VISIT with NICODEMUS - John 3

VISIT with NICODEMUS – John 3

I was getting ready for the Trinity Sunday sermon (2024). Interesting choice of the Gospel reading – John 3:1-17. For starters, the passage should have been extended to v. 21 of chapter 3. But this is not my main point for this post. As prep I consulted William C. Weinrich, John 1:1 – 7:1(Concordia Commentary, CPH: 2015). On page 382… Let me pause here: just think about it, almost 900 pages for the first 6 chapters (!), and, obviously, by the middle – 380s – he approaches chapter 3…  

So, on p. 382 Dr. Weinrich presents an interesting structure of the passage:

2:23-3:2a           Introduction, setting of the context

3:2b-3                First exchange (“amen, amen, I say to you,” 3:3)

3:4-8                   Second exchange (“amen, amen, I say to you,” 3:5)

3:9-15                 Third exchange (“amen, amen, I say to you,” 3:11)

3:16-21              Kerygmatic commentary by the evangelist  

What caught my attention were two things: (1) Dr. Weinrich states that the passage, actually, begins in 2:23. I had my post on the structure of John, chapters 2 to 4. I am not sure that I agree that 2:23 introduces this passage, IMHO – 2:23 concludes the previous passage which begins in 2:13 – usage of Passover, Jerusalem, Jesus – He.  On the other hand, Just an idea that a few verses from chapter two introduce the setting of the conversation with Nicodemus is an interesting one. After serious consideration, it forced me to change my previous post. I think the passage begins at 2:24, where the theme of witness by men is introduced – Jesus will pick it up in 3:9-15.

(2) He treats 3:16-21 as a commentary of John on the words of Jesus. Interesting, but not convincing. We have quite a number of places where John “raises” his own voice – but most of the times it is obvious cause it is related to the post-resurrection times (cp. John 2:21-22). Yet, it was a helpful note seeing 3:16-21 as an independent unit. What he is missing though (not really missing, but what can be added) is this block has three “for”s  - γαρ (3:16; 3:17-19; 3:20-21).

Building on that, the outline for the visit in the night passage might look like this which resembles the creational pattern:

n	Passage in John	Description	Creation parallel
i.	2:24-3:2a	setting the scene, night (3:1)	darkness of the initial creation (Gen. 1:2)
		Three questions:
ii	3:2b-3	Being from God is being born from above	space above the firmament (Gen. 1:6-8)
iii	3:4-8	Born from the flesh vs. born from the water and the Spirit	separation of the waters and the land
iv	3:9-15	the topic is too high – so, ascension of the Son of God	Stars in heaven that rule the days and the nights
		Three “conclusion”
v	3:16	only-begotten Son is given for the world	Fish and birds set the boundaries of the life in the world
vi	3:17-19	believing in the Son of God	Creation of the first Adam
vii	3:20-21	works exposed	Sabbath judgement/evaluation