Jesus Asks Nicodemus About Being a Teacherby CBPepper
3:10John 3:10
Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?
Jesus gently rebukes Nicodemus, a learned ruler and appointed teacher of Israel, for not knowing what He has just taught about entrance into God's kingdom. These things he should have known are that a person must be born again of water and of the Spirit through inward cleansing and renewal of the heart in order to see and enter that kingdom. No learning, office, outward righteousness, or religious forms can give this saving knowledge, for the Spirit's work is like the wind, unseen in its course yet known by its effects in a transformed life. Salvation therefore requires humbling of self, renouncing of self-righteousness, and living faith that lays hold on Christ's merits and His lifted-up sacrifice for forgiveness and peace with God. The same reproof falls on all in responsible religious positions today who lack conversion, for they must first learn the alphabet of true Christian experience before they can teach others, a lesson Nicodemus himself pondered in secret until he came to open faith in Christ as Redeemer.
Night Interview Setting
The one Jesus calls a master of Israel is Nicodemus, a learned, rich, honored and famous Jew, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews and member of the national council and Sanhedrin. He is an honored rabbi and appointed teacher and interpreter of the Scriptures, liberal in offerings for the temple services and in benevolence, and one of the wealthy cultured noblemen of the nation.
He comes to Jesus by night for a private, personal, secret interview in retirement on the Mount of Olives. That visit follows a day in which Jesus has healed the sick, relieved the afflicted with compassion, instructed the people, and silenced scribes and rulers by wisdom, all of which Nicodemus has seen and heard. He has also searched the prophecies pointing to Jesus as the looked-for Messiah, so that he dares not disbelieve Jesus was sent of God. On entering Christ's presence he feels strange agitation and timidity, which he tries to conceal under composure and dignity, and he comes to learn the way of life.
The interview shows Jesus reaching the rich as well as the poor. While ministering to the poor He studies to find ways to reach rich men, seeking their acquaintance, accepting their invitations, attending their feasts, and becoming familiar with their interests and occupations to gain access to their hearts and reveal imperishable riches. In this encounter with the honored rabbi He gives precious instruction in a personal meeting and unfolds the plan of salvation and the work needed in the hearts of those who would inherit heaven.
Rebuke Spoken in Love
Nicodemus had asked in awe how these things could be, and the reply came with deep earnestness, solemn dignity, and earnest love in look and tone. Gleams of truth were already beginning to penetrate his mind and fill him with awe at the teaching on the new birth when the question was put to him. Rather than entering into controversy, the answer kept to the affirmative, presenting new light that brought him into contact with all light and giving him practical points to carry away. What is needed is not learning or controversy but truth and a new heart, for reasoning upon points of difference while the heart is unchanged produces no saving result but strengthens resistance.
The question whether a master of Israel could not know these things exposed spiritual ignorance and rebuked failure to understand what had just been taught about the new birth. One entrusted with the religious interests of the people and with Israel's religious instruction should not be ignorant of truth so important as the condition of entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Learning and position do not give saving knowledge of the new birth and the Spirit's work. Instead of feeling irritated over plain words of truth and indulging in irony, such ignorance calls for a far more humble opinion of self.
Spoken with such solemn dignity and earnest love, the rebuke did not offend him. As gleams of truth penetrated his mind, he realized his humiliating position. Awe filled him as he recognized his need.
New Birth Teaching Explained
These things are being born again of water and of the Spirit in order to see and enter the kingdom of God, and even a learned master in Israel should have known this need for spiritual rebirth and entry by the Spirit into God's pure kingdom. The question answers his How can these things be by reproving him as a teacher of Israel for not knowing about being born again, after he as a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews had come by night and asked how it can be. The rebuke challenges him for failure to understand despite position and learning, for a teacher should have known the truth about the new birth and that entry requires birth by the Spirit.
The new birth is inward renewal and cleansing of the unregenerate heart by God's Spirit before a person can enter the kingdom of heaven, not the resurrection of the body or a nation's birth. It means reconversion and transformation of character, and without it a person whose position is out of harmony with the Bible cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Reliance on religious position, outward righteousness, and formal observance is challenged when true holiness is lacking.
