Commentaries:
Several words, both in English and Greek, need clarification. The word translated "born" comes from the Greek gennao. According to Zodhiates, gennao means "to beget as spoken of men; to bear as spoken of women" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary New Testament, p. 364). In a passive sense, it means "to be begotten or be born." He continues:
Spoken of God begetting in a spiritual sense which consists in regenerating, sanctifying, quickening anew, and ennobling the powers of the natural man by imparting to him a new life and a new spirit in Christ.
Thayer concurs: "properly of men begetting children . . . ; more rarely of women giving birth to children" (Lexicon, p. 113). Thus, gennao means to beget or bear; to generate, procreate, engender, or sire. These are only a few of its synonyms.
The Greeks used a different word for "conceive": sullambano. Strong's defines it as "to clasp, i.e. seize (arrest, capture); spec. to conceive (lit. or fig.)." It occurs sixteen times in the New Testament, but only four times to indicate conception (Luke 1:24, 31, 36; 2:21). Each of these four times, it describes a woman's part at the beginning of the birth process, not the man's. Further, it always identifies a human conception, not one from God.
The word beget has caused great confusion in the church. Some claim that it is obsolete and that it means exclusively "to be born." When a word is obsolete, a good dictionary will inform the reader by using the abbreviation obs, meaning that lexicographers can find no evidence of its recent use. "Beget," though, has no such indicator—it is not even considered archaic. It is a word of literary elegance, of formality. Still very much in use, it is a word similar to "bequeath" and "behoove," which are still used, just infrequently. Lawyers use "bequeath" in a special, formal sense. Sometimes we use "behoove" when we say, "It behooves me to do this." "Beget" belongs to the same class of words.
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED), probably the world's most authoritative English dictionary, gives these definitions for beget: "to procreate or generate." What does gennao mean? "To beget or bear; to generate, procreate, engender or sire." What does OED say procreate means? "Engender, give rise to, bring into existence." Synonyms for procreate are "sire" or "father." Male horses become sires of their offspring.
Webster's Third International Dictionary defines beget as "procreate as the father: sire, father; to give birth to, breed, make a woman pregnant." Does not a woman become pregnant at the moment of conception? Conceive means "to become pregnant." All these definitions lead us in a circle; these words all have similar meanings. "Engender," "generate," "procreate," "sire," "father," "conceive" and "beget" are all synonyms that can be used for the beginning of the process that ends in birth.
If a man fathers a child which dies prior to its birth, he is nevertheless considered to have begotten a child. If a horse sires a foal, and it dies before birth, we say it was stillborn. The foal had been sired—begotten—but not born alive.
So beget, a word in current usage, means either "conceive" or "bear," exactly what gennao means! They are exact duplicates of each other. Both can be used as the male equivalent of the female "conceive." Notice that "conceive" and "bear" together cover the whole process, from conception to birth. Gennao and "beget," then, cover the whole process from conception to birth.
To simplify this, gennao means "to become the father of," whether the beginning of the process or the end. Secondarily, though very rarely, it means "to become the mother of." Because of its broad use, covering from conception to birth, its meaning has to be determined by the context in which it appears.
John W. Ritenbaugh
You Must Be Born Again!
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When "spirit" is used in this sense, "air" is the closest physical thing Jesus could use to illustrate His instruction. Air is material, but it is invisible to our eyes, and its invisibility is what He wants us to focus on. Spirit is invisible—but immaterial—and in this specific sense, it has no form or substance. It is non-physical, but it can affect the around and the about, the environment, including a person begotten by means of it.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Holy Spirit and the Trinity (Part 1)
Ruach is translated as "wind" in the Old Testament. Here, the Greek word is pneuma, which is the equivalent of the Hebrew ruach meaning "an invisible force or power." The illustration refers to wind. A person cannot see air, but it is real, is it not? Its molecules can be packed so solidly, so close together, that they will lift a huge airplane right off the ground. One cannot see the molecules, the atoms, the electrons, or protons, but they are there. We deal with other invisible forces or powers, like electricity and light, on a daily basis, and they certainly exist.
That is the gist of the meaning of spirit. No one would argue that air, of which wind is constituted, is not real, and though it is invisible, it is made up of particles too small for the unaided eye to see. The Bible provides ample evidence to prove that God and angels are not universal nothingness floating around in nowhere. God is not universal mind, conscience, or goodness. He is not an abstract power filling the whole of space. Except for the vast differences in power and potential, the only difference between humans and God is that mankind is earthly flesh and bone whose life is in the blood, while God's body is also flesh and bone but composed of Spirit and immortal.
