A Ruler Called Nicodemus - Part Two

In my last blog post, 'A Ruler Called Nicodemus - Part One' I brought the blog post to a close by looking at Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God's words in:
John 3:14-15:
"(14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
(15) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

I then referenced the incident in Numbers 21:5-6:
"(5) And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
(6) So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died."

God's answer to Moses intercession on behalf of the people was this.

Numbers 21:8-9:
"(8) Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.'
(9) So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."

Let's look again at my thoughts at the conclusion of the blog post. 'It was a look of faith! If you believed that by looking up at the bronze serpent on that pole that you would be healed and live - that's what you did! This was no time to question the method of salvation. If you wanted to live instead of dying a horrible death you looked up at the serpent on the pole. There was no if, but or maybe involved; to live you looked in faith at God's provision of salvation.'

Why was this incident so important for Nicodemus to be reminded of?

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that as it was necessary for Moses to lift up the bronze serpent on the pole for the salvation of those ancient Israelites, it was also necessary for the son of Man to be lifted up so a person could believe in Him and have eternal life.

Now let's continue to look at the words Jesus spoke to Nicodemus in John chapter 3.

John 3:14-21:
"(14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
(15) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."
(16) For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
(17) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
(18) He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
(19) And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
(20) For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
(21) But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Verse 16 is probably the most quoted verse in the New Testament, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Those words were spoken to Nicodemus. Yet these very words have been the means of countless souls being brought to the Lord Jesus Christ for a full and free salvation.

Verse 17 reveals that God sent Jesus not to condemn us, but that through Jesus we could be saved.

Verse 18 informs us that if we believe in Jesus we are no longer condemned. However if we don't believe in Jesus we remain in a condemned state because we won't believe in the name of Jesus. In other words we don't believe that He is the Son of God.

Verses 19, 20 show us the state of heart of the unbeliever. Jesus is portrayed as a bright light. Unbelievers won't come to His light because of their evil deeds. They prefer to remain in the darkness of their sins. I often think of little insects and beetles that hide under pieces of scrap wood or rubbish in the yard. On a sunny day if you flip over the wood or rubbish the insects scurry away trying to hide once again. That is man in his natural state. He does not want his sins revealed!

Verse 21 tells us that that he who does the truth comes to the light. In other words he responds to the truth and comes to the light [Jesus] for salvation and cleansing of his sins. Now his deeds can be seen as doing God's will in his life.

All this information was a lot for Nicodemus to take in! I am sure that Nicodemus went away pondering over what Jesus had told him.

Nicodemus is mentioned again in John chapter 7. The chief priests and the Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesus.

John 7:30-32:
"(30) Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

(31) And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"
(32) The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him."

However, the officers came back empty handed. They were asked why they had not brought Jesus to them.

John 7:46-48:
"(46) The officers answered, "No man ever spoke like this Man!"
(47) Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?
(48) Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?"

Nicodemus now speaks up.

John 7:46-53:

"(50).Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,
(51) "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"

(52) They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."

(53) And everyone went to his own house."

The Sanhedrin did not even know their own history for the prophet Jonah came from Gath-Hepher (near Nazareth) in Galilee.

We don't hear again about Nicodemus until the crucifixion day. 

John 19:38-42:
"(38) After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.
(39) And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.
(40) Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.
(41) Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
(42) So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews' Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby."

Cruel, wicked hands nailed Jesus to the cross. After He died loving hands took his body carefully down from the cross and prepared it for burial. We learn from one of the other Gospels that Jesus was buried in a new tomb that Joseph of Arimathea had made for his own burial chamber.

When Jesus was lifted up on the cross Nicodemus would have understood that Jesus was offering him eternal life through His suffering and death. By faith he accepted that Jesus died for him. I am sure many Scriptures were fulfilled for Nicodemus that day. He came out boldly and identified himself with Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. "And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds." The myrrh and aloes would have weighed approximately 45 kg. Nicodemus came prepared to bury Jesus with a rich man's burial. Joseph of Arimathea gave up his own new tomb to honour Jesus of Nazareth. This was in fulfilment of prophecy.

Isaiah 53:9:
"And they made His grave with the wicked-- but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth."

This concludes the two part series on 'A Ruler Called Nicodemus'.

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com
Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

[If you have any questions or comments you are invited to contact me via the comments section below.]

 

 

 

A Ruler Called Nicodemus

Easter 2018 has just concluded, where the Christian world remembered the crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God. One of the two men who arranged the burial of Jesus was a man called Nicodemus; a ruler of the Jews.We are introduced to Nicodemus in the Gospel of John.

John 3:1-2:
"(1) There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
(2) This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."