The Spirit's work is heard but unseen like the wind blowing where it wills, and a teacher of Israel should have known this new birth by the Spirit. Nicodemus stumbled over the doctrine of conversion because he could not fit it into his idea of religion or explain how it works, and his learning did not keep him from resisting truth because he could not understand everything about God's power. Yet its effects can be recognized in a person's life just as the wind is known by its action even when its course cannot be explained by human methods, and he accepted natural processes he could not explain while failing to accept the Spirit's work whose effects make truth discernible.
Teachers in Israel as teachers and interpreters of the Scriptures were expected to understand and teach God's law, but learning, position, office, honor, outward righteousness, religious forms and precise ceremonies do not give saving knowledge or replace the Spirit's deep work in the heart. The error is to treat forms and precise ceremonies as more important than that deep work, as when priests performed empty ceremonies and repeated the law without understanding or practicing it.
Conversion and Saving Faith
Christ's question to Nicodemus definitely points out the way to heaven, telling what conversion is and what must be done to be saved. Becoming a child of God requires not surface religion but a decided change, wrought when the truth of God finds a place in the heart with sanctifying power upon life and character. That change is seen in fruits of righteousness that testify of learning of Christ. It means reconversion and transformation of character, and without it a person whose position is out of harmony with the Bible cannot see the kingdom of heaven. The change of heart enables a person to discern God's kingdom and replaces natural, inherited and cultivated tendencies with Christ's meekness and lowliness, and it comes only through the Holy Spirit's work and the reception of divine light.
No one can rely on personal righteousness, strength or respected moral character for entrance into life. Even one who regarded his life as upright and his moral character as sound, despite standing as a teacher of Israel and a morally correct life, must humble himself before God and enter life in the same way as the greatest sinner. Christ's light reveals impurity and selfish motives hidden in the heart, showing the need to be cleansed from sin. Each must renounce self-righteousness and depend wholly on Christ, pleading for His righteousness to be counted as his own and giving God the glory for mercy, receiving His righteousness by imputation and acknowledging that salvation and strength come from divine grace.
Taking sin to Jesus for forgiveness brings understanding of justification by faith and the assurance of cleansing and peace with God. This is taught through a living connection of the soul with God and a living faith essential for salvation that lays hold upon the merits of the blood of the crucified and risen Saviour, on Christ our righteousness. In the same interview Christ told Nicodemus He would be lifted up on the cross, which the disciples could not understand beforehand, but after the resurrection they proclaimed with boldness.
The teaching given to Nicodemus lays out the terms of salvation in distinct lines, enough by itself to guide the soul. Its truths remain important today, for that nighttime conversation with a Jewish ruler who came to learn the way of life holds vital instruction on the way of life. Those who have not been born again should read the chapter carefully and humble themselves before God, and those who have received light should walk in it as Christ walks in the light. The question condemns the excuse, I have no experience, I do not understand these things, for such a person will never grow wiser while exalted in his own estimation but must become of much less consequence in his own eyes and diligently search the Word for knowledge.
Warning to Present Leaders
Christ's question to Nicodemus stands as a rebuke to all in responsible positions who handle sacred work while lacking spiritual understanding and conversion, for holding authority or religious knowledge does not mean understanding spiritual things. Office and honor do not excuse ignorance of the new birth, and hearts and principles must be changed, with established ways of working broken down and rebuilt. The same reproof falls on those in positions of religious knowledge who from lingering unbelief fail to recognize the truth God sends. It reaches influential leaders who have not been converted and have not learned Christ's meekness and lowliness, ministers and presidents of conferences and everyone alike, for all are under the eye of Jehovah.
Knowledge of position is not knowledge of conversion, and Christ reproves neglect of the very alphabet of conversion, the first principles of divine life and true Christian experience. Nicodemus lacked a true conception of what a teacher in Israel should be and needed instruction in those first principles because he had not learned that alphabet. That essential preparatory work of being converted must be done before one is qualified to teach, to deal with human minds in a Christlike manner, and to have insight into God's kingdom. Without it even honored and learned teachers, physicians, and ministers remain unprepared for such work.
If Christ's words were received into the soul they would give much higher intelligence and much deeper spiritual knowledge of what constitutes a disciple, a sincere follower of Christ, and an educator He approves. Without digging deep and being riveted to the eternal Rock, such unconverted teachers will murmur at strait truth, make shipwreck of faith, and turn away when test and trial comes. Authoritative teaching alone will not awaken hearts closed to self-examination. Receiving His words brings that deeper understanding of discipleship and the spiritual preparation and transformation by grace that teachers need.
