as He had been with Moses (cf. Exodus 3.12). Yet, even this admission from Nicodemus is significant given that he was of the same class who questioned the qualifications of John the Baptist (John 1.19, 24-25).

What convinced Nicodemus? “no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” We noted in John 2.23 that many were beginning to believe in Jesus based on the “signs” He performed. Truly, the signs of Jesus accomplished their purpose (cf. John 20.30-31). However, we noted at the end of John 2 that while many were beginning to believe in Jesus, their faith would not prove to be genuine. And so at this early stage we can see that Nicodemus’ faith needed to grow. Yes, he was convinced about some things regarding Jesus, but true faith is comprised of more.

Believing in Jesus requires us to trust Him and what He says (vss. 3-17).

Jesus, who “knew all people” (2.24), knew that Nicodemus’ faith needed to grow and mature. Thus, Jesus began by addressing the means of entering the Kingdom. Nicodemus likely believed that all Jews would be part of the promised Kingdom, but Jesus said it would require one to be born again (better translated “from above” cf. vs. 31; 19.11). This new birth had been prophesied in passages like Ezekiel 36.25-27 and Jesus was confirming that entrance into His Kingdom could be found only by spiritual means (vss. 5-8).

Nicodemus’ responses in vss. 4 and 9 show that while he believed some things about Jesus, he was not yet to the point where he fully trusted everything Jesus said and taught. So, while Jesus chided Him for not understanding these heavenly truths (vss. 10-12), He also gave Nicodemus profound reasons to trust Him:

• Only Jesus had descended from heaven, thus He was qualified to reveal these heavenly truths (vs. 13).
• Like the bronze serpent in the wilderness (see Numbers 21.8-9), Jesus was going to be “lifted up” so that those who believed could have eternal life (vss. 14-15).
• Jesus came because of God’s great love for us; not to condemn us, but to save us (vss. 16-17).

Believing in Jesus means we surrender our will to His (vss. 18-21).

Even though Jesus did not come into this world to condemn it, much of the world will be condemned because of their love of the darkness. That is, they have a choice to do “what is true” and come “to the light” vs. 21, but most love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil, vs. 19. They do not wish to surrender. This is where so many discussions regarding faith and works go astray. The Scriptures do not contrast faith and obedience, rather they show that obedience is the result of faith. “Whoever believes in Him” (vs. 16) are the ones who “comes to the light” and these show that their “works have been carried out in God” (vs. 21). As John states later in the chapter, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3.36).

John’s Exaltation of Jesus (vss. 22-36)

While Jesus had begun His ministry and was baptizing those who came to Him, John’s ministry was ongoing as well (vss. 22-24). This led to discussion between “some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification” (vs. 25). The discussion may have centered on which baptism (Jesus’ or John’s) purified more, or could have been in relation to Jewish purification practices (see 2.6). We do not know the specifics, but we do know that John took the opportunity to exalt Jesus (vss. 27-30). Jesus would say that “among those born of women none is greater than John” (Luke 7.28), but this servant of God understood his role: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (vs. 30).

John proceeded to explain why Jesus was superior and should be exalted:

• Jesus is from above, thus He is above all (vss. 31-33).
• Jesus utters the words of God because He has given “the Spirit without measure”. Thus, true purification (eternal life) comes only through Jesus and not John or the Jews’ purification rites (see vs. 25).

Jesus is superior; He is exalted. The only question is if we will receive His testimony (vs. 33) and obey Him (vs. 36).

Textual Notes:

• Vs. 1: Nicodemus will appear in the narrative again in John 7.50; 19.39.
• Vs. 3: the Jews anticipated the establishment of God’s complete rule on the earth (Daniel 2.44; 7.14,27).
• Vs. 8: the word translated as “wind” is the same translated as “spirit” elsewhere in the chapter.
• Vs. 13: “The Judaism of Jesus’ day circulated many stories of bygone saints who had ascended into heaven and received special insight into God’s ways and plans. Many of these stories focused on Moses (cf. Meeks, pp. 110–111, 192–195, 235–236; Odeberg, pp. 72–94). Jesus insists that no-one has ascended to heaven in such a way as to return to talk about heavenly things” (Carson).
• Vs. 14: In John “lifted up” always speaks of Jesus’ crucifixion (see John 8.28; 12.32,34).
• Vs. 16: “only begotten” has the sense of “unique”. All Christians are children of God, but Jesus has a unique relationship to the Father.
• Vss. 17-18: not denying final judgment (see John 5.26-29), but points to the fact that those who reject Christ have chosen their judgment.