Did Jesus already came from heaven?

No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven — the Son of Man. -- John 3:13 (NIV)

Some use this scripture to proof that Jesus originated from heaven or to proof that Jesus is a reincarnation of God Who was in heaven.

Jewish idiom

To say that someone or something comes "from heaven/God" is a Jewish idiom that means he or it is good.

John's narrative

The "red letters" which supposed to indicate which words where Jesus own personal words and which words are the author's narrative differ in different bible translations.

For example:

  • In the ESV, NASB, and NIV84, Jesus stops speaking at verse 21.
  • In the NIV (2011 edition) Jesus stops speaking at John 3:15, and John 3:16.
  • In the Companion Bible, Jesus stops speaking at verse 12.

E. W. Bullinger of the Companion Bible gives the following reasons:

  • Because the past tense of the Greek verbs that follow verse 12 indicate completed events.
  • Because the expression “only begotten Son” is not used by the Lord of himself, but is used by John describing the Lord (John 1:14, 18, 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9).
  • Because “in the name of” (John 3:18, using the Greek word en) is not used by the Lord, but by John (John 1:12; 2:23; 1 John 5:13).
  • Because to “do the truth” occurs elsewhere only in 1 John 1:6.
  • Because “who is in heaven” (v. 13) points to the fact that the Lord had already ascended at the time John wrote.
  • Because the word “lifted up” refers both to the sufferings (John 3:14; 8:28; 12:32, 34) and to “the glory which should follow” (John 8:28; 12:32; Acts 2:33; 5:31).
  • Because the break at verse 13 accords best with the context, as shown by the structure of the section.

This means verse 13 was a comment made by John after all the events of his book already took place. Jesus was not saying that he had already ascended to heaven before he spoke to Nicodemus or that he somehow is in both the heaven and earth simultaneously:

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. -- John 3:13 (KJV)