Thoughts for the Day

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

We have recently looked in detail at Luke's Gospel (Oct-Nov 25) and Mark's Gospel (Jan-Feb 26), now we turn to John's Gospel to explore it from an Easter view since the season of Easter in the Church lasts until Pentecost (with the coming of the Holy Spirit) on the 24th June this year.

If we look back from an Easter perspective at this incident concerning Nicodemus and Jesus we can see different things become apparent. Firstly, Nicodemus, who is one of the leaders of the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) has heard of Jesus and is attracted to what he hears, but he comes after darkness sneaking in unobserved, ashamed to be seen. He asks questions of Jesus but he does not seem to understand the answers he receives. Then on a second occasion, halfway through Jesus' ministry, we see Nicodemus trying to support Jesus in a heated argument between the Chief priests and the Pharisees (John 7.45-52). He cautiously argues that their law decrees no judgement should be made out of hand. Then thirdly after Jesus' death when Nicodemus has obviously become one of his followers we see him coming out into the daylight to bring a costly mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint Jesus' body before he and Joseph of Arimathea place him in the tomb (John 19.38-42).

The three accounts show a progression, of the way Nicodemus moves from a private meeting to public allegiance, which illustrates the way God works in someone, showing the new person that is slowly being born. This new birth occurs when we too open ourselves to God and allow Him to work in us, and growth will continue as long as we are open to the work of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit, power of God,
enable us to open ourselves this day
to Your encouraging influence.
Strengthen our faith and lead us forward
down fresh paths.
May we be open to new possibilities
and able to embrace different challenges.
Amen.