Custom Search
|
To receive notice of each days Bible Study,
please go to my Twitter and Facebook pages and sign up.
Facebook -
| Daily Bible Study | |
 You can help people worldwide. Please make a small donation. Make a difference in someone elses life. |
Subscribe Daily Bible Study Mailing List 
Receive Daily Bible Studies directly into your email inbox. |
| John 3:1-2 |
|
Lesson # John 3:1-2 Study Material - John 3:1-2 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. John 3:1-2 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Him by night, and said to Him, 'Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.' Here is a man, Nicodemus, who comes to Jesus by night, in secret. Nicodemus is a member of the Pharisees. He is an educated man, with great learning, at least as great as it gets in those days. He is a ruler of the Jews, a senator of sorts, a counselor, a member of the rulership of Israel. He is also caught up in the ruling group that has set itself against God. The Pharisees were expecting the savior to come riding on His white war horse, slaughtering the Romans, establishing the Kingdom of God, and, of course, placing them in high positions in His new government. They just left out the part about salvation, the Cross, and other little details like that. So Nicodemus is very close to understanding the word of God, which he no doubt knows most of, by heart, but just does not understand its true meaning. Nicodemus is an unbeliever, who is educated, and has let his education stand in his way of understanding. He approaches Jesus by night, in secret. No one wants to be seen associating with Jesus, and certainly in the day time all would see him. That would threaten his career, but Nicodemus who should know Gods Word, and should know that anyone who approaches God, will be taken care of an protected completely. Nicodemus knows of the stories of Daniel, of the Exodus, of Joseph, of Abraham, and many more stories of deliverance and protection, and blessing. Nicodemus just lacks the human spirit, which would have made all this clear to him, and would have made all this doctrine a blessing to him, but again his high IQ prevents him from seeing the truth. He feared the great Sanhedrim and the retaliation that he might receive from them, more than he feared God. Saul, or Paul as we know him, was of education and a high IQ, but Paul came to know Christ. He overcame his education blocks. Nicodemus in contrast came right up to the edge. At least Nicodemus came to discuss salvation and he was concerned with his own soul. He did not come to play word games with Jesus in order to trap Jesus into some kind of superficial wrong. Something that others wanted to use in swaying public opinion against Christ. He addresses Jesus as a teacher from God, as man sent from God like a prophet, or any other man who has a message from God. Remember that we are still early in Jesus' ministry. John the Baptist is still baptizing on the Jordan River and has not yet been arrested. See verse 24. Nicodemus is aware of the miracles which Jesus has performed, and he is aware of His speaking while in Jerusalem, as well as the Temple incident, which certainly got a lot of attention. Nicodemus has studied the miracles and is convinced that these are true miracles and not mere trickery of magic. Last, Nicodemus is convinced that God has a hand in all of this, but he is just not sure about the conclusions yet. No one can do these things unless they come from God. But Nicodemus does not yet understand that Jesus is God, not merely a prophet sent by God with a message. So Nicodemus is searching for the message and an understanding of it. His barrier is faith in Christ, and that single blockade prevents his understanding of doctrine. Jesus sees his predicament and explains the solution, beginning with the principle of regeneration, and the need to have a human spirit before anything spiritual can be understood. And Jesus explains how it all begins in verse 16, by believing in the Son of God, which is Himself. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
