“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3:3. What kingdom is it he cannot see, or enter into the kingdom of God?
If you read carefully Ezek. 36:24-35, you will see the Lord was speaking of the kingdom He will yet set up on this earth, with Palestine as its center, And the Jews as its happy subjects. But none will enter or see that kingdom unless they are born from above, with wholly a new nature, as described in Ezekiel. But if that is true of the earthly part of the kingdom of God, how much more so of the heavenly, (that is, the church) of which Jesus says He was not then speaking.
Another question has been a difficulty with many. In John 3:13, Jesus says, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven." Some ask, "Did not Enoch and Elijah ascend to heaven?" (See Gen. 5:24; 2 Kings 2:11.)
The answer to this difficulty is in the word ascend. Jesus did not say no man hath been taken to heaven. Enoch had. "Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." This was far from his own act in ascending up to heaven.
This is true also of Elijah and although he is a striking type of Christ, yet how careful the Holy Ghost is to guard this truth. Elijah descended from the highest Gilgal to Bethel. Jesus descended from the highest heaven to Bethlehem and Israel. Then Elijah descended to Jericho, the place of the curse. Jesus descended still lower, to man under the curse.
Elijah must still go lower, to the Jordan. Jesus must needs suffer death, the death of the cross. But mark the contrast, as well as the parallel. The sons of the prophets say, both at Bethel and Jericho, "Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to-day?" And Elijah said also to Elisha, "If thou see me when I am taken from thee." Now the disciples did see Jesus as Messiah taken away from them. (Luke 24:51.) Again in Acts 1:9, we read, "He was taken up." So far we have a parallel in all three cases, for He was truly man.
Now look at the heavenly side. He says, "I tell you of heavenly things. And no man hath ascended up into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." John 3:12, 13.
Enoch and Elijah were only men, and had to be taken to heaven. Jesus was Jehovah, human and divine. He could be taken, and He in His own right, title, and power, could ascend. No other ever came down to be man. No other as man could ascend. He could say, "I ascend." John 20:17.
In accomplishing our complete redemption, God "raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places." Eph. 1:20, 21. But He had this surpassing preeminence. He is the only one who descended, the only one who ascended. It is only written of Him, "When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that He ascended, what is it but that He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that He might fill all things.)" Eph. 4:8-10. This can be said of none other than of Him, who has the preeminence.
It cannot be said of David. (Acts 2:34.) Enoch and Elijah were taken up. And Paul, as in Christ, whether he was in the body, or out of the body, had to be "caught up" to the third heaven. (2 Cor. 12:4.)
Therefore it is absolutely true, and in perfect harmony with all Scripture as Jesus said to Nicodemus, "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”
Holy, Holy, Lord, Thou alone art worthy of this high preeminence.
Another thought has been suggested. While it is quite true that there is no contradiction in Scripture, as to the bodily ascension of the Lord, He alone having that right and title, yet it is also true in another and most important sense that there was no moral power in man in his natural state to ascend or rise up to heavenly things. Jesus said to Nicodemus, "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven." In this sense Christ was the only one who came down from heaven and could communicate those heavenly things to others; "He that cometh from above." John 3:31-33. Man needs to be born from above before he can understand those heavenly things.
Whether, therefore, we look at this as to the title of the blessed Person of Christ to ascend to heaven, or spiritually in connection with the instruction given to Nicodemus, all is in perfect harmony. In all things He has the preeminence. Man in his natural state has no knowledge of heavenly things.
C.H. Mackintosh