After Jesus had deeply offended the Pharisees by cleansing the temple, Nicodemus came to him, asking a genuine question: "Rabbi, we know that you are from God…" Although Jesus appears to change the subject, he is actually answering the assumption underlying Nicodemus' concern: the faulty Jewish view that he would be a military Messiah. King Jesus would bring liberation and change to His people by individual regeneration from the power of sin, not by political liberation from Roman rule. Jesus is answering the central question of all true seekers: how is Christ's kingship manifested?
The First Discourse: The New Birth
Authors OnSeries Signs and Discourses from John's Gospel
Topics Regeneration
Context Westminster Chapel Toronto
Scripture John 3:1-15