JOHN 3:13 - NO ONE HAS ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN...|PART 1
John 3:13 no one ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man and then there's the longer reading of that verse which ends, the son of man who is in heaven John 3:13. If you are a person who has never been filled with the Spirit of God you're going to have a hard time understanding what Jesus is talking about here. He's talking about being born of the Spirit in John chapter 3 and what He says in verse 13 is in that context, He's basically talking about what it's like when you are filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Let as start at the beginning of John chapter 3 and we'll just quickly look at a few things that have happened before we get to verse 13. We will understand this better in its context, now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him. Rabbi we know that you have come from God a teacher for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Jesus answered and said to him, truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God Joh 3:1-3. A lot of people in the trinity world will read this passage almost as if Jesus is not responding what Nicodemus said. Nicodemus says something's to Jesus, Jesus basically ignores him and decides rather to teach Nicodemus. You must be born again, Nicodemus forget about all the other stuff I just said to you, that's not what's going on here. When Jesus responds to Nicodemus His response has everything to do what Nicodemus had just said to Him. Nicodemus is saying that we rulers of the Pharisees know that you have come from God as a teacher. Did Nicodemus just say that the Pharisees knew that Jesus was God who had come down from heaven to Planet Earth and into the womb of Mary, is that what Nicodemus means when he says we know you have come from God, of course not. You have to do a little bit of exploring in the Gospel of John and you will see that is not the case. For example John 1:6 there was a man sent from God whose name was John the Baptist. There's a few other verses in John's gospel that you could look at that will show you something similar. Joh 9:16,33;Acts 10:38 see also 1 Joh 4:1-4,6
Jesus said to Nicodemus truly, truly I say to you unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. When He says you cannot see the kingdom of God he's talking about spiritual perception and comprehension. Unless one is born from above you cannot perceive comprehend understand the kingdom of God unless you are born from above. You can't perceive the kingdom of God unless you're born from above, you're not going to get it, and this is very similar to what Paul talks about at first 1Cor 2:14 where he says the natural man can't comprehend the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned. Only spiritual ones believers who have the Spirit of God can comprehend spiritual things and that's why Jesus said you must be born from above, born of God born of the Holy Spirit. This means if you were not born from above of the Spirit of God you will not at all comprehend spiritual things. Also known in the Bible especially in John's gospel as heavenly things . You are blind and in darkness and you will remain blind unless you're born of the Spirit there's just no chance you're going to be able to get it. Nicodemus cannot see the kingdom of God and that's why Jesus goes on to say, do not be amazed that I said to you, you must be born from above. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, the wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going, so it is concerning everyone born of the Spirit. Joh 3:7-8, Joh 8:14.
Jesus says this of himself later on at least once or twice in the Gospel of John. He tells people you don't know where I come from or where I'm going Joh 3:8. He uses that language of himself why because Jesus is born of the Spirit he's begotten of God and for that reason Jesus can see the kingdom of God. He can perceive, understand, and comprehend it. Jesus tell Nicodemus that he can't see the Kingdom of God or understand the spiritual side of it. The Kingdom is not open for him, unless he's born of the spirit. And we see in John 8 how Jesus is telling those Jews those Pharisees that they can't understand a word he's saying and the reason they can't is because they're not of God. They want to do the desires of their father the devil Joh 8:44 and that's why they don't get it. Jesus is pretty much talking about the same kind of thing in this verse. Nicodemus said to Him how can these things be and Jesus answered and said to him, are you the teacher of Israel and you don't know these things. Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen and you do not accept our testimony. What does Jesus mean by “we and our” if I told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things.
No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man. What Jesus is saying here is, notice how He says, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things, no one has ascended into heaven except the Son of Man in other words Jesus saying I'm the only one who's ever ascended into heaven. You haven't Nicodemus so how can you possibly understand heavenly things you cannot, again same kind of thing Paul is telling us in 1Cor 2:14, the natural man isn't going to get it you have to be born in the spirit, so here's Jesus point. How can Nicodemus understand heavenly things when only Jesus has ascended into heaven because only Jesus was born from above at this point in time only Jesus has the Spirit of God. His disciples won't have the Spirit of God until Jesus is raised from the dead. The Spirit was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified John 7:39. In other words only Jesus is able to understand heavenly things, and that is really the point that's being made here, no one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the Son of man.
Now there's a real serious problem here if you start with the trinitarian model, the trinitarian paradigm. Jesus has not yet ascended into heaven Joh 20:17 Jesus said to her, stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God. If you consider then Joh 20:17 with Joh 3:13, Jesus says I haven't ascended yet, how are trinitarians gonna make sense out of this verse from the trinitarian perspective. It is going to be difficult for them, because they perceive the descended part as, there's this heavenly divine being who kind of floats down from outer space from heavens and down to planet earth and into the womb of Mary. If that's how he descends, that's how you have to imagine in your head that he ascends into heaven, The trinitarians get also that idea from Acts1 where Jesus ascends into heaven with two angels. The trinitarians got this notion of floating up and floating down and that's kind of where the problem is. Jesus hasn't ascended yet so how are trinitarians going to explain it. They got a few interpretations that really do not work. But that's what they've got to go with because that's all they've got.
