What is the difference between seeing the kingdom and entering the kingdom?
Question:
In John 3:3-5 Jesus first answered Nicodemus by saying no one could not see the kingdom unless being born in John 3:4. In John 3:5 Jesus said one could not enter the kingdom unless being born again. I understand what "enter the kingdom" means. I do not understand what “see the kingdom" means. How does one see the kingdom?
Thank you always for the great work you do.
Answer:
While the word "see" (in Greek it is eidon) predominately means to visually perceive something, it can also mean to discern, to understand, or to experience something. For example, we often say in English, "I see" to mean "I understand." This meaning is seen in Matthew 2:16 when Herod realized he had been tricked.
Simeon was told "that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). Here "see" means that he would not experience death until he had physically seen the Christ. In I Peter 3:10, "to see good days," also means to experience good days.
Thus, when Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). It means he will not experience the kingdom.
