Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share “Another World” No. 2 ” by Rev. Toru Asai
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
“Another World” No. 2 ” by Rev. Toru Asai
Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council (John 3:1).
Many hints lie in the fact that Nicodemus was “a man of the Pharisees,” and “a member of the Jewish ruling council.” Again, John expects that his readers are already familiar with other gospels, and in this case, have basic background knowledge of who the Pharisees were. Fortunately, the synoptic gospels contain a good deal of discussion pertaining to the Pharisees. For instance, we find the following verses:
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you (Mat 12:38)."
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven (16:1).
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation (Luke 17:20),
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you (13:31)."
Pay attention to the words like “sign” and “the kingdom of God” in these verses, and look at what Nicodemus said to Jesus:
Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him (John 3:2).
Why did the Pharisees always talk about “signs”? And why did Jesus suddenly begin talking about “the kingdom of God”? These are good questions to ask, and it is better if you seek the answers by looking at the passages for yourself rather than depending on what the others say. You will learn a lot by doing that. Do not let someone else do your thinking.
The “signs” that the Pharisees and other people sought from Jesus are for the proof of the Messiah that they believed was coming. And this Messiah (also called the Prophet) was going to establish “the kingdom of God” for them. But the problem with this was that their Messiah was merely the king of their nation who would deliver them from Roman oppressions. So, Jesus always tried to withdraw from them. They asked him when “the kingdom of God” would come, and Nicodemus, believing that Jesus was the teacher coming from God, which was proved by the “signs” he did, wanted to ask him the same question. Jesus’ answer was:
I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (v. 3).
Just as you were born into this world as a citizen of your country, you will need to born into “the kingdom of God.” It was another world that Jesus was talking about.
View all episodes
By Davar Kingdom of GodNow there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council (John 3:1).
Many hints lie in the fact that Nicodemus was “a man of the Pharisees,” and “a member of the Jewish ruling council.” Again, John expects that his readers are already familiar with other gospels, and in this case, have basic background knowledge of who the Pharisees were. Fortunately, the synoptic gospels contain a good deal of discussion pertaining to the Pharisees. For instance, we find the following verses:
Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you (Mat 12:38)."
The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven (16:1).
Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation (Luke 17:20),
At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you (13:31)."
Pay attention to the words like “sign” and “the kingdom of God” in these verses, and look at what Nicodemus said to Jesus:
Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him (John 3:2).
Why did the Pharisees always talk about “signs”? And why did Jesus suddenly begin talking about “the kingdom of God”? These are good questions to ask, and it is better if you seek the answers by looking at the passages for yourself rather than depending on what the others say. You will learn a lot by doing that. Do not let someone else do your thinking.
The “signs” that the Pharisees and other people sought from Jesus are for the proof of the Messiah that they believed was coming. And this Messiah (also called the Prophet) was going to establish “the kingdom of God” for them. But the problem with this was that their Messiah was merely the king of their nation who would deliver them from Roman oppressions. So, Jesus always tried to withdraw from them. They asked him when “the kingdom of God” would come, and Nicodemus, believing that Jesus was the teacher coming from God, which was proved by the “signs” he did, wanted to ask him the same question. Jesus’ answer was:
I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (v. 3).
Just as you were born into this world as a citizen of your country, you will need to born into “the kingdom of God.” It was another world that Jesus was talking about.