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A contrast: The Samaritan woman and Nicodemus

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , on April 13, 2014| 4 Comments »

I’m doing something a little different this morning. Earlier we spent several weeks on our series Jesus and Nicodemus. And we have just now finished several weeks on our series Jesus and the Samaritan woman. And what I want to do this morning is to bring these stories together and compare them to see what we can learn.

By looking at the Gospel of John we can see that –

We are meant to compare these stories

This is because of the way John has arranged his gospel, putting them side by side, as it were. They are paralleled to each other. Here is an overview of literary structure of John 2-4:

A. Water to wine in Cana – 2:1-12. Galilee [sign 1]

B. The leaders of Jerusalem in conflict with Jesus – 2:13-22. Jerusalem

C. Conversation with Nicodemus – 2:23-3:21. Jerusalem

D. Jesus baptizes more than John – 3:22-4:3. Judean countryside

C1. Conversation with Samaritan woman – 4:4-27. Samaria

B1. Many in Sychar believe – 4:28-45. Samaria

A1. Healing of child in Cana – 4:46-54. Galilee [sign 2]

[For the detailed outline go here.] You can see that Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman are coordinated. And this pairing extends to include the temple scene in Jerusalem – Nicodemus’ community, just before his conversation with Jesus, and the Sychar scene in Samaria – the Samaritan woman’s community, just after her conversation with Jesus.

But not only this there are also similarities in the stories themselves that should lead us to compare them:

– We have two extended conversations of Jesus with an individual in close proximity.

– In both, Jesus’ knowledge of them is a theme. With regard to Nicodemus, in the setup to the conversation it says, “Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them (partial believers like Nicodemus), because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about a person, for he himself knew what was in a person.” (2:24-24). With regard to the woman he knew of her various relationships with men, including her current sinful one, that she tried to hide from him (4:16-18).

–  Both Nicodemus and the woman begin by misunderstanding Jesus in an overly literal way. He took “born from above” as born again; and that as a literal physical rebirth (3:4); she took “living water” as another natural water source better than Jacob’s well (4:12, 15).

–  There is some similar content as well: In both, Jesus talks about the Spirit – being born of the Spirit with Nicodemus, and the living water of the Spirit with the Samaritan woman. And in both he speaks of eternal life.

So there are a lot of indicators that these stories are meant to be compared together.

When we do compare them –

The expectation of what should happen is clear

One is “set up” to anticipate how they will each respond to Jesus based on a series of clear contrasts between them:

To begin with the obvious – 1. He was a man. She was a woman. In that day men were favored and teachers normally didn’t even talk to women.

2. He is named. She is not named. His name, Nicodemus is given. She is simply “a woman of Samaria” (4:7).

3. He was a Jew. She was a Samaritan. He was a part of the right group,  whereas she was a part of a despised group with wrong beliefs and practices.

4. He was righteous. She was a sinner. He was a Pharisee and they were known for being rigorous and devout. She was living with a man who was not her husband.

5. He was honored. She was an outcast. He was a ruler and enjoyed a high place in his society. She was by herself at the well most likely because she was rejected by the other women of Sychar.

6. He was educated. She was uneducated. Jesus calls him a teacher. She would have had little training, as was the case for women in that day.

So he has everything going for him; he is the cream of the crop. She has nothing going for her; she is the bottom of the barrel; an outcast from an outcast people. Clearly the expectation is that Nicodemus is the one who will respond to Jesus as they converse together; he is the one who will get it.

But the reality turns out to be quite different

This is already foreshadowed by the mention of the time of day when these conversations take place, for light and dark are symbolic in John’s gospel. Light stands for God’s truth and darkness for the realm of the evil one and ignorance of God’s truth (1:5). She came to the well “about the sixth hour” or at noon (4:6). He “came to Jesus by night” (3:2)

She makes no claim to know who Jesus is, but ends up knowing quite a lot by the end. He thinks he knows a few things about Jesus, but is admonished. He said to Jesus, “We know that you are a teacher from God” – 3:2. But Jesus said, “are you the teacher of Israel and you don’t understand these things?” – 3:10. He got shot down.

She misunderstands at first, but recovers. Her questions become more focused and Jesus engages with her and answers her. He never recovers from misunderstanding. He asks “How” questions that reveal his astonishment and inability to follow what Jesus is saying.

