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Nicodemus: Convinced at Last

John 3:1-21; 19:39

A phrase so popular in modern culture—"born again"—only appears twice in the New Testament, both in the same conversation. "Born again" was used by Jesus to describe what it means to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3, 7). The apostle Paul came close to "born again" when he described those in Christ as "a new creation" in which "old things have passed away" and "all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Understandably, that phrase drew questions from the one to whom Jesus spoke. It was not a phrase common in Judaism—another of Jesus' word pictures painted to illustrate a spiritual reality. But as a Pharisee and prominent member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council)—and especially being "the teacher of Israel" (John 3:10)—Jesus expected his inquirer, Nicodemus, to recognize His meaning, issuing him a mild word of reproof for his dullness (verse 10). After all, Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones coming back to life, as if being born again (Ezekiel 37), was a prominent part of Judaism's future hope. And Moses' description of a circumcised heart (Deuteronomy 30:6), and Ezekiel and Jeremiah's prophecy of a "new heart" (Jeremiah 31:33; Ezekiel 36:26) were in their history. But Jesus' words drew only questions from Nicodemus.

Nicodemus gets credit for coming to ask Jesus about His teaching; at least He recognized Jesus' anointing from God to work miracles (John 3:2). Still, he came to Jesus "by night" (John 3:2), fearful of what the leading Jews would say if they knew he had visited Jesus (see Acts 3:16-17; 6:7). Jesus' "born again" teaching was simply a way of saying—to a Pharisee—you don't enter the kingdom by lineage, position, rank, or birthright. You enter by a work of the Spirit: "Your mother births you into this world physically but the Spirit births you into the kingdom spiritually" (John 3:5-6, paraphrase).

Nicodemus finally understood and believed in Jesus (John 19:39).

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