translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: JHN

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “a ruler of the Jews” (denoting a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).


text: Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “during the night.” sn Possibly Nicodemus came … at night because he was afraid of public association with Jesus, or he wanted a lengthy discussion without interruptions; no explanation for the timing of the interview is given by the author. But the timing is significant for John in terms of the light-darkness motif – compare John 9:4, 11:10, 13:30 (especially), 19:39, and 21:3. Out of the darkness of his life and religiosity Nicodemus came to the Light of the world. The author probably had multiple meanings or associations in mind here, as is often the case.


text: Grk “answered and said to him.”


text: Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”


text: The word ἄνωθεν ( anwqen ) has a double meaning, either “again” (in which case it is synonymous with παλίν [ palin ]) or “from above” (BDAG 92 s.v. ἄνωθεν ). This is a favorite technique of the author of the Fourth Gospel, and it is lost in almost all translations at this point. John uses the word 5 times, in 3:3, 7; 3:31; 19:11 and 23 . In the latter 3 cases the context makes clear that it means “from above.” Here ( 3:3, 7 ) it could mean either, but the primary meaning intended by Jesus is “from above.” Nicodemus apparently understood it the other way, which explains his reply, “How can a man be born when he is old? He can’t enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?” The author uses the technique of the “misunderstood question” often to bring out a particularly important point: Jesus says something which is misunderstood by the disciples or (as here) someone else, which then gives Jesus the opportunity to explain more fully and in more detail what he really meant. sn Or born again. The Greek word ἄνωθεν ( anwqen ) can mean both “again” and “from above,” giving rise to Nicodemus’ misunderstanding about a second physical birth (v. 4 ).


text: The grammatical structure of the question in Greek presupposes a negative reply.


text: Or “born of water and wind” (the same Greek word, πνεύματος [ pneumatos ], may be translated either “spirit/Spirit” or “wind”). sn Jesus’ somewhat enigmatic statement points to the necessity of being born “from above,” because water and wind/spirit/Spirit come from above. Isaiah 44:3-5 and Ezek 37:9-10 are pertinent examples of water and wind as life-giving symbols of the Spirit of God in his work among people. Both occur in contexts that deal with the future restoration of Israel as a nation prior to the establishment of the messianic kingdom. It is therefore particularly appropriate that Jesus should introduce them in a conversation about entering the kingdom of God. Note that the Greek word πνεύματος is anarthrous (has no article) in v. 5 . This does not mean that spirit in the verse should be read as a direct reference to the Holy Spirit, but that both water and wind are figures (based on passages in the OT, which Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel should have known) that represent the regenerating work of the Spirit in the lives of men and women.


text: “All” has been supplied to indicate the plural pronoun in the Greek text.


text: Or “born again.” The same Greek word with the same double meaning occurs in v. 3 .


text: The same Greek word, πνεύματος ( pneumatos ), may be translated “wind” or “spirit.”


text: Grk “Nicodemus answered and said to him.”


text: Grk “Jesus answered and said to him.”


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to show the contrast present in the context.


text: The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in the translation to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than Nicodemus alone).


text: The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate that the verb is second person plural (referring to more than Nicodemus alone).


text: Grk “And no one.”


text: Grk “And just as.”


text: This is the first use of the term ζωὴν αἰώνιον ( zwhn aiwnion ) in the Gospel, although ζωή ( zwh ) in chap. is to be understood in the same way without the qualifying αἰώνιος ( aiwnios ). sn Some interpreters extend the quotation of Jesus’ words through v. 21 .


text: Or “this is how much”; or “in this way.” The Greek adverb οὕτως ( Joutws ) can refer (1) to the degree to which God loved the world, that is, to such an extent or so much that he gave his own Son (see R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:133-34; D. A. Carson, John , 204) or (2) simply to the manner in which God loved the world, i.e., by sending his own son (see R. H. Gundry and R. W. Howell, “The Sense and Syntax of John 3:14-17 with Special Reference to the Use of Οὕτως … ὥστε in John 3:16 ,” NovT 41 [1999]: 24-39) . Though the term more frequently refers to the manner in which something is done (see BDAG 741-42 s.v. οὕτω / οὕτως ), the following clause involving ὥστε ( Jwste ) plus the indicative (which stresses actual, but [usually] unexpected result) emphasizes the greatness of the gift God has given. With this in mind, then, it is likely (3) that John is emphasizing both the degree to which God loved the world as well as the manner in which He chose to express that love. This is in keeping with John’s style of using double entendre or double meaning. Thus, the focus of the Greek construction here is on the nature of God's love, addressing its mode, intensity, and extent.


text: Although this word is often translated “only begotten,” such a translation is misleading, since in English it appears to express a metaphysical relationship. The word in Greek was used of an only child (a son [ Luke 7:12, 9:38 ] or a daughter [ Luke 8:42 ]). It was also used of something unique (only one of its kind) such as the mythological Phoenix (1 Clement 25:2). From here it passes easily to a description of Isaac ( Heb 11:17 and Josephus, Ant. 1.13.1 [1.222]) who was not Abraham’s only son, but was one-of-a-kind because he was the child of the promise. Thus the word means “one-of-a-kind” and is reserved for Jesus in the Johannine literature of the NT. While all Christians are children of God ( τέκνα θεοῦ , tekna qeou ), Jesus is God’s Son in a unique, one-of-a-kind sense. The word is used in this way in all its uses in the Gospel of John ( 1:14, 1:18, 3:16, and 3:18 ).


text: In John the word ἀπόλλυμι ( apollumi ) can mean either (1) to be lost (2) to perish or be destroyed, depending on the context.


text: Grk “judged.”


