Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 3:7-15

"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou the teacher of Israel, and understandest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, [even] the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life." — John 3:7-15 (ASV)

1. Above, in His instruction on spiritual generation, the Lord presented a reason; here He gives an example. For we see that Nicodemus was troubled when he heard that that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit (John 3:6). And so the Lord says to him, do not wonder that I said to you, you must be born again.

   Here we should note that there are two kinds of surprise or astonishment. One is the astonishment of devotion, where someone, considering the great things of God, sees that they are incomprehensible to him, and so he is full of astonishment: the Lord on high is wonderful (Psalms 92:4); your testimonies are wonderful (Psalms 118:129). People should be encouraged, not discouraged, in this kind of astonishment.

   The other is the astonishment of disbelief, when someone does not believe what is said. Thus it is said: they were astonished, and adds further on that they did not accept him (Matthew 13:54). The Lord diverts Nicodemus from this kind of astonishment by proposing an example, saying: the wind blows where it wills.

   In the literal sense, these same words can be explained in two ways.

2. In the first way, according to Chrysostom, wind is taken to mean the literal wind: the winds of the storm that fulfill his word (Psalms 148:8). According to this interpretation, He says four things about the wind. First, the power of the wind, when He says, the wind blows where it wills. And if you say that the wind has no will, one may answer that will is taken to mean a natural appetite, which is nothing more than a natural inclination, about which it is said: he created the weight of the wind (Job 28:25).

   Second, He tells the evidence for the wind, when He says, and you hear its sound, where sound refers to the sound the wind makes when it strikes a body. Of this we read: the sound of your thunder was in the whirlwind (Psalms 76:19).

   Third, He mentions the origin of the wind, which is unknown; so He says, but you do not know where it comes from, that is, from where it starts: he brings forth the winds out of his storehouse (Psalms 134:7).

   Fourth, He mentions the wind’s destination, which is also unknown; so He says, or where it goes, that is, where it remains. And He applies this similarity to the subject under discussion, saying, so it is with every man who is born of the Spirit. It is as if to say: If the wind, which is a physical thing, has a hidden origin and an unknown course, why are you surprised that you cannot understand the process of spiritual regeneration?

3. Augustine objects to this explanation and says that the Lord was not speaking here about the wind when He said, the wind blows where it wills, for we know where each of the winds comes from and where it goes. For Auster comes from the south and goes to the north; Boreas comes from the north and goes to the south. Why, then, does the Lord say of this wind, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes?

   One may answer that there are two ways in which the source of the wind might be unknown. First, in a general sense: in this way, it is possible to know where it comes from—that is, from which direction of the world, for example, that Auster comes from the south, and where it goes, that is, to the north. Second, in a particular sense: in this way, it is not known where the wind comes from—that is, at which precise place it originated, or where it goes—that is, exactly where it stops. And almost all the Greek Fathers agree with this explanation by Chrysostom.

4. Alternatively, wind is taken to mean the Holy Spirit. According to this, He mentions four things about the Holy Spirit. First, His power, saying, the wind blows where it wills, because by the free use of His power, He breathes where He wills and when He wills, instructing hearts: one and the same Spirit does all these things, distributing to each as he wills (1 Corinthians 12:11). This refutes the error of Macedonius, who thought that the Holy Spirit was a servant of the Father and the Son. But then He would not be breathing where He willed, but where He was commanded.

5. Second, He mentions the evidence for the Holy Spirit, when He says, and you hear its sound; today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts (Psalms 94:8).

   Chrysostom objects to this and says that this cannot apply to the Holy Spirit. For the Lord was speaking to Nicodemus, who was still an unbeliever and thus not fit to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.

   We may answer this, with Augustine, that the Holy Spirit has a twofold voice. One is the voice by which He speaks inwardly in a person’s heart, and only believers and the saints hear this voice: I will hear what the Lord God says within me (Psalms 84:9). The other is the voice by which the Holy Spirit speaks in the Scriptures or through those who preach: for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit who is speaking through you (Matthew 10:20). And this voice is heard by unbelievers and sinners.

6. Third, He refers to the origin of the Holy Spirit, which is hidden; thus He says, but you do not know where it comes from, although you hear its voice. This is because the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son: when the Paraclete comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father (John 15:26). But the Father and the Son dwell in inaccessible light, whom no man has seen or is able to see (1 Timothy 6:16).