She remains active in the conversation. She came to almost hold her own with Jesus. He fades out of the conversation. His remarks get shorter and shorter. In Greek he moves from 24 words (3:2) to 18 (3:4) to 4 (3:9) to nothing.

She progresses in her understating of Jesus. She first just saw him as a Jew and called him “sir.” Then she perceived him to be a “prophet.” Then she receives from Jesus  a clear revelation of his identity as the “Christ.” He makes no progress and is frustrated.

She becomes a disciple doing God’s work. He does not believe. As Jesus said, “you do not receive our testimony” (3:11); and “you do not believe” (3:12).

She brings others from her community to faith in Jesus. He does not. His community remains marked by unbelief or inadequate faith.

My point in all of this is that –

These two stories illustrate kingdom reversal

That is, how the coming of the kingdom turns things on their head. Jesus talks about this a lot in the first three (synoptic) gospels.

Speaking to those who expected to be blessed when the kingdom came, he said in Luke 13:28-30, “In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves cast out. (So they will be out, but others who are not expected to be in will be in) And people will come from east and west, and from north and south (from the whole world, not just Israel), and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

The coming of the kingdom turns things upside down. What is assumed and expected is not always true. And this is certainly the case here.

She is the one who responds correctly to Jesus.

  •  although she was a woman, and not a man
  • although she was unknown, and not named
  • although she was an outsider, and not an insider
  • although she was a notorious sinner, and not devout
  • although she was an outcast, and not honored
  • although she was uneducated, and not a scholar.

Although she is a lowly one from a lowly people, she is the one who gets it!

Now it does appear that Nicodemus came to real faith later. [We find him trying to stand up for Jesus among the authorities (7:50) and he is involved with burying the body of Jesus, a job for a disciple (19:39). But apparently it was a difficult and long process for him.] But here, at this time – she is the one who responded to Jesus and received his blessings.

Let’s end with –

Some lessons for us

that come from Jesus,  and that John wants us to get from how he tells these stories side by side.

In light of how the kingdom can reverse things 1. Don’t judge others! In Luke 6:37 Jesus says, “judge not” and also “condemn not.” He is teaching us that we should never write others off as beyond God’s mercy, as beyond God’s redeeming grace. No matter how they might appear to us with our expectations and assumptions – we can never make that call. It is not our place to say that someone is already judged and set aside.

2. We too should invite all to hear and receive of the gospel, just like Jesus in the story of the Samaritan woman. Just like Jesus said in Matthew 9:13, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

We can’t let our expectations and assumptions about who might respond to Jesus get in the way. God is busy bringing all kinds to himself. It is our job to be merciful and open to all who might come to Jesus to find living water and eternal life. And so we invite all to do this.

3. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t measure up to expectations of who might respond to Jesus. Maybe you’re like the Samaritan woman who didn’t have anything going for her in terms of human assumptions about who God wants.

But don’t be discouraged, be encouraged! You are the very person that God loves deeply. You are the very person that Jesus is seeking after. God wants you to come to him and know him. God wants to touch your life so that you are transformed and blessed.

William Higgins

 

 

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Jesus and Nicodemus – John 2:23-3:21 literary structure

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 18, 2014| Leave a Comment »

A. Coming to the light out of the darkness

a) Doing signs/belief: 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.

b) Jesus knows all people: 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about a person, for he himself knew what was in a person.

a1) Doing signs/belief: 3:1 Now there was a person of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This one came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

B. Born from above/the Spirit – life

a) Born from above: 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above he (she) cannot see the kingdom of God.”

b) Marvel: 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a person be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

c) born of water/Spirit: 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit,

d) Enter the kingdom: he (she) cannot enter the kingdom of God.

c1) born of flesh/Spirit: 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

b1) Don’t marvel: 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You (all) must be born from above.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes.

a1) Born of the Spirit: So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

C. How these things can be

a) How can/these things?: 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?”

b) You do not understand these things: 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?

c) Testimony: 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you (all) do not receive our testimony.

b1) You do not believe these things: 12If I have told you (all) earthly things and you (all) do not believe,

a1) How can/these things?: how can you (all) believe if I tell you (all) heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

B1. Whoever believes in him has eternal life

a) Whoever believes/eternal life: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his beloved Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

b) Not to condemn: 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world

c) Saved: but in order that the world might be saved through him.

b1) Not condemned: 18 The one who believes in him is not condemned,

a1) Whoever does not believe/condemned already: but the one who does not believe is condemned already, because he (she) has not believed in the name of the beloved Son of God.

