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John 3:1-8 Text



1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ 3 Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ 4 Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ 5 Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’






John 3:1-8 Questions



Please note.
By reading the meditation associated with this text you will find many answers to the questions. However, the most important thing to do is to remain on the text, meditate on it until you can formulate your own answers. When interacting with the text we are interacting with the ultimate author of the text, the Holy Spirit.

If you wish to discuss these questions and interact with others then please join our online Bible group. If you wish to discuss these on a one-to-one basis then please contact us.




Verses 1, 2

  1. Do you think Jesus knew how Nicodemus thought and felt when they met? Read John 2:24-25.

  2. Why do you think he spent time with Nicodemus? In what ways did Nicodemus differ from the crowds in whom Jesus did not trust?

  3. Were Jesus’ words wasted on Nicodemus? Did Nicodemus eventually follow Jesus? Read John 7:50 and John 19:39. Once again do you think Jesus knew the inner disposition of Nicodemus?

  4. What was the general response of the religious leaders with regards to Jesus? Can you give some examples of their attitude towards him?

  5. Was Nicodemus a religious leader? What was he? What was the general attitude of the Pharisees to Jesus? Was Nicodemus’ attitude different?

  6. Why do you think Nicodemus met Jesus by night and not during the day?

  7. Does the night have any symbolic or spiritual value? What do you think this might be? Do you think Nicodemus is in a state of spiritual darkness like the other religious leaders of the time? Why / why not?

  8. What did Jesus’ enemies say of his miracles; to whom did they attribute them? Read Mark 3:22.

  9. What three important statements does Nicodemus make about Jesus.

  10. What does the word “Rabbi” mean?

  11. What does Nicodemus say about Jesus, the nature of his mission, the origin of his teaching?

  12. To whom or to what does Nicodemus attribute the miracles of Jesus?

  13. What does all this say about Nicodemus? Does this explain why Jesus spends time with him?




    14. Verses 3, 4


  14. Why do you think Jesus said these words to Nicodemus? (v.3)

  15. When a sentence begins in this way what do you think it is meant to do and why?

  16. Is the Kingdom of God part of the material world? What is the nature of the Kingdom of God? Read Romans 14:17; Luke 17:20, 21.

  17. Does the nature of the Kingdom of God determine the meaning of being born from above?

  18. What does the expression being born 'from above' mean (some translations have 'born again')? Read John 1:10-13.

  19. Why do you think Nicodemus misinterprets Jesus’ words? Why do you think he does not understand?

  20. To what kind of birth is Nicodemus referring? To what kind of birth is Jesus referring?




    21. Verses 5-8


  21. What is necessary to enter into the Kingdom of God?

  22. What does ‘water’ refer to? What does the word ‘Spirit’ refer to? How are they related?

  23. How do the expressions ‘from above’ and ‘water and the Spirit’ relate?

  24. ‘What is born of the flesh is flesh’ refers to what birth?

  25. How did a person become a Jew, member of the people of God? Is this relevant to the situation of Nicodemus and his puzzlement?

  26. ‘What is born of the Spirit is spirit’. Notice the use of the capital ‘S’ and later of the small ‘s? What are these two spirits? How are they related?

  27. Does a man have a spirit? Read Hebrews 4:12. In the context of the analogy of flesh, bones and marrow, at what level is the spirit of man? Is it the most superficial dimension of man or the deepest?

  28. How are the spirit of God and the spirit of man related? Read Romans 8:14.

  29. What was the reaction of Nicodemus at the words of Jesus?

  30. What does the ‘wind’ stand for? Given the context of this passage should the wind be interpreted in both a physical and a spiritual way?



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John 3:1-8 Meditation Part 1


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