When Was the Cocept of Being Born Again Ovvur in

In this study, we are going to wait at John affiliate three, the interview of Nicodemus with Jesus. I was recently talking with a friend, and she asked, "What are y'all going to teach on Bob?" I replied, "I am going to teach on being born again from a Jewish perspective." At that her optics went blank, and she said, "Isn't that an oxymoron, beingness born again from a Jewish perspective?" I stated, "No, the whole concept of being built-in again was part and parcel of the Jewish community in the offset century."

This concept did not originate in 1976 or and so, with Charles Colson's book "Born Again." Around the year 1976 I read the book "Born Once again." That was a few years afterwards Charles Colson had gone to jail, and being built-in again became a pop topic. Yous had born once more potatoes, born again washing machines, built-in once more cars. Everything was born over again. Everyone thought it was a make new term, but this term has been around for over two thousand years. Like I said, it was part and package of the Jewish customs in the first century.

And so, that is what I am going to demonstrate at this time. Later reading this article, ask your Jewish friend if he knows what the Jewish term being born again means. See what happens; see if it starts a conversation. If he is the average Jewish person here in Southern California, who is secular, and atheistic, and unreligious, he will simply shrug his shoulders and you volition know more most the Jewish community than he does. But if he is religious, if he is orthodox, he may very well know what you lot are talking about, and you may be able to discuss information technology with him.

Let u.s. go alee and take a look at being built-in once more from a Jewish perspective. Before I get into John 3:one itself, I desire to point out that this section of the book of John is the starting time of seven discourses. John likes to work around the number seven. He records seven discourses that Jesus utters during His ministry building. John is a unique volume because information technology is supplementary to the other three gospels. John shares with us what Jesus said. The other three gospels share with us what Jesus did. He fills in a lot of the information the other gospel writers did not include through these vii long discourses. And then this is number one. This section is often chosen the discourse on the new birth.

The background to this interview with Nicodemus actually starts a couple of verses before in John chapter two. So, I want to back up to John two:23, and let united states read verses 23 to 25 of the previous affiliate.

At present when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Just Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and considering He did not need anyone to prove apropos human being, for He Himself knew what was in homo.

John is trying to very conspicuously tell us that Jesus is more than than a homo. Jesus is God in the flesh, and the Messiah. How is he doing that? He is telling us that past using repetition. Repeating is a Jewish form of accent. He is telling united states of america that Jesus could read minds. At present, who is the only individual who can read a person's mind? God, Himself, is the just One who tin practice it. God is the only ane who knows what is in a man.

The Rabbi's came to that realization through their studies in the Scriptures every bit well. An example would exist Psalm 139. I am going to share with yous just four verses out of 24 verses from this Psalm that make this characteristic of God very clear. Look at what the first 4 verses say,

• Psalm 139:one-iv

For the choir manager. A Psalm of David. O Lord, Y'all have searched me and known me. Yous know when I sit and when I rise up; You understand my idea from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying downward, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even earlier there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O Lord, You know information technology all.

Tin can we hide annihilation from God? If y'all are trying to, give it up. Just, isn't it amazing that even though He knows what goes on inside our heads, He notwithstanding treats us as a loving heavenly Begetter, and He is all the same working in our lives. He still loves the states, cares for us, etc. Yet He knows everything that goes on inside.

That is the point that John is trying to make here; that Jesus is not just a man, He is the God-Human. Not only that, He is the Messiah. We know that because He knows what is in a human. Only God knows what is in a man. Merely God can read your mind.

Anytime you see in the Gospels statements like, "Jesus, knowing what was in their hearts said …," He is reading their minds. They are not talking among themselves, they are thinking in their hearts, and He is reading their minds. On more than one occasion He says, "Why are you thinking in your hearts?" Every fourth dimension you see that, information technology is a merits to Messiahship and deity in the Jewish listen. This is only one of numerous scriptures that substantiate the fact that God reads your mind; that God knows exactly what is going on, everything, every minute of the mean solar day. He knows when I am going to stand and sit downward. He knows the next word coming out of my rima oris.

Here we direct run across the paradox of God'due south omniscience versus man'due south costless volition. The Bible teaches both. God knows everything, and at the aforementioned time men have free will. For example, He knows everything that is going to come out of our mouths, but, we make the responsible conclusion to utter the words. God knows all, just man makes responsible decisions. The Bible teaches both sides of the coin, and we demand to every bit teach both concepts strongly. We must not teach evasively or emphasize one side over the other. Both are truthful.

Our aboriginal rabbis concur with this understanding as stated is Mishnah Aboth 3:16 (The Mishnah, Herbert Danby, Oxford University Press. Encounter too Davka Corporation, Judaic Classics, Mishna Avoth three:15):

All is foreseen, merely freedom of selection is given…

Now, permit the states non miss the connection between chapter 2 verses 24 and 25 and chapter iii poesy 1. We will beginning on chapter 2 poetry 24 and we will read through to chapter iii poesy 1.