Not knowing the new birth is a reproach not only to a teacher in Israel but to everyone who has God's word in his possession, especially to counselors and all who deal with human minds. All must find out whether their ways please the Lord and whether they are getting ready, preparing for the last change. The excuse, I have no experience, I do not understand these things, is condemned, for such a person will never grow wiser while exalted in his own estimation but must become of much less consequence in his own eyes and diligently search the Word for knowledge. The teaching given to Nicodemus lays out the terms of salvation in distinct lines, enough by itself to guide the soul, and must be a bright and shining light in those who lead others.
What is needed is not learning or controversy but truth and a new heart, for learning and position do not give saving knowledge. God's workers should study and practice Christ's method in evangelistic work, for He did not enter into controversy with Nicodemus but kept to the affirmative, presenting new light that brought him into contact with all light and giving him practical points to carry away. When men want controversy over false theories they are not to be led away but to keep to the great affirmative questions, because reasoning upon points of difference while the heart is unchanged produces no saving result but strengthens resistance. Taking sin to Jesus for forgiveness brings understanding of justification by faith and the assurance of cleansing and peace with God.
Nicodemus Afterwards Believed
The question to the master of Israel belongs to the conversation in which was unfolded the plan of salvation and the work needed in the hearts of those who would inherit heaven. The appointed teacher in Israel did not at first publicly acknowledge the truth taught him, but kept it in his heart and pondered it. That interview to learn the way of life became the beginning of a faith by which he later recognized Jesus as the world's Redeemer and stood openly with the disciples. Having received the lesson as a believer, he afterward spoke against the council's plan to kill Jesus, and the truths learned sustained him through danger and loss.
The same secret interview carries Jesus' own testimony about Himself. The Baptist's testimony that He who comes from above is above all and testifies what He has seen and heard is almost the counterpart to what was given to Nicodemus in that secret interview. The two bear the same Spirit and corresponding witness to Christ as the Promised One from heaven.
Jesus gently rebukes Nicodemus, a learned ruler and appointed teacher of Israel, for not knowing what He has just taught about entrance into God's kingdom. These things he should have known are that a person must be born again of water and of the Spirit through inward cleansing and renewal of the heart in order to see and enter that kingdom. No learning, office, outward righteousness, or religious forms can give this saving knowledge, for the Spirit's work is like the wind, unseen in its course yet known by its effects in a transformed life. Salvation therefore requires humbling of self, renouncing of self-righteousness, and living faith that lays hold on Christ's merits and His lifted-up sacrifice for forgiveness and peace with God. The same reproof falls on all in responsible religious positions today who lack conversion, for they must first learn the alphabet of true Christian experience before they can teach others, a lesson Nicodemus himself pondered in secret until he came to open faith in Christ as Redeemer.
Night Interview Setting
The one Jesus calls a master of Israel is Nicodemus, a learned, rich, honored and famous Jew, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews and member of the national council and Sanhedrin. He is an honored rabbi and appointed teacher and interpreter of the Scriptures, liberal in offerings for the temple services and in benevolence, and one of the wealthy cultured noblemen of the nation.
He comes to Jesus by night for a private, personal, secret interview in retirement on the Mount of Olives. That visit follows a day in which Jesus has healed the sick, relieved the afflicted with compassion, instructed the people, and silenced scribes and rulers by wisdom, all of which Nicodemus has seen and heard. He has also searched the prophecies pointing to Jesus as the looked-for Messiah, so that he dares not disbelieve Jesus was sent of God. On entering Christ's presence he feels strange agitation and timidity, which he tries to conceal under composure and dignity, and he comes to learn the way of life.
The interview shows Jesus reaching the rich as well as the poor. While ministering to the poor He studies to find ways to reach rich men, seeking their acquaintance, accepting their invitations, attending their feasts, and becoming familiar with their interests and occupations to gain access to their hearts and reveal imperishable riches. In this encounter with the honored rabbi He gives precious instruction in a personal meeting and unfolds the plan of salvation and the work needed in the hearts of those who would inherit heaven.
