The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3 is one of the most important dialogues in Scripture, revealing the necessity of spiritual rebirth for entering God’s kingdom. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, well-versed in the Law, yet Jesus confronted him with a truth he had not understood.
John 3:3 records Jesus’ central statement:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is ain/”>born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
This teaches that salvation is not achieved by heritage, religious works, or human effort, but by a new birth from above. Nicodemus struggled to understand this concept physically, but Jesus explained it as a spiritual transformation by the Holy Spirit:
“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
Jesus further illustrated this truth with the example of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:14–15)
This conversation also contains the most famous verse in the Bible:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
The significance of this dialogue is profound. It defines the gospel: salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. It exposes the insufficiency of religion without regeneration and emphasizes the necessity of the Spirit’s work in the heart. Nicodemus later shows signs of faith by defending Jesus (John 7:50–51) and helping bury Him (John 19:39).
