Untitled Sermon (4)

Greek: for He knew what was in a man...

Twin story: Wedding & Temple Cleansing - Nicodemus & Samaritan Women (Jew, man, higher social strata - Samaritan, women, low social strata) - Nicodemus righteous, the Samaritan, sinful

—> the Samaritans embrace, while Nicodemus has only questions

Nicodemus represents those in Jerusalem who had heard and seen the works of Jesus from the previous chapters

John Jesus and Nicodemus (3:1–21)

In other words, Jesus is here pointing to the dawning of a new eschatological era. John the Baptist has inaugurated this era, and submission to his message—his water baptism, which is the precursor for Christian baptism—is expected. Jesus now is the baptizer “in Spirit” (1:33), who will complete the dawning of this time. But above all, Nicodemus must understand that this era will be an era when the Spirit of God moves among humanity. Jesus compares this with the “wind,” another Greek wordplay, since pneuma can mean either “spirit” or “wind” (3:8). Its origin and movements are mysterious, and they cannot be contained by the human religious systems Jesus has already challenged.

There is a severe blindness to the moves of God. The system is so built up, expectations so put in place - nicodemus’ only reply is, ‘how could this be?’ - he cannot phathom what Jesus i telling him. Standing on the frontier. Challenging EVERYTHING he knew.

are you willing to be challenged? Am I?