Year 5, Day 251: John 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Challenge

• Challenge: God does not merely wish us to be in relationship with Him as we are.  He challenges us to grow, stretch, and transform as we take on the mantle of being His representatives to this world.

This interaction between Jesus and Nicodemus has always been one of my favorite interactions in the Gospel of John and perhaps in the whole Bible.  Of course it has one of the most often quoted passages in it, but that isn’t why.  What I love about this passage is the fact that Jesus brings challenge without fear.

Remember that Nicodemus is a teacher of the Law.  John 3:1 calls him a ruler of the Jews.  John 7:50 indicates that Nicodemus was one of the religious elite.  Nicodemus had friends in high places.  Nicodemus had enough power to ruin somebody if he wanted to do so.  Nicodemus could have been a threat to Jesus if he desired to be so.

But Nicodemus wasn’t a threat.  Jesus knows what is in Nicodemus’ heart and he brings the challenge.  Jesus demonstrates to one of these elite religious people just how human their own understanding actually is.  Jesus takes Nicodemus and gets him to realize that he hasn’t arrived in terms of understanding but actually has quite far to go!  Jesus challenges Nicodemus to push through the manmade legality of the religious elite and seek a true understanding of God and His ways.

Jesus played a very dangerous game here.  Nicodemus could have been a powerful enemy.  But in the end – because Jesus lays out the challenge correctly – Nicodemus is swayed.  Nicodemus is sent on a journey that ends with this powerful religious figure partnering with Joseph of Arimathea to take Jesus off of the cross.  Jesus’ challenge is received by Nicodemus.

<><