Nicodemus was a Jewish teacher, a man of importance in his society. One can assume from the urgency shown by Nicodemus to meet Jesus, that Nicodemus, at some point in his life, at some level, had felt inadequate about himself, his thinking, his teaching, and his life. Nicodemus wanted to make progress in life. He had heard that another Jewish rabbi, though not held in high regard by the people of his circle, had said, ‘one must be born again.’ But how?
Nicodemus decided to meet Jesus. He came in the night to meet Jesus. He wanted to be born again, but his struggle was, “How can this be” (John 3: 9). We have heard this question in another more popular gospel passage, Luke 1:34, Mary having heard angel Gabriel telling her about conceiving and bearing a child, asks, ‘how can this happen, I am a virgin.’
The answer to both the questions is given in Luke 1: 35,37 “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you…. Nothing is impossible with God. Mary, though not understanding everything, surrendered to God saying, ‘I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me as you have said.
What about Nicodemus? I would think, though Nicodemus first doubted, through his conversation with Jesus, and through the mercy of God surrendered and said, ‘let it be done to me, I am the handmaid of the Lord; and he was born again. That explains also the words, as Moses lifted up serpent in the dessert, Son of Man will be lifted up to make our rebirth possible. The Son of Man is lifted up for all.
Comments
Post a Comment