Curiosity and Humility // John 3:1-21

JOHN 3:1-21

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him. ”Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

THE TEACHER’S TEACHER

I love the heading in my particular version of John 3:1-21. It’s simply “A Conversation with Nicodemus”. In my own reading of this passage, I tend to skip the beginning and dive into big ideas like:

the kingdom of God
being “born again”
physical and spiritual life
Jesus’ invitation of salvation for anyone and everyone
baptism
This passage is crammed with theology. While this text crystallizes the mission and message of Jesus for readers, it is important to note that John 3:1-21 unfolds as a dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus. In addition to all the doctrine, there is a powerful conversation. Jesus welcomes a Pharisee who is at the beginning stages of changing his mind about who He is.

While this story has a lot to say about how we understand Jesus, it also teaches us the curiosity and humility of Nicodemus.

The passage starts in verse 1 with a description of Nicodemus as a Pharisee and “ruler of the Judaeans.”[1]It is easy to forget about the social risk that Nicodemus takes by being associated with a figure as controversial as Jesus of Nazareth (remember, Jesus has just overturned the tables in the temple in John 2). Knowing the costs, Nicodemus sneaks to Jesus at night in order to have his burning questions answered. This risk reveals that Nicodemus is beginning to change his mind about something enormous.

What happens next is astounding. Nicodemus, the teacher, submits himself to Jesus’ teaching. The first word that he speaks to Jesus is, “Rabbi.”

After submitting himself to the instruction of Jesus, Nicodemus offers a series of questions:

We know that you’re a teacher who’s come from God. Nobody can do these signs that you’re doing, unless God is with him.[2]

How can someone be born when they’re old? You’re not telling me they can go back a second time into the mother’s womb and be born, are you?

How can this be so?

These questions reveal that unlike many Pharisees, Nicodemus was under no illusion that he had all the answers. Even though he had received a lifetime of religious training and a community that has ascribed credibility to him, he held loosely to his own understanding in the presence of Rabbi Jesus.

The cool thing is that the story of Nicodemus isn’t over in John 3, it is the beginning. In John 7:50-51, Nicodemus defends Jesus to the Sanhedrin by claiming that they unlawfully seized Jesus. In John 19:38-42, He was also present with Joseph of Arimathea at the crucifixion and prepared Jesus body for burial. The curiosity and humility of Nicodemus transformed his life into someone who remained faithful to the end.

The story of Nicodemus shows us that we don’t have to have all the answers. It is okay to come to Jesus with questions, fears, and doubts. Come to Him with a posture of curiosity and humility.

[1] This is likely a metaphor for the Sanhedrin, which is a tribunal selected to make decisions in each Jewish city.

[2] Even though this statement isn’t formed like a question, Jesus answers it like it is.