A1. Coming to the light out of the darkness

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

– does not come to the light: 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his (her) works should be exposed.

– comes to the light: 21 But the one who does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his (her) works have been carried out in God.

William S. Higgins

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Interpretive paraphrase of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , on January 17, 2014| Leave a Comment »

John 3:2-15

Nicodemus: You are a teacher authenticated by God with signs and must have some special teaching. (3:2)

Jesus: I am the one who has come to bring the birth from above which everyone must experience. This is what the signs point to. I’m not just a teacher come with a special teaching. (3:3)

Nicodemus: How? Can one be physically born again? (3:4)

Jesus: It is not a physical birth, but a birth of the Spirit. (3:5-6)

Jesus: How it happens is a mystery. But the effects of the Spirit’s work are discernable. (3:7-8)

Nicodemus: How is the new birth of the Spirit now possible? (3:9)

Jesus: Now is the time of the Spirit so that people can be born of the Spirit [earthly things]. (3:10-12)

Jesus: It is possible through the Son of Man descending and ascending – being lifted up on the cross, the resurrection and his ascension into heaven, from which place he will pour out the Spirit [heavenly things] to give eternal life/the birth of the Spirit. (3:13-15)

William S. Higgins

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How can people now be born of the Spirit? John 3:9-15

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 12, 2014| Leave a Comment »

We are continuing on in John 3  looking at Jesus’ interactions with  Nicodemus.

We saw last week that Nicodemus thought that Jesus was merely a teacher come with some new teaching, based on the signs he performed, and so he went to him by night to see what he had to say. Jesus responded to him by saying that he is not simply a special teacher who is being authenticated by miracles. He has come to bring the new birth of the Spirit. This is what his miracles, or signs point to about his identity and purpose.

Today we look at vs. 9-15 and the question, “How can people now be born of the Spirit?”

John 3:9-15

“9Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’” He has already asked a how question in v. 4, how can one be born again? Crawl back in the womb and come out again? Jesus answered that it is a birth of the Spirit, and how the Spirit works is a mystery, even though you can know the effects of the Spirit’s work.

Now Nicodemus asks another how question, how can these things be? It’s a pretty broad question, but judging by how Jesus answers it, he means, “How can people now be born of the Spirit?” How is it possible that a person can have this experience?

“10Jesus answered him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you (all) do not receive our testimony.’” Nicodemus has called Jesus a teacher come from God. Here Jesus calls Nicodemus “the” teacher of Israel, no doubt referring to his role on the Sanhedrin, as “a ruler of the Jews” – v. 1.

But he notes two key problems with Nicodemus. 1) Despite his role, he “doesn’t understand these things.” That is, how it is possible that the Spirit can now come and bring new life.

And Jesus is surprised that he doesn’t understand this, given his role. In several places in the Old Testament, the outpouring of the Spirit is promised (Joel 2:28; Isaiah 32:15; 44:3). And the Messiah is associated with the Spirit in Isaiah (11:1-2; 42:1).

And John the Baptist has testified that Jesus is “he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (1:33). And they have seen the signs that Jesus has done by the power of the Spirit.

2) And then, despite his lack of  understanding, he doesn’t listen to Jesus who does understand these things.

Nicodemus had said in v. 2, “we know that you are a teacher come from God,” speaking of his and his group’s so-called knowledge. Jesus echoes this “we” language in his answer. “We,” that is, Jesus and here also John the Baptist – “speak of what we know and bear witness to what we have seen.” (Undoubtedly the “we” of Isaiah 53:1 is a part of this plural construction here. This broader passage is alluded to in 3:14).

Both Jesus and John the Baptist have testified that it is the time of the Spirit and the Messiah. “But you (all)” – Nicodemus and the Sanhedrin – “do not receive our testimony.”

But there’s more “12If I have told you (all) earthly things and you (all) do not believe, how can you (all) believe if I tell you (all) heavenly things?” This is an argument from lesser to greater. If you don’t understand or believe the earthly things – what is simple, how can you understand and believe heavenly things – what is more difficult?

