John 3:9-16

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

After Jesus explained the new birth to Nicodemus, he asked the only question that a human being can ask: "How can these things be?"

Jesus' disciples were also astonished at the doctrine of the new birth, recorded in Mark 10:26-27  And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?  27  And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.
Certainly the new birth is impossible with man, thus Nicodemus could not understand it with his natural mind, which is enmity against God (Romans 8:7).

Jesus now tells Nicodemus of heavenly things (John 3:12-13). He speaks of the descending and ascending of Jesus, who is the only one who could and did both of these.  Note Romans 10:6-7  But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)  7  Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) It is this descending and ascending that is the basic message of the Gospel.

Jesus, then, puts the story in brief in verse 14 when he compares the lifting up by Moses of the serpent in the wilderness to the crucifixion of Jesus on the cross. If an Israelite, after being bitten by a serpent, lifted up to view the brazen serpent on the pole, he would live; if not, he would die.

So it is that, if any man will look at Jesus on the cross and believe in His work of redemption, he will live; if not, he will die eternally (verse 15).

God brought redemption through His love for people, and those who come to him in repentance and faith will never perish but have everlasting life (verse 16).