January 5-John 3:1-21

Yea!  We come to John 3:16.  It’s a great verse.  But don’t miss that it is the climax of a great one on one encounter between Jesus, and a rabbi who was seeking the truth about Jesus.

The more I contemplate the motive of Nicodemus’ night time visit to Jesus, the more I am convinced that he has come because of a personal hunger.  Truly he may have been sent, or even volunteered, to represent the Jewish ruling body, the Sanhedrin, to inquire of Jesus’ purposes.  Nicodemus addresses Jesus, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God.  For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him” (John 3:2; NIV).  But even though he says “we know”, it seems most likely that Nicodemus is stating his own assessment than that of the ruling body.  According to John’s placement of the cleansing of the temple, which is immediately before Nicodemus’ night time visit, the ruling body has to be furious with him.  Nicodemus’ words are an olive branch extended in peace.  I believe they must be his own.

And I think Jesus acts as they are.  He begins to tell Nicodemus how he can personally see the things of God, how he can have his spiritual eyes opened.  I am certainly no expert on rabbinic teaching styles or methods of dialogue, but my hunch is that Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus takes on such a tone.  Jesus is now the teacher, and Nicodemus is the inquiring disciple.

A man must be born again.  But how can he enter his mother’s womb a second time.  How can this be?  You are Israel’s teacher and do you not understand these things?

There is profound content in their discussion of spiritual matters.  Jesus is the one leading and Nicodemus, learned as he is, is many steps behind.  Jesus says, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”  Much of the teaching of the New Testament is aimed at training Christians to live according to the Spirit and not the flesh.  It all begins here with this conversation with Nicodemus–”You must be born again.”

When Jesus gets to the words we know so well in verse 16, he has just reminded Nicodemus of a well known story from Moses.  It is about the grumbling Hebrews wandering in the desert, and how God permitted snakes to bite them, and people were dying.  Moses prayed.  And God gave him this answer, make a bronze snake and raise it high on a pole in the midst of the camp for all to see.  If anyone should be snake bitten all they need to do is look at the bronze snake on the pole and they will be healed.  Well, Jesus tells Nicodemus that like the bronze snake, the Son of Man (Jesus Christ) will be lifted up, and everyone who looks to the cross and believes in Him will have eternal life.

This is the context of John 3:16.  How does one avoid perishing?  By believing in God’s only Son.  The Father gives Him for the world so that sin bitten people may be saved.

As you continue reading John, watch for Nicodemus to appear again.  It will be many chapters before he does, but look for him again.

Pastor Don