John 3:4 Commentary and Bible Study

Nicodemus obviously is not serious in saying this. He is not a dope. He knows perfectly well – that is so obvious – you cannot enter the second time into your mother’s womb and be born. Some people, even very sound and good expositors, say, Oh well, Nicodemus was just being crassly literal here. He was a genuinely puzzled man, as though he seriously wondered, ‘Can you really enter into your mother’s womb again and be born?’ But this is a very wise Jewish leader, he is very shrewd. He would not say such a foolish thing. Obviously, this is a kind of sarcasm in response. Somebody has got to be born again, changed radically? That just cannot happen. He knew human nature. He was a leader among people and a teacher. How can you possibly have a great change like this? What this new visionary preacher, healer is saying is extraordinary and impossible. So there is a kind of sarcasm here, but not an unpleasant sarcasm. It sounds more like humour. He is showing us that he knows all about the depravity of human nature. He is instantly cynical. ‘Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?’ Well, the Lord in his gentleness and kindness takes this up. He does not directly answer it, but he does take it up.