7. Fourth, He gives the destination of the Holy Spirit, which is also hidden; and so He says, you do not know... where it goes, because the Spirit leads one to a hidden end: eternal happiness. Thus it is said that the Holy Spirit is the pledge of our inheritance (Ephesians 1:14). And again, the eye has not seen, nor has the ear heard, nor has the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him (1 Corinthians 2:9). Alternatively, you do not know where it comes from means how the Spirit enters a person, or where it goes means to what perfection He may lead him: if he comes toward me, I will not see him (Job 9:11).

8. So it is with every man who is born of the Spirit, that is, they are like the Holy Spirit.

   This is no wonder, for as He had said before, that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit (John 3:6), because the qualities of the Holy Spirit are present in the spiritual person, just as the qualities of fire are present in burning coal.

   Therefore, the four qualities of the Holy Spirit mentioned above are found in one who has been born of the Holy Spirit. First, he has freedom: where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17), for the Holy Spirit leads us to what is right—your good Spirit will lead me to the right path (Psalms 142:10)—and frees us from the slavery of sin and the law: the law of the Spirit, of life in Christ, has set me free (Romans 8:2).

   Second, we receive an indication of him through the sound of his words. When we hear them, we know his spirituality, for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34).

   Third, he has an origin and an end that are hidden, because no one can judge a spiritual person: the spiritual man judges all things, and he himself is judged by no one (1 Corinthians 2:15).

   Alternatively, you do not know where it comes from refers to the source of his spiritual birth—baptismal grace. Or where it goes refers to that of which he is made worthy—eternal life, which remains concealed from us.

9. Then the cause and reason for spiritual regeneration are set forth.

   First, a question is asked by Nicodemus.

   Second, the Lord’s answer is given, at Jesus answered and said to him.

10. From this, it is apparent that Nicodemus, still dull and thinking like a Jew on a purely sensory level, was unable to understand the mysteries of Christ despite the examples and explanations given. And so he asks, how can these things be done?

    There are two reasons why one may ask a question. Some question out of disbelief, as Zechariah did, saying: how will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in age (Luke 1:18); he confounds those who search into mysteries (Isaiah 40:23). Others, however, question from a desire to learn, as the Blessed Virgin did when she said to the angel: how shall this be, since I do not know man? (Luke 1:34). It is these who are instructed. Therefore, because Nicodemus asked from a desire to learn, he deserved to be instructed.

11. And this is what follows: Jesus answered, and said to him: you are a teacher in Israel.

    First the Lord rebukes him for his slowness.

    Second, He answers his question, at and no man has ascended into heaven.

12. He rebukes him for his slowness based on three things. First, the condition of the person to whom He is speaking, when He says, you are a teacher in Israel. Here the Lord did not rebuke him to insult him. Rather, because Nicodemus presumed upon his own knowledge and was still relying on his status as a teacher, the Lord wished to make him a temple of the Holy Spirit by humbling him: for whom will I have regard? For he who is humble and of contrite spirit (Isaiah 66:2). He says, you are a teacher, because while it is tolerable for a simple person not to grasp profound truths, in a teacher it deserves rebuke. And so He says, you are a teacher—that is, of the letter that kills (2 Corinthians 3:6)—and you do not know these things?—that is, spiritual things. For although you ought to be teachers by now, you yourselves need to be taught again (Hebrews 5:12).

13. You might say that the Lord would have been just in rebuking Nicodemus if He had spoken to him about matters of the Old Law and Nicodemus did not understand them; but He spoke to him about the New Law.

    I answer that the things the Lord says about spiritual generation are contained in the Old Law, although in a figurative way, as it is said: all were baptized into Moses, in the cloud and in the sea (1 Corinthians 10:2). And the prophets also said this: I will pour clean water upon you, and you will be cleansed from all your uncleanness (Ezekiel 36:25).

14. Second, He rebukes him for his slowness because of the character of the one speaking. For it is tolerable if one does not accept the statements of an ignorant person, but it is reprehensible to reject the statements of a man who is wise and possesses great authority. And so He says, amen, amen I say to you, that we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen. A qualified witness must base his testimony on hearing or sight: what we have seen and heard (1 John 1:3). Therefore, the Lord mentions both: we speak what we know, and we testify what we have seen. Indeed, the Lord as man knows all things: Lord, you know all things (John 21:17); the Lord, whose knowledge is holy, knows clearly . Furthermore, He sees all things by His divine knowledge: I speak that which I have seen with my Father (John 8:38).