The earthly things here most likely refer to people being born of the Spirit, what happens in a person’s heart here on earth. This has stumped Nicodemus. But despite Nicodemus’ lack of understanding and unbelief Jesus goes on to say more in answer to his question, “How is it that people can now be born of the Spirit?”

“13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” These are the heavenly things of v. 12. Jesus is saying, speaking of himself, that he has descended from heaven and he will also ascend back into heaven. The “Son of Man” is the heavenly figure of Daniel 7:13-14, which Jesus uses to refer to himself. [Nicodemus had said to Jesus that you have “come from God.” Jesus explains here that he is from God in a much more significant way.]

When Jesus says that “no one has ascended into heaven,” except him, he is establishing his authority to speak of heavenly things. No one else can do this. As John says in chapter 1:18, “No one has ever seen God. It is God the beloved who is at the Father’s side, (referring to Jesus) who has made him known.” [However one wants to explain what happened to Moses, Enoch, Elijah, Isaiah or Ezekiel, who each had some kind of ascent experience – they did not ascend to the place where the Son of Man was and will go back to – beside the Father and seeing him. 6:46; 1 John 4:12]

“14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” There are two Scriptures that are alluded to here.

1) There is an implied reference to Isaiah 52:13 (LXX) in v. 14. v. 14 says, “lifted up” and Isaiah says, “My servant . . . shall be lifted up and glorified exceedingly.”

Jesus takes this lifting up as a reference to his being lifted up on the cross. So here, the cross is the first step in his journey upward to heaven, which includes his resurrection and ascension (12:32). In the next few verses Isaiah goes on to speak prophetically of Jesus’ death on the cross. Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (This passage goes on to speak of “who has believed our report?” – Isaiah 53:1. As above in v. 11, they did not receive “our testimony.”)

2) There is an explicit reference to Numbers 21:8-9. Jesus sees this story of a snake on a pole as an analogy for his death on the cross.

Israel here is under judgment for complaining and speaking against God and Moses. They were dying from snake bites. Then they acknowledged their sin and asked for salvation. In v. 8 God tells Moses to “make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”

Jesus is saying, in the same way, he will be lifted up on a pole/the cross and people will live. As he says, he “must be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” Eternal life here, a very common phrase in John’s Gospel, means the same thing as being “born from above,” or “born of the Spirit.”

The point

Jesus is not just a teacher come with a special teaching that is authenticated by signs. 1) He is the one who brings in the time of the Spirit, when people can now be born of the Spirit. And even more specifically in terms of heavenly things, 2) He is the Son of Man who has come down from heaven and who will be lifted up on the cross, through the resurrection and through his ascension back into heaven from which place he will pour out the Spirit on his people. (John 7:39 – The Spirit is given once Jesus is glorified)

This is how people can now be born of the Spirit, or as he says here have “eternal life.”

So we learn from all this that –

Jesus has made it possible for you to be born of the Spirit

To be born from above; to be born of God; to receive new life, to be transformed in all your heart and life.

As we learn in v. 15 this is for everyone – “whoever.” It’s available to every single one of you. And you receive it by believing. This is what you must do. As v. 15 says, “whoever believes in him may have eternal life” Will you believe this morning??

William Higgins

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Jesus has come to bring the new birth of the Spirit. John 3:3-8

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

We are continuing on today exploring Jesus’ interactions with Nicodemus in John 3. As you will remember Nicodemus was a devout and serious Jew, and he was a religious leader.

We also saw last time how Nicodemus represents a person with mere “signs faith.” These are people who see the miracles that Jesus performs, but don’t see what they point to about Jesus’ true identity and purpose. So they “believe” in a sense – there’s something special about Jesus.

  • But they don’t get who he truly is, the eternal Son of God. He is something less than this.
  • And they don’t get what he has truly come to do, bring eternal life. He does something less than this.

Nicodemus himself says to Jesus in v. 2, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” He has some measure of faith in Jesus, but for him Jesus is only a teacher, who perhaps has some special teaching from God. So he has come to Jesus, by night, to see what he has to say.

Let’s look at our verses:

John 3:3-8

“3Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born from above he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” The phrase “truly, truly” means this is very important. “Listen up!,” Jesus is saying.

The word for “born from above” (anothen) can also be translated as “born again.” Born from above is the best translation overall in the Gospel of John (see 3:31), but it does have a double meaning as we will see, which includes the idea of being born again.

