Posts by Yong Joo Park:
Spiritual Rebirth and Spiritual Sight
John 3:1–3 (NIV 2011)
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’
3 Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’
I. Nicodemus (1)
See v1.
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.
The Pharisees were a Jewish social movement and a school of thought [1]. There were around 6,000 of them near AD 70, after which their beliefs became the basis for Rabbinic Judaism [1]. Other Jewish sects were the Sadducees, the Essenes and the Zealots (= the Sikarim) [2].
The Jewish ruling council was called Sanhedrin [3]. One Great Sanhedrin of 71 members acted as the Supreme Court [3].
II. He came to Jesus (2a)
See v2.
2 He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.’
The fact Nicodemus came to Jesus shows
- The Father drew Nicodemus to Jesus (John 6:44a).
- Nicodemus has heard the Father and learned from him (John 6:45).
If someone listens to Jesus, that indicates
- He/she is His sheep (John 10:27). They belong to God (John 8:47).
- He/she is on the side of truth (John 18:37)
III. Believing but not reborn (2b)
Nicodemus confessed his faith that Jesus had come from God. Then, should we now entrust spiritual leadership to Nicodemus as a ‘believer’? Well, Never. Jesus shows Nicodemus was not spiritually reborn yet in v3. Jesus showed that there was a difference between ‘expressing their belief’ and ‘spiritually reborn’. Someone who expresses his/her belief could still never be reborn! This may be a reason why John 2:24 was written to tell us Jesus didn’t believe everyone’s believing [4] (https://comnc.org/jesus-who-knows-what-is-in-each-person).
James 2:19 says
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
John 1:13 shows the three conditions of being born of God (https://www.tiktok.com/@yongjoojohnpark/video/7012184323755363585?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7144539582473930242). We can continue to find more about the rebirth in John 3:1-21.
Even if someone who had expressed his/her belief was a member of a church for decades, he/she could be still not reborn.
IV. Spiritual Rebirth and Spiritual Sight (3)
See v3.
3 Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’
If someone is not spiritually reborn, he/she is spiritually blind. What happens if someone spiritual blind becomes a leader? See Luke 6:39.
He also told them this parable: ‘Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?
See Matthew 7:21.
‘Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Jesus has seen God (John 6:46) and sees what the Father does and does whatever the Father does (John 5:19).
See Matthew 5:8.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
References
[1] Pharisees. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisees
[2] The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots. URJ Heller High School. https://hellerhigh.org/2017/03/10/pharisees-sadducees-essenes-zealots/
[3] Sanhedrin. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanhedrin
[4] Borcher, Gerald L. The New American Commentary: John 1-11.
I will raise it again in three days
John 2:18–22 18 The Jews then responded to him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ 19 Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ 20 They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it […]
Zeal for your house will consume me
John 2:13–17 13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he […]
Jesus Who Knows What is in Each Person
John 2:23–25 (NIV 2011) 23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in […]
The Best Wine: The Blood of Jesus that Cleans our Sins
John 2:9b –12 (NIVUK) He did not realise where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved […]
Obedience, Faith, and Abundance in the Miracle
John 2:6-9a 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from eighty to a hundred and twenty litres. 7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it […]
Jesus who works in God’s Authority and Timing
John 2:1-5 1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’ 4 ‘Woman, why do you involve me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My […]
Jesus, the House of God, the Gate of Heaven
John 1:47–51 (NIVUK) 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’ 48 ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’ 49 Then Nathanael declared, ‘Rabbi, you are […]
God who sees me
John 1:48 (NIVUK) ‘How do you know me?’ Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, ‘I saw you while you were still under the fig-tree before Philip called you.’ Nathanael asked, ‘How do you know me?’ (48a) Nathanael never expected someone was watching over him so close at all times. But God was. So was the Son of […]
A True Israelite
John 1:47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, ‘Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.’ Nathanael means ‘gift of God’. Israel means ‘one who prevails with God’. The original name of Israel was Jacob. Jacob means ‘Supplanter’. ‘deceit’ (47) reminds us of Jacob who deceived his father Isaac, […]