    He speaks in the plural—we know and we have seen—to suggest the mystery of the Trinity: the Father who abides in me, he does the works (John 14:10). Alternatively, we know means, “I and others who have been made spiritual,” because no one knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son wishes to reveal him (Matthew 11:27). But you do not receive our testimony, which is so proven and solid. And no man receives his testimony (John 3:32).

15. Third, He rebukes him for his slowness because of the nature of the things being discussed. For it is not unusual for someone to fail to grasp difficult matters, but it is inexcusable not to grasp easy things. So He says, if I have spoken of earthly things, and you do not believe, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things? It is as if to say: If you do not grasp these easy things, how will you be able to understand the work of the Holy Spirit? What is on earth we find difficult, and who will search out the things in heaven .

16. But one might object that the preceding text does not show that the Lord spoke of earthly things to Nicodemus.

    I answer, according to Chrysostom, that the Lord’s statement, if I have spoken to you of earthly things, refers to the example of the wind. For the wind, being something that can be generated and corrupted, is regarded as an earthly thing.

    Or one might say, again according to Chrysostom, that the spiritual generation which is given in baptism is heavenly as to its source, which sanctifies and regenerates; but it is earthly regarding its subject, for the one regenerated—man—is of the earth.

    Or one might answer, according to Augustine, that we must understand this in reference to what Christ said earlier: destroy this temple (John 2:19), which is earthly, because He said this about the temple of His body, which He had taken from the earth. If I have spoken to you of earthly things, and you do not believe, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things? It is as if to say: If you do not believe in a spiritual generation that occurs in time, how will you believe in the eternal generation of the Son? Or, if you do not believe what I tell you about the power of my body, how will you believe what I tell you about the power of my divinity and about the power of the Holy Spirit?

17. Jesus replied and said to him: you are a teacher. Here He answers the question.

    First, He lays down the causes of spiritual regeneration.

    Second, He explains what He says, at for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son (John 3:16).

    Now there are two causes of spiritual regeneration: namely, the mystery of the incarnation of Christ, and His Passion.

    So first, He treats the incarnation.

    Second, He treats the Passion, at just as Moses lifted up the serpent.

18. Here we should consider, first of all, how this answer of Christ is an adequate reply to the question of Nicodemus. For earlier, when the Lord was speaking of the Spirit, He said, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. We understand from this that spiritual regeneration has a hidden source and a hidden end. Now, the things in heaven are hidden from us: who will search out the things in heaven? . Therefore, the meaning of Nicodemus’s question, how can these things be done?, is this: How can something come from the secret things of heaven or go to the secret things of heaven? So, before answering, the Lord stated this interpretation of the question, saying, how will you believe if I speak to you of heavenly things? And immediately He begins to show whose prerogative it is to ascend into heaven: namely, the one who came down from heaven: he who descended is he who ascended (Ephesians 4:10). This is true even in natural things, where each body tends toward a place according to its origin or nature. And so in this way it can come about that someone, through the Spirit, may go to a place which carnal persons do not know—that is, by ascending into heaven, if this is done through the power of the One who descended from heaven. For He descended so that, in ascending, He might open a way for us: he ascends, opening the way before them (Micah 2:13).

19. Some have fallen into error because of His saying, he who descended from heaven, the Son of man. For since “Son of man” designates human nature, which is composed of soul and body, then because He says that the Son descended from heaven, Valentinus wanted to maintain that Christ even took His body from heaven and thus passed through the Virgin without receiving anything from her, as water passes through a pipe. The result would be that His body was neither of an earthly substance nor taken from the Virgin. But this is contrary to the statement of the Apostle: who was made from the seed of David according to the flesh (Romans 1:3).

    On the other hand, Origen said that He descended from heaven with respect to His soul, which, Origen says, had been created along with the angels from the very beginning, and that later this soul descended from heaven and took flesh from the Virgin. But this also conflicts with the catholic faith, which teaches that souls do not exist before their bodies.

20. Therefore, we should not understand that the Son of Man descended from heaven according to His human nature, but only according to His divine nature. For since in Christ there is one suppositum, or hypostasis, or person of two natures—the divine and the human—then regardless of which of these two natures this suppositum is named from, both divine and human things can be attributed to Him. For we can say that the Son of Man created the stars and that the Son of God was crucified. But the Son of God was crucified, not according to His divine nature, but according to His human nature; and the Son of Man created the stars according to His divine nature. And so, in things that are said of Christ, the distinction should not be made regarding the subject of the statement (that about which they are said), because divine and human things are said of God and man interchangeably. Instead, a distinction must be made regarding the basis of the statement (that according to which they are said), because divine things are said of Christ according to His divine nature, while human things are said according to His human nature. Thus, to descend from heaven is said of the Son of Man, not according to His human nature, but according to His divine nature, according to which it was appropriate for Him to have been from heaven before the incarnation, as is said, heaven belongs to the Lord (Psalms 113:16).

