Albert Barnes Commentary John 3:10

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things?" — John 3:10 (ASV)

A master of Israel. A teacher of Israel; the same word that in the second verse is translated teacher. As such a teacher he ought to have understood this doctrine. It was not new, but was clearly taught in the Old Testament. See particularly Psalm 51:10, 16-17; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:26.

It may seem surprising that a man whose business it was to teach the people should be a stranger to so plain and important a doctrine; but when worldly-minded men are placed in offices of religion—when they seek those offices for the sake of ease or reputation, it is no wonder that they are strangers to the plain truths of the Bible.

And there have been many, and there are still, who are in the ministry itself, to whom the plainest doctrines of the gospel are obscure.

No man can understand the Bible fully unless he is a humble Christian, and the easiest way to comprehend the truths of religion is to give the heart to God and live to his glory. A child thus may have more real knowledge of the way of salvation than many who are pretended masters and teachers of Israel (John 7:17; Matthew 11:25; Psalms 8:2, compare with Matthew 21:16).

Of Israel. Of the Jews; of the Jewish nation.