• John 2:24-iii:i

Merely Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did non need anyone to bear witness concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in homo. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; …

The affiliate interruption is bad hither. It breaks up the menstruum of the idea. Jesus knew what was in every man, and, past the mode, at that place was a man that He had an interview with. He is going to look into the soul of this detail man, and bargain with what is going on in his centre. Nicodemus had an outcome, I believe, that he was dealing with, and Jesus will speak direct to it.

Nicodemus had noticed, and was very impressed with, the miracles of poesy 23. Jesus is at the Passover; He is doing signs. Nicodemus has seen them; he is awed. That is one of the reasons he comes to Jesus.

What practise we know about this human being Nicodemus? The proper noun Nicodemus is a Hellenized version of the Hebrew proper name Nakdimon. Information technology is very possible that this homo is referred to in the Talmud. There is a Nicodemus who was a well known figure in Jerusalem in the first century. In fact, I would like to read from an article near Nicodemus. This comes from the Jewish Encyclopedia. It is online at jewishencyclopedia.com. Information technology is a free Jewish Encyclopedia. This is not a Christian encyclopedia with a Christian bias to emphasize. With that in mind, detect what the article states.

Nicodemus – Prominent fellow member of the Sanhedrin, and a man of wealth; lived in Jerusalem in the showtime century C.E.

The designation C.E. means Common Era. Information technology is the Jewish designation for time period usually known as A.D. A.D. stands for Anno Domini which is Latin for "in the Year of the Lord." The article continues:

He is mentioned in John 3:3-21, 7:50, 19:39.

So this encyclopedia indicates that the New Attestation Nicodemus is the same Nicodemus mentioned in the Talmud. The man we are talking about in the Gospel of John is a well known figure in the Jewish community of the first century. The next section of the commodity reads;

In the first of these passages he is represented as a "ruler of the Jews" who learned from Jesus what "rebirth by baptism" meant…

Nicodemus was a "ruler of the Jews" considering he was a member of the Sanhedrin. Now, notice the Jewish error in that location. Almost Jewish people recall that salvation comes by baptism. Y'all will see why in merely a little chip. That error is perpetuated by the Roman Cosmic Church, which besides teaches that you get salvation past baptism. In Roman Catholic doctrine It does not matter if you want to be baptized or non. Infants can be baptized. In regard to Jewish people, but catch that Jewish person, become him wet, and you lot accept saved him. And then, yous tin run into some misunderstandings in this article that nosotros need to speak to. Permit us keep;

(He) learned from Jesus what "rebirth by baptism" meant, as if that rabbinical term had been altogether unknown to him.

The encyclopedia is correct. The term "rebirth" is not unknown to Nicodemus. Information technology is very much a part of the first century, and I will show you that soon. Moving on in the article;

The second passage records how he fabricated his visit to Jesus by nighttime, in order that he might not be known as 1 of the latter'due south disciples.

This reference to a "2nd passage" is a mistake in the encyclopedia commodity. Information technology is a misprint. It should read the "outset passage." It is the first passage that records how he made a visit to Jesus by night, in lodge that he might not exist known as one of the latter'due south disciples. Then the commodity overlooks the second passage, John 7:50, when Nicodemus defended Jesus in forepart of other Pharisees. The commodity continues with a reference to the third passage that mentions Nicodemus.

In the third passage he and Joseph of Arimathæa are described as having taken charge of the body of Jesus in order to give it decent burial. That the man brought into such prominence in the quaternary Gospel must accept been a well-known figure of Jewish society at the time is evident. In all probability he is identical with the Talmudical Nicodemus ben Gorion, a popular saint noted for his miraculous powers; and this would explain also the reference to "heavenly things" in Jesus' arguments with him (John 3:12).

Nicodemus is a historically attested person. Nicodemus was besides a Pharisee. This is important because the Pharisees held to a very pivotal point of doctrine. In the Mishnah, the oral traditions, Sanhedrin x:1 and in the Talmud, Sanhedrin 90a, this is what we read:

All Israelites have a share in the world to come. For it is written, Thy people shall be all righteous, they shall inherit the land forever, the co-operative of my planting, the work of my easily, that I may be glorified.

The poesy quoted above is Isaiah 60:21. Subsequently studying Isaiah 60:21, the rabbis came to the conclusion that to be born a Jew means y'all accept automatic entrance into the Kingdom. If you get-go talking almost Jesus to your Jewish friend and he gets a piddling convicted, and he goes to the rabbi, and asks most heaven and hell, the rabbi will probably tell him, "That is a gentile trouble, all Jews go to sky."

What is kind of humorous about this is that subsequently this statement the rabbis list all the exceptions. Here are the exceptions:

But the following have no portion therein: He who maintains that the resurrection is not a biblical doctrine.

How many Jewish people today believe in the resurrection? The answer is very few. In other words, nearly Jewish people today practise not have a share in the globe to come up. The 2d exception reads;

The Torah is not divinely revealed.

How many Jewish people believe that today? Non very many believe that the Bible is divinely revealed. Xc percent do not. 90 pct of the Jewish community does non have a share in the world to come up according to this argument. The exceptions continue;

An Epikoros.

