October 19, 2023 – Thursday
John 3:13 NKJV
13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
John 3:13 NET
13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
Comments
Today, we continue with Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus. Yesterday we had verses 11-12 (NKJV), 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? We go one verse further today now with verse 13. (NKJV), 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.
Wow! In verse twelve, Jesus said, 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? And then, as we see today, He goes ahead speaking about heavenly things! NKJV, 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven or NET 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven—the Son of Man.
What is going on here? Jesus is beginning now to tell Nicodemus of heavenly things. After reading over six in depth commentaries on this verse alone, here is a summary from the Greek Expositor’s Testament, In short, we have here the basis in Christ’s own words of the statement in the prologue that the Word was in the beginning with God, and became flesh to be a light to men. This obviously traces back to Joh 1:1-3 (NKJV), 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
Still, the Pulpit Commentary puts it more directly, with Jesus effectively saying, And yet you must be told heavenly things by him who, being the Heavenly One, is himself the first subject of this revelation. How can this be as no man has ascended into heaven and is qualified to speak of such heavenly things. To do so would require personal knowledge of them. Who came down? Jesus did. He is represented as coming down, because, being equal with God, He took upon Himself our lowly nature. Earlier Nicodemus recognized Jesus as a teacher from God and now Jesus wants him to know He is the only teacher of heavenly things, being the only person that had been in heaven, one with the Father. Thus, He is the one to instruct as He came down from Heaven to do so. Here the divinity of Christ is spoken of which shows us that He is but one person with two natures united.
Finally, by using the term, “Son of man,” Christ emphasized the exalted dignity that is involved in the extent of his self-humiliation, and complete sympathy with us. And this goes back to Daniel 7:13 (NKJV) which reads, 13 I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him.
Bottom Line: Jesus has now prepared Nicodemus (and us) that information that could only come from heaven is coming as we will read in the subsequent verses. Jesus will tell us the reality of heavenly things from His own life before He came to join us as a man here on earth and why He came.
Prayer: Almighty God, Thank You for having Jesus join us so we could embrace the love You have for us. Your love, Your grace, Your patience, and more are beyond our comprehension. Thank You. – In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Treat: The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn10djBQukM
RileyD, nwJ
Riley D. Driver – Pastor
Still writing and working for the Glory of God