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NASB | John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 1:13 who were born, not of blood [natural conception], nor of the will of the flesh [physical impulse], nor of the will of man [that of a natural father], but of God [that is, a divine and supernatural birth--they are born of God--spiritually transformed, renewed, sanctified]. |
Bible Question: I would like comments. Especially whether this verse is speaking about Christ or believers |
Bible Answer: George sir; Verse 13 speaks of the sonship of verse 12. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown say it better than I can. Which were born, [egenneetheesan ]. Observe this word "born," or begotten. It was not a name only, a dignity only, which Christ conferred on them: it was a new birth, it was a change of nature-the soul being made conscious, in virtue of it, of the vital capacities, perceptions, and emotions a 'child of God' to which before it was a total stranger. But now for the Source and Author of that new birth- both negatively and positively. Not of blood- not of 'superior human descent' as we judge the meaning to be, Nor of the will of the flesh- not of 'human generation' at all, Nor of the will of man- not of man in any ways in which his will brings anything about. By this elaborate, three-fold denial of human and earthly source of this sonship, how emphatic dose the following declaration of its real source become! But of God. A sonship strictly divine then, in its source this was which Christ conferred on as many as received Him. Right royal gift which whoever confers must be absolutely divine. For who would not worship Him who can bring him into the family and evoke within him the life, of the children of God? Now comes the great climax, to introduce and raise us to the altitude of which the foregoing thirteen verses were penned. Barnes Notes brings out 6 points; 1] that if man are saved they must be born again. 2] that their salvation is not the result of their birth,or of any honorable or pious parentage. 3] that the children of the rich and the noble, as well as of the poor, must be born of God if they will be saved. 4] that the children of pious parents must be born again; or they cannot be saved. None will go to heaven simply because their "parents" are Christians. 5] that this work is the work of God, and "no man" can do it for us. 6] that we should forsake all human dependence, cast off all confidence in the flesh, and go at once to the throne of Grace, and beseech of God to adopt us into His family and save our souls from death. In His Hand, Brian |