This is an epicurean, 1 who indulges in luxury and sensuality. Rabbi Akiva, a rabbi who lived around 135 AD, added another exception:

1 who reads uncanonical books.

The mention of uncanonical books is probably a reference to the New Testament. Rabbi Akiva also added:

Also ane who whispers a charm over a wound and says, "I will bring none of these diseases upon thee, which I brought against the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee."

Then, a Jewish religion healer volition go to hell, according to the rabbis. Abba Shaul, some other rabbi adds:

Also one who pronounces the divine name as it is spelt.

The divine name is spelled, in Hebrew, yud, hey, vav, hey. The name is pronounced Yahweh. Jews are forbidden by the rabbis to pronounce the name Yahweh. And then the final statement:

Three kings and four commoners have no portion in the world to come. The 3 kings are Jeroboam, Ahab and Manasseh. The four commoners: Balaam, Doeg, Ahitophel and Gehazi.

So that is one role of the important Pharisaic doctrine, "All Israelites have a share in the world to come." We likewise read a like statement in one of the rabbinical commentaries, Genesis Rabbah, the Slap-up Commentary on Genesis. Rabbah means to be lifted upward. Genesis Rabbah states:

Abraham sits on the gates of Gehenna, to salve whatever Israelite assigned thereto. (Genesis Rabbah 48:8)

Gehenna is another word for Hell. And so what do the rabbis hateful by this? What they are saying is that Abraham is sitting at the door to Hell. Should God brand a error and send an Israelite to Hell by accident, not to vorry, Abraham will reach out and grab him, at the concluding minute, and save him from Hell. Abraham is our insurance policy.

To summarize all this, to be born a Jew is to automatically inherit eternal life. That is rabbinic theology. That is what Nicodemus believed and taught in the first century. Permit us go on to verse 2.

• John 3:two

this human being came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that Y'all have come from God as a instructor; for no one can practice these signs that You practise unless God is with him."

Nicodemus came by nighttime. It is an important point to note, because John introduces a subtheme into his gospel here called "the conflict between low-cal and darkness." We will see that conflict in just a picayune bit.

When Nicodemus comes to Him, he opens the conversation and Jesus immediately speaks to his needs. What I run into in this is that Nicodemus is preoccupied with the Kingdom of God, but I besides see that he is struggling with the rabbinic theology that I just shared with yous. He is non so sure that he qualifies to enter into the Kingdom of God just because he is born a Jew. He has taught these doctrines all his life, but he is still non 100% sure of them.

Jesus speaks to his demand hither, in verses 3 and four:

• John 3:3-4

Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot come across the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a human exist born when he is onetime? He cannot enter a 2d time into his mother's womb and be born, tin can he?"

Nicodemus' response has often been misunderstood. Most commentators think Nicodemus is totally dislocated, he did non know what Jesus was talking about, and is just searching effectually for some kind of an reply. Merely I think the stress should exist put on Nicodemus' statement, "How can a human being be born when he is old?" I believe that is the emphasis in Nicodemus' mind. He knows what being born again means. He just does not know it can happen at his historic period. We will see in a few minutes that he was probably in his l's. Now, let u.s.a. take a wait at this concept of existence born once more.

At this betoken I want to introduce a chart entitled "You must exist born again." Nosotros are going to work through the Jewish view of beingness born over again based on this chart. Pharisaic Judaism taught that there are eight ways to be born again and they all stress the physical chemical element. Nicodemus qualified for six. Let the states accept a look at them. (The explanation of the chart follows.)

"YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN" – John 3:7
Type of Birth	Age	Nicodemus Qualified	Comment	Realm	Reference
Built-in of Water	Nativity	Aye	Rabbinic idiom for physical nativity	Concrete	Nicodemus, A Rabbi's Quest, Ariel Ministries, Manuscript #16, pg. 2
BORN Again					Jewish Encyclopedia: Vol. 3, pg. 220
Proselyte Conversion	Various	No	Nicodemus was already Jewish	Physical	Encyclopedia Judaica: Vol. 13, Col. 1184. Jewish Encyclopedia: Vol. x, pg. 223. Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah: Vol. 1, pg. 384
Crowned King	Various	No	No evidence that Nicodemus was a member of the Business firm of David	Physical	Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah: Vol. 1, pg. 384. Yalkut on 1 Sam. 13
Tevillah (Baptism)	Various	Yeah	Equally a Pharisee Nicodemus immersed oftentimes	Concrete	Jewish Encyclopedia.com: Ablution, Baptism
Repentance	Various	Yes	Nicodemus expressed repentance at least one time a yr at Yom Kippur	Physical	Jewish Encyclopedia.com: Birth, New
Bar Mitzvah	13	Yep	Adult Responsibleness	Physical	Nicodemus, A Rabbi's Quest, Ariel Ministries, Manuscript #16, pg. 2
Marriage	xvi-20	Yep	Requirement for beingness a fellow member of the Sanhedrin	Physical	Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. i, pg. 384
Rabbinic Ordination	Effectually 30	Yep	"Rav" (taught the masses)	Physical	Peninim on the Torah, pg. 233
Head of a Rabbinic Academy (Yeshiva)	Around 50	Yeah	"HaRav" (taught Rabbinic candidates or other Rabbis	Concrete	Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Vol. one, pg. 384
Born of the Spirit	Various	Yep	Salvation	Spiritual	John 3:7

The showtime blazon of nascence, "to be born of water" happens when you lot are physically born. Of course Nicodemus qualified for this type of nascency because being born of water is a rabbinic idiom for physical nascence. It is a reference to the amniotic fluid.

