In the last episode, we ended with the prophecy from Isaiah 43:18-19. This prophecy tells us when it comes to seeking and worshipping God, we should forget about the way things used to be done. The words from Isaiah literally tell us to ‘forget all that”. The paths people took to fellowship or commune with God in the past are no longer relevant. God has created a completely new way to fellowship with him. There is a new way for believers to know and see God. That new way or new creation is the church.
But you’ll say, having a place of worship isn’t new. The Jews had the temple. But the church God created isn’t a place, it’s an existence. God’s church isn’t where believers go, it’s where believers live and receive life. The church is the Body of Christ, and all who have faith become a part of their Savior’s body by the miraculous power and grace of God. This church of Christ’s Body is the way in the wilderness of this world, and the river in the desert of this desolation.
But again, the prophet’s question to mankind is; Do you not understand this is completely new?
There are many examples of not understanding something that is completely new, like the Heliocentric Theory. Aristarchus, a Greek astronomer, and mathematician was the first to propose a sun-centered universe in 250 BC. Then Copernicus in 1500 AD came to the same conclusion. Plato, Aristotle, and Ptolemy all taught the earth was the center. Religion taught the earth was in the center of the universe and arrested Galileo in 1632 when he said the earth revolved around the sun. Finally with the invention of the reflecting telescope by Isaac Newton in 1688 the world had to accept the Heliocentric model of the universe.
Given this one example, we can see why Israel didn’t understand this “New Thing” that Isaiah said God was going to do. Even the best-trained religious leaders and scholars couldn’t and didn’t understand it.
To magnify the point that there is a lack of understanding by those who should know the activities of God, let’s look at the conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus (John 3:1-10). Why was Nicodemus having such a hard time with this statement about being Born from Above?
Who was Nicodemus?
- A “certain” man; not just someone in the crowd, not just anybody, Nicodemus was somebody.
- He was a Pharisee; a very influential religious and political party. Zealots for the law. They also adhered to the doctrine of angels and resurrection. They believed that oral traditions were as important as the Torah. Their counterpart party was the Sadducees. The Sadducees were the wealthier population in Israel. They were known as much for their wealth and corruption as for their religion. They were friendlier with the Romans and made up the high priest line. The Sadducees controlled the Temple and the Sanhedrin (Jewish council). It was the Sadducees that hated Jesus the most because he threatened their power with Rome and the people. Only accepted the Torah (1st 5 books as the only authority in faith and life). Unrestrained free will – God had no role in
- the personal lives of people.No supernatural; angels, demons, heaven, hell, resurrection. Death is the end.
- They believed in the strict adherence to Moses so they would maintain control of the temple services thus maintaining their wealth and power in this life. Wealth was their God, so to speak. (overturning the money-changers table).
- Nicodemus; name means victorious among the people (public conquest) great debater.
- He was a member of the Sanhedrin; the highest judicial body among the Jews allowed by Rome. The Sanhedrin was led by the high priest and given almost king-like power.
- Visited Jesus at night; This is something that is extremely significant for the author to mention;
- Was he afraid to be seen having a discussion with Jesus?
- Was he unsure how the discussion would go?
- Consider the theme of light used by the author. Jesus was the light. Nicodemus lived in darkness. He came to Jesus in the dark. Jesus showed him the light.
- He was aware of the influence of Jesus John 3:2 (events of John 2)
- Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). Jesus cleansed the temple (John 2:12-22)More and more people were accepting his authority because of the signs and miracles he was doing (John 2:23-25).
- Jesus denies that Nicodemus can know he is from God unless he is “born from above.”
- Rabbinic discourse with Jesus – To Nicodemus, this conversation was a chess match. His strategy was to press the impossible to show Jesus was wrong. This argument style would do one of two things – 1) show the people Jesus was crazy, or 2) make Jesus explain the true meaning of what he said. “How can a grown person enter their mother’s womb and be born?” If that isn’t what you are saying, then what are you really saying?” Nicodemus knew that Jesus wasn’t talking about being physically reborn. This was to make the statement of Jesus seem to be an incredible fallacy. Jesus answered, “I tell you the solemn truth unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must all be born from above.’ The wind blows wherever it will, and you hear the sound it makes, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”Nicodemus replied, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you don’t understand these things? I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony. If I have told you people about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things?”Jesus explains that being born of water and Spirit is being born from above. What is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of Spirit is Spirit. The kingdom of heaven is spiritual and to know it or enter it a person must be born from the Spirit or born from above. Those born of the flesh can’t know or understand those born from above, because, like the wind, which comes from above, the origin and direction of the Spirit are
- unknowable to the flesh.
