John 3: 10-11
“‘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.’”
In this passage, Jesus tells Nicodemus that he is qualified to make the claims and statements he makes because he knows what he is talking about. Indeed, he does know, because he came from heaven to be with us on earth. Yet more than being from heaven, Jesus also claims to be one with the Father. He implies this by speaking of himself in the first person plural.
Q: Suppose you run across a person who says that they have just discovered gold in their backyard. How would you decide whether or not to believe the person? Has Jesus given Nicodemus as much reason to believe his words?
Jesus has already begun His miracles. He will do much more to show that His message is authentic and from the Father. I do think there is gold in them there hills. Church history seems to indicate that Nicodemus did come to the correct conclusion.
Nicodemus has come at night, to have personal conversation with Jesus or not be seen by others. We don’t know which, possibly both.
Nicodemus has said “we know you come from God as a teacher.” We” meaning other religious leaders.
V-10, Jesus goes directly to the heart of the issue. ” You are a teacher of Gods Word to Israel, and do not understand these things?” ( You don’t understand what you teach? You don’t understand what Scripture says?)
V-11, Jesus now gives Nicodemus understanding regarding those sent by God. God is Immutable, His message has never changed. The message being given by Jesus is the same message as all the words made known by all prophets sent by God, “we speak only what we know and testify about what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony.”
Nicodemus is being told, to take God out of the box, open his heart to the unknowable God, he has been given the gold, now he must take it, move it from his head to his heart and enjoy the richness of sharing the truth with others.
Wow,..right on Ron,,great advice for anyone,..
I would say by the look in ones eye,..Jesus was more than likely gleaming,..I wonder if Nicodemus’s hair on his arms were standing on end while talking with the Master? Jesus is The Word we all should believe in,..I believe Nicodemus believed and kept it all to himself,..
Talk about sharing the richness of truth with others,..today as I was out on an estimate,..there happened to be a fig tree in this really well taken care of yard,..I asked the lady can a person actually get up under that tree? She asked me if I liked figs and wanted to know why I had asked her,..I said not really on the figs but the tree just reminds me of a part in the Bible where Jesus saw Phillip under the fig tree even before Phillip met Jesus,..Found out there is plenty of room under a grown fig tree for a person,..then that led into other conversations that glorified Jesus,..talk about being given some gold,..
Praise God and share the wealth John. What a great story of how God brings the people to us, all we need to do is take our eyes off ourselves and look at the needs of others. You did more than fine John. Jesus was really smiling on you today.
God Bless Brother