So far, we know that Nicodemus is from the sect known as the Pharisees and that he is a ruler of the Jewish people. The Pharisees were a very strict group of Jews who held to rigid rules and ordinances concerning the Jewish law. The law was mainly religious but also had strong secular overtones. The Jewish law permeated every strata of their society. It was the controlling influence over every Jewish person and was the basis for their way of life.

Nicodemus as a ruler of the Jews would have been a member of the Sanhedrin; who were a group of priests, elders and scribes who administered the law and religious observances. They were the governing body for Israel.

We can also note from verse 2 that Nicodemus had an open and inquiring mind. However as a ruler of the Jews he was very cautious in his approach to Jesus. He did not want to be seen by members of the Sanhedrin as making contact with Jesus of Nazareth. Thus, he made contact at night time. We know from the four Gospels, that the chief rulers of the Jews hated Jesus of Nazareth for the many miracles that He did and for the way He taught the people with power and authority.

Nicodemus obviously pondered over these matters and came to the conclusion that God was with Jesus of Nazareth. "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."  Nicodemus had realised that Jesus was a Teacher sent from God and Jesus' words were backed up by His deeds.

Let's continue on in John 3:3-4:
(3) Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
(4) Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

Jesus' reply is unusual, He tells Nicodemus that unless a person is born again that person cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is obviously startled by this statement. He knew it was a physical impossibility to be born physically a second time. Nicodemus being a ruler in Israel would have been an older man. "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Nicodemus was probably perplexed by Jesus' talk of being born again.

John 3:5-8:
"(5) Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
(6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
(7) Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
(8) The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus seems to be even more perplexed when he is told that a person needs to be born of water and by the Spirit of God to enter the kingdom of God. Jesus tells him that there is a physical birth and there is a spiritual birth. Then to cap it off Jesus tells Nicodemus that Nicodemus needs to be born again. The illustration Jesus uses is that of the wind. The wind comes and goes as it pleases. We can't see it but we can hear it and feel its effects.

We know when a woman is pregnant and ready to give birth! However, we cannot physically see a new spiritual birth. We can and do see the effect of being born again in the life of someone who is born again. Water is often used in the Holy Scriptures as a symbol of the word of God. So I believe that the new spiritual birth is brought about by the word of God applied in living power by the Holy Spirit of God.

John 3:9-10:
"(9) Nicodemus answered and said to Him, "How can these things be?"
(10) Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?"

Nicodemus ponders the revelation and asks "How can these things be?" Jesus' reply shows that he expected Nicodemus to know the answers. He questions Nicodemus' high ranking as a teacher and ruler in Israel. "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?" Please note Jesus does not say "a teacher' but "the teacher". Nicodemus had an exalted position and Jesus expected him to know how new birth was possible.

In verses 11-13 Jesus tells Nicodemus that if he cannot understand things relating to Earth, how could Nicodemus understand things relating to Heaven? "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (Verse 12).

Now we come to a very instructive lesson for Nicodemus and for you and me.

John 3:14-15:
"(14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
(15) that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus refers to events that took place back in Moses' time. The children of Israel on their wilderness journeys became very discouraged and complained bitterly to Moses.

Numbers 21:5-6:
"(5) And the people spoke against God and against Moses: "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul loathes this worthless bread."
(6) So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died."

The state of their hearts was revealed. The real complaint was against God! They began to loathe the Manna that God provided for them six days per week. Each morning they needed to go out early and collect the manna which was on the dew on the ground. They could take as much or as little as they liked. They collected a double portion on the sixth day to tide them over on the seventh day.

God's response to their complaining is immediate! "So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died." They complained that God had brought them out of Egypt so that they would die in the wilderness. Yet He had provided food and water on all their journeys. Now many of them were dying because of their rebellion against God.

The people then come and confess their sins to Moses and ask Moses to pray to God to have the fiery serpents taken away. God then instructs Moses to make a fiery serpent and put it on a pole.

Numbers 21:8-9:
"(8) Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and it shall be that everyone who is bitten, when he looks at it, shall live.'
(9) So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived."

It was a look of faith! If you believed that by looking up at the bronze serpent on that pole that you would be healed and live - that's what you did! This was no time to question the method of salvation. If you wanted to live instead of dying a horrible death you looked up at the serpent on the pole. There was no if, but or maybe involved; to live you looked in faith at God's provision of salvation.

Next blog post we will continue to examine 'A Ruler Called Nicodemus.'

Jon Peasey

Biblical Perspectives blog www.jon-peasey.blogspot.com
Ebooks author page https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JRPeasey

[All Scriptures quoted are from the New King James version; unless otherwise noted. Words enclosed in [ ] are inserted for clarity. Words in bold type emphasise a point. You may notice some verses are quoted with ... at the beginning, ending or elsewhere in a verse. Only the relevant part or parts of the verse, that relate directly to the current subject matter is quoted.]

[If you have any questions or comments you are invited to contact me via the comments section below.]