Preparing for this sermon has been challenging, but in a good way. It has made me read the Gospel differently. I normally internalise what I read, in a passive manner if you like. For this sermon I have read the passage in a more proactive way, in particular highlighting those parts which have caused me to pause and contemplate on – which I would like to share with you today. You will find that I do quote quite a bit from today’s Gospel.
What struck me immediately was the method and purpose of Nicodemus’ approach to Jesus. We learn Nicodemus came to Jesus ‘by night’. I was curious about the specific mention of ‘night’. In particular, was Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews who had status, approaching Jesus at night because he was afraid of being spotted by the authorities? The commentaries I have read have not disregarded this idea, but some have added the context of nighttime being a quiet time for Jewish teachers to study the scriptures.
In reading the rest of the passage, I notice how the focus of it changed to God’s purpose of sending Jesus, his only son, to live among us and ultimately to save us all. I was particularly struck by how this was achieved through a clever interplay of questions initiated by Nicodemus – which were answered by Jesus.
When beginning to report the encounter, John mentions Nicodemus’ acknowledgment that, with the exception of Jesus, no-one can do signs – or miracles – without the presence of God. In response, Jesus changes tack by saying that no-one can see the Kingdom of God without ‘being born from above’. If the passage ended there, that would have been a cliff hanger. What did Jesus mean by that phrase? Commentators have said that ‘born from above’ can mean the same as ‘born again’ as both are translations of the Greek word ‘anothen’. As I will come to later, to me, I understand this to refer to the sacrament of baptism.
Being keen to learn more, we read of Nicodemus replying to Jesus with two literal questions – how can you be born after growing old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb to be born again. To some outside observers who knew Jesus well, these may appear to be unnecessary questions. However, taking into account that the society in which Nicodemus had status, and which was governed by literal laws, they were, in my opinion, good ones to raise as they were seeking greater clarification.
Jesus’s answer to Nicodemus is quite clear that to enter the Kingdom of God, people must have been born of water and Spirit – which happens to us under the sacrament of baptism – where we are baptised by water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He then goes on to clarify ‘What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit’. Jesus then concludes this by showing what could be a logical outcome to this discourse – ‘you must be born from above’. The passage could have ended there but it didn’t.
Jesus further enhances his answer by referencing the wind – although it can be heard, no one knows from where it comes or goes. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. In the last mention of this name in this passage, Nicodemus then asks ‘how can these things be?’ – words to me which denote not a proud or arrogant man but rather someone who wants to get to the Truth. Jesus replies by saying directly to Nicodemus – ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?’
Thereafter, the rest of the passage is directed to all, that is not to a specific individual. In acknowledging that people speak of what they know and ‘testify to what they have seen’, they do not receive the testimony Jesus is talking about. To further emphasise the point, if the people had been told about earthly things and did not believe, how could they stretch their belief to heavenly things. For people to see Jesus doing signs or miracles – the evidence would be in front of their eyes. However, here he was outlining the difficulties of getting people to accept what they could not see without tangible evidence.
The last quarter of the passage (verses 13 – 17) becomes more concise yet specific in terms of Jesus’ role, mission and God’s purpose. When reading this, I got the impression that here John is giving us in great clarity, messages about Jesus – and these help us better understand him in terms of his role and mission. For example, John states that ‘no one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven to earth, that is the Son of Man’. Furthermore, we are given the reassurance that ‘God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. To further emphasise the point, John says, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
So I have shared with you some my reflections on today’s Gospel passage. I am sure that you may have picked up on other aspects which have made you pause and think.
But if I had to highlight three takeaways they would be to:
- take Jesus’ phrases of being ‘born from above’ and ‘born of water and the Spirit’ as referring to the sacrament of baptism;
- understand God’s purpose for Jesus being sent down to earth, the result of Nicodemus’ probing has enabled those listening to the exchange and those who have subsequently read and heard the Gospel passage to be better informed and have a greater understanding of Jesus’ spiritual role and mission; and
- acknowledge the role that John’s Gospel plays in making clear Jesus’ role and mission on earth and the revelation of God’s purpose for his Son and how the world might be saved through him.
AMEN
