Sunday 12 March 2017

Psalm: Psalm 121

Background

A reputed religious expert, Nicodemus, came to see Jesus bynight. Maybe he hoped to sneak a visit unseen. But it became clearthat Nicodemus himself was in the dark, unable to see the meaningof Christ. Darkness, in this passage, is a metaphor for confusion,not seeing.

Nicodemus began by complimenting Jesus (verse 2). Jesus resistedthe hook and went straight to the quick. He told Nicodemus that hecould only "see" God's kingdom if he was born "from above". (InJewish cosmology, God is in heaven, above earth.)

Nicodemus seems to have taken this proposition literally as itmade no sense to him (verse 4).

In response, Jesus affirmed that entry into the kingdom of Godwas through "being born of water and Spirit" (v. 5). Water mayallude to Baptism, and resonates with the breaking of waters inbirth or the Spirit hovering over the waters in creation (Genesis 1:2).

In Aramaic, spirit, breath and wind are the same word. God'sSpirit is untameable, and (like the wind blows) where it wills(verse 8). Nicodemus was out of his depth. And Jesus challenged hislack of understanding (verse 10).

At this point, Nicodemus faded from the conversation and Jesusspoke of his community of disciples witnessing to what they hadseen and experienced (verse 11).

This, I suggest, illumines Nicodemus' dialogue.

When we know God as a reported idea, we have manypre-conceptions. At some point, we need to start to continually'let go' of our ideas about God, and come each day afresh to 'know'God, who is beyond ideas.

In contemplative prayer, we need to put a 'cloth' over ourchattering minds, to abide in the place below thoughts, where Godholds all creation together. This can only be found by silencing orconfusing the rational mind, by a way of 'unknowing.'

So maybe Nicodemus was on the right track. He came by nightunknowing. But he knew what he wanted. He reappears later in theGospel after Jesus' death (John19:39-42). Perhaps we all must keep starting again, walking apath of unknowing.

To Ponder

• Describe a time when you thought you were an expert onsomething or someone, and something happened which changed yourwhole viewing point. What did it feel like?

• In what ways have you been taught to trust or distrust yourspiritual experience? What challenges has this brought?

• If you were looking out at the world now, not with your normalpre-occupations, but with the eyes of Christ, what would yousee?