Rebuke Spoken in Love
Nicodemus had asked in awe how these things could be, and the reply came with deep earnestness, solemn dignity, and earnest love in look and tone. Gleams of truth were already beginning to penetrate his mind and fill him with awe at the teaching on the new birth when the question was put to him. Rather than entering into controversy, the answer kept to the affirmative, presenting new light that brought him into contact with all light and giving him practical points to carry away. What is needed is not learning or controversy but truth and a new heart, for reasoning upon points of difference while the heart is unchanged produces no saving result but strengthens resistance.
The question whether a master of Israel could not know these things exposed spiritual ignorance and rebuked failure to understand what had just been taught about the new birth. One entrusted with the religious interests of the people and with Israel's religious instruction should not be ignorant of truth so important as the condition of entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Learning and position do not give saving knowledge of the new birth and the Spirit's work. Instead of feeling irritated over plain words of truth and indulging in irony, such ignorance calls for a far more humble opinion of self.
Spoken with such solemn dignity and earnest love, the rebuke did not offend him. As gleams of truth penetrated his mind, he realized his humiliating position. Awe filled him as he recognized his need.
New Birth Teaching Explained
These things are being born again of water and of the Spirit in order to see and enter the kingdom of God, and even a learned master in Israel should have known this need for spiritual rebirth and entry by the Spirit into God's pure kingdom. The question answers his How can these things be by reproving him as a teacher of Israel for not knowing about being born again, after he as a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews had come by night and asked how it can be. The rebuke challenges him for failure to understand despite position and learning, for a teacher should have known the truth about the new birth and that entry requires birth by the Spirit.
The new birth is inward renewal and cleansing of the unregenerate heart by God's Spirit before a person can enter the kingdom of heaven, not the resurrection of the body or a nation's birth. It means reconversion and transformation of character, and without it a person whose position is out of harmony with the Bible cannot see the kingdom of heaven. Reliance on religious position, outward righteousness, and formal observance is challenged when true holiness is lacking.
The Spirit's work is heard but unseen like the wind blowing where it wills, and a teacher of Israel should have known this new birth by the Spirit. Nicodemus stumbled over the doctrine of conversion because he could not fit it into his idea of religion or explain how it works, and his learning did not keep him from resisting truth because he could not understand everything about God's power. Yet its effects can be recognized in a person's life just as the wind is known by its action even when its course cannot be explained by human methods, and he accepted natural processes he could not explain while failing to accept the Spirit's work whose effects make truth discernible.
Teachers in Israel as teachers and interpreters of the Scriptures were expected to understand and teach God's law, but learning, position, office, honor, outward righteousness, religious forms and precise ceremonies do not give saving knowledge or replace the Spirit's deep work in the heart. The error is to treat forms and precise ceremonies as more important than that deep work, as when priests performed empty ceremonies and repeated the law without understanding or practicing it.
Conversion and Saving Faith
Christ's question to Nicodemus definitely points out the way to heaven, telling what conversion is and what must be done to be saved. Becoming a child of God requires not surface religion but a decided change, wrought when the truth of God finds a place in the heart with sanctifying power upon life and character. That change is seen in fruits of righteousness that testify of learning of Christ. It means reconversion and transformation of character, and without it a person whose position is out of harmony with the Bible cannot see the kingdom of heaven. The change of heart enables a person to discern God's kingdom and replaces natural, inherited and cultivated tendencies with Christ's meekness and lowliness, and it comes only through the Holy Spirit's work and the reception of divine light.
No one can rely on personal righteousness, strength or respected moral character for entrance into life. Even one who regarded his life as upright and his moral character as sound, despite standing as a teacher of Israel and a morally correct life, must humble himself before God and enter life in the same way as the greatest sinner. Christ's light reveals impurity and selfish motives hidden in the heart, showing the need to be cleansed from sin. Each must renounce self-righteousness and depend wholly on Christ, pleading for His righteousness to be counted as his own and giving God the glory for mercy, receiving His righteousness by imputation and acknowledging that salvation and strength come from divine grace.
