Episode 2192 - Lesson 4 - Thursday Oct 24 - The Witness of Nicodemus

Read John 3:1–21. How does the testimony of Nicodemus support the theme of the Gospel of John? Nicodemus was a respected teacher in Israel and a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin. His testimony plays an important part in John’s Gospel for several reasons. He referred to Jesus as “Rabbi” and pointed to the signs that Jesus performed as evidence of His divine mission. Hence, even before Nicodemus realized what he was doing, he was giving evidence in support of the Messiahship of Jesus. Nicodemus viewed the signs themselves as evidence of Jesus’ divine calling but did not see them as pointing to Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah. So, Nicodemus came with some doubt; he did not yet at this point recognize Jesus as the Christ. Read John 3:3–21. What did Jesus say to Nicodemus to show that He could see right through him? Jesus knows the heart of each individual. His response to Nicodemus may seem abrupt, but He goes directly to the issue. Though the Jews believed that Gentiles needed to be converted, many didn’t understand that they, too, the chosen people, needed a conversion experience. No one is born saved, regardless of their nationality or the church that they were raised in. Without question, the Jews’ wonderful heritage, going back to Abraham, offered them many distinct advantages (see Rom. 3:1, 2). But, in and of itself, that was not enough. Jesus told Nicodemus the unthinkable—that he, a teacher and ruler in Israel, must be born again from above! Jesus then confronted Nicodemus with his own spiritual ignorance: “ ‘Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?’ ” (John 3:10, NKJV). How could you, an exalted teacher, not know this? The rebuke must have been stunning. Despite whatever questions he had regarding Jesus then, Nicodemus later took His side with the followers of Jesus (see John 19:39). What does it mean to be “born again,” and why would Jesus put such emphasis on it?