John Thomas frequently found the Bible concordance to be an invaluable aid when looking beneath English translations of Scripture. He has been termed a Biblical archaeologist as he dug down to uncover the true teaching of the Word. Such an approach is still of great value as many a difficult phrase is understood when we carefully examine the original words that were used. The wording of John 3:8 is a case in point. Consistently the English translations convey an idea of the invisible nature of blowing wind in the rendering “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and wither it goeth.” Such an idea seems to have little to do with the context of the master’s instruction of Nicodemus. However, a careful study of the words used clarifies the verse and it is seen as an important transition point from Christ’s exhortation to repentance to his exposition of God’s plan of redemption.
The key is recognizing that the Greek word for “wind” is Pneuma. According to Young’s concordance, Pneuma is used 383 times in the New Testament and is translated “spirit” or “spiritual” 381 of those times. It is rendered “life” once and “wind” only here in John 3:8. In fact, Pneuma is used five times in John 3 all rendered “spirit” except this one case. Surely here “the spirit” is what Jesus is referring to as he continues his instruction of the Jewish leader.
“The spirit bloweth . . .”: the Greek for “bloweth” is Pneo which is used six other times in the New Testament always of the wind blowing. However, the Liddel Scott Greek lexicon offers the following definition of Pneoo “to blow; breathe . . . 2. to breathe, exhale . . .”. In Strong’s concordance the lexicon note is Pneoo “a primary word, to breathe hard i.e. breeze”. Accordingly, we are not stretching the language to suggest the Lord said to Nicodemus “the spirit breathes . . .”.
The Spirit Breathes Where God Wills
“The spirit breathes where it usteth . . .”. “Listeth” is simply old English for “wills”. The Greek for “it listeth” is Thelei a third person singular form of Thelo which is a common verb used 211 times and normally rendered “will” (104 times), “would” (75 times) or “desire” (13 times). The interesting point is that “it” can be “he, she or it” depending on the context. Any of the three are equally allowable with the third person Thelei; in John 5:21, precisely the same verb form is rendered “he will”. Now consider this; “the spirit breathes where he (God) wills” as a rendering which unlocks the meaning of this passage.
“The spirit breathes where He wills and you (Nicodemus) hearest (are listening to) the sound thereof. . .”.
Nicodemus Was Listening to the Sound of the Spirit of God
This is exactly what was happening. God had breathed His spirit into the Lord and Nicodemus was listening to the sound of the spirit of God in hearing the words of Christ. He was hearing, in effect, the voice of God. “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him” (v. 34).
The Greek for “sound” (Phone) reinforces this point; Phone occurs 141 times and is the basic New Testament word for “voice” being rendered “voice” 128 times. In truth, Nicodemus was hearing the “voice thereof,” the voice of the spirit of God.
Furthermore, God had breathed His Spirit where He listeth, that is where He had decided to and not necessarily where man had anticipated. One of the points referred to several times in the Gospel of John is that when the Messiah came, he came from a background and in a role that they had not expected. The rulers looked for a birth in Bethlehem but the apparent origin of Jesus was in Nazareth (7:41-42, 52). They expected a prominent connection with the House of David, but the facts of his birth were obscure to them and to them had overtones
Nicodemus Was Confused
of impropriety (8:41). They looked for a prince, one trained to be king yet he came as one without apparent formal education (7:15). They looked for someone with whom they could co-operate in establishing the Messianic age not someone who would attack their mercantile practices (2:15-16) and call them to repentance and a new conduct of life (3:3, 5). Nicodemus was an example of such confusion of thought as his own views of right standing were challenged by the Word of God to which he was now directly exposed.
Canst Not Tell
. . . thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell . . .”. This translation intimates an unfortunate slant of meaning. The KJV rendering indicates it was impossible for Nicodemus to understand the matters under discussion. However the RV has “but knoweth not” and the RSV “but you do not know.” Both of these convey the sense of the Greek as being: here were matters that Nicodemus did not understand rather than a teaching he could not understand. The Greek is simply Ouk Oidas; Oidas is the second person singular form of Oida (or Eidoo) which is the most common verb used in the New Testament for “to know” or “to see”. Ouk is used some 1300 times and means simply “not.” Thus the idea is a straight-forward declaration to Nicodemus that he did not know what was being revealed by the Spirit in Christ. As it turned out, the area of his ignorance was common to the Jews of his day.
Whence it Comes
“You hear the sound of the Spirit of God but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes . . .”. Two and a half years later, again in Jerusalem, the Lord used a similar expression. Like Nicodemus many Pharisees were ignorant of these same two areas: “. . . for I know whence I came and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go” (8:14). In this instance, the Lord uses the more personal phrasing of “whence I come” as opposed to whence it (the spirit of God) comes.” The subject is the same, however, for in Christ the spirit was concentrated “without measure.”
The Divine Origin of Jesus Included. Much More Than the Manner of His Birth
At the feast of tabernacles (John 8), the interchange swirled around two matters that were consistent stumbling blocks to the Jews: the divine origin of Messiah (“whence I come”) and his ascension to the nature of God through the humiliation of the cross (“whither I go”). He originated by the power of God overshadowing Mary. From the Lord’s discourse, however, it becomes evident his divine origin included much more than the manner of his birth. His teaching was from above: “I speak to the world those things which I have heard of (God)” (8:26); “as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things” (v 28); “I speak that which I have seen with my Father” (v. 38); “the truth, which I have heard of God” (v. 40).
