Born Again

                                          John 3: 1-15

In the third chapter of John’s gospel, Nicodemus meets Jesus, and probably not by chance, for Nicodemus seeks out Jesus at night. They engage in a strange and wonderful discourse that reminds us that to think and talk of things of the kingdom of heaven is to wander in a place in which we have no experience. It is a place where we come on faith. Even the faith which brings us there is not of our own making.

Nicodemus is mentioned only three times in John’s gospel. In John 7, people are coming before the Sanhedrin and asking about Jesus. As he is being roundly condemned, Nicodemus speaks up and asks why Jesus should not be given audience to see what he has to say. Later in John 19, Nicodemus shows up with seventy five pounds of myrrh and aloe—about three thousand dollars worth of valuable spices and gums, to use in the preparation of Jesus’ crucified body. Then there is the first and most important reference, the meeting with Jesus here in John 3.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. There were only about six thousand Pharisees in all of Israel. Pharisees were hard core religious. They had to vow publicly to live by all the laws of God. Then they set out to do just that. The Pharisees, whether or not they were misguided, were the most devout believers of God in the entire nation.

Nicodemus was not only a Pharisee; he was also a member of the Sanhedrin. Think of this as the supreme religious court of Israel.1  Even in the days of Roman rule, the Sanhedrin possessed great power. Composed of only seventy members, it had jurisdiction over every Jew in the world. One of its responsibilities was to determine false prophets, and it was for this reason the Sanhedrin became so interested in Jesus. People were calling Jesus not only a prophet but the prophet, maybe even the long promised Messiah. The Jewish leaders had heard and seen such things before, and Jesus was more than likely just one more in a long line of frauds.

And yet here fairly early in Jesus’ ministry, it is Nicodemus the Supreme Court justice who shows up in the dead of night to seek an audience with the young carpenter from Galilee.  He wants to find out for himself what all the buzz is about. Why does Nicodemus come to Jesus in the darkness? Perhaps he comes then because it is the only time that two busy men can have a real conversation without being constantly interrupted. Perhaps it is because many rabbis studied law at night. Probably it is because Nicodemus does not want to be seen with Jesus in the light of day. He wants to avoid the publicity that would come with it.  

At this point in John’s gospel, only one of Jesus’ miracles has been mentioned. But Nicodemus says that Jesus must come from God, as no once else could do the signs he has done. Nicodemus is speaking in the plural,  so apparently Jesus has performed a number of mighty acts and signs. Nicodemus gives him credit for this. That is not to say that Nicodemus thinks of Jesus as the Son of God. As we will see from Jesus’ own comments to him, he just does not have the tools to make such an observation. Not yet, at any rate.

And yet, Nicodemus does come looking. For all the honors that have been bestowed upon him, for all the wealth and comforts that he has amassed, for all the respect that he enjoys among his people, he comes looking for answers. In that curiosity, that unsettling desire to know the truth, probably lay the difference between Nicodemus and most of the Sanhedrin.

The parties are polite. Respectfully, Nicodemus refers to Jesus as Rabbi. Jesus refers to Nicodemus as the teacher of Israel, which acknowledges his high office. Nicodemus then gets right to the heart of the matter. The things Jesus is doing can only be done if God is with him, so how can Jesus be doing them?

Jesus answers Nicodemus’ thoughts, not his words. Jesus says we have to be born again to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is spiritually blind. Until his spiritual eyes are opened, he will reach and reach…and still, he will not grasp the truth. Jesus reminds him that talking about things that come from heaven is hard to do for people who have never been there. Jesus has come from heaven. His unspoken point is this: you have to believe that I come from heaven. Those unspoken words hang there in the air, waiting for Nicodemus’ response, waiting for our response. You have to believe to understand. When you understand, your belief will make sense.  When you understand, the water is spiritual and the spirit is earthy and, well, you see, these things are of heaven. You just have to believe.

Contemporary thought gives little credence to that which cannot be empirically proven.  We are losing our ability to see that which is not physical. Contemporary “wisdom” tells us that we must see the evidence or something does not exist. By inference, if something is spiritual, it is not real. First century Israel was little different. Nicodemus says “we know,” and Jesus says: No, you don’t. It is not human reasoning or observation that is required. It is, rather, a rebirth, a transformation, that is required. Jesus says: You speak of what you know. You testify to what you have seen. “But you do not receive our testimony.” Jesus was saying that although he was looking at the Son of God, he could not see. He could not recognize the truth of what he saw and heard. He was the religious leader and he could not see. How sad.

Poor Nicodemus. How are we born again? Nicodemus wants to know. He tries to grasp the principle of rebirth that Jesus is teaching.  Three times, Jesus says to him: “Truly, truly.” Jesus wants him to understand, but sees that the chasm is wide. Jesus waits hoping for the pupil to grasp that which is impossible to hold except on faith.

What is this new birth? The new birth of which Jesus speaks is transformation, not alteration. It not only comes from God; it brings us to God. It is God-breathed. Jesus reminds us that as surely as the wind is real, regardless of the fact that we cannot see it, so is rebirth through the Holy Spirit.

Nicodemus will continue to search. He does not have the tools to understand. But he is in good company. Neither did Jesus’ own disciples. It was only after the resurrection that these men and women could finally fit the puzzle pieces together.  Nicodemus showed up after Jesus’ death. He was around when the news of Jesus’ resurrection spread. Though we do not know, I suspect that Nicodemus may well have been one of that number who came to understand the truth through transformational belief.

 You have to believe to understand. You have to be born again to believe. You have to trust that which you cannot see because your heart knows it is real. No matter how far we come, no matter how many mountains we climb, until we meet with the Master, we are still puzzled, still searching, still looking back over our shoulders while we climb that next mountain, seeking that elusive truth that will bring peace to our lives.

 Nicodemus was a lot like you and me. He was a seeker. He sought the truth and then tried to sort it out in his own life. Jesus told him it was hard to see heaven from earth, but there is a way. He had to believe…on faith. We are luckier than Nicodemus because we have the whole story. Still, we, like Nicodemus, must find that water is a symbol and that the work of the Holy Spirit is more real than flesh itself. It is God’s breath coming into our lives and our hearts. But first, we must believe. When we do, we can look into the kingdom and we will have eyes to see.