To be “born from above” is another way of saying “born of God” which John talks about in chapter 1. “From above” is a reference to God. “Born from above” also means the same thing as “born of the Spirit,” a phrase that is used three times in our verses (vs. 5, 6, 8).

Where does this idea come from? Well in the Old Testament there were many promises that God would one day pour out his Spirit on his people. For instance Ezekiel 36:26-27 says in part, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new Spirit I will put within you. . . . And I will put my Spirit within you . . ..” So Jesus is saying, the promises are coming true ! This is the age of the Spirit that was foretold and this is the new birth I am talking about.

This fits also with the language here of seeing and entering the Kingdom of God (which is quite rare in John and is usually replaced with the language of eternal life). That’s because it is when the kingdom comes, that the Spirit is to come.

So Jesus isn’t saying that Nicodemus should have already experienced new birth. This is the new thing that Jesus has come to bring – the kingdom of God, the time of the Spirit, when all can be born of the Spirit.

Notice that Jesus takes the last part of Nicodemus’ statement in v. 2 and uses it to make his point here. Nicodemus had said 1. no one is able (translating more literally); 2. to do these signs that you do (that he has seen); 3. unless God is with him.

Jesus reworks these phrases. 1. no one is able (same word for able, with a negative); 2. to see the kingdom of God – what Jesus is really about, not signs but the coming of the kingdom and the Spirit; 3. unless one is born from above. It’s not about Jesus being authenticated by miracles as a teacher. The signs point out that Jesus is the one who brings the new life of the kingdom of God.

“4Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a person be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’” He takes Jesus’ word here as “born again,” and in a natural sense, as another physical birth later in life. (Is he being sarcastic? It is hard to hear the tone in a written document).

This is a common mistake noted in John. People misunderstand Jesus in an overly literal way.

“5Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.’”

Jesus responds that it is another birth, or second birth, that comes after our physical birth (so it is being born again). But it is a birth of the Spirit, not a physical one.

  • Our physical birth is represented in v. 5 by the phrase, “born of water,” the idea is that a child comes out of the waters of the womb. We all have this. But not all are born of water and “born of the Spirit.” This is another, different kind of birth.
  • Again, our physical birth is represented in v. 6 by the phrase, “that which is born of the flesh” (in parallel with “born of water”). We have all been born of the flesh. But not all are also “born of the Spirit.” This is another, different kind of birth.

John has already made this point in 1:12-13. “12But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” This is a birth that is of God, not of the flesh.

Why can’t one “enter” the kingdom without new birth? The kingdom of God has to do with the life of God by the Spirit. Mere physical life is inadequate to experience this life of the kingdom. It is of another order and kind of life. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:50, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.”

Only those who have the life of God in them now, and are a part of the kingdom begun, will be bodily raised on the last day to have eternal life in the fullness of the kingdom.

“7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You (all) must be born from above.’”

“You” is plural, which is why I have it as “you all.” Here we see that Nicodemus represents a larger group or groups.

  • Even though he has signs faith it is inadequate. He, and all those like him, must be born from above.
  • Even though he is a Pharisee and religiously devout, he, and all those like him, must be born from above.
  • Even though he is a ruler and leader among the people of God, he, and all those like him, must be born from above.

And of course, Jesus has already made the point that “no one” can see or enter the kingdom of God without being born from above. That’s why it is a “must” or as it can be translated, a “necessity.” Everyone must receive the gift of new life that Jesus brings.

He then comes back to Nicodemus’ how question. As he just said, “do not marvel,” that is, don’ get caught up trying to figure out how it happens. “8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

There is a wordplay in these verses. The same word is used for wind and Spirit, in both Hebrew and Greek. Like the wind, so the Spirit.

  • The wind is mysterious. You hear it, the effect of it, but there’s a lot you don’t know about it – where it comes from and where it goes.
  • So the Spirit is mysterious. You can notice the effects of the Spirit. But there’s a lot you don’t know about how the Spirit works. (“where it comes from and where it goes” sounds like what Jesus says about himself in several places in the Gospel)

When he goes on to say, “so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit,” he doesn’t mean that we are mysterious, but that how we are born of the Spirit is mysterious. Those born of the Spirit can’t explain everything, but they can see and know the evidences of the Spirit’s work in their lives.

The point

These verses teach us that Jesus is not just a special teacher from God, come to give some special teaching – although he does this in our passage. Nicodemus and the other signs faith believers have it wrong. Jesus has come to bring the new birth of the Spirit; he has come to bring in the beginning of the kingdom of God.

