Well, I'm not sure that I see this as a problem. Jesus is responding to
Nicodemus' misunderstanding of the comment using ANWQEN. This is a common
pattern in John. Jesus says something with an ambivalent meaning; his
listener(s) misunderstand; then Jesus response by clarifying (doing away
with the ambivalence).
Still, I'm not sure that it does do away with the ambivalence of ANWQEN.
ANWQEN can mean 'again' or 'from above'. The distinction between physical
and spiritual birth PRESERVES this duality: You are born the first time
from below (physically), then a second time--agian--from above
(spiritually). Both meanings of ANWQEN are assumed.
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Micheal W. Palmer
Religion & Philosophy
Meredith College
mwpalmer@earthlink.net
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