Then the rabbis went on to say that there is another type of nativity and that is to be "born over again." They taught that there are eight ways yous could be "born over again." The beginning of those types of rebirth we see is proselyte conversion. When a gentile chose to become Jewish, converted to Judaism, he was said to be "born again." He moved into a whole new realm of life. He moved out of being gentile and into being Jewish. He took on new responsibilities. He did non have responsibilities to the Mosaic Law before; now he is committed to the Mosaic Law and the traditions of first century Judaism. Of grade, this tin can happen at various ages. Did Nicodemus experience this? No, he did not accept to; he was already Jewish.

The next way to be "born once more" is to exist crowned male monarch. When a Jewish man became king, he is said to be "born once more." He started a whole new life. Before, he was just a citizen of the nation, now he is the leader! Now he needs got to lead the country. That means he has to take on tremendous responsibilities, and a brand new life. This happened at diverse ages. There is no particular age that a human can exist crowned king. Did Nicodemus experience this? No, there is no show that Nicodemus was a member of the firm of David. There is no evidence that he was in a line for David's throne, so he did not feel this at all.

At this juncture we come up to the ways in which Nicodemus was "born once more." The adjacent way y'all could be "born once more" is t'vilah, which is Hebrew for Baptism. Jewish people are very concerned about ritual cleanliness, then there are many immersions in Rabbinic Judaism. You immersed yourself and when you came out of the h2o and yous were ritually make clean. Of course, that happened all the time. Was Nicodemus qualified? Did he experience this type of being "born over again?" Aye indeed. Nicodemus, as a Pharisee, immersed frequently, constantly. Let me share with you a lilliputian comment from Encyclopedia Judaica on ablution or baptism. Here is what the author said:

Total immersion is required for most cases of ritual impurity…

We are not talking nearly dirt on your hands or annihilation similar that. We are not talking about germs. We are talking almost ritual cleanliness. The article from Encyclopedia Judaica continues:

Total immersion is required for most cases of ritual impurity decreed in the Torah. Immersions were required especially of the priests, since they had to be in a state of purity in order to participate in the temple service or eat of the holy things. Other individuals had to exist ritually pure even to enter the temple. However, information technology became customary among the Pharisees to maintain a state of purity at all times. In fact, a fact which their Hebrew proper noun, the Perushim, (separated ones) may have developed.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. And then, Nicodemus had a fetish about ritual cleanliness. He was constantly going through this. Existence immersed, full immersion, so coming out ritually clean. He went through this all the time, he was "born again" repeatedly.

The adjacent way you can exist "born once again" is repentance. Repentance means to turn effectually, to change your mind from walking in unrighteousness to walking in righteousness. That is existence "built-in again." It is a new fashion of life. You were going 1 way, at present you are going another way. This tin happen at whatever age. Was Nicodemus qualified for this? Had he experienced repentance? Y'all better believe information technology. He probably repented all the fourth dimension. At a bare minimum we know he would express repentance on Yom Kippur, the Day of Amende, and the most holy day of the Jewish year. He repented at least once a year.

The next mode you could be "built-in again" is when you are bar-mitzvahed. When a Jewish male child reaches the age of thirteen, he is "born over again" considering he becomes a man. He is no longer a child; he starts a brand new life. He is at present responsible for his own sin. He is "born again" into a brand new life.

The next mode you become born once more occurred when you were married. Now yous have a married woman to back up; a wife to take care of, and a home. Information technology is brand new start. It is a brand new life. You are "built-in again." Wedlock happened between the ages of xvi and 20 in the kickoff century. Nicodemus was married because that was a requirement for beingness a member of the Sanhedrin. The Talmud Kethuboth 65A and 66B mentions that he had a daughter and a son.

The next way you could exist "built-in again" is rabbinic ordination. When you were ordained as a rabbi, yous now taught the masses. You lot taught people the Torah. You lot taught them the traditions; how to live. You lot took on brand new responsibilities, a brand new life. This happened effectually age 30. We know Nicodemus was a rabbi, he was teaching the masses.

1 more way in which you could be "born again" was when you become the caput of a rabbinic academy, a rabbinic seminary, a yeshiva. Now your life changes over again considering you are non responsible to teach the masses, you are now responsible to teach rabbis and rabbinic candidates. This is a whole new responsibility, a whole new life. You are "built-in again." We know that Nicodemus was the head of a yeshiva because when you lot became the head of a yeshiva y'all receive the title HaRav. If you are just a rabbi, y'all receive the title Rav, only, when you lot became the head of a yeshiva, you receive the title HaRav. We will see Jesus use this title HaRav in relation to Nicodemus is just a minute.