text: See the note on the term “one and only” in 3:16 .


text: Or “this is the reason for God judging,” or “this is how judgment works.”


text: Grk “and men,” but in a generic sense, referring to people of both genders (as “everyone” in v. 20 makes clear).


text: This section is related loosely to the preceding by μετὰ ταῦτα ( meta tauta ). This constitutes an indefinite temporal reference; the intervening time is not specified.


text: The precise locations of Αἰνών ( Ainwn ) and Σαλείμ ( Saleim ) are unknown. Three possibilities are suggested: (1) In Perea, which is in Transjordan (cf. 1:28 ). Perea is just across the river from Judea. (2) In the northern Jordan Valley, on the west bank some 8 miles [13 km] south of Scythopolis. But with the Jordan River so close, the reference to abundant water ( 3:23 ) seems superfluous. (3) Thus Samaria has been suggested. 4 miles (6.6 km) east of Shechem is a town called Salim, and 8 miles (13 km) northeast of Salim lies modern Ainun. In the general vicinity are many springs. Because of the meanings of the names ( Αἰνών = “springs” in Aramaic and Σαλείμ = Salem, “peace”) some have attempted to allegorize here that John the Baptist is near salvation. Obviously there is no need for this. It is far more probable that the author has in mind real places, even if their locations cannot be determined with certainty.


text: Or “people were continually coming.”


text: The words “to him” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.


text: A B L Ψ 33 1241 the majority of Byzantine minuscules and others}). Or “a certain Judean.” Here BDAG 478 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαίος 2.a states, “Judean (with respect to birth, nationality, or cult).” If the emphasis is simply on the individual’s origin, “Judean” would be preferable since it designates a nationality or place of origin. However, the mention of ceremonial washing in the context suggests the dispute was religious in nature, so “Jew” has been retained in the translation here.


text: Or “ceremonial cleansing,” or “purification.” sn What was the controversy concerning ceremonial washing ? It is not clear. Some have suggested that it was over the relative merits of the baptism of Jesus and John. But what about the ceremonial nature of the washing? There are so many unanswered questions here that even R. E. Brown (who does not usually resort to dislocations in the text as a solution to difficulties) proposes that this dialogue originally took place immediately after 1:19-34 and before the wedding at Cana. (Why else the puzzled hostility of the disciples over the crowds coming to Jesus?) Also, the synoptics imply John was imprisoned before Jesus began his Galilean ministry. At any rate, there is no reason to rearrange the material here – it occurs in this place for a very good reason. As far as the author is concerned, it serves as a further continuation of the point made to Nicodemus, that is, the necessity of being born “from above” ( 3:3 ). Note that John the Baptist describes Jesus as “the one who comes from heaven” in 3:31 ( ἄνωθεν [ anwqen ], the same word as in 3:3 ). There is another lexical tie to preceding material: The subject of the dispute, ceremonial washing ( 3:25 ), calls to mind the six stone jars of water changed to wine at the wedding feast in 2:6 , put there for “Jewish ceremonial washing.” This section ultimately culminates and concludes ideas begun in chap. and continued in chap. . Although the author does not supply details, one scenario would be this: The disciples of John, perplexed after this disagreement with an individual Jew (or with the Jewish authorities), came to John and asked about the fact that Jesus was baptizing and more and more were coming to him. John had been preaching a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sin (see Mark 1:4 , Luke 3:3 ). Possibly what the Jew(s) reported to John’s disciples was that Jesus was now setting aside the Jewish purification rituals as unnecessary. To John’s disciples this might also be interpreted as: (a) a falling away from Judaism, and (b) a break with John’s own teaching. That Jesus could have said this is very evident from many incidents in his ministry in all the gospels. The thrust would be that outward cleansing (that is, observance of purification rituals) was not what made a person clean. A new heart within (that is, being born from above) is what makes a person clean. So John’s disciples came to him troubled about an apparent contradiction in doctrine though the explicit problem they mentioned is that Jesus was baptizing and multitudes were coming to him. (Whether Jesus was or was not baptizing really wasn’t the issue though, and John the Baptist knew that because he didn’t mention it in his reply. In 4:2 the author says that Jesus was not baptizing, but his disciples. That reference would seem to cover this incident as well, and so the disciples of John are just reporting what they have heard, or thought they heard.) The real point at issue is the authority of Jesus to “overturn” the system of ritual purification within Judaism. John replied to this question of the authority of Jesus in 3:27-36 . In 3:27-30 he reassured his disciples, reminding them that if more people were coming to Jesus, it did not threaten him at all, because “heaven” had ordained it to be so (v. 27 ). (After all, some of these very disciples of John had presumably heard him tell the Jewish delegation that he was not the Messiah but was sent before him, mentioned in .) Then John compared himself to the friend of the bridegroom who stands by and yet participates in the bridegroom’s joy (v. 29 ). John was completely content in his own position as forerunner and preparer of the way.


text: “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.


text: Grk “answered and said.”


text: Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”). sn See the note on Christ in 1:20 .


text: Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).


text: Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”


text: Or “is above all.”


text: Grk “speaks from the earth.”


text: bo). On balance, the longer reading should probably be considered authentic. Or “is above all.”


text: Or “is true.”


text: That is, Christ.


text: Grk “for not by measure does he give the Spirit” (an idiom). Leviticus Rabbah 15:2 states: “The Holy Spirit rested on the prophets by measure.” Jesus is contrasted to this. The Spirit rests upon him without measure.


text: Grk “has given all things into his hand” (an idiom).


text: Or “refuses to believe,” or “disobeys.”


text: Or “anger because of evil,” or “punishment.”


text: Or “resides.”