This has practical ramifications that must be explored because it means that God cannot be omnipresent in the body. The Bible's consistent description of God shows Him at one place at one time, and He is generally seen managing or participating in His creation. We see Him sitting, standing, walking, talking, eating, drinking, commanding, etc., in specific locations. Nowhere is there any mention of God's size, and therefore the conclusion must be that He is of ordinary, human size, and when He became a man, the Scripture says, there was nothing notable about Him except His character and His powerful teaching.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Image and Likeness of God (Part 3)
In connection with John 4:24, this verse implies that, since God is Spirit, if one is going to be born of the Spirit, he will be composed of exactly the same substance as God. To make it even clearer, Jesus gives an illustration in verse 8 so that no one would misunderstand His intention.
Wind is invisible. When something gets moved by the wind, a person can see that object moving. He does not see the wind moving but the object. The wind, composed of air, is invisible to his eyes. This illustrates one who is born of the Spirit. Spirit is invisible but no less real than air. Nobody would argue that air, of which wind is composed, has no substance, for though it is invisible, it is made up of particles too small to be seen by the unaided eye.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Image and Likeness of God (Part 4)
Enter means literally "to go inside of," as one would enter a building, not an ethereal or abstract concept.
Paul says, "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (I Corinthians 15:50), which agrees perfectly with Jesus' statement. When combined with Jesus being the pattern for the entire new creation, and that He did not go through a conversion process and yet was born again by a resurrection from the dead, John 3:3-8 must refer to the end of the process.
Otherwise, we have to try to explain away verses like "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (verse 6). It is perfectly clear on its own; it needs no explanation. We are still confined to the earth. But the birth Jesus is speaking about occurs later: "That which is born of the Spirit is spirit"!
The old "hat pin test" still works. We still bleed and feel pain. We are still flesh. We are not spirit yet, so we have not been born again.
It becomes even clearer:
Do not marvel that I said to you, "You must be born again." The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from or where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. (verse 7-8)
If we—proven to be fleshly beings—can still see each other coming and going, we are not yet spirit. It is so plain!
The process that ends in being born again begins at begettal. Throughout the entire process, however, there are types, symbolic actions, that represent later realities. Repentance and baptism typify a death (Romans 6:2-11). We have died to sin, and when a person dies, he is buried. Likewise, we are buried in water and are raised up out of it (typifying a resurrection) to begin a new life.
But we are not born again yet; we are still flesh and blood. God imparts His Spirit to us at the laying on of hands, but we are not spirit. We have the Spirit in a small measure as a down payment, an earnest, a guarantee, of our future, complete endowment (II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5). It has begotten us to begin the process.
We go through these types but the reality is still future. And it will not occur until we literally die, our bodies decay, and we are resurrected by the power of God. Only then will we be spirit. Then we will be like the wind. The process will have been completed. We will be born again!
John W. Ritenbaugh
You Must Be Born Again!
The "we" in verse 2 implies that the divine identity of the messenger and the source of His message was known to the Pharisees. But they were carnal people, concerned with protecting their status as rulers under the Roman government, not with receiving revelations from God.
Jesus perceived the import of Nicodemus's first words. His message was the good news of the coming world government of God—that is, the kingdom of God, which shall rule all nations with the government of God.
These Jewish rulers feared that message. Jesus was of their race—a Jew. If they did not oppose Him, they feared being shorn of their power and perhaps put to death as subversives threatening the overthrow the Roman government. And the Pharisees thought Jesus proclaimed the immediate takeover of that rule!
Therefore Jesus did not waste words. He struck straight through to the crux point—the Kingdom of God is not of this world—this time, this age—but of the world tomorrow—a different and a following age. Not composed of humans, but of immortals—the God Family!
So Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Notice carefully that being "born again" has a vital connection with the Kingdom of God—with the fact that it is not of this time—this age.
But Jesus' abrupt opening statement left Nicodemus confused. The religious leaders and the hundreds of denominations and sects professing Christianity today are confused and deceived! Today's religionists put a different twist on it than did Nicodemus, however.
Nicodemus did understand clearly what is meant by being born. He knew it meant being delivered from his mother's womb. It meant being delivered into the world! . . . What Nicodemus could not understand was how—in what manner—anyone could be born again! And of course, being carnal-minded, he could only conceive of a second physical birth. But he knew what being born meant!
Puzzled, he asked, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" He was not confused about what is meant by being born. . . . He thought Jesus was talking about a second human birth. . . . His mind could not grasp spiritual things.
Now Jesus had made clear that the Kingdom of God is something that can be seen—but not until or unless one is "born again." Not during his physical lifetime! Also, verse 5, the Kingdom of God is something a man may enter into—but not until after he is born again—another and entirely different birth.
Here is the crux point that explains it all: Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh: and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Man is now flesh—human. He is material substance. "Dust thou art," said God to Adam, "and unto dust shalt thou return." Again, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" (Genesis 3:19; 2:7). But, said Jesus plainly, when one is born of the Spirit he will be spirit! The Kingdom of God will be composed of spirit beings—not of humans!
