SUMMARY
Jesus tells a Jewish leader named Nicodemus that no one can see the kingdom of God without being born anew.
ANALYSIS
One of the Greek words used in this passage, often translated “again,” can mean “again,” “anew,” and “from above” (as in the NRSVUE), making it hard to translate. NicodemusThe Jewish leader to whom Jesus spoke about being born anew. assumes that JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. is saying that he must be “born again,” which seems very confusing because no one can repeat the process of physical birth. What Jesus actually means is that people see the kingdom of GodThe kingdom (reign) of God is a central theme of Jesus' teaching and parables. According to Jesus this reign of God is a present reality and at the same time is yet to come. When Christians pray the Lord's Prayer, they ask that God's kingdom... by being “born from above,” that is, when they are given new life by the power of God. Therefore, Jesus goes on to explain that the new birth happens by God’s Spirit. There is much debate as to what new birth means. Some Christians identify new birth with a certain type of religious experience, namely, a moment when a person consciously becomes a committed Christian, sometimes referred to as “born again Christians.” Others identify new birth with the sacrament of baptism, since Jesus later speaks of being born of water and the Spirit. These two alternatives are not the most helpful way to discuss the issue. In the context of John’s Gospel, new birth is to become children of God (1:12;13) and to be brought into relationship with the Father, Jesus, and the HolyHoly is a term that originally meant set apart for the worship or service of God. While the term may refer to people, objects, time, or places, holiness in Judaism and Christianity primarily denotes the realm of the divine Spirit. To be born anew or from above means that one has a new identity as a believer.
