(…continued from part three…)     

  4) “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” [John 3:1-2]. We understand that even wise men sought Jesus at birth. In this contextual time of the Scriptures, another great man called on Jesus, not to authenticate the pharisaical belief in the Lord’s messianic quackery, but, like the wise men, to be united with the Truth. The Bible records that he came by night. Curiosity, nudging me, makes me ask, “Why by night?” The word ‘night’ is the Greek nux (noox): ‘1. Night i.e. dark evening time of the day; 2. metaphorically the time when work ceases a. the time of death b. the time for deeds of sin and shame c. the time of moral stupidity and darkness d. the time when the weary and also the drunken give themselves up to slumber.’

 It had dawned on the great teacher, Pharisee, lawyer, leader and a very successful man, Nicodemus that the true Lord had taken a residential sojourn in the very land of Israeli occupation. He had to go to Him using the dark cloak of the day, and also because he knew that with all his great credentials he was living in abjection of egregious ignominy of spirituality. His very submissive ventilation was, “Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.” The thing is, who are the “we”? Definitely he was referring to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish governing council: meaning the teachers and the custodians of Mosaic Pentateuch, the prophets and the Psalms.

Man, most definitely, is close to the truth. For a most untenable reason or reasons he just decides against the truth so glaringly pellucid.

How many miracles did God perform to make the great Pharaoh to change the destructive mind of his antagonistism? More than enough. How many miracles were wrought in the forty years of the wilderness roam? Countless. It neither changed Pharaoh nor the stiff-necked children of Israel. Kudos must be the applause deservedly given to Nicodemus for agreeing with the miracle source of Jesus. ‘Miracles’ comes from sēmeion (say-mi’-on): ‘an indication, especially ceremonially or supernaturally.’ Nicodemus and his colleagues understood the proof of God’s authentication in the miracles of Jesus. It was clear that this was the Messiah. Prevailing truth which sets one free, indeed.

And Nicodemus believed

The Host of Nicodemus, being the celestial Truth of eternity, knew what was gnawing at his restless mind. Jesus, rather than acknowledge his knowledge seeking visitor’s remark, went ahead, wasting no time, in hammering at the most important reality of the Kingdom of God. “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” [John 3:3]. Jesus Christ is the second man, two being the number of witness and of testimony: God’s testimony of His willingness to save mankind. Jesus Christ is the last Adam; He had come to correct Adam’s error of the original sin. To ensure His success as the true last Adam He must live a sinless life. For His thirty-three and a half years of earthly life, Jesus did not commit one, tiniest of a sin.

Unless a man takes a spiritual journey back to the Adamic lily-white perfection of Adam’s days of sinlessness, a basking in celestial bliss is an absolute impossibility. Only Jesus, the reality of God’s existence, can make it a true reality. He told Nicodemus so much of divine truthfulness. Wondering at the dearth of the spiritual knowledge of Nicodemus, the Bible records Jesus’ remark, ^“If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things” [John 3:12]? While Nicodemus was doing all that his intellectualism disposition could enable him, he found this didacticism too much for him, totally flabbergasted, making it difficult in catching up with this Rabbi.

To his chagrin Jesus dropped the empyreal bombshell in the next verse: “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven” [John 3:13]. Voilà! This must be the most awaited Messiah! “If this is the Personage who has descended from heaven,” the mind of Nicodemus raced, and continued with, “and the same, in whose presence I, Nicodemus sits, is at this moment having His physical presence in heaven, this is the Visitant that father Abraham spoke with, face to face, when Isaac, our forefather was promised by the same LORD God!” And Nicodemus believed. How do I know this?

Nicodemus could not help being supportive of the officers’ decision not to arrest Jesus in the account of John 7:45-52. “Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?” [John 7:50-51]. He had heard from Jesus like none of them. The truth had given him a spiritual rest. In another incident: “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. 39) And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight” [John 19:38]. Forsooth, the truth had set somebody free.        

                Get born again by saying this simple prayer.

 “Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”

(…to be concluded…)

Read the 3rd part; click here

To read the conclusion, click here

Visits: 69