Born Again (2)

John 3:1 (B)

Anyway, at this time we are only concerned with the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, and we see that John makes a strong connection between 2:25 and 3:1. Right after stating that Jesus "knew what was in a man," John introduces the first of a series of events in the life of Jesus, starting with Nicodemus, and writes, "Now there was a man," that is, Nicodemus, who comes to visit with Jesus.

To read verse 1 in full, it says, "Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council." Although there is no way for us to know everything about the motives of Nicodemus and the circumstances surrounding his visit, the verse does offer us several details that would shed light on the significance of the things that we will read in the subsequent verses.

The Pharisees are those who have dedicated their lives to a meticulous observance of the Law of Moses. Paul says that they belong to "the strictest sect of our religion" (Acts 26:5). Although their purpose and philosophy appear noble, by the time of Jesus they have become unbearably legalistic.

For example, on the surface they jealously observe and guard the Sabbath. It is to be a day of rest, and in which work is forbidden. However, they have imposed upon it a large number of rules by which they define what constitutes "work" on the Sabbath, allegedly to ensure strict obedience to this law. The problem is that, not only have they added to the word of God, but these rules are such that they subvert the Sabbath itself, defeating its very purpose and intent. In the end, they are not really observing God's commandment concerning the Sabbath, but the rules that they have made and imposed upon the commandment, and which in many ways oppose the spirit and letter of God's intent for such a commandment.

Jesus sees through the sham and says to them, "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!" (Mark 7:9; also 8 and 13). On another occasion, he says, "You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel" (Matthew 23:24). By this he means that they are careful to follow certain external rules, especially those that they have created for themselves, and by the observance of which they claim to please God, but at the same time, they would break the greatest of the commandments, and would violate the very essence and weightiest matters of the Law.

This is why Jesus calls them hypocrites. They present themselves as one kind of people when in reality they are the very opposite. Their religion has become external, man-centered, and even man-made. And in following this religious system, they have become self-righteous and self-assured. In reality, God's approval has become irrelevant, since they would justify themselves and one another. Thus in one place, Jesus says, "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean" (Matthew 23:27).

(to be continued)