Kretzmann's Popular Commentary
John 3:12
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
Verse John 3:12. _IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS_] If, after I have illustrated this new birth by a most expressive metaphor taken from earthly things, and after all you believe not; how can you b...
IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS - Things which occur on earth. Not sensual or worldly things, for Jesus had said nothing of these; but he had told him of operations of the Spirit which had occurred...
II. ETERNAL LIFE IMPARTED: What it is and What it Includes Chapter 2:23-17 The second part of this Gospel contains the blessed teachings the Son of God gave concerning eternal life, how it is impart...
THE CONVERSATION WITH NICODEMUS. Nicodemus is an example of those to whom the Lord could not trust Himself. The story shows how He tried to bring those whom His teaching had impressed to a truer conce...
IF. HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS, AND YE BELIEVE NOT. He had spoken of the things that belonged to the kingdom of God on earth, of the new birth. If Nicodemus could not understand and believe this, so...
Do not be surprised that I said to you: "You must be reborn from above. The wind blows where it will, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes and whither it goes. So is every...
THE MAN WHO CAME BY NIGHT (John 3:1-6)...
IF IHAVE. Assuming it as. fact. App-118. EARTHLY THINGS. Eze 36:25-27. 1 Corinthians 15:40; Colossians 3:2; 2 Corinthians 5:1.
John 2:13 TO JOHN 11:57. The Work We here enter on the second portion of the first main division of the Gospel, thus subdivided: The Work (1) among _Jews_, (2) among _Samaritans_, (3) among _Galilean...
_earthly things_ Things which take place on earth, even though originating in heaven, e.g. the -new birth," which though -from above," must take place in this world. See notes on 1 Corinthians 15:40 a...
John 3:1-21. The discourse with Nicodemus This is the first of the eleven discourses of our Lord which form the main portion, and are among the great characteristics, of this Gospel. They have been u...
John 3:1-21. THE DISCOURSE WITH NICODEMUS This is the first of the discourses of our Lord which form the main portion, and are among the great characteristics, of this Gospel. They have been used as a...
ΤᾺ ἘΠΊΓΕΙΑ. _Terrena_, things which take place on earth, even though originating in heaven, e.g. the ‘new birth,’ which though ‘of God,’ must take place in this world. See on 1 Corinthians 15:40, and...
VER 9. NICODEMUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, HOW CAN THESE THINGS BE? 10. JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, ARE YOU A MASTER OF ISRAEL, AND KNOW NOT THESE THINGS? 11. VERILY, VERILY, I SAY TO YOU, WE SPEA...
_JESUS AFFIRMS HIS DEITY -- JOHN 3:9-21:_ Nicodemus did not yet understand that if it is true that Jesus is God in the flesh that man's obligation was to obey him. Jesus proved His Divinity by saying,...
ΕΙ (G1487) если; предполагается, что условие исполнено (SMT, 244). ΕΠΊΓΕΙΑ _n. pl. от_ ΈΠΊΓΕΙΟΣ (G1919) земной, ΕΪΠΩ _aor. conj. act. от_ ΛΈΓΩ (G3004) говорить. _Conj._ предполагает сомнение, ΈΠΟΥΡ...
IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS,— "If you believe not these obvious truths concerning the spiritual nature of God's kingdom, and the qualifications of his subjects, how shall you believe the more su...
EARTHLY MYSTERIES COMPARED WITH HEAVENLY MYSTERIES _Text 3:9-15_ 9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Isra...
EXPOSITION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN John 3:9-21 We begin with an Analysis of the passage which is before us:— "Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?" (John 3:9). How this revea...
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS, [ ta (G3588 ) epigeia (G1919 )], and ye believe not...
1 We have found an unholy temple, an unspiritual priesthood, and now we are introduced to an ignorant teacher! Intense application to a single text book for a whole life had not taught him the element...
EARTHLY THINGS] i.e. religious facts and experiences (e.g. repentance, faith, the new birth, etc.), which happen upon this earth, and which are, therefore, comparatively easy to apprehend. HEAVENLY TH...
