How Can These Things Be?

3:9 A Pharisee Nicodemus Visits Jesus Under the cover of darkness Looking for the light “ … no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.”[a] (NRSV) Multiple Meanings (anothen) “ … no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” [b] (NIV) “unless one is born again[c] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (ESV) • (a) Or born anew • (b)The Greek for again also means from above; also in verse 7. • (c) Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above “How can anyone be born after having grown old? (4a) Knowing But Not Understandi ng “Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” (4b) “How can these things be?” (9) “For John 3:16 God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” Sarah Knowing But Not Understandi ng Naomi Nicodemus Belief Not Understandi ng “whoever believes” (v. 15) Leader of the Jews Two Teachers “Rabbi … a teacher who has come from God” (v.2) Faith Starts in the Dark “But those who do what is true come to the light …” (v. 21)