Saturday, September 25, 2010

John 3:4

So far we have seen Jesus tell Nicodemus that without receiving birth from above (not again) we cannot in anyway recognize and understand the kingdom of God. This next verse is unfortunately misunderstood and I hope to rectify the misconception that people have about Nicodemus. In verse 4 Nicodemus we are told says, lego (3004) to say logically, to Jesus, "How is a man able to be born, being old? He is not able to enter into his mother's womb a second time and be born?" Remember that culture, history and in the case of religion, commentary, can give more clues as to the correct interpretation than can interpretation with language alone. In this case language isn't the indicator of interpretation although we will look at it but rather the Talmud. After the Babylonian captivity, Jews began to write commentaries on the Torah and there were certain things that became a part of Jewish religious thinking. During Passover, a cup is dedicated to the righteousness that belongs to God but as I read the prayer and commentary for modern Seder practices I discovered this thinking and where it originated from. Jews believed that there were two ways an individual could be declared righteous: the first was from birth and the second was being made righteous by God. We believe in original sin and that as Psalm 51 tells us we are sinful from conception. Jewish thought however differed and the idea that someone could be born righteous was possible. Jesus, the only One born righteous, and who came to die for all born unrighteous, was the only One qualified to dispute this theology. Nicodemus was old according to this verse. According to context and language Nicodemus asks, "How is a man able to be born, being old?" The verb eimi (5607) is a present tense participle meaning that the subject is old and keeps being old. Nicodemus is referring to himself although he seems to be referring to himself in third person. If it were a hypothetical question Nicodemus could have used the aorist tense "having been old" but instead he uses the present tense participle which indicates the present state and continual state of being old. Nicodemus was not questioning Christ by thinking physically but rather Nicodemus misunderstood the spiritual concept. He thought Jesus meant that a man had to be reborn in order to obtain righteousness. He didn't understand that wasn't how a man received righteousness in God's plan. We see this in the second part of the verse, "He is not able to enter his mother's womb a second time and be born?" It is interesting that Nicodemus doesn't use ou, the absolute negative particle "not" but the relative negative particle, me which gives the possibility that something may happen. He leaves room for the possibility of a man being born a second time but thinks from what he knows that this is unlikely. Nicodemus again isn't questioning Christ as much as he is trying to understand what Christ is saying. Nicodemus in both parts of his question uses dunamai (1410) able or having power in reference to a second birth. Dunamai is not speaking of the actual exertion of power or ability but the potential ability or power to do something. Again Nicodemus is talking theoretical instead of actual. Nicodemus we know from this verse is old but we also see something else about him. He doesn't consider himself righteous. Remember there are two ways of obtaining righteousness and Nicodemus knows he was not born righteous and doesn't seem to think God has made him righteous. David, Moses or Abraham was seen as worthy of this honor just as Catholics deem only certain Christians as "saints". Nicodemus didn't presume God had made him righteous but it was a sure thing if he could be born for a second time righteous. This tells us about the humility of Nicodemus and why Christ would show concern and instruction toward him but would rebuke the others with Nicodemus. Nicodemus being old was coming to the end of his life and knew he had not been born righteous or made righteous so that Jesus' words were hope to him and he wanted earnestly to understand them. Nicodemus gets a bad rap for being cowardly and spiritual dense when in reality he came with other Pharisees and simply had bad theological information about the Torah. As we see in verse five Jesus patiently leads him through correct theology.