Born from Above

Lesson #33

Our lesson today will cover the text from John 3:1 – 4. Chapter 3 opens with “a certain man, a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the Jewish ruling council” coming “to Jesus at night” (John 3:1 – 2a ESV). At the time of Jesus, the Pharisees were a member of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism and had a growing dislike for him. It appears that Nicodemus wanted to find out more about Jesus and arranged to visit him. There is speculation as to why he came at night. Maybe he was afraid of public association with Jesus, or maybe he wanted a lengthy discussion without interruptions. John does not see the reason for coming when he did to be important enough to give us an explanation for the timing of the interview.

Nicodemus “came to Jesus at night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him.’“ (John 3:2 NET). For Nicodemus to say to Jesus that he was a teacher from God, because of the miraculous signs he was performing, suggest that he thought Jesus may indeed be the Messiah and desired further information. I can see the same thing happening in countries today where there is persecution. A person who wants to learn more about Jesus might seek out a Christian alone at night where they can talk without someone hearing or seeing them. By approaching Jesus this way, Nicodemus was demonstrating prudence by being so private.

In his reply, Jesus makes no reference to being called a teacher from God, but what he does say takes Nicodemus by surprise. Jesus replied, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NET). Jesus wants to draw the focus away from the things he was teaching and to the idea of a second birth. Here translations differ and cause some confusion. Some say “born again” and others say “born from above. When born again is used, some, like Nicodemus, wonder how it is possible to be born again physically. Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb and be born a second time, can he” (John 3:4 NET)? Nicodemus is right, you can’t, but it also indicates that he had no concept of such a thing as a spiritual birth, which is what Jesus says is required.

We have come to a most important concept in their conversation. Our understanding of this and then experiencing it through faith determines our eternal destiny. We will continue this in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, thank you for choosing me and causing me to be born again. Thank you that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Thank you that by grace I have been saved through faith and that it is not of my own doing. Thank you that it is your gift to me and not a result of works that I could boast of. Thank you that I have been created in Christ Jesus for doing good works, which were prepared before I was ever born. Lord, guide and strengthen me to do them to your honor and glory.