- Jesus checkmated Nicodemus and the only argument he had left was to appeal to tradition by saying, “How can these things be?” or “In what way is this possible?” this has never happened before. There is nowhere in the Torah or oral traditions that speak of being born from above.
- Jesus answers the statement of Nicodemus by saying, “Are you the teacher of Israel and you don’t understand this?” This shouldn’t be new to “The Teacher” of Israel. Nicodemus is only mentioned in John and he is mentioned two more times in the Gospel (John 7:50-52, John 19:38-42).
Why shouldn’t being “Born from Above” be a new concept? Because the prophets, Ezekiel and Isaiah spoke of it in Ezekial 37:9-10 and Isaiah 44:1-5.
Ezekiel was living in exile in Babylon with other Jews. The Jewish people were broken by their captivity. Ezekiel was their prophet in exile that God used for the people to understand this happened to them because of their idolatry. But they constantly resisted the word of God from Ezekiel.
In chapter 36 God tells these people that a day will come when he cleanses them with water, gives them a new heart, and put his Spirit within them. This will happen when they are back in the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The exiled people, who are dead in their religion and faith, will receive a new life.
Two hundred years before Ezekiel, Isaiah was the prophet when Israel fell to Assyria in 721 BC. Isaiah lived in the kingdom of Judah. Assyria tried to invade Judah, but God saved Judah. During Isaiah’s time, the southern kingdom saw the northern tribes defeated and taken captive. But they still committed idolatry and ignored the law of Moses.
So with all the prophetic evidence, why was it difficult for Nicodemus, “The Teacher of Israel” to accept that Jesus said a person must be “Born from Above” to see the kingdom of God? Because as Jesus told Nicodemus, people love darkness rather than light (John 3:19-21).
Humans don’t accept the truth because the nature of humanity is darkness rather than light. Everything that the natural person does has a dark purpose and self-centered reasons. Nicodemus and the Sanhedrin had great wealthy and powerful positions. They couldn’t believe in Jesus and follow the influence of the Spirit of God. Humanity can’t give up the idea that mankind isn’t the theme of reality. Darkness creates power, and power generates wealth and authority, and wealth and authority, generate pride, and pride generates more darkness.
But those who are “Born from Above” do accept the truth and their actions reveal the light of the Spirit of God in them (John 6:63 and 1 Corinthians 2:12-15). Non-believers can’t understand the words and actions of believers because they don’t make sense in the flesh.
Why does someone dedicate their life to feeding the poor? Why does someone give all their income to clothing the destitute? Why will someone give up their life as a testimony to the Son of God? Why does someone spend their free time working in a food bank? Why do people preach the Gospel or minister in prisons and hospitals? Why do believers do things unselfishly for others? Do they do these things because of doctrine, guilt, reputation, or to be seen by others? No, believers do these things because they are born from above by the Spirit of God, and the Spirit speaks to us to act as children of God’s light.
Paul shows us how being born from above the Spirit of God influences us in Acts 20:22-23. Paul’s life was a testimony to the darkness that what is born of the flesh is flesh and what is born of Spirit is Spirit. Those born of the flesh are in darkness and resist the light because they don’t understand spiritual things.
This is why the world doesn’t understand the true nature of the church. The world thinks the church is founded on the principles of worldly organizations like money, power, authority, entertainment, and popularity. But the church is spiritual and is founded on the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and exists in this world as the spiritual Body of Christ.
Take-Aways:
- Humans love darkness rather than light and won’t accept change if threatens their power.
- God is light and truth and he is more powerful than all human darkness.
- Being “Born from Above” is believing and living in the light of God and acting upon his inspiration.
Let the Spirit of Christ inspire you to work in the light of God!