THE NEW BIRTH. JOHN'S TESTIMONY TO JESUS 1-15. Conversation with Nicodemus. The ministry at Jerusalem, though disappointing, was not fruitless. Christ's miracles and teaching had made an impression, n...
JOHN TELLS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS GOSPEL OF JOHN _MARION ADAMS_ CHAPTER 3 JESUS TEACHES NICODEMUS 3:1-21 V1-2 A *Jewish leader called Nicodemus came to speak to Jesus. Nicodemus was a *Pharis...
EARTHLY THINGS — i.e., things upon earth, having the sphere of their action upon earth. These are not necessarily restricted to the subjects of this interview. The context includes previous witness bo...
CHAPTER 8 THE BRAZEN SERPENT. “Nicodemus answered and said unto Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things? Ver...
εἰ τὰ ἐπίγεια … πιστεύσετε; The reference of τὰ ἐπίγεια is fixed by the εἶπον ὑμῖν. They are such things as Jesus had been speaking of: things verified in human, earthly experience, the necessity of a...
LOVE'S GREAT GIFT: RECEIVED OR REJECTED John 3:9-21 Though physically on earth, our Lord was spiritually in touch with the heavenly realities. He was living among them and bore witness to them. Notic...
Nicodemus would seem to have been one of the finest products of Judaism. He was thoroughly sincere. Moreover, he was determined to investigate for himself, and so came to Jesus by night, not because h...
CHAPTER 8 REGENERATION THE GREAT SINE QUA NON John 3:1-21. _“There was a man of the Pharisees, whose name was Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; the same came to Him by night, and said, Master, we know...
In opposition to the doctorate of the letter, devoid of all spiritual intuition, Jesus announces to him the coming of a teaching, which will rest on the immediate knowledge of the truth (John 3:11). I...
ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR. XIII. 1. At John 3:11, Jesus makes a step in advance in the discourse, and now assumes in a more formal way the position of the teacher of this teacher. He de...
VER. 12. “ _If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?_ ” When a teacher says to his pupil: “If you do not understand me on this point...
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, W...
The opening verses (John 1:1-18) introduce the most glorious subject which God Himself ever gave in employing the pen of man; not only the most glorious in point of theme, but in the profoundest point...
12._If I have told you earthly things. _Christ concludes that it ought to be laid to the charge of Nicodemus and others, if they do not make progress in the doctrine of the Gospel; for he shows that t...
But there was a man (chapter 3) and that a Pharisee who was not satisfied with this inoperative conviction. His conscience was reached. Seeing Jesus, and hearing His testimony, had produced a sense of...
IF I HAVE TOLD YOU EARTHLY THINGS,.... Not that the doctrines he delivered were earthly ones; for he was not of the earth, but from heaven, and above all, and so spake not of the earth, but of heaven,...
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you _of_ heavenly things? Ver. 12. _If I have told you earthly things_] That is, spiritual things under earthly...
_If I have told you earthly things_ As the truths which I have taught you concerning the spiritual nature of God's kingdom, and the qualifications of his subjects, may properly be termed, because they...
EARTHLY THINGS; things which take place on earth, such as being born of the Spirit, the evidences of which are obvious to the senses. HEAVENLY THINGS; things less plain, relating to God, Christ, heav...
NICODEMUS, AND NEW BIRTH (vs.1-21) Among the many who believed because of the miracles, there was however one individual who was more seriously affected. Nicodemus comes to the Lord by night, evident...
1-8 Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore came in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are many Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welco...
If I have spoken to you plain things, and in a plain style, humbling my phrase to your apprehensions, and illustrating sublime, spiritual mysteries, which in their own nature are more remote from your...
John 3:12 If G1487 told G2036 (G5627) you G5213 things G1919 and G2532 not G3756 believe G4100 ...
John 3:12. IF I TOLD YOU THE EARTHLY THINGS, AND YE BELIEVE NOT, HOW SHALL YE BELIEVE IF I TELL YOU THE HEAVENLY THINGS? Here our Lord returns to the singular, ‘I told;' for He is not now speaking of...