Jesus’ message to us is a straightforward challenge –

Are you born of the Spirit?

Jesus is saying to each one of us, “You are not an exception!” As he said, no one can see or enter the kingdom unless they are born from above.

  • You can be a good person. Nicodemus was. But he didn’t have it yet.
  • You can be deeply religious. Nicodemus was. But he didn’t have it yet.
  • You can be a part of the church or even a leader. Nicodemus was. But he didn’t have it yet.
  • You can think that Jesus is special and sent from God. Nicodemus did. But he didn’t have it yet.

There can be no exceptions, because it is an impossibility that we are dealing with. Flesh alone cannot possess the life of the kingdom. This is why it is absolutely necessary that you be born of the Spirit.

If you want the new life that Jesus brings, you must believe that he is the eternal Son of God who has come to give this to you. You must believe and then act on this belief by receiving the new life that he gives.

William Higgins

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Nicodemus’ inadequate faith. John 2:23-3:2

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on December 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

We are starting back into our series on the Gospel of John, with a specific  focus for the next few weeks on Jesus’ interactions with Nicodemus.

As you will remember, so far in the story:

  • Jesus has been certified by John the Baptist as the Messiah.
  • He has gathered together his first disciples.
  • He has performed his first recorded miracle – turning water into wine; a private miracle.
  • And in chapter 2, although we didn’t cover this, Jesus has launched his public ministry, by means of clearing the temple in Jerusalem.

Our text today picks up just after this, while he is still in Jerusalem.

Nicodemus’ faith

“2:23Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.”

Our verse talks about Jesus doing signs in Jerusalem. These aren’t narrated. As John 20:30 tells us, Jesus did many signs or miracles that are not recorded (Also 21:25). This is probably referring to various healings that Jesus did. 

Jesus performed signs in order to lead people to believe in him. And at least on some level it worked here, for it says, “many believed in his name,” when they saw him perform these miracles.

But on another level, it didn’t work here. “24But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25and needed no one to bear witness about a person, for he himself knew what was in a person.”

This doesn’t come out in English very well, but v. 23 and v. 24 use the same word.

  • “many believed/trusted in his name” – v. 23
  • “but Jesus on his part did not believe/entrust himself to them” – v. 24

It’s like Jesus is saying, ‘you believe in me? I don’t believe in you! You trust me? I don’t trust you! At least not yet.’

And he was able to know that there was a problem, John tells us, because “he himself knew what was in a person.” We have already seen this in his interactions with Peter and Nathanael. He knew their character and what was in their hearts, and will see this again in John’s gospel, for instance with the Samaritan woman.

What’s the problem that Jesus saw in them?? Why doesn’t Jesus entrust himself to them? They only had what can be called “signs faith.” As I said, Jesus performed signs to lead people to believe in him (John 1:51; 20:30-31). But sometimes when people believed based on signs, their faith turned out to be inadequate.

In the Gospels, and especially in John, miracles are more than just acts of power. They are precisely “signs.” That is, they point beyond themselves to something about Jesus’ identity and purpose. Jesus isn’t about miracles. This is “signs faith.” Miracles are about Jesus, teaching us who he is, which leads to true faith.

So when Jesus does a sign, people are to see, not just the miracle, but what it says about Jesus. For instance when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, it’s not just about an amazing miracle. It points to the fact that  Jesus is, as he says, “the resurrection and the life,” and that he has come to bring eternal life to all. But mere “signs faith” doesn’t get what the signs tell us about who Jesus is and what he has come to do. 

So when you only have signs faith,  you may honor Jesus as special. 

  • But you don’t understand who Jesus truly is; you don’t get it; you don’t see the bigger picture. And so you end up with some lesser version of Jesus – a teacher (3:2), a prophet (6:14), even the Messiah, but a distorted understanding of what it means to be the Messiah (also 6:14).
  • And because you don’t understand who Jesus truly is, you also don’t get what Jesus has truly come to give. You end up with something lesser – a teaching (3), a miracle (6:2), bread (6:26), an earthly ruler (6:15). Things that have to do with your needs in this life.

“Signs faith” is an inadequate faith in Jesus; it distorts who Jesus is and what he is up to.

