Jesus Talks with Nicodemus

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and one of the rulers of the Jews. He came to Jesus at night and called him a teacher from God, because the signs Jesus was doing showed that God was with him.

Jesus answered by saying that no one can see God’s kingdom unless they are born anew. Nicodemus understood this in an ordinary, physical way and wondered how an old person could be born again.

Jesus explained that he was speaking about being born of water and the Spirit. Human birth gives human life, but the Spirit gives spiritual life. Jesus said Nicodemus should not be surprised. He compared the Spirit’s work to the wind: you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going.

When Nicodemus asked how this could be, Jesus challenged him for not understanding. Jesus said he was speaking of what he knew and had seen, yet his witness was not being received. Then he spoke about heavenly things and said that the Son of Man had descended from heaven.

Jesus pointed back to the days of Moses, when the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness. In the same way, the Son of Man would be lifted up so that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Jesus said God loved the world and gave his only Son so that people who believe in him should not perish but be saved through him.

Jesus also said that the light had come into the world. Some people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. Those who do what is true come to the light, so it can be seen that what they have done has been done in God. Will we come into the light and trust the Son God sent?