Originally posted by no1special18
John 3:
1-2: There was a man of the pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
-Nicodemus said some interesting things here in his opening statements. Nicodemus as we read is a pharisee, and when he uses the word we, it is understood to be the other pharisees. The interesting thing is that Nicodemus claims that "we" him and the rest of the pharisees "know he is from God." This is weird, because we know from the rest of scripture that the pharisees truly thought anything except that Jesus was from God. In fact, through out the rest of the New Testament, anytime the pharisees refered to Jesus in a positive manner, it was only to test him. We presume that Nicodemus was genuine because he came at night instead asking Jesus his question in front of crowds. However (because he did come at night) we can presume that the rest of the "we" really did not think Jesus to be from God.-
3: Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
-Nicodemus has made a statement "...you are from God." Jesus then responds on the issue of "...the kingdom of God." This means things that pertain to God and his kingdom, and is used to refer to both God's reign on earth and his heavenly throne. Nicodemus asserts that Jesus is from God. Jesus asserts that Nicodemus is making an assertion that he cannot know, because only those "born again" can "see" the kingdom of God. Yes the statement born again is a new one, however, Jesus will not leave it unclarified. We might say that Jesus is leading Nicodemus to what He wishes him to understand.-
4:Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
-This is exactly the question is it not. Still, Jesus is moving Nicodemus beyond physical birth into what Jesus wants to teach Nicodemus (spiritual Birth).-
5-6:Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and [of] the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
-Jesus differentiates for Nicodemus between physical birth and spiritual birth, and Jesus once again affirms the need for spiritual birth in order to be a part of the kingdom of heaven.-
7-8:Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
-Jesus is explaining to Nicademus that he should not marvel because while it is necessary that someone be born again, it is not something that can be seen with the eyes and it is not something physical, but in the realms of the spiritual. Jesus is weening Nicademus away from the idea of a physical birth.-
9: Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?(10) Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
-Nicodemus is indeed confused and does not know what is going on, and Jesus does imply that he as a master of Israel should have a better grasp on this. How was Nicodemus to have a better grasp on this if this was a new concept? It was a new term, not a new concept. Nicodemus should have understood the consequences of birth as it pertained to the spiritual person [Nicademus should have understood that being born a son of Adam has dire consequences on ones soul and, therefore the need for a renewing or "spiritual birth"]
Job 15:14- What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Job 25:4- How then can man be justified with God? or how can he be clean [that is] born of a woman?
Psalm 51:5- Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
-There is more I would say but I have to go to work, I hope to pick up with my thoughts soon-
This is a really nice post, thank you and welcome to TOL