No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man, how could Jesus be saying that, that's the real question here, we go back to John 1:51 Jesus says, truly truly I say to you, from now on you will see the heavens open and the messengers of God ascending and descending on the Son of man. Notice he always uses the language “Son of man” when he's saying these things not “Son of God” son of man means a man, descend from heaven, that a man come down out of the heavens. Obviously it is not so, so why is Jesus speaking like this. This is the question, notice how he says from now on you will see the heavens opened. When did the heavens open for Jesus, when he was baptized at the Jordan and the whole heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. This language, the messengers of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This language comes from the Old Testament. Jacob's Ladder, where heaven was open to Jacob Gen 28:12, that's what this means, and angels going up and down the ladder to heaven, heaven is opened and there's a direct line of communication between God in heaven and the person upon whom these angels or messengers of God are ascending and descending. That's because the Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove out of heaven and remained upon him.
Jesus said to Nicodemus truly, truly I say to you unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. When He says you cannot see the kingdom of God he's talking about spiritual perception and comprehension. Unless one is born from above you cannot perceive comprehend understand the kingdom of God unless you are born from above. You can't perceive the kingdom of God unless you're born from above, you're not going to get it, and this is very similar to what Paul talks about at first 1Cor 2:14 where he says the natural man can't comprehend the things of the Spirit because they are spiritually discerned. Only spiritual ones believers who have the Spirit of God can comprehend spiritual things and that's why Jesus said you must be born from above, born of God born of the Holy Spirit. This means if you were not born from above of the Spirit of God you will not at all comprehend spiritual things. Also known in the Bible especially in John's gospel as heavenly things . You are blind and in darkness and you will remain blind unless you're born of the Spirit there's just no chance you're going to be able to get it. Nicodemus cannot see the kingdom of God and that's why Jesus goes on to say, do not be amazed that I said to you, you must be born from above. Jesus is talking to Nicodemus, the wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going, so it is concerning everyone born of the Spirit. Joh 3:7-8, Joh 8:14.
Jesus says this of himself later on at least once or twice in the Gospel of John. He tells people you don't know where I come from or where I'm going Joh 3:8. He uses that language of himself why because Jesus is born of the Spirit he's begotten of God and for that reason Jesus can see the kingdom of God. He can perceive, understand, and comprehend it. Jesus tell Nicodemus that he can't see the Kingdom of God or understand the spiritual side of it. The Kingdom is not open for him, unless he's born of the spirit. And we see in John 8 how Jesus is telling those Jews those Pharisees that they can't understand a word he's saying and the reason they can't is because they're not of God. They want to do the desires of their father the devil Joh 8:44 and that's why they don't get it. Jesus is pretty much talking about the same kind of thing in this verse. Nicodemus said to Him how can these things be and Jesus answered and said to him, are you the teacher of Israel and you don't know these things. Truly, truly I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen and you do not accept our testimony. What does Jesus mean by “we and our” if I told you earthly things and you do not believe how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things.
No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man. What Jesus is saying here is, notice how He says, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things, no one has ascended into heaven except the Son of Man in other words Jesus saying I'm the only one who's ever ascended into heaven. You haven't Nicodemus so how can you possibly understand heavenly things you cannot, again same kind of thing Paul is telling us in 1Cor 2:14, the natural man isn't going to get it you have to be born in the spirit, so here's Jesus point. How can Nicodemus understand heavenly things when only Jesus has ascended into heaven because only Jesus was born from above at this point in time only Jesus has the Spirit of God. His disciples won't have the Spirit of God until Jesus is raised from the dead. The Spirit was not yet because Jesus was not yet glorified John 7:39. In other words only Jesus is able to understand heavenly things, and that is really the point that's being made here, no one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the Son of man.
Now there's a real serious problem here if you start with the trinitarian model, the trinitarian paradigm. Jesus has not yet ascended into heaven Joh 20:17 Jesus said to her, stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God. If you consider then Joh 20:17 with Joh 3:13, Jesus says I haven't ascended yet, how are trinitarians gonna make sense out of this verse from the trinitarian perspective. It is going to be difficult for them, because they perceive the descended part as, there's this heavenly divine being who kind of floats down from outer space from heavens and down to planet earth and into the womb of Mary. If that's how he descends, that's how you have to imagine in your head that he ascends into heaven, The trinitarians get also that idea from Acts1 where Jesus ascends into heaven with two angels. The trinitarians got this notion of floating up and floating down and that's kind of where the problem is. Jesus hasn't ascended yet so how are trinitarians going to explain it. They got a few interpretations that really do not work. But that's what they've got to go with because that's all they've got.
No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven the son of man, how could Jesus be saying that, that's the real question here, we go back to John 1:51 Jesus says, truly truly I say to you, from now on you will see the heavens open and the messengers of God ascending and descending on the Son of man. Notice he always uses the language “Son of man” when he's saying these things not “Son of God” son of man means a man, descend from heaven, that a man come down out of the heavens. Obviously it is not so, so why is Jesus speaking like this. This is the question, notice how he says from now on you will see the heavens opened. When did the heavens open for Jesus, when he was baptized at the Jordan and the whole heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. This language, the messengers of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. This language comes from the Old Testament. Jacob's Ladder, where heaven was open to Jacob Gen 28:12, that's what this means, and angels going up and down the ladder to heaven, heaven is opened and there's a direct line of communication between God in heaven and the person upon whom these angels or messengers of God are ascending and descending. That's because the Spirit descended upon Jesus as a dove out of heaven and remained upon him.
