Jesus schools "Israel's teacher"

Hi there,

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus' words are often enigmatic and challenging to understand, so much so that he often stops to explain what he has said to the listener.

For us, as readers, considering the context and the audience helps us better understand what is being said. In the major teachings, such as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is expansive in range but specific in intent.

Here, he is dealing one-on-one with a member of the elite. A Sanhedrin and a Pharisee, Nicodemus is curious enough to seek Jesus out but misidentifies him as a 'teacher.' By doing so, he's seeking to domesticate him. Which is something we all are tempted to do when we first encounter Jesus.​

We want to keep our comfor in society and layer a bit of Jesus on top.​

In the verses we copied yesterday, Jesus blows that conceit up and informs Nicodemus, (and us,) that whatever moral or elevated position we may hold in society, it's not enough. We need something beyond society's limits.

In today's verses, Jesus completely turns the tables on Nicodemus, calling him "Israel's teacher," (which is an accurate description,) ...and then goes on to show him that his "teaching" is failing Israel.

For good measure, he identifies himself properly as the "Son of Man," and not just a teacher. In these opening 15 verses, Nicodemus has truly been schooled.

Today's text is John 3:9–15. The verses to copy are in bold.

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus

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. ”

4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.​

9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.

12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?

13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Encouragement

Jesus's remarkable statement, explaining that the bronze serpent of Numbers 21:4-9 was a picture of the Messiah and His work, should leave us in no doubt as to who He was and why He came.

"The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived."

Numbers 21:8-9​

Andy