John Chapter 3, Verse 4
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4: λεγει προς αυτον ο νικοδημος πως δυναται ανθρωπος γεννηθηναι γερων ων μη δυναται εις την κοιλιαν της μητρος αυτου δευτερον εισελθειν και γεννηθηναι
4: Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is
old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and
be born?
4: Nicodemus saith to him: How can a man be born when he is old? Can
he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born again?
How can a man, &c. It may seem remarkable that Nicodemus understood Jesus literally, when the expression to be born again was in common use among the Jews to denote a change from Gentilism to Judaism by becoming a proselyte by baptism. The word with them meant a change from the state of a heathen to that of a Jew. But they never used it as applicable to a Jew, because they supposed that by his birth every Jew was entitled to all the privileges of the people of God. When, therefore, Jesus used it of a Jew, when he affirmed its necessity of every man, Nicodemus supposed that there was an absurdity in the doctrine, or something that surpassed his comprehension, and he therefore asked whether it was possible that Jesus could teach so absurd a doctrine -- as he could conceive no other sense as applicable to a Jew -- as that he should, when old, enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born.
