SEED & BREAD

FOR THE SOWER ISA. 55:10FOR THE EATER

BRIEF BIBLICAL MESSAGES
FROM

THE WORD OF TRUTH MINISTRY

Otis Q. Sellers, Bible Teacher

LESSONS FROM NICODEMUS

Nicodemus was the wealthy, powerful Pharisee who came to Jesus by
night (John 3:1-9). As to why he came at night has caused much speculation
and discussion. Christians often like this type of discussion, as it is one that
you can keep going on and on, but can never be settled. And even if we
could settle why this man came at this time, it would not cause us to change
our beliefs or our lives, the doing of which can cause us great trouble.

He is identified as being a man of the Pharisees, a small, powerful, and

very exclusive sect in Israel. They were meticulously correct in all their
actions; they were moral, zealous, and righteous. Their place in society and
their sectarianism led some of them to do much that was contrary to the will
and word of God. Nicodemus must be considered as one whose life was
exemplary among them. He is also described as being one of the rulers (a
chief) of the Jews. This indicates that he was a member of the Sanhedrin,
those seventy men who made up the governing body in Judea.

One can easily imagine the prolonged and intense discussions that went on
in this governing body and among the Pharisees concerning the person, the
words, and the works of the Lord Jesus Christ. There were many good men
among the Pharisees, such as Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, and in
the beginning of His ministry, before all the rancor and bitterness arose, the
discussions in the Sanhedrin and among the Pharisees were probably
conducted on a high plane of propriety. However, we know nothing of what
went on, especially in the closed meetings of the Sanhedrin, but Nicodemus
in his nighttime visit to Jesus made known the outcome of these discussions.
His statement when amplified was: "Rabbi, we understand and
appreciate by the facts we have observed and considered that you are an
authoritative teacher come from God, for no man can do these attesting
miracles that you are constantly performing except God be with him"
(John 3:2).

The pronoun "we" here can refer only to "the rulers of the Jews," that is,
the Sanhedrin, as there is no other antecedent. And it is 'Nrong to imagine
one, such as certain others who may have accompanied him on this visit. His
statement reveals that seventy of the best minds in Israel, men in a position
to make a judgment based upon information not readily available to others,
had considered the person and works of the man Jesus and knew and
comprehended that the miracles of Jesus accredited Him as a teacher sent
from God.

Since all the miracles of Jesus Christ were performed to let men know
what could be expected when God governed the world, each one being a
foretaste of the kingdom of God (See Issue No. 67), and since a vast amount
of truth was contained in each one of them, the declaration of Nicodemus
revealed that the rulers in Israel had apprehended and comprehended much
truth concerning the kingdom of God.

The word Nicodemus used which is translated "know" is eideo, a word that
means to get knowledge by means of any or all of the senses. Note this in
Luke 5:24. His declaration brought forth from the Lord an answer that must
be regarded both as a commendation and a warning to him and to all the
rulers of the Jews. "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, Verily, I
say unto you, Except a man be generated from above he cannot see
(eideo) the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

What these rulers had perceived, and Nicodemus confessed that they knew
and comprehended, was the outcome of divine generation. Nicodemus had
said: "We know" (eideo) and the Lord used his exact word in His reply,
saying, "Except a man be generated from above he cannot see (eideo) the
kingdom of God." Thus, only one conclusion is possible. If Nicodemus
spoke the truth, then these rulers had been generated of God, otherwise they
would not have known the message of His miracles. Our Lord declared that
a divine work had been done in the lives of all of these, an enabling work
that had made it possible for them to know and comprehend. This had
brought upon them a new responsibility and accountability to God, one that
could not be ignored or treated lightly. Words that have a bearing on this are
found in John 9:41: "Jesus said unto them (the Pharisees), If you were
blind you would have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin
remaineth."

The outcome of neglecting to respond to the generating work of God is set

forth in a later passage: "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they
had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. If I had not
done among them the works which none other man did, they had not
had sin: but now they have both seen and hated both Me and My
Father" (John 15:22,24).

From this we know that if they had heard His words and seen His works,
and had lacked the ability to recognize and appreciate the truths that these
words and works were declaring, then they would not have been condemned.
And since there was nothing in human ability that could bring an
understanding of the things of God (1 Cor. 2: 11), they had to be given
divine ability. This, the rulers had enjoyed, for God had performed in them a
generating work that made this understanding possible. Thus their condem-
nation was just.