It is of much importance to keep the closing verses of chap. 2 in close connection with the opening verses of chap. 3 (see the commentary on John 3:1). Rejected by the theocracy of Israel Jesus turns...
IF I TOLD (ε ειπον). Condition of the first class, assumed to be true.EARTHLY THINGS (τα επιγεια). Things upon the earth like τα επ της γης (Colossians 3:2), not things of an earthly nature or wo...
This is a very wonderful chapter, because, while it teaches the doctrine of regeneration, and the necessity of a great moral and spiritual change, it yet also reveals the doctrine of salvation by fait...
John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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...
If you were sent for to visit a dying man, and you wished to select a chapter which would set the truth before him very briefly and very clearly, you could not make a better choice than this 3 rd chap...
If we were asked to read to a dying man who did not know the gospel, we should probably select this chapter as the most suitable one for such an occasion; and what is good for dying men is good for us...
If you were called in to see a person who was dying, and wished to read a chapter from the Word of God, and you were afraid that the sick one did not know the way of salvation, you could not select a...
John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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...
We can scarcely find a chapter in which the gospel lies so compact and so plainly stated. John 3:1. _There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:_ Christ's door is open at...
Let us once more read together part of this blessed soul-saving chapter. I suppose that more souls have been saved through the reading of this chapter than through almost any other portion of Holy Wri...
CONTENTS: Nicodemus and the new birth. The last testimony of John the Baptist. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, Holy Spirit, Nicodemus, John the Baptist, Moses, John's disciples. CONCLUSION: Since the natural...
John 3:1. _Nicodemus, a ruler of the jews._ This rabbi is named by John as defending our Saviour in the council, and as attending the crucifixion. A gospel of the passion and the resurrection of Chris...
HOW WILL YOU EVER BELIEVE ME, THEN? What he has told Nicodemus and the others, has to do with the Kingdom of God here on earth and their relationship to it. If these things are too hard to understand,...
_If I have told you of earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?_ --The question in its bare form is easily grappled with, but in its application to t...
JOHN—NOTE ON JOHN 3:11 EARTHLY THINGS probably refers to Jesus’ teaching about the new birth, which takes place in a person’s life on earth. YOU is plural in the second instance in v....
1-36 CHAPTER 3 _There was a man_, &c. Nicodemus means in Greek _the conqueror of the people._ Such was this man; who, overcoming the fear of the people, the Pharisees, and the priests, believed in Ch...
_If I have told you earthly things_, &c. "If thou understandest not Divine things by means of the earthly similitudes of human generation of flesh and spirit, how wilt thou understand them, if I were...
_EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES_ John 3:1. In John 2:23, we read of many who believed in Jesus because of the miracles He wrought. But their belief was so imperfect that Jesus had “no faith” in it. He...
EXPOSITION This is the first of the eleven discourses recorded by this evangelist, and for the most part addressed to the cultivated, hierarcical party in Jerusalem, who questioned him in an unfriend...
Have we got a message for you tonight from the Word of God! John chapter 3 and 4, oh my, how rich! How blessed! There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews (John 3:1). We k...
1 Corinthians 2:7; 1 Corinthians 3:1; 1 Corinthians 3:2; 1 John 4:10;...
Have told [ε ι π ο ν]. Rendering the aorist more strictly, I told. Earthly things [τ α ε π ι γ ε ι α]. Compounded of ejpi, upon, and gh, earth. In Colossians 3:2, the adjective appears in its analyzed...
THE NEW BIRTH John 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS The story of Nicodemus is common to us all, and yet there is, perhaps, much in it which needs to be emphasized, and there may be some things hidden away th...
SALVATION MADE PLAIN John 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We are using the story of Nicodemus as the basis of our message for today. However, we are planning to bring out some very vital considerations whic...
Earthly things — Things done on earth; such as the new birth, and the present privileges of the children of God. Heavenly things — Such as the eternity of the Son, and the unity of the Father, Son, an...