There are a couple
of ways to understand Jesus' response to Nicodemus' latest query. The way I have heard it explained most often
is Jesus is implying that Nicodemus should understand what he trying to convey
to him. In this scenario Nicodemus is even
now being purposefully obtuse. Jesus is challenging Nicodemus to admit that he
gets it but is avoiding the obvious conclusion.
Nicodemus finds the conclusion either too foreign or too unsavory to
accept.
But is it possible
that Jesus is in fact asking Nicodemus how is it possible that he does not
understand this concept since it is very evident in the Scripture with which he
is most familiar? Noah found grace in
the eyes of The Lord (Genesis 6:8). Lot
found grace in God's sight (Genesis 19:19).
Moses found grace in the eyes of the Almighty (Exodus 33:17). Even a cursory study of the lives of these
three men would have confirmed that grace is not based on our sterling
behavior-- it is a God-initiated gesture based on God's goodness alone. Pick a name:
David, Samuel, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and the list goes on. All are very fallible biblical characters
with imperfections, yet God, who moves in the lives of those he chooses, does
as He pleases and not as we would often choose or predict.
Nicodemus is not
alone. I often miss the same point
because I feel the need to mix up the unilateral divine formula by including my
pathetic human merit in the equation.
Jesus asks me likewise, "You don't get it?" This is for you. It's from me. Period! This is not something I can do through
my own will power. Will power may have
its place in weight loss, but not in gaining entrance into the Kingdom of
God. It may be humbling to think that we
have nothing to contribute to our salvation, but for those of us who know
understand our fallen and spiritually frail condition, it is the best news
ever!
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