John 3:1-13 The encounter with Nicodemus part 1.

John 3:1-13 The encounter with Nicodemus part 1.

3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

³ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

⁹ Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?

¹¹ Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.

¹² If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?

¹³ And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.

 

John 3:1 G1161 There was G2258 a man G444 of G1537 the Pharisees G5330, named G3686 G846 Nicodemus G3530, a ruler G758 of the Jews G2453:

• G1161 δέ de (d̮e’) conj. And, but, now, then, so, also, moreover
• G2258 ἦν en (een’) v. I (thou, etc.) was (wast or were).
• G444 ἄνθρωπος anthropos (an’-thrō-pos) n. human being
• G1537 ἐκ ek (ek) prep. From, from among, birthed out
• G5330 Φαρισαῖος Pharisaios (fa-riy-sai’-os) n/g. a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious.
• G3686 ὄνομα onoma (o’-no-ma) n. “name” authority
• G846 αὐτός autos (af-tos’) p:p. self.
• G3530 Νικόδημος Nikodemos (niy-ko’-d̮ee-mos) n/p. victorious among his people.
• G758 ἄρχων archon (ar’-chōn) n. first (in rank or power). chief (ruler), magistrate
• G2453 Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios (you-d̮ai’-os) adj/g. whether of biblical southern Judea or northern Israel. Belonging to Jacob, to the land of Israel, to all Judea and Jerusalem, and all those belonging to God.

 

“So there was a man from among the separatist, the exclusively religious, called Nicodemus, a chief over those belonging to God.”

 

John 3:2 The same G3778 came G2064 to G4314 Jesus G2424 by night G3571, and said G2036 unto him G846, Rabbi G4461, we know G1492 that G3754 thou art G2064 a teacher G1320 come G2064 from G575 God G2316: for G1063 no man G3762 can G1410 do G4160 these G5023 miracles G4592 that G3739 thou G4771 doest G4160, except G3362 God G2316 be G5600 with G3326 him.

• G3778 οὗτος houtos (hou’-tos) p:d. the he (she or it), i.e. this or that
• G2064 ἔρχομαι erchomai (er’-cho-mai) v. to come or go
• G4314 πρός pros (pros’) prep. toward (i.e. forward to)
• G2424 Ἰησοῦς Iesous (yee-sous’) n/p. (meaning) He is Salvation, Yeshua
• G3571 νύξ nux (nïx’) n. night.
• G2036 ἔπω epo (e’-pō) v. to speak or say
• G4461 ῥαββί rhabbi (rhab-biy’) heb. my master, i.e Rabbi, as an official title of honor.
• G1492 εἴδω eido (ei’-d̮ō) v. (properly) to see (but not limited to the eye).
• G2064 ἔρχομαι erchomai (er’-cho-mai) v. to come or go
• G1320 διδάσκαλος didaskalos (d̮iy-d̮a’-ska-los) n. a teacher, an instructor, (or even “master,” as in a voluntary choice with mutual care and consideration).
• G575 ἀπό apo (a-po’) prep. from (something else, in various senses of place, time, or relation)
• G2316 θεός theos (the-os’) n. (by Hebraism) God, the Supreme Being, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Yahweh by name.
• G1063 γάρ gar (ğar’) conj. (properly) assigning a reason.
• G3762 οὐδείς oudeis (ou-d̮eis’) adj. not even one (man, woman or thing), i.e. none, nobody, nothing.
• G1410 δύναμαι dunamai (d̮ï ’-na-mai) v. to be able or possible.
• G4160 ποιέω poieo (poi-ye’-ō) v. to make or do.
• G5023 ταῦτα tauta (taf’-ta) p:d. these things.
• G4592 σημεῖον semeion (see-mei’-on) n. a miraculous sign.
• G3739 ὅς hos (hos’) p:r. the relative pronoun: who, which, what, that.
• G4771 σύ su (sï ’) p:p. thou.
• G4160 ποιέω poieo (poi-ye’-ō) v. to make or do.
• G3362 ἐάν μή ean me (e-an’ mee’) cond. if not, i.e. unless
• G2316 θεός theos (the-os’) n. God, the Supreme Being, the Creator, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Yahweh by name
• G5600 ὦ o (ō’) v. may be, (might, can, could, would, should, must, etc.) be.
• G3326 μετά meta (me-ta’) prep. with (denoting accompaniment).

 

“He {Nicodemus} came forward to Yeshua, at night saying, my master it is obvious you are the teacher sent from YHVH. My reasoning is that no one is capable to do the things you do unless YHVH is with him.”

Nicodemus is making a move of faith in coming to Yeshua to talk. The fact that he comes at night is both literal and figurative. Nicodemus would be concerned for his status as a teacher of Torah as he comes to Yeshua to ask questions about matters of faith. Likewise, night refers to darkness or obscurity, meaning Nicodemus was in his own darkness from the truth of Yeshua’s deity and mission.