There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
John 3:1–2

Nicodemus had been drawn to the Lord Jesus by the signs he saw Him perform. He was likely among those mentioned at the end of chapter two:
“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man” (John 2:23–25).

We are told that Nicodemus was a Pharisee—one of the guardians of the Law—but there is another description that follows him throughout the Gospel of John: he came to Jesus by night. This detail is mentioned at least three times (John 3:2; 7:50; 19:39). Because of this, some have called him a secret disciple of the Lord. Yet, after the death of Jesus, Nicodemus was secret no longer. He openly identified himself with those who stood for the crucified—but risen—Christ.

In our passage, the Lord Jesus tells him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). This statement perplexed Nicodemus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (v. 4). Jesus then replied, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (vv. 5–8).

Here, the Lord Jesus reveals how anyone is “born from above.” This new birth comes through the water—which represents the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 1:23)—and through the Spirit of God. In his encounter with Christ, Nicodemus learned that the new birth is entirely the work of God. It is not achieved by outward performance but received through a birth from above.

For further insight into this truth, consider these passages: 1 Peter 1:3; Romans 6:11; Ephesians 2:4; and James 1:17–18.

Anchor For Today:
The new birth is the result of the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit breaking through the darkness in which we were lost and shining the light of grace into our hearts.