Reader Writes - April 2020
The good Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. He was a leading Pharisee and cared for his reputation. They have a bad press, the Pharisees, but we should have some sympathy for them. Very strict keepers of the Law, orthodox and tireless in their religious devotions. But by putting such an emphasis on what they did rather than on what God promised laid themselves open to charges of hypocrisy. In the worst case of course they were thorough hypocrites and were called out by the unorthodox and plain speaking Jesus; he even called them a brood of vipers. So that’s why Nicodemus, the good Nicodemus, came at twilight.
He got off to a poor start with Jesus, or rather a good start as far as we are concerned, because he had hardly started with his planned line of questioning when Jesus cut him off. He said no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again. How can this be, asked the confused Nicodemus. The conversation continued to sound perplexing but we know that Nicodemus got there in the end. He apparently became a discreet believer; he argued for fair treatment of Jesus and at the end he helped prepare the body of Jesus for burial. As a strict observer of rules he found the spiritual language of Jesus challenging to his scrupulous understanding of the Law.
This is an issue for all of us. If the right question was ‘What must I do?’, then we remain in some sort of control of our spiritual journey. There are always things to do; none of us needs look far to find a charity needing funds, neighbours needing help, pews needing moving, roofs needing mending etc. That is quite attractive because we remain at the centre of our own spiritual programme. In pre-Reformation days, if you were rich and foolish, you might have been tempted to buy indulgences and hoard spiritual capital.
In one of the most famous verses in the New Testament (see John 3), Jesus tells Nicodemus and each one of us that “the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life”. This was predicting his death on a cross. Jesus spells it out: God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. A very strange and wonderful exchange took place on the cross; he bore in our place the punishment we deserved. Our darkness was taken away, and the light of Christ was lifted up in its place. The stumbling block is that we are invited personally to accept this and believe in him. That of course means handing over our spiritual journey to God. We don’t know where he will lead us, but the destination is certain.
The Apostle Paul develops an even wider arresting truth telling the Colossians that in Christ “all things were created by him and for him”. Paul argues that God reconciled all things to himself, man and creation in entirety. The earth itself, with all creation, is sacred. Old Nicodemus must have walked home thoughtfully and slowly. I like to think that he paused to marvel at the screeching swifts in the dusk racing along ancient walls, and said quietly: Yes, Lord, I believe; let me be born in you anew.
Robert MacCurrach