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John 3

John 3. Images of New Salvation: "New Birth" and "New Master". Broad Outline of Fourth Gospel. Ch. 1 Introduction: Prologue and Witness of John Ch. 2-12 Jesus Before the World ("Book of Signs")

daniel-kelley
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John 3

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  1. John 3 Images of New Salvation: "New Birth" and "New Master"

  2. Broad Outline of Fourth Gospel Ch. 1 Introduction: Prologue and Witness of John Ch. 2-12 Jesus Before the World ("Book of Signs") Theme: Through signs and discourses, Jesus reveals himself as the Son of God, sent to save the world, but is rejected by the world. Ch. 2-4 Images of New Salvation Ch. 2 "New Joy" and "New Worship" Ch. 3 "New Birth" and "New Master" Ch. 4 "Living Water" and "New Life" Ch. 5-10 Growing hostility Ch. 11-12 Final rejection Ch. 13-20 Jesus Before the Disciples("Book of Passion/Glory") Ch. 21 Appendix: Appearance in Galilee

  3. Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21)Images of New Salvation: “NewBirth” • Setting (v.1-2) • Nicodemus represents official Judaism: Pharisee, member of Sanhedrin, and teacher trained in rabbinic interpretation. • Comes “by night.” • In secret, for fear of “the Jews” (cf. 12:42-43). • Traditional time for studying Torah. • Johannine symbolism: out of darkness into light of Jesus (cf. v. 21). • Inquires about Jesus’ signs – personal interest or official inquiry? • Theme of dialogue is “New Birth” (v. 3). • Jesus: to “see” Kingdom of God, one must be “born anōthen.” • Anōthen = “again” or “from above.” • Ambiguity gives rise to Johannine device of “misunderstanding” and clarification (cf. Samaritan woman in 4:11). • Condition for entering Kingdom of God is “spiritual rebirth.”

  4. Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21)Images of New Salvation: “NewBirth” • “New Birth” through infusion of Spirit (v. 4-10) • Device of “misunderstanding” and clarification (v. 4-6). • Objection: How can grown man reenter womb? (v. 4) • Clarification: One must be born of “water and Spirit” (v. 5) • Could mean physical birth and spiritual birth. • More likely, baptism accompanied by gift of Spirit: • Condition for entering Kingdom of God is “spiritual rebirth.” • Physical descent is no guarantee of spiritual standing (v. 6). • New Birth is mysterious as blowing of the wind (v. 7-8). • Second “you” in v. 7 is plural – the Jews? the readers? • Pneuma = Spirit, wind, breath. • Evokes OT imagery of Creation and New Creation. • Gen. 2:7 – Creation of man by breath of God. • Ezek. 36:26-27; 37:5-10 – Renewal of Israel through infusion of Spirit/breath of God. • Jesus confers Spirit; renews God’s people; New Creation. • Nicodemus’ final question: “How can this be”? (v. 9-10). • Fades from scene. (Reappears in 7:50; 19:39.) • Jesus’ sharp rebuke also condemns Jewish leadership.

  5. Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21)Images of New Salvation: “NewBirth” • New Birth is enabled by death/resurrection of Jesus (v. 11-15). • Continued rebuke – now with plural pronouns (v. 11-12). • Who are the “we”? (Plural of majesty; Jesus and the Father; Jesus and the disciples; Johannine community) • Who are the “you” (pl.)? (Nicodemus and Jewish authorities; Jewish leaders who oppose John’s church) • Where does Jesus’ speech end? (v. 12, 15, 21?) • “Lifting up” of Son of Man brings “eternal life” (v. 13-15). • Double meaning of “lifted up”: paradoxically refers both to crucifixion and to exaltation. • Death/resurrection brings “turn of ages” and sending of Spirit. • Compares with Moses’ bronze serpent (Num. 21:6-9). • Faith in crucified Jesus results in “eternal life.” • Faith in Cross = trusting God totally; giving up pretense of self-security; acknowledging dependence on God; embracing principle of self-sacrificial love. • Eternal life = not just life after death; not just quantitatively more life; new quality of life; begins now; not interrupted by death.

  6. Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21)Images of New Salvation: “NewBirth” • Salvation and Judgment of the world (v. 16-21)(Commentary on v. 15. Are these words of Jesus or of Evangelist?) • The divine initiative in salvation (v. 16-17) • Salvation springs entirely from God’s love. • Character of God’s love: • Scope: universal (loved the whole world) • Measure: unlimited (gave his only Son) • Purpose: salvation (may have eternal life) • The human response (v. 18-21) • Presence of Son of Man in world implies Judgment. • “Sifting process” – people sort themselves by response. • Those who believe find “life.” • Those who do not, miss it. • Judgment takes place now in human response to God’s revelation in Jesus (“realized” eschatology).

  7. Jesus and John the Baptist (3:22-36)Images of New Salvation: “NewMaster” • Further clarifies relationship between Jesus and John (v. 22-30). • John’s disciples object to Jesus’ ministry (v. 25-26). • John subordinates himself: • Not Messiah but forerunner (v. 28). • Not bridegroom but best man (v. 29; cf. Mk. 2:19-20). • “He must increase, but I must decrease” (v. 30). c. Note continuing parallel ministries (v. 22-24, 26). • Mk. 1:14 has John imprisoned before Jesus’ ministry begins. • FG may be more accurate on this point. d. Note uncertainty whether Jesus baptized (3:22, 26; 4:1) or not (4:2). • V. 31-36 recap v. 11-21. • Jesus’ heavenly origin means he speaks truth of God; those who believe find eternal life; those who disobey must endure God’s wrath. • Unclear where John’s speech ends (v. 30 or 36). V. 31-36 could be John, Jesus, or narrator. (Does Evangelist care?)

  8. Ezekiel 36:24-28 on Restoration of Israel 24 I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. 28 Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

  9. Ezekiel 37:4-12 Valley of Dry Bones 4 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD." 7 So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." 10 I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude. 11 Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

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