At birth of human flesh, one is delivered from his mother's womb into this world. When born of the Spirit, one will be delivered from the church of God (physical)—the mother of begotten Christians (Galatians 4:26)—into the kingdom of God (a Kingdom of spirit beings).
Man is now composed of flesh—material substance—matter. When born again he will be spirit—a spirit being, no longer human. He will be composed of spirit—of spirit composition—with life inherent—with self-containing life—not then existing by the breath of air and the circulation of blood.
Of the next age when the Kingdom of God will rule the world—the life after death—the next life—Jesus said, "They neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God . . ." (Matthew 22:30). Marriage is a physical, fleshly union. In the age of God's Kingdom, when "born again" we shall be spirit, not flesh. Born of God as spirit beings, no longer human. Angels are spirits—composed of spirit (Hebrews 1:7). Jesus did not say we shall then be angels—but as the angels—sexless and composed of spirit. Angels are spirit beings—created as such—but not begotten and born of God as God's own born children. We therefore shall be greater than angels!
Jesus explained this further to Nicodemus: "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 everyone that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). You cannot see wind. Wind is compared to spirit. It is invisible. That is why mortal flesh, as we now are, cannot see the Kingdom of God. Those who inherit it will be spirit—normally invisible to eyes still human.
The apostle Paul made clear that the Kingdom of God is something a human may inherit, but not in this age—not while he is composed of material flesh. "The first man is of the earth, earthy [human]: the second man is the Lord from heaven [a divine God being]" (I Corinthians 15:47).
This is what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus. He was of the earth, earthy—human. He was flesh, not spirit. He was born of the flesh, so that is what he was—flesh. When one is born of the Spirit, he will BE spirit. . . . But we cannot be spirit in this present age. There is a time element concerned with being born again into God's kingdom.
Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986)
Life After Death?
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Nicodemus was a high-ranking Pharisee—one of the rulers of the Jews. He knew Jesus was a miracle-working Prophet sent by God, and was deeply interested in His teachings. But because Nicodemus did not want to be seen speaking with this man the other Pharisees called a "heretic" and a "deceiver of the people," he came to Jesus secretly at night.
Jesus told Nicodemus a profound truth—something that completely mystified the man. "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God," said Jesus (John 3:3).
Nicodemus was totally perplexed. He asked Jesus: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" (Verse 4.)
Jesus told him: "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again" (verse 7). But Nicodemus simply did not comprehend what Jesus was talking about (verses 9-12). How like so many people today! They, too, are baffled by these simple words of Christ.
Most professing Christians think they were "born again" when they "accepted Christ" and were "baptized." From that time, supposedly, they received the Holy Spirit and have been living a new life in Christ. True, a real Christian has received the Spirit of God, and is indeed living a new life in Christ (Ephesians 4:22-24). But is this what it means to be "born again"? The new birth described in the Bible is far more than most professing Christians have assumed. When Jesus spoke of being "born again," He did not mean what most people think.
Nicodemus was familiar only with the process of physical birth. Therefore he understood when Jesus said to him, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh." But then Jesus explained we must be born again—not again of the flesh—not again entering our mother's womb, as Nicodemus thought He meant. He explained that we must be born of the spirit—born of God! God must be our Father this time! As we were born of the flesh through fleshly human parents, even so we must be born of the Spirit of our spiritual heavenly Father.
Here are two different kinds of birth—one physical, the other spiritual. When you were born of your fleshly parents, you were composed of flesh, but "that which is born of the spirit is spirit" (John 3:6)—no longer composed of flesh but spirit!
There will be no blood in the body of one "born of the Spirit." He will not have to breathe air to exist. He will be literally composed of spirit, declared Jesus. That is the plain teaching of the Bible! The new birth is not an emotional experience, but a literal birth!
So Nicodemus would not mistake the true meaning of being born of the Spirit, Jesus explained to him: "The wind bloweth where it listeth [where it wills], 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" (verse 8).
Notice that carefully. When you are "born again," born of the Spirit of God, you will be invisible to mortal eyes like the wind (unless you choose to manifest yourself). The effects of the wind may be easily discernible, but the wind itself cannot be seen.
Clearly, Jesus compared the spiritual birth to the physical birth. The latter is a type of the former. Human parents pass on a physical nature at birth to their children, so when we are born of our heavenly Father, we will possess His spiritual nature in its fullness!
What It Means to Be Born Again
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
John 3:3-8
John 19:38-40
1 Corinthians 15:50
Galatians 4:5
Ephesians 2:15
Ephesians 4:24
Colossians 3:10
1 John 5:1
Library resources that contain this verse:
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