His teaching was from above and so were his actions; the manner of his life did not originate with the flesh but with the spirit. His opponents were “from beneath” they were “of this world” (v. 23) for they were controlled by their father – sin (v. 44). The Lord, on the other hand, was “from above” not following the course “of this world” (v. 23) for he was controlled by God. “I do always those things that please him” (v. 29).
His teachings were of divine origin, his manner of life was dictated “from above” and his appointment was of God. The whole matter of his life and his task with the world was of divine determination; “neither came I of myself, but he sent me” (v. 42). Nothing about this program of redemption came “from beneath” it all was “from above.” Those who are “of God” rejoice in these things; those who “are not of God” refuse them (v. 47). In fact, everyone who is born of the Spirit draws their understanding and their strength, their conduct and their redemption from above. They do not seek the way of the flesh; they do not rely upon the arm of the flesh for salvation nor fleshy descent from Abraham for sanctification. As the Lord was “from above,” his whole existence being a result of the work of the Spirit, so the believer is reborn “from above,” his new relationship to eternal life being possible because of the work of the Father on high.
Whither it Goes
The meaning of “from whence it comes” is thus clarified in John 8. However, “whither it goes” or “whither I go” is only briefly mentioned there; it is not elaborated until the Master is alone with his loved ones during the final hours of his mortality. There the subject comes up again: “I came into the world . . . I leave the world and go to the Father” (16:28). In his instruction of the apostles that begins in Chapter 13, there are a number of allusions to where he was going. When he went away, they would seek him (13:13) and later they would follow (13; 36). Jesus was going to prepare a place for them (14:2); he was going to the Father (14:12). But he would come to them again (14:28) and when he came their sorrow would be turned into joy (16:20, 22). When we survey these and :he other related statements in this section, it becomes evident the Lord was going to the divine nature and immortal fellowship with the Father via the humiliation of the cross. He was going to glory through the cross. So must everyone who is born of the Spirit.
As the firstborn son in the family of God is made perfect through suffering so must the many sons who are brought unto glory. At the time of the last supper, the apostles were not ready for such a course of life, but later they would be.
Although Nicodemus Was a Ruler in Israel, He Did Not Understand
Nicodemus was hearing the voice of the Spirit of God in the Messiah. He was a ruler in Israel yet he did not understand critical aspects of the divine program: he did not understand the de-vine origin of the Lord nor did he grasp the way of the cross, of subjection, of a will broken in obedience, that was to pro-cede the glory that would follow. If he was to be one of God’s, he too would have to follow such a manner of life, repudiating what is from beneath, grasping hold of that which is from above, walking in the way that ultimately leads to sharing the holiness of God. “So is everyone that is born of the spirit.”
A Key Verse in the Conversation
“The spirit (of God) breathes where God wills and you (Nicodemus) are listening to its voice (through the master) but you do not understand its origin or its destiny.” This, we would suggest, is the sense of John 3:8. When understood in this manner, the words provide an integral part of the Lord’s discourse with Nicodemus. Jesus had already taught the necessity of true conversion (v. 3-7) and he was to follow with a revelation of God’s method of redemption (v. 13-18). In verse 8 are the words which provide the bridge as they provoke the question “How can these things be?” The verse thus serves as a transition point in the conversation.
How Can These Things Be
When Nicodemus asks “How can these things be” ? (John 3:9) he asks for an explanation of the divine procedure. In doing so he exposes himself to a rebuke (3:10) and an explanation. He should have known the Messiah was to be special in his conception; the dues were there – “a virgin shall conceive”; “his name shall be called Immanuel” (God with us); though a descendant of David, David would call him Lord. And he should have known the way to glory lay through the Lord’s sacrifice of himself – the ordinances of the Law, the anguish in the Messianic Psalms, the clear statements of Isaiah 53 all pointed to this end.
He should have known these things, and since he did not, he should at least be prepared to accept the testimony of the one who knew them fully (3:11). He had resisted the instructions about much simpler matters, the “earthly things” regarding repentance and conversion (3:3-5). Was he now prepared to accept instruction in the much more exalted concept of divine redemption through the sacrifice of God’s only begotten Son? (3:12). Yet, the Lord proceeds to expound the matter declaring the beauty of the redemptive program of God in his Son (3:14-21). He evidently saw in Nicodemus a heart amendable to the Truth. As subsequent events unfolded, the words spoken on this occasion no doubt took on great meaning to Nicodemus. So it was that when the Lord was crucified, and the hopes of many were dashed, Nicodemus came quietly forward with Joseph of Arimathea to take the body and give the Lord a king’s burial (19:38-40). His were then the actions of a man who understood that as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so must the Lord of Life be lifted up. His were the actions of a man who knew the Lord had not perished but had taken the great step towards gathering together in one the children of God. His were the actions of a man born of the spirit who now knew from where the Lord had come and to where he was going and who yearned for the day when he too might be reckoned one of those who had followed his captain to salvation by being truly born from above.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One