Jesus Christ was not demanding of Nicodemus that he be generated of

God. This Pharisee stood before Him as one who had been generated from
above. He said, "We know" (eideo), and the Lord had informed him that this
was evidence of a divine activity in his life, since apart from generation from
above, no one can know.

The Lord's answer put Nicodemus on the spot, one that demanded decisive
action. It must have surprised him, so as a delaying tactic he asked a
question. "How can a man be generated when he is old? Can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb and be generated?" (John 3:4).

This question was asked in order to draw more information from the Lord
about this strange matter of being "generated from above." He infers that the
only generating he knows anything about is that which takes place in the
mother's womb, and that once this was complete, nothing could be added to
it, neither could it be done the second time. He certainly knew, even as we
do today, that one's capabilities and possibilities are inborn, and that these
are fixed in us when we come forth. It is the genes of the father combined
with the genes of the mother as developed over a nine-month period that
makes us what we are.
 In his question Nicodemus toyed with the idea that the imperative
generating work the Lord spoke about was somewhat like and maybe related
to the human generative process that produces in the end a child. But the
Lord quickly set him straight by declaring in answer: "Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, Except a man be generated of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5).

Quite a bit of confusion exists in regard to this passage due to the failure of
most translators to properly render two figures of speech. I have done this
deliberately in my rendering above in order to get the problem before the
reader. Two metaphors are used here. Something is called hudor, which
literally translated means "water," but actual water is not meant. Water never
generated anyone, no matter how solemn the ceremony or what words were
spoken when it was applied. Something else is called pneuma, which
literally means "wind," but actual wind is not meant here. In most versions
we get translation of the first metaphor and interpretation of the second. If
we had a literal translation of both words it would read: "Except a man be
generated of water and of wind," just as pneuma is literally translated
"wind" in verse eight. And if we had interpretation of the figures in both
places it would read: "Except a man be generated of the Word, even of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the knowledge of the kingdom of God."
Inasmuch as the Lord later declared, "The words that I speak unto you,
they are Spirit" (John 6:63), I have translated kai as "even" to show that
only one thing is meant. The Lord combined these two under the word Spirit
in verses six and eight. And since knowledge and comprehension are so
dominant in the context, I have amplified the translation by adding the word
"knowledge" in my version.

All this fits in with the next statement of our Lord: "That which is
generated of the flesh is flesh; and that which is generated of the Spirit
is Spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you. You must be generated from
above" (John 3:6,7).
In these words the Lord further clarifies the truth for Nicodemus. That
which the flesh generates is always flesh, but it generates nothing that will
make it possible for a man to know and comprehend God's truth concerning
the kingdom of God. Since Nicodemus has said "we know," then, if this be
true, there had to be the generating work of God that produced this
knowledge and made it possible. They are now faced with the divine
judgment that: "Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall much be
required" (Luke 12:48).
 Following this our Lord added an illustration applicable to all who have
enjoyed the generating work of God, saying: "The wind blows where it
wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it came
from or where it is going. So is everyone that is generated by the Spirit"
(John 3:8).

Since this illustration is of those who are "generated by the Spirit," let us
be honest interpreters and keep it that way. When men are generated by
God's Spirit, there is no way that we can know what caused this to be done,
what the divine purpose is, or what the result will be. Generation only makes
things possible for us. It does not make them positive. We know from His
Word that God generates, and that this makes possible among men such
things as love, works of righteousness, perception of truth, and, most im-
portant of all, belief that the man Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Apart
from divine generation, faith in Jesus Christ would disappear from the earth.

This fact is sure to cause us to ask if this generating work, this enabling
work is one that God does for every man. And if I were able to determine the
source and destiny of the wind, I would try to answer this. However, of this I
am sure: Whenever and wherever Jesus Christ is faithfully presented, when
the record God gave of His Son is declared, God will provide the ability for
the hearer to comprehend and believe. If the herald does what he should do,
God will do what He alone can do. But the hearer still has a part that he must
also do. God does not do the believing for anyone.

ISSUE NO. SB095