Sure, he'd seen false prophets before. They've got an appealing message, great speaking skills, even a few magic tricks enough to get people to follow them, but usually they dissipate after their promises go unfilfilled. But this man was different. He didn't know how, but he he was.
And then there were those stories about him astounding the religious elite at 12 years old! Was that really true? How is it that they'd never heard of him until now? There were so many questions he wanted to ask him. He wasn't sure he would be able to remember them all, but he'd try.
As he walked, the night dust from the road cooled his weary feet as it had been another grueling day with with the council. He remembered the argument at the council that day well.
"He is not the Messiah!" Caiaphas shouted. "No one is saying that he is Caiaphas, Nicodemus retorted. But can we truly say he is not from God? His teachings do not contradict the Scriptures."
Caiaphas stood up with his hands in the air, looked at the council and sarcastically shouted, "I think we have one of his disciples in our midst! The council burst into laughter. He then looked at Nicodemus and whispered, Are you his disciple now too Nicodemus?"
"No, I am not, Nicodemus replied with a strange calm. However, I intend to find out who this man is. I will not sit here and make baseless judgments about him. I will speak to him myself."
"Now, now Nicodemus, cautioned Annas, Caiapha's father-in-law. We know you're a great teacher, with respect from all of us and the people, but this man is surrounded by unrelenting mobs until dusk everyday. How do you expect to get an audience with him? He has