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The seed is the word of God (Luke 8.11).

Nicodemus

             Nicodemus approaches Jesus under the cloak of night to investigate the circumstances surrounding his ministry and reputation.  However, Jesus immediately changes the focus to anōnthen (which in Greek means to be born again and be born from above.  So every time one reads “born again” in John 3, it also means born from above).  As a ruler of the Pharisees, Nicodemus speaks for the Pharisee’s saying “we know” but Jesus corrects him, saying, “You can not see God unless you come from God…and you can not go to heaven unless you are born from heaven.”  And with the same word, anōnthen (also spelled anothen), Jesus declares that when one is born from above, one is also born a second time.  The first time a person is born, the “water breaks” from his mother before labor.  The second time a person is born is from the Spirit, and accredits one heritage from heaven.

Jesus does not allow for any exceptions in his discourse with Nicodemus.  He states, “You must be born again/above. (3.3)”  If one is not born again/above then one is already condemned to judgment (3.17).  If one accepts God’s gift, the Son, then one is not (18).  This is why Jesus, twice warns Nicodemus about the truth (5, 11).  Nicodemus tries to resist the truth, that one must be born anōnthen, through the Son (4, 9).  As a Pharisee of Pharisees, Nicodemus has worked tenaciously his whole life to adhere to the requirements of the Law.  Yet, he and “knows” that Jesus comes from God (2).  But, they do not know how to see the Kingdom of God.  That is to say, Nicodemus thinks he knows but must release his assumptions if he is to hear Jesus out.  But now he has come into the light, Jesus, and his deeds must be reproved.  Like all who hear the truth, he must make a choice to accept the Son, and confess that he has been wrong, or reject the Son and remain in darkness and condemnation.  Judgment and decision are also two inseparable themes in John 3 (19-21). 

Later, we find that Nicodemus accepted the Truth and chose the Light (John 7.49-51).  He expresses his love in John 13.39 with another Pharisee, Joseph of Arimathea.  He anoints the body of Jesus with about 100 litrai (75 lbs) of myrrh and aloe as part of a lavish burial.  He openly expresses his love in the light of day.

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Last modified: 02.01.08 22:33:54