So, Nicodemus has gone through the experience of beingness "born once more" every way he knows how. He has been "born over again" left, right, up, down and sideways. He may be 50 years former by now. That is why he says to Jesus, "How can a human be born when he is onetime?" "Jesus, I have gone through all this stuff, I would have to start all over in my mother's womb. That is the just way left." What he does not understand is what Jesus is driving at. Jesus is going to tell him that he has got to be born of the Spirit. He has to be born over again in the spiritual realm. He has to start a brand new life with God. That can happen at any age. Will Nicodemus be qualified for this? Yep. He volition not feel being "born over again" of the Spirit in this chapter, merely by the stop of the gospels, he is "born again," he is a believer. Jesus is talking about spiritual salvation here. He is no longer talking virtually the concrete realm. Nosotros volition see that when nosotros get to verse vii. At this point, Nicodemus has used up every way he knows to be "built-in once again." Let usa motility on to verses v and vi.

There are some parallels in verses v and six, which I need to bespeak out. Parallelism is another Jewish way of emphasizing ideas. Now let us take a await at John affiliate 3 verse 5:

• John iii:5

Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to yous, unless ane is born of h2o and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

The two contrasting elements Jesus talks about are the h2o and the Spirit. He goes on to emphasize this in verse 6.

• John iii:half-dozen

That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is built-in of the Spirit is spirit.

Do you run into the contrast there? Being born of water, being born physically, is being born of the flesh; just being born of the Spirit is in contrast to that. In that location is a fleshly physical birth and a spiritual rebirth. And then He is emphasizing the distinction between the 2.

Now, exercise not make a fault hither, Jesus is non talking about baptism when He is talking about being built-in of water. Jesus is talking about physical birth when He uses that terminology. Retrieve, the phrase to exist "born of water" is a Jewish idiom referring to the gush of amniotic fluid that accompanies concrete birth.

Let u.s.a. proceed to poesy seven.

• John 3:seven

Do not be amazed that I said to you, "You must be built-in again."

Let me paraphrase what Jesus states at this point. He is saying, "The only way to enter the Kingdom, Nicodemus, is to exist built-in of the Spirit, naught else is going to do."

Nicodemus was struggling with this whole thought. He had taught all of his life that he is automatically qualified to enter the Kingdom just by virtue of being Jewish. Jesus is at present maxim, "Existence born Jewish is inadequate Nicodemus. Physical nascency is inadequate Nicodemus."

Why is that? Simply because the type of trunk we inhabit right now is not fit for the Kingdom of God. That is what Paul said in I Corinthians xv:50. He picks up this idea and he says

• 1 Corinthians fifteen:50

At present I say this, brethren, that mankind and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Are physical bodies eternal? No. Nosotros are all going to dice. Our bodies were born with sin natures. Sin crippled bodies are perishable. Being born Jewish is non going to help you overcome that trouble. Jesus continues:

• John 3:viii

The air current blows where information technology wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is anybody who is born of the Spirit.

Basically, Jesus says here that the "new birth" is nether divine control non nether man's control. Physical nascency is under man'southward control but not the "new birth." The new nativity, He says, tin be experienced past flesh just it tin never be understood by man and can never exist controlled past man. It is like the wind. Think of hurricanes during the hurricane season. Nosotros wait at the news and what do they do during the weather report? They evidence estimator plots of where they recollect the hurricane is going to go. The only problem is that the computer models go all over the place! The weathermen have no idea where the hurricane is going. If we could command it what would we do? We plow it off! Merely we cannot plough a hurricane off and so we hide from it. We are totally helpless in the face up of enormous wind and pelting. That is the style it is with being "born over again." It is controlled past God. Nosotros cannot understand it, but we can experience it.

Let us motility on to verses 9 through 12.

• John 3:9-12

Nicodemus said to Him, "How tin can these things be?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of State of israel and do not empathize these things? Truly, truly, I say to yous, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and y'all do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and yous do not believe, how will you believe if I tell yous heavenly things?"

Jesus held Nicodemus responsible to know what He is talking about based on his cognition of the Quondam Testament. Believe me, Nicodemus knew his Old Testament. He probably had the Torah memorized. In addition, he had the Mishnah, the traditions, memorized as well and that is a lot bigger than the Old Testament.

Jesus calls him "the teacher of Israel." That ways Nicodemus was the head of a yeshiva! He was a teacher of teachers. He was responsible to know what Jesus is talking virtually. For example, the rabbis taught in the Talmud, Berachoth 34B:

R. Hiyya b. Abba likewise said in the proper name of R. Johanan: All the prophets prophesied merely for the days of the Messiah

In other words, the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament, prepared the Jewish community for the coming of the Messiah and for all that He would say and do. All the concepts of the New Attestation have their roots in the Old. You really need to know the Old Attestation earlier you tin truly understand the New Testament.

• John 3:13

No 1 has ascended into sky, merely He who descended from heaven: the Son of Human.

