ship, but through that into the vision and fellowship of the kingdom of God.
Enter into. This more than see (ver. 3). It is to become partaker of ; to go in and possess, as the Israelites did Canaan.
6. That which is born (7d yeyevvnuévor). Strictly, that which hath been born, and consequently is now before us as born. The aorist tense (3, 4, 5, 7), marks the fact of birth ; the perfect (as here), the state of that which has been born (see on 1 John vy. 18, where both tenses occur) ; the neuter, that whach, states the principle in the abstract. Compare ver. 8, where the statement is personal: everyone that is born. Compare 1 John y. 4, and 1 John v. 1, 18.
Of the flesh (é« 77s capxos). See on ver. 14. John uses the word odp£ generally, to express humanity under the condi- tions of this life (i. 14; 1 John iv. 2, 3,7; 2 John 7), with sometimes a more definite hint at the sinful and fallible nature of humanity (1 John ii. 16; John viii. 15). Twice, as opposed to mvedpa, Spirit (iii. 6; vi. 68).
Of the Spirit (é« rod mvevuaros). The Holy Spirit of God, or the principle of life which He imparts. The difference is slight, for the two ideas imply each other; but the latter perhaps is better here, because a little more abstract, and so contrasted with the flesh. Spirit and flesh are the distinguishing princi- ples, the one of the heavenly, the other of the earthly economy.
7. Unto thee—ye must. Note the change from the singu- lar to the plural pronoun. In his address to Nicodemus (thee) the Lord had spoken also to those whom Nicodemus repre- sented, and whom he had included when he said ‘‘ we know” (ver. 2). is error was the error of his class.
8. The wind (7d wvedua). Some hold by the translation spirit, as Wye., the spirit breatheth where it will. In Hebrew the words spirit and wind are identical. Ivetpa is from mvéw to breathe or blow, the verb used in this verse (bloweth), and