Sunday 07 June 2009

Background

Nicodemus was a religious leader and a scholar sympathetic toJesus, but in this story, we read that he was unable to come to areal understanding of what Jesus was all about. Jesus uses theimage of birth to highlight the life-changing effect he has onpeople's lives. He speaks of being "born from above" to illustratehow he brings new life. He is not talking about physical birth, butNicodemus does not understand this at all. He just can't get beyondthe impossibility of a second birth.

Nicodemus' lack of understanding of the truth about Jesus ishighlighted in the story that follows. In the next story in John'sGospel (John4:1-30), a Samaritan woman (who would have been considered anoutsider, and most definitely not a religious leader) understoodand embraced the new life that Jesus brings. She gained greatinsight where a religiously-trained leader did not. This contrastis emphasised by Nicodemus talking to Jesus at night in thedarkness and the Samaritan woman talking to him in the middle ofthe day in bright sunlight.

The truth of the matter is that whether we have a doctorate indivinity (or whatever was the 1st century equivalent of whatNicodemus had) or have only an understanding that a saviour of theworld was to come (like the Samaritan woman had), we are all in thesame boat. We are all challenged to respond to Christ and to be ina living relationship with him. And some of us have obstacles orissues inhibiting us from making a positive response toChrist.

A key point to take from this story is that for the followers ofJesus there is no in-crowd or religious elite. The love of Godrevealed in Jesus is thoroughly inclusive and there for all toenjoy; and we may just be surprised by who really understands whatis going on.

To Ponder

Have you ever been made to feel 'on the outside'by religious people? Who in our society do you find a turn-offbecause they seem to be speaking a language of their own?

Has Christianity in our culture oversold anacademic presentation of the faith? Do we need 'great teachers'?Why?

The theological scholar Professor John Hull,himself blind, sees much of John's stress on light and darkness asunhelpful to people like him. How much of what goes on in ourworship depends on literacy or good eyesight?