THE KING’S BUSINESS
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that believing it they might have life in His name (John 20:30, 31). Though Nicodemus came to Jesus by night and was like Joseph, a secret disciple, “for fear of the Jews” (cf. ch. 19:38)., we may well thank God that he came at all; for it is to this night visit of Nicodemus we owe the third chapter of John, which is by many regarded as the chapter of chapters in the Bible. V. 3. " Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Except a man (rather, one ) be born again (or, anew; or, from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John says that Jesus “answered” but Nicodemus had asked no question; the answer was to what was in the mind of Nicodemus. Jesus not only heard his words, but read his thoughts, knew what was in his inmost heart (cf. ch. 2:24, 25), and answered the longing of his heart, rather than the words of his mouth. The answer under the circumstances, though gentle and kind, was a crushing one. Nicodemus thought all he needed was a little more teaching; the Lord Jesus told him that he needed a transformation that should go down to the very deepest depths of his being, a transformation so radical and thoroughgoing that it was “a new birth” (or “new creation,” see 2 Cor. 5:17). Nicodemus had spoken to Him as “a teacher,” but the Lord Jesus showed him that he needed sdmething more than a teacher, and before He got through, showed him that He Himself was something more than a teacher, something more even than “a teacher come from God.” This is not the only case in which oUr Lord’s answers to men went far beyond the questions that they asked and revealed His Divine insight into the innermost hearts of men (see e. g. 4:15, 16). The real question in Nicodemus* heart was like
disputably prove a Divine commission (cf. John 5:36; 9:30-33; 14:11; 20:30, 31). It was not merely the character of power that there was in the works that proved that Jesus was a teacher sent from God, but also the character of love that there was in them. They were manifestly Divine works, both in their power and bene- ficience. The testimony of Nicode- mus to the character of the works of Jesus is of great value. Nicodemus was a cautious, conservative man, of a class not favorably disposed to Jesus; He would not have made this admission if the evidence so easily open to scrutiny were not overwhelming. Of course, it may be said that this whole story of Nicodemus is a myth,.but even leaving out of sight the external evidence for the genuineness and authenticity of John’s Gospel, no one can carefully and candidly study this story without being convinced of its truthfulness. The story could not have been made u p ; it is evidently the record of a conversation that actually took place. Of course, if one is determined not to believe unless he is forced to, he is not fair-minded, he is not a sincere seeker after truth. A sincere seeker after truth does not demand that he be forced to believe. He is glad to believe on sufficient evidence. One who demands to be compelled to believe does not love truth-r- he only accepts it when he can not help himself. Such a one must suffer the consequences of his own disingenuousness, namely, unbelief and death. But when we have established; the truthfulness of the story we have also established that Jesus was “from God,” and when we have established that, every cardinal doctrine of the Bible easily follows. John’s main purpose in citing this conversation here is to afford another proof that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, that those who read the Gospel might believe it and
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