21. He is said to have come down, but not by physical movement from one place to another, because then He would not have remained in heaven. For nothing that moves physically remains in the place from which it moves. And so, to exclude physical movement, He adds, who is in heaven. It is as if to say: He descended from heaven in such a way that He was still in heaven. For He came down from heaven without ceasing to be above, yet He assumed a nature that is from below. And because He is not enclosed or confined by His body, which exists on earth, He was, according to His divinity, in heaven and everywhere. Therefore, to indicate that He is said to have come down in this way—because He assumed a nature—He said, the Son of man descended, that is, insofar as He became the Son of Man.

22. Alternatively, as Hilary says, it can be said that He came down from heaven with respect to His body: not that the material of Christ’s body came down from heaven, but that the power that formed it was from heaven.

23. But why does He say, and no man has ascended into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the Son of man, who is in heaven? For have not Paul and Peter and the other saints gone up? We have a house in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1).

    I answer that no one goes up into heaven except Christ and His members—that is, those believers who are righteous. Accordingly, the Son of God came down from heaven so that, by making us His members, He might prepare us to ascend into heaven—now, indeed, in hope, but later in reality. He has raised us up, and has given us a place in heaven in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6).

24. Here He mentions the mystery of the Passion, by virtue of which baptism has its efficacy: we who have been baptized into Christ Jesus, have been baptized into his death (Romans 6:3).

    In this regard, He does three things.

    First, He gives a symbol for the Passion.

    Second, the manner of the Passion.

    Third, the fruit of the Passion.

25. He takes the symbol from the Old Law to adapt to Nicodemus’s understanding, so He says, just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up. This refers to when the Lord, faced with the Jewish people saying, we are sick of this useless food, sent serpents to punish them (Numbers 21:5). When the people came to Moses and he interceded with the Lord, the Lord commanded that, as a remedy, they make a serpent of bronze. This was to serve both as a remedy against those serpents and as a symbol of the Lord’s Passion. Hence, it says that this bronze serpent was lifted up as a sign (Numbers 21:9). Now, it is characteristic of serpents that they are poisonous, but this was not so for the serpent of bronze, although it was a symbol of a poisonous serpent. So, too, Christ did not have sin, which is also a poison—sin, when it is fully developed, brings forth death (James 1:15)—but He had the likeness of sin: God sent his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3). And thus Christ had the effect of the serpent against the uprising of inflamed sinful desires.

26. He shows the manner of the Passion when He says, so must the Son of man be lifted up; this refers to being lifted up on the cross. So when it says later, the Son of man must be lifted up, it is added, he said this signifying what death he should die (John 12:33–34). He willed to die lifted up, first, to cleanse the heavens. For since He had cleansed the things on earth by the holiness of His life, the things of the air were left to be cleansed by His death: through him he should reconcile all things to himself, whether on earth or in the heavens, making peace through his blood (Colossians 1:20). Second, to triumph over the demons who prepare for war in the air: the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2). Third, He wished to die lifted up to draw our hearts to Himself: I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all things to myself (John 12:32). Fourth, because in the death of the cross He was lifted up in the sense that He triumphed over His enemies there; so it is not called a death, but a “lifting up”: he will drink from the stream on the way, therefore he will lift up his head (Psalms 109:7). Fifth, He willed to die lifted up because the cross was the reason for His being lifted up—that is, exalted: he became obedient to the Father even to death, the death of the cross; on account of which God has exalted him (Philippians 2:8).

27. Now, the fruit of Christ’s Passion is eternal life. Hence, He says, so that whoever believes in him—by good works—may not perish but have eternal life. This fruit corresponds to the fruit of the symbolic serpent. For whoever looked upon the bronze serpent was freed from its poison, and his life was preserved. But he who looks upon the lifted-up Son of Man and believes in the crucified Christ is freed from the poison of sin. All who live and believe in me will never die (John 11:26), and they are preserved for eternal life. These are written, so that you may believe... and so that believing, you may have life in his name (John 20:31).