Now Jesus goes on and explains His deity and His origin in heaven, and therefore His authority as the Messiah. He calls Himself the Son of Man. This term the Son of Man is a technical term for the Messiah, it comes directly from Daniel seven:13-14.

• Daniel 7:thirteen-xiv

I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven I like a Son of Man was coming, And He came upwards to the Aboriginal of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His rule is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass abroad; And His kingdom is one Which volition non be destroyed.

Daniel states that he saw a Human. He looks human but He was not. The reference to the clouds of heaven is a reference to the Shekinah glory of God, the glory of God that is always seen when He visibly manifests Himself. So here, this private is associated with the very glory of God.

The name the Ancient of Days is a reference to God the Begetter, manifesting Himself visibly as a King. God can manifest Himself visibly when He chooses to practise so. When He does, that revelation is called the Shekinah glory. So here we take ane divine individual, approaching another divine individual.

The reference closes with the revelation of Jesus receiving the Messianic Kingdom. And so this man-like person is as well God. He is worshipped; He is divine.

The rabbis picked up on the term "Son of Man" and ended that it was a title for the Messiah. For example, in the Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 98a, we eavesdrop in on a Messianic discussion. This is what nosotros hear:

Rabbi Alexandri said, "Rav Joseph ben Levi pointed out a contradiction. It is written, 'in its time (will the Messiah come), whilst it is besides written, 'the Lord will hasten it.'"

The rabbi sees a contradiction here. Why does 1 verse say that the Messiah will come in His own time notwithstanding the other verse says that God is going to hasten the coming of the Messiah? Here is their reply.

If they are worthy, I will hasten it.

On 1 side of the coin, God volition bring the Messiah quickly if Israel is deserving. However:

If not, He volition come up at the due time.

On the other side of the money, if Israel is non deserving, the Messiah'south coming will non exist hastened. The Messianic give-and-take continues.

Rabbi Alexandri said, "Rav Joseph opposed two verses, it is written, 'and behold, Ane like the Son of Man came with the clouds of Heaven,' whilst (elsewhere) it is written,('behold Thy Male monarch cometh unto thee …) lowly and riding upon an ass!'"

You see the contradiction? On 1 side you come across this glorious God-Human being, associated with Shekinah glory, reigning; and, on the other side, we see this apprehensive, suffering Messiah, coming in a lowly fashion. The rabbis could never put that diverse data together into a coherent understanding of the Messiah.

To this day, the rabbinic agreement of the Messiah is the Ii Messiah Theory. It goes something like this: the first Messiah volition come up, the suffering Messiah, ironically named Messiah ben Joseph. He will come and suffer and dice. After that, the second Messiah will come, the glorious Messiah, Messiah ben David, Messiah the son of David. He will reign and gear up the Messianic Kingdom.

So, here is their explanation of the contradiction. If State of israel is meritorious, Messiah volition come with the clouds of sky, in other words, in glory. If not, lowly and riding on an donkey. Interestingly enough, that little interpretation describes the first and second coming of the Messiah. During the kickoff coming, Jesus came lowly, riding upon a ass and Israel rejected Him. We were not worthy. We were not meritorious. Jesus and then suffered for the sins of mankind.

All the same, at the Second Coming, all Israel will be saved. Every living Jewish man, woman and child will make a faith delivery to Jesus the Messiah. We will call out to Him to render. He will return, and He will return in glory. We will be meritorious at that fourth dimension. We volition be saved by grace and credited with the Messiah's righteousness. We will be born again! Little did they know, the rabbis interpreted the things pretty accurately. The only point they misunderstand is the fact that the Bible speaks of one Messiah coming twice.

Here, the term Son of Man is a reference to the Messiah. The rabbis agree with that statement. In the ArtScroll Tanach Commentary on Daniel, Rashi, the great Jewish commentator says, "this is Male monarch Messiah, the Son of Man." The Soncino Books of the Bible states that rabbinical exegesis applied the championship to the Messiah. In the Midrash on Psalms, the commentary of the Psalms, we read this;

Rabbi Berechiah said in the name of Rabbi Samuel, one poetry reads of the King Messiah, that One, like the Son of Homo … came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before Him.

The Midrash is quoting Daniel vii:13 and says that it refers to King Messiah. When Jesus calls himself the Son of Human, He is making a straight Messianic claim. In no uncertain terms, He is maxim, "I am the Messiah, I am the Divine Son of Man." By the way, do not let anybody tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God. As you can encounter hither, Jesus is challenge to be God over and over once more from a Jewish frame of reference.

Let us go to verse 14.

• John 3:xiv

As Moses lifted upwards the serpent in the wilderness …

At present Jesus gives this caput of a yeshiva an Old Attestation Bible lesson most the Messiah. The Bible lesson comes direct from Numbers 21:viii-ix. He expects Nicodemus to understand this lesson because Nicodemus is a Ph.D. when it comes to Bible knowledge.