“3:1Now there was a person of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This one came to Jesus by night . . ..” After talking about those with mere “signs faith,” Nicodemus is presented here as a representative of this inadequate faith. This comes out in two ways:

  • v. 25 says that Jesus “knew what was in a person” speaking of those with mere “signs faith.” And then 3:1 says, “now there was a person” (same word) who came to Jesus. This is a clue for us.
  • And 3:2 says, “this one” came to Jesus – that is, this one who represents this kind of believer. (In both cases I have modified the ESV to help bring this out.)

We learn more about Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, a member of a strict and devout sect of Judaism. We are also told that Nicodemus was “a ruler of the Jews.” He was most likely on the Sanhedrin, the ruling body in Jerusalem. He was an important person. Later in v. 10 Jesus calls him “the teacher of Israel.”

Notice that he came to Jesus “by night.” Most likely he didn’t want to be publicly identified with Jesus. He wanted a secret meeting. But there is also some symbolism going on here. Darkness in the Gospel of John represents the realm that doesn’t know God and that stands in opposition to God (1:5).

“2 . . .  and (Nicodemus) said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’” This is a nice confession of faith for one who has mere “signs faith” in Jesus. (Notice he repeats the phrase of v. 23 “the signs that he was doing” here as “these signs that you do.”)

He is saying, “Jesus, because you do signs, there is something special about you. We believe this. We know this.” But since he doesn’t get what the signs point to about Jesus, his understanding of  Jesus and what he has come to give is wrong.

Who is Jesus? In this case he is merely a teacher come from God. What has Jesus come to give? Perhaps he has come with some special teaching or message from God. Despite his honoring of Jesus and some measure of faith, he is still represented as not yet being in the light; and as someone whom Jesus doesn’t trust.

So these verses give us the introduction to the Nicodemus story. Jesus will go on to correct him about who he is and what he has come to give.

  • In vs. 3-8 – Jesus is not just giving a new teaching, he is bringing in the kingdom of God itself and the possibility of being born of the Spirit; of receiving new life from God.
  • In vs. 9-15 – Jesus is not simply a teacher. He is the Son of Man come from heaven to die on the cross to make eternal life available to all.

Looking at Nicodemus helps us to learns some things about –

Inadequate faith today

1. Many today don’t truly understand who Jesus is or what he came to give. In the world Jesus can be a popular person. And in general people want to have Jesus on their side. They see him as special for one reason or another.

But they don’t get from his life and deeds who he truly is. Jesus is just a teacher, or a prophet, or a model political revolutionary, or a mystic or a wonderworker. And since they don’t understand who   Jesus really is, they don’t understand what he came to give. He give just a life philosophy, an ethical system, a model of political action, a spiritual experience, or magical fixes for our lives. 

They don’t understand that Jesus is the eternal Son of God who has come to give eternal life to all who believe. And so they don’t receive this.

So these are people who “believe” in some sense, but their faith is inadequate. They are still in darkness. And Jesus doesn’t entrust himself to them.

But it’s not just people who don’t go to church. 2. Some who come to church, don’t truly understand who Jesus is or what he came to give. Nicodemus was a very religious person. He was devout and he was a religious leader.

And there are some today who come to church who have a form of faith. They honor Jesus, but their faith is also inadequate. And so, since they don’t get who Jesus really is – the eternal Son of God, they don’t receive the eternal life that he came to give. This is truly a tragedy.

3. Christians can have some of the traits of “signs faith.” We do this when we allow our faith to be based on Jesus’ miracles, and receiving these from him. Jesus is not about miracles, the miracles are about Jesus.

So our belief never moves from seeing miracles,  to trusting in Jesus and his word to us and being content with this, even if he never gives us any (more) miracles. Now, I’m not saying that Jesus doesn’t still do miracles, he does. But they are not to be the focus, so that this is why we follow after Jesus; so that we seek to receive from him what we need or want for our life in this world; our health and wealth.

Yes, God does miracles, but it is not God’s purpose to salvage our lives in this world -by means of making things perfect here and now through miracles. God is about the bigger project of life on earth in a new creation at the resurrection.

This is a call for all of us to examine ourselves. Do we have “signs faith” or something like this? Are you still in the darkness? Does Jesus not trust you?

Give yourself to fully believe that he is the eternal Son of God who has come to give eternal life to all who believe, and you will receive this gift that he has come to give.

William Higgins

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