John W. Ritenbaugh The illustration refers to wind. Why should it be translated “Spirit” on four occasions and “wind” only once? Like the wind, spirit is invisible. Mt. If, in studying John 3, we follow the same pattern of misunderstanding His spiritual imagery, like Nicodemus, we will also misunderstand being born again. In his conversation with Nicodemus regarding the new birth, Jesus declared: “The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the voice thereof, but know not whence it comes, and where it goes: so is every one who is born of the Spirit” (Jn 3:8 ASV). Ephesians : At the same time, Christ teaches us that we should judge what has happened in the born-again person's life by what it produces. 3:16). The Jews listening to Jesus immediately reject what He teaches based on what He says being a physical impossibility. ChristianCourier.com. Jesus is teaching that, besides one's biological birth, one must also experience a supernatural, spiritual birth. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Doctrine of the Deity of Jesus Christ. It is the same with the Spirit. The term rendered “wind” in John 3:8 is the Greek word pneuma. In fact, for the children of God, it not only continues, but it also increases exponentially in terms of its importance to their spiritual lives! It is found 386 times in the Greek New Testament, and it is never rendered “wind” except in this solitary instance. He apparently had never dreamed of such a personal, intimate, and continuous relationship with the Creator God. A study of Jesus' discourses throughout the book of John shows that people frequently interpreted His entirely spiritual instruction in a physical manner, and thus failed to grasp the truth He taught. The Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35)! John W. Ritenbaugh We are not what we once were—spiritually dead to God and His way of life—but now we are alive in Christ, heirs of salvation, and free from spiritual bondage, able to pursue the holy, righteous character of our Savior. That is the gist of the meaning of spirit. This teaching reveals that God sees us as His children, already part of His Family Kingdom, and able to function as adults before Him in this world. Revelation 11:4. Nature itself may teach him. He does these things at the times and in the ways that please Him. Ephesians 2:15 The imagery regarding the Temple (John 2:18-22) is especially interesting because it immediately precedes Jesus' teaching on born again in John 3. Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament. We can witness the changes that He produces in people by noting that the formerly sinful person is becoming holy; the immoral person is becoming moral; the stubborn, obstinate person is becoming gentle, thoughtful, and helpful. 11:7). This consistent failure to grasp the meaning of His imagery continues through the entire book. The born-again person knows his life has changed and enjoys it, but we do not always grasp how God operates on our hearts to subdue our wills to His. He illustrates this by saying, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. Matthew, Mark, and Luke do not speak directly of it at all, though without directly naming it, they supply supporting information. Ever since, people have stumbled over various parts of Jesus' teaching in this passage, and usually the stumblingblock is the imagery. In this same manner, the invisible Spirit, by which a person receives spiritual birth and produces spiritual fruit, operates. A work gets done. The because in 1 John 3:8 is in antithesis to the because in 1 John 3:9.— εἰς τοῦτο, for this purpose) The devil does not make an end of sinning: to destroy sin, is the work of the Son of God.— τὰ ἔργα, the works) which are most contorted [perverse], and to unravel which, was an occasion worthy of the Son of God. To convey essential, spiritual principles, Jesus uses imagery extensively in the gospels, and perhaps the most in the book of John. In fact, the term is used five times within this context. In John 6:32-63, those who listen to His manna discourse follow the same pattern. One can see how it acts on things—just as the wind going through a tree full of leaves. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11).