In Numbers 21:8-nine, the people were in the wilderness. They have sinned against God. Consequently, God sent poisonous snakes into their midst, to seize with teeth them equally a course of penalty. People are dying and God tells Moses to take a bronze snake and put information technology up on a pole. Whoever looks on that snake volition be healed. This is the Messianic lesson out of the Torah and Nicodemus probably had that memorized, give-and-take for word. Jesus continues on in verse xiv,

• John 3:14

… even so must the Son of Man exist lifted upwards;

What happened physically to Israel in Moses' twenty-four hours: nosotros looked in faith to the uplifted snake and we were healed physically. What happened physically to State of israel volition happen spiritually with the Messiah. When Jesus is lifted up on the cross, His pole, those who look to Him will exist healed from spiritual decease and exist built-in again. That is the lesson Nicodemus should have understood as a Md of Divinity.

Now, as we come to verses fifteen-eighteen, we come to the result of looking at the uplifted serpent.

• John 3:15-18

… so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His merely begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall non perish, but have eternal life. For God did not ship the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the earth might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is non judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has non believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

At this betoken, Jesus applies the lesson of the uplifted serpent to every person's individual responsibility earlier God in light of sin. The thought that each one of united states is responsible before God for our sins is not a new concept. This thought is developed quite extensively past the prophet Ezekiel. The whole point of Ezekiel chapter 18, for example, is private responsibility. We all stand the same before God. We cannot hide behind our parents. We cannot hide behind being the son of a pastor. We cannot hibernate behind being Jewish. We cannot hide behind anything. Everybody in this earth is going to stand earlier God confront to face. Jesus is telling Nicodemus, "You lot cannot hibernate backside existence Jewish, Nicodemus. You are responsible for your own sin. The responsibility lies with every individual to brand a decision either to believe in Jesus to be saved, or to reject Jesus and be judged." Nosotros demand to move on to verses xix-21.

• John 3:19-21

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Lite, and does not come up to the Lite for fear that his deeds will be exposed. Merely he who practices the truth comes to the Light, and then that his deeds may exist manifested every bit having been wrought in God.

Whenever you talk to your friends, whether Jewish or Gentile, I want you lot to avert a very serious mistake. Frequently, nosotros portray Jesus as a source of condemnation. How exercise we do that? We do that when nosotros say "If y'all do not believe in Jesus, you are going to hell." Sounds expert, doesn't it? But this statement just made Jesus appear to be the source of condemnation. The source of condemnation is not Jesus. What is the source? Sin! You need to tell your friends, "Because you are a sinner, you lot are bound for hell." And then you need to tell them, "But there is a Savior out there. You see, Jesus is the source of salvation. Identify your faith in Jesus as your substitutionary sacrifice, and y'all will be saved from God's wrath against your sin." Always present Jesus as a source of salvation. Brand sure you lot word that correctly.

In verses xix-21, Jesus talks about two realms. Moving from one realm to the other is merely possible through trusting Him. The first realm we encounter is the realm of condemnation. We demand to examine the realm of condemnation in lite of all that Jesus has said. First of all, those who are in the realm of condemnation are judged already. That is where we were born. Nosotros were born in sin. David said in Psalm 51, "in sin did my mother excogitate me." We are judged already. We are born in sin. We are living in darkness. And guess what? Nosotros love the darkness. We practice not know it, just that is the way it is. We dearest the darkness and we practise evil because nosotros know of nothing different. That is where being built-in physically takes you. Beingness born a Jew does not take you lot out from the realm of condemnation.

Just there is another realm to consider, the realm of salvation. What about the realm of conservancy? When y'all move over to the realm of conservancy, you motion out of judgment. Y'all are not judged. Yous are "built-in once more." You lot have entered the kingdom of light and not only that, yous love the low-cal and you do good.

Now, who is this guy that Jesus is talking to? Well, Jesus says in verses 19-21 that he who practices the truth comes to the light. Nosotros have to recognize that at that place are people who are seeking the truth. They practice the truth and when they exercise, they come up to the lite. Nicodemus was one of those people who were searching for the truth and he came to low-cal. He did non come up immediately, it took him a while but eventually he moved out of the realm of condemnation. He was "born again." He moved into the kingdom of light. He loved the light and he did good.

By the way, people ask me, "What type of Jewish person is the easiest to reach for the Lord?" My respond has e'er been, "Information technology does non affair whether they are Jewish or Gentile. Information technology does not matter what co-operative of Judaism they are role of; Orthodox, ultra-Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, Atheist, Humanistic. What does matter is that they must be searching for the truth. They have to autumn in this category. If they practise, God will bring them to the truth." So, the answer to the question, "What type of Jewish person is the easiest to achieve for the Lord?" is this, "The easiest type of Jewish person to attain is one who is searching for the truth."

Do you see the subtheme of lite and darkness hither? You take to move from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. Nicodemus came in the darkness and Jesus is shining His lite upon him. Nicodemus is receiving that light, he is non hiding from it, and he is not running from it the way verse 19 states. He is coming to it.

As I said, coming to Jesus is not something Nicodemus did right away. He has to digest this. He needs to reorient his thinking. All his life, he has been didactics the belief that "all Israel has a share in the globe to come up." He might not be convinced of that doctrine, merely that is what he has been instruction all his life.

