John 3:1-2

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’”

            At the end of the previous chapter John showed how Jesus collected a lot of followers not because He was God but because of the signs that He was doing. In this chapter, John laid the base of what Jesus said it means to follow Him. This was seen through the lens of one who might be considered the enemy of Jesus, a Jewish religious leader. John used this conversation to explain how to find the truth through the understanding of someone truly seeking Jesus.

            In the first verse John introduced us to a new character in the gospel—Nicodemus. John explained him first as “a man of the Pharisees.” Being a Pharisee meant you were a part of one of two sects of religious leaders and a Rabbi or teacher in Jewish culture. John then also described him as a ruler of the Jews which indicates the Pharisees’ real roles in the Jewish society. Simply put, they were leaders. John needed to bring in this new lens in which to view the Gospel because the Gospel reaches everyone. We have seen Jesus calling the fishermen and the tax collectors who can be equated to the poor and sinners respectively. This shows us that Jesus was also welcoming the supposedly religious and leaders of society. The Gospel is for everyone who truly and honestly comes to Jesus.

            In the next verse John showed how this man came to Jesus in the darkness of the night which adds a clandestine aspect to this meeting. This shows that Nicodemus did not want to risk being seen with Jesus when everyone could see them yet, he was still a seeker. Then Nicodemus said the most obvious statement—that Jesus is from God because He wouldn’t be able to do the signs if He was not from God. We already know how recognition of Jesus because of signs does not make a true believer and the same could be said about Nicodemus at that moment. Now, I think it would be easy to criticize Nicodemus here about how he was coming in secret and the simple statement he made which was nothing more then an observation, but I think John was more focused here on the profound conversation that was about to happen between Jesus and someone who was supposed to be a Jewish religious scholar. We first need to understand this man because it will better contextualize what Jesus will say throughout the chapter.

            For Christians, we must recognize from this description of Nicodemus another type of person who needs a savior. Jesus came to save all those who are called and it doesn’t matter where they are in life or what they do. One who could be considered a chief adversary of Jesus can still be seen because Jesus, being God, really does not have any adversaries. Instead, He has people He loves and saves. We must have this same mindset as Christians. Who is He calling you to reach out to today?

            For non-Christians, are you ready to come to Him truly seeking? Like Nicodemus, you have seen the signs, and you know He comes from God. It takes more than just that recognition for you to be a Christ-follower. He asks for your whole life not the parts when you get better or clean up your life but now as you are. You just have to ask and He will accept you as you are.