Taking sin to Jesus for forgiveness brings understanding of justification by faith and the assurance of cleansing and peace with God. This is taught through a living connection of the soul with God and a living faith essential for salvation that lays hold upon the merits of the blood of the crucified and risen Saviour, on Christ our righteousness. In the same interview Christ told Nicodemus He would be lifted up on the cross, which the disciples could not understand beforehand, but after the resurrection they proclaimed with boldness.
The teaching given to Nicodemus lays out the terms of salvation in distinct lines, enough by itself to guide the soul. Its truths remain important today, for that nighttime conversation with a Jewish ruler who came to learn the way of life holds vital instruction on the way of life. Those who have not been born again should read the chapter carefully and humble themselves before God, and those who have received light should walk in it as Christ walks in the light. The question condemns the excuse, I have no experience, I do not understand these things, for such a person will never grow wiser while exalted in his own estimation but must become of much less consequence in his own eyes and diligently search the Word for knowledge.
Warning to Present Leaders
Christ's question to Nicodemus stands as a rebuke to all in responsible positions who handle sacred work while lacking spiritual understanding and conversion, for holding authority or religious knowledge does not mean understanding spiritual things. Office and honor do not excuse ignorance of the new birth, and hearts and principles must be changed, with established ways of working broken down and rebuilt. The same reproof falls on those in positions of religious knowledge who from lingering unbelief fail to recognize the truth God sends. It reaches influential leaders who have not been converted and have not learned Christ's meekness and lowliness, ministers and presidents of conferences and everyone alike, for all are under the eye of Jehovah.
Knowledge of position is not knowledge of conversion, and Christ reproves neglect of the very alphabet of conversion, the first principles of divine life and true Christian experience. Nicodemus lacked a true conception of what a teacher in Israel should be and needed instruction in those first principles because he had not learned that alphabet. That essential preparatory work of being converted must be done before one is qualified to teach, to deal with human minds in a Christlike manner, and to have insight into God's kingdom. Without it even honored and learned teachers, physicians, and ministers remain unprepared for such work.
If Christ's words were received into the soul they would give much higher intelligence and much deeper spiritual knowledge of what constitutes a disciple, a sincere follower of Christ, and an educator He approves. Without digging deep and being riveted to the eternal Rock, such unconverted teachers will murmur at strait truth, make shipwreck of faith, and turn away when test and trial comes. Authoritative teaching alone will not awaken hearts closed to self-examination. Receiving His words brings that deeper understanding of discipleship and the spiritual preparation and transformation by grace that teachers need.
Not knowing the new birth is a reproach not only to a teacher in Israel but to everyone who has God's word in his possession, especially to counselors and all who deal with human minds. All must find out whether their ways please the Lord and whether they are getting ready, preparing for the last change. The excuse, I have no experience, I do not understand these things, is condemned, for such a person will never grow wiser while exalted in his own estimation but must become of much less consequence in his own eyes and diligently search the Word for knowledge. The teaching given to Nicodemus lays out the terms of salvation in distinct lines, enough by itself to guide the soul, and must be a bright and shining light in those who lead others.
What is needed is not learning or controversy but truth and a new heart, for learning and position do not give saving knowledge. God's workers should study and practice Christ's method in evangelistic work, for He did not enter into controversy with Nicodemus but kept to the affirmative, presenting new light that brought him into contact with all light and giving him practical points to carry away. When men want controversy over false theories they are not to be led away but to keep to the great affirmative questions, because reasoning upon points of difference while the heart is unchanged produces no saving result but strengthens resistance. Taking sin to Jesus for forgiveness brings understanding of justification by faith and the assurance of cleansing and peace with God.
Nicodemus Afterwards Believed
The question to the master of Israel belongs to the conversation in which was unfolded the plan of salvation and the work needed in the hearts of those who would inherit heaven. The appointed teacher in Israel did not at first publicly acknowledge the truth taught him, but kept it in his heart and pondered it. That interview to learn the way of life became the beginning of a faith by which he later recognized Jesus as the world's Redeemer and stood openly with the disciples. Having received the lesson as a believer, he afterward spoke against the council's plan to kill Jesus, and the truths learned sustained him through danger and loss.
The same secret interview carries Jesus' own testimony about Himself. The Baptist's testimony that He who comes from above is above all and testifies what He has seen and heard is almost the counterpart to what was given to Nicodemus in that secret interview. The two bear the same Spirit and corresponding witness to Christ as the Promised One from heaven.