He is very typical of near Jewish people. It is very rare for a Jewish person to accept the Gospel the first fourth dimension he hears it. It commonly takes some fourth dimension of struggle. For Nicodemus, the struggle begins right here in chapter three and it is going to last three years. In John affiliate vii, he has moved to the point where he defends Jesus against his fellow Pharisees. Then, 3 years after this affiliate, in John 19, we are going to meet him openly place himself as a laic as he buries the body of Jesus. He was in that location at the cantankerous.

Tin you imagine what went through his mind as he takes Jesus' body down from the cross? Can you imagine him thinking back iii years when Jesus said the Son of Human is going to be lifted upwards? What happened in the book of Numbers, he sees portrayed right before his optics.

I have a final question for you lot. What brought Nicodemus to the low-cal? What brought him to the point where placing his faith in Jesus would bring him to the realm of salvation by being be born again? The respond is this. What brought him to the truth was the Mosaic Covenant. This is what he was committed to; this is what he was living under.

How did the Mosaic Covenant accomplish this task? Allow me briefly discuss the purposes for the Mosaic Covenant. I think this discussion will reply that question. Here are the purposes of the Mosaic Covenant.

1. To make a distinction — Deuteronomy four:half dozen-8, 7:half-dozen-11
2. Reveal God's standard of righteousness — Psalm 19:7-11, 40:8
3. Provide practical day-to-mean solar day guidance — Psalm 119:105
4. Reveal the necessity for substitutionary atonement — Heb. 9:22, Lev. 17:eleven
5. Reveal what sin is — Romans three:20, 7:7
6. Crusade men to sin more than — Romans 5:xx, 7:viii-10; 1 Corinthians 15:56
7. Drive men to despair — Romans 7:12-25
8. Drive men to trust in God for salvation and not themselves — Romans viii:i-4; 1 Corinthians 15:57

The showtime purpose of the Mosaic Covenant is to brand a distinction betwixt Israel and the rest of the world. We were to be a distinct people. The Mosaic Police force was also designed to teach us distinctions betwixt the make clean and the unclean. That is why Nicodemus went through baptism (t'vilah) over and over again. He was constantly faced with the fact that he is ritually unclean. Read the Torah; read the book of Deuteronomy. If you take it seriously, you will say, "I would exist swimming in water 24-7. I volition always be unclean!" That is the signal; you are always ritually unclean. You would constantly be faced with the distinction betwixt the make clean and the unclean, and y'all would consistently detect yourself on the unclean side of the money.

Number two, the Mosaic Police force revealed God's righteousness. Righteousness means to alive by a standard, so here is the standard. This is what yous are to follow.

Number three, information technology provided day-to-24-hour interval guidance for everyday affairs. Psalm 119:105 reads, "your give-and-take is a light onto my feet." There are principles in the Mosaic Law which guide you on a 24-hour interval-to-solar day basis.

Number four, the Police revealed the necessity for substitutionary amende. Why practice you remember the sacrificial system exists? Why, considering without the shedding of blood, in that location is no forgiveness. At that place had to exist an innocent victim to have the penalty of the sin. That is what the sacrificial organisation taught us; it prepared the way for Jesus, who is our substitutionary sacrifice.

Number v, the Mosaic Law revealed what sin is. We did not know what sin was until somebody told us, and the law did just that. Now we know what is right and wrong. Notwithstanding, do y'all know what that does? It causes men to sin more! God says, "1000 shall not" what do we say? We say, "Oh yes nosotros will!" God says, "you shall," and nosotros say, "Oh no, nosotros volition not." This causes men to sin more. If you endeavor to live by the Mosaic Police force, you volition discover yourself sinning constantly.

Number half dozen, this constant sinning would drive men to despair. Those men, who were looking for the truth and accepting it, would be driven to despair. "How tin I have the correct human relationship with God when I am constantly unworthy and unclean? How tin I do that?" That is where Nicodemus was. He had bought into the theology that all State of israel had a share in the globe to come, but he was non convinced of it. That is why he came to Jesus.

Number seven, despair would drive men to trust God for conservancy, not themselves. This is what was drawing Nicodemus to Jesus the Messiah. This is what was driving him to the truth, the Mosaic Constabulary. That is the purpose for it. It is not there to save us. It is there to exist a schoolmaster, to teach us about the Messiah. It exists to drive us to place our organized religion in Him so that we can exist spiritually built-in once more.

So, there was something in his background, sent from God. There was revelation in his life that was leading him to the truth. He but had to affirm the truth when he was faced with it.

Dear reader, are you like Rabbi Nicodemus, a sincere, honest seeker after God and the truth? Are you willing to consider the New Testament and the Book of John and see what they have to say about Jesus? If you realize that you are not born once more, please contact us at HaDavar Messianic Ministries and we volition exercise all nosotros tin to assist you to find the truth about the Messiah. Jesus said in John fourteen:6,

I am the fashion, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Male parent only through Me.

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Source: http://www.hadavar.org/getting-to-know-god/you-must-be-born-again/

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