Jesus and Nicodemus

There are several interesting details in the account of Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus, in John 2:23-3:15. First, the text itself, is a continuation of what John introduces in John 2:23-25. There we read, “Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.” This is a statement of fact. Jesus knows that man’s heart is full of sin and darkness. Man is fallen and corrupt. John reminded his readers of this very thing in chapter 1 when he said of Jesus, “The Light shines in darkness and the darkness does not overcome it…He was the  true Light that brings light to every man who was in the world.” Now, John says in John 3:1, ” There was a man…” This particular man was the model of religious commitment and intelligence, sits before Jesus as a model of everyone in this world–self-confident and self-righteous, yet fallen and full of darkness.

In the next place, John tells us that Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. In fact, this is how Nicodemus is constantly regarded throughout the Gospel. Phi Ryken explains “Nicodemus epitomizes our lost and sinful condition. There may be spiritual significance that he came to Jesus by night. This is partly a historical fact. Jesus and Nicodemus met sometime in the evening. It also suggests that Nicodemus wanted to keep their meeting a secret, as if he were afraid of what the other religious leaders might think. But John–who loved the symbolism of light and darkness–mentions the night because it provides a clue about the man’s spiritual condition….the night was blacker than Nicodemus knew. He was lost in the darkness for he had not yet seen the light.” This is confirmed by the way John ends chapter 3, “Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil. Everyone who practices evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20)”

Nicodemus comes to examine Jesus. This is the way of so many in this world. They think that they will determine for themselves who Jesus is. But in this approach Nicodemus actually finds that it is Jesus examining him. Note the way that Jesus never responds to Nicodemus the way a mere man would respond. If someone were to come and say to you, “We know you are a teacher sent from God,” you might sit back in self-satisfaction, or with heart felt humility say something that would give glory to God. But with each statement or question, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the one thing he needs is the one thing he did not have and could not do. Nicodemus was a man deeply committed to doing. He had probably taught many people on how they could enter the kingdom of God by keeping the law, reading the word, praying and tithing. But Jesus now tells Nicodemus that the one thing necessary to see and enter the kingdom of God was the one thing that he could not do–it was something that only God the Holy Spirit could do. It leaves us helpless in and of ourselves. It is not something we can remedy through moral or educational improvement. It is not something our pastor, or parents or spouse can do for us. It is something that God must do in us.

In the words of Martin Lloyd-Jones, “Nicodemus is like a man who is trying to go on without beginning.” He is the sort of man trying to grow before he is planted. When he approaches Jesus, he is not expecting Jesus to tell him that all his learning, works and supposed godliness are in vain. He is not expecting Jesus to tell him that he has not yet begun to grow as God would have him grow. There are many in the church who are exactly like Nicodemus. There are many who have been in the church their entire life and yet who have never been planted.

You see this in Jesus’ response to Nicodemus. Jesus uses the language of ultimate beginning. The word used for “born” is the same word used of physical birth. It elicits the same idea.  It is used to denote the bringing forth of something that was previously non-existent. This is important because even as you had no part in coming into the physical world, so you have no part in your being born into the spiritual world. The word Jesus uses for “again” is also sometimes translated “above.” The idea of being “born again” is the idea of being “born from above.” It is a heavenly birth, with a Divine origin. This is why the apostle John speaks so often of being “born of God” and of Christians being “children of God” in this Gospel and his first epistle. The interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus touches the nerve of true religion.

At the core of our deepest need is the need for a “new birth.” Nothing less than new birth will suffice in regard to our eternal status. Nothing less than new birth will suffice with regard to our relationship with the Lord here and now. It is of the very essence of Christianity. Jesus said, “Except you be born again you cannot see the kingdom of God.” J.C. Ryle once noted, “A man may be ignorant of many things in religion and yet be saved, but to be ignorant of the matters handled in this chapter, is to be in the broad way that leads to destruction.”

Nicodemus does not understand how this could be possible. He heard what Jesus said, and I believe, understood to some extent, but wondered how something so seemingly impossible could be accomplished. This explains the two questions that Nicodemus asks. In verse 4 he asks, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” There is a sense where Nicodemus is still thinking in fleshly terms, he is thinking in earthly terms. The second questions comes on the heal of Jesus telling Nicodemus that it is only possibly by the sovereign will and work of the Holy Spirit. In verse 9 Nicodemus again asks, “How can these things be?” Phil Ryken again notes, “This was Nicodemus’ third question, and what brought it to mind was the comparison Jesus made between the Holy Spirit and the wind. Jesus used this analogy to show the mystery of God’s sovereignty in regeneration. He said, “The wind blows where it will and you hear the sound of it, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

The whole of the interaction between our Lord and Nicodemus is summed up in the words of Jesus, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit.” It is a change of nature that is needed in man. Physical birth yields sinful, fallen, fleshly offspring. Spiritual birth yields godly, renewed, spiritual children. It is of heavenly origin. So, Jesus finishes his interaction by saying, “No one has ascended into heaven, except He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.” The only one who can tell a man these things is the One who is more than a man. This is not earthly teaching in origin. This is not something that man could come up with on his own. This is not something that man would come up with on his own.