He was a learned and experienced teacher of Moses’ Law. He was a religious and well respected prestigious member of the Jewish council. But he humbled himself and came to Jesus one night and talked to Jesus. He wanted the power of God that Jesus has which he did not have. He had been teaching for many years but he had no power to perform any miraculous signs to prove his teachings are from God.
Here is the conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus on that crucial encounter.
Nicodemus: “Rabbi (teacher),” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
He believes in the signs and miracles and agrees that they are evidence that God is working with Jesus. He is attracted to the supernatural physical evidence of power from God. He thinks that Jesus can teach him how to have such power.
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Jesus goes straight to the point. The miraculous signs are for a specific purpose. They mean that the kingdom of God is here and now in front of Nicodemus’ eyes. But Jesus knows that Nicodemus cannot see the spiritual realm. He cannot see God (Jesus) who is in front of him!
Nicodemus: 4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Indeed, Nicodemus is puzzled. From his human knowledge he tries to imagine himself an old man trying to go through his mother’s womb and that is impossible! When Jesus talks about the spiritual position he just cannot comprehend. He has seen miraculous signs but he does not see the spiritual reality (the God) behind the signs. But he is a committed teacher so he further asks what Jesus has meant.
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
Jesus respects this seeker of supernatural knowledge, so he points out that spiritual truth is not comprehensible to the physical mind. He also tells him that a human has to become spiritual to enter the kingdom of God. Unless the human mind is regenerated, he cannot become spiritual.
Nicodemus: 9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
Poor Nicodemus just cannot comprehend. He is more confused. He is still thinking in the physical human natural realm.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.
Jesus knows that Nicodemus’ problem is his unbelief. The miraculous signs that Jesus has performed are for the benefits of the human eyes and minds (earthly things) to show that God (Jesus the Messiah) is here and now. But Nicodemus cannot even believe or understand such simple matters. So how can Jesus tell him further about the glorious heavenly things above? Jesus knows Nicodemus is just fascinated by signs and wonders and the power He displays! Nicodemus is not interested in knowing the true God. But Jesus has come to show the world the true God!
The natural human mind cannot comprehend spiritual matters but all he needs to do is to believe in Jesus. Once he believes and accepts that Jesus has come from heaven and is God Himself, he can become born again by the Holy Spirit. He will then be able to see and enter the kingdom of God. Once he is in the kingdom he can understand what Jesus says about the heavenly things. Jesus not only has the power to perform miracles, he can give life, eternal life! When a person believes that Jesus is God, he will receive eternal life. *
However, as long as Nicodemus remains in the unbelieving physical mode, he cannot see heaven and he cannot enter heaven (i.e. the presence of God)!
*Eternal life is to “know God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.” (John 17:3)
---------------------------Bible Verses
John 3:1-15
1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see theKingdom ofGod.”
4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.[b] 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.[c] 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
9 “How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked.
10 Jesus replied, “You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don’t understand these things? 11 I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won’t believe our testimony. 12 But if you don’t believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone to heaven and returned. But the Son of Man[e] has come down from heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life.[f]
1.John 3:3 Or born from above; also in 3:7.
2.John 3:5 Or and spirit. The Greek word for Spirit can also be translated wind; see 3:8.
3.John 3:6 Greek what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
4.John 3:7 The Greek word for you is plural; also in 3:12.
5.John 3:13 Some manuscripts add who lives in heaven. “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
6.John 3:15 Or everyone who believes will have eternal life in him.
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