Collection of hard truths, concise

Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. Print.

On John 3:2 -- Nicodemus: "We know."

"Ever at the present day people will talk of 'we' in religions, long before they will talk of 'I.' --Weak faith strive to be hid in a crowd."

On John 3:1-8 -- New birth

"A day will come when those who are not born again will wish that they had never been born at all."

New Birth

with much relevance to today's sermon from Eph 2:1-3

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The change which our Lord here declares needful to salvation is evidently no slight or superficial one. It is not merely reformation, or amendment, or moral change, or outward alteration of life. It is a thorough change of heart, will, and character. It is a resurrection. It is a new creation. It is a passing from death to life. It is the implanting in our dead hearts of a new principle from above. It is the calling into existence of a new creature, with a new nature, new habits of life, new tastes, new desires, new appetites, new judgments, new opinions, new hopes, and new fears. All this, and nothing less than this is implied, when our Lord declares that we all need a 'new birth.'

"We should never 'despise the day of small things'"

A divine provision of encouragement during a time of anxiety over the souls of others

John Ryle on John 3:1-8

"The conversation between Christ and Nicodemus, which begins with these verses, is one of the most important passages in the whole Bible. Nowhere else do we find stronger statements about those two mighty subject, the new birth, and salvation by faith in the Son of God. The servant of Christ will do well to make himself thoroughly acquainted with this chapter. A man my be ignorant of many things in religion, and yet be saved. But to be ignorant of the matters handled in this chapter, is to be in the broad way which leadeth to destruction...

The history of Nicodemus is meant to teach us that we should never "despise the day of small things" in religion. (Zec. iv. 10.) We must not set down a man as having no grace, because his first steps towards God are timid and wavering, and the first movements of his soul are uncertain, hesitating, and stamped with much imperfection. We must remember our Lord's reception of Nicodemus. He did not "break the bruised reed, or quench the smoking flax," which He saw before Him. (Matt. xii. 20.) Like Him, let us take inquirers by the hand, and deal with them gently and lovingly. In everything there must be a beginning. It is not those who make the most flaming profession of religion at first, who endure the longest and prove the most steadfast. Judas Iscariot was an apostle when Nicodemus was just groping in his way slowly into full light. Yet afterwards, when Nicodemus was boldly helping to bury his crucified Saviour, Judas Iscariot had betrayed Him, and hanged himself! This is a fact which ought not to be forgotten."


Ryle, John C. 2007. Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1990. 118-20. Print.