Superior Address: Time

Though cautiously doing so by night, still,Nicodemus feels compelled to come to Jesus. This elder,a respected leader among the religious authorities, comes to see the mysterious rabbi from Galilee. However, mere curiosity does not motivate Nicodemus’ visit.He seems,rather, to be one of the “many [who] believed in [Jesus’s] name because they saw the signs that he was doing” (John 2:23) during that first Jerusalem Passover festival at which Jesus appears in John’s gospel.

“Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.”(John 3:2)Nicodemus, I would say, exhibits a certain amount of courage and imagination.Courage in approaching Jesus in the wake of his disruptive action in the temple; imagination in that though there is much that Nicodemus already knows of God, he comes to Jesus aware that there is likely still much that he does not know.

Jesus acknowledges Nicodemus’ deferential greeting of awe by immediately confounding him with a disorienting—and punning—theological statement: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born anothen,” (John 3:3) this last being a single Greek word carrying two meanings, both anew and from above.[i]Nicodemus, apparently assuming the less poetic meaning “born anew”(as in “again”), attempts a polite response,pointing out the unlikeliness of the biological process necessary for what he supposes Jesus is suggesting. ‘How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?’(John 3:4)

Yet, Jesus responds with what seems intended as a yet more cryptic statement: “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.”(John 3:5-6) Hearing the gospel for the first time members of the Johannine community were perhaps amused at Nicodemus’s expense: ‘Well, of course*, Jesus is speaking of Christian baptism, the rite which validates our conversion to belief.’

However, I think the well-schooled Nicodemus probably does understand that Jesus is pointing to a more profound reality. With many years of study and prayer behind him in his position as a leader and teacher, Nicodemus realizes that Jesus is saying that there is much more to the fullness of human relationship with God than even sacramental rites can signify. “7Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You* must be born from above.’*8The wind* blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”(John 3:7-8)