TRV
John 3:12
Bible Versions
If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you [of] heavenly things?
If you people don’t believe me when I tell you about the things of the world, how will you believe me when I tell you about the things of heaven?
If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?
If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things?
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1 Corinthians 3:1
¶ And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, [even] as unto babes in Christ. -
1 Corinthians 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able. -
1 Corinthians 2:7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: -
1 Corinthians 2:9
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. -
Hebrews 5:11
Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. -
John 3:31
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all. -
John 3:36
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
In John 3:12, Jesus continues His nocturnal dialogue with Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and ruler of the Jews. This verse serves as a rhetorical question, highlighting Nicodemus's struggle to comprehend spiritual truths.
Context
The conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus begins with Jesus explaining the absolute necessity of being "born again" or "born from above" to see and enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus, thinking in purely physical terms, asks, "How can a man be born when he is old?" (John 3:4) and later, "How can these things be?" (John 3:9). Jesus' statement in verse 12 is a direct response to this lack of spiritual understanding regarding concepts that, while spiritual, have analogies or applications in the earthly realm, yet Nicodemus failed to grasp them.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The terms "earthly things" (Greek: ta epigeia) and "heavenly things" (Greek: ta epourania) are crucial to understanding this verse. Ta epigeia refers not to mundane, secular matters, but to spiritual realities that manifest or are understandable in an earthly context (like the new birth, which happens to people on earth). Ta epourania refers to deeper, divine truths about God's nature, His kingdom, and the mysteries of salvation that originate entirely from heaven and require pure divine revelation to grasp. The progression from one to the other emphasizes the increasing challenge to human comprehension without divine aid.
Practical Application
For believers today, John 3:12 serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of spiritual receptivity and a willing heart. If we struggle to accept foundational truths of the faith—like the necessity of spiritual transformation or the reality of God's Spirit at work—how will we ever grasp the deeper doctrines concerning Christ's divinity, the Trinity, or the future hope? It calls us to cultivate a humble and believing heart, willing to accept God's revealed truth even when it surpasses our natural reasoning, trusting in the one who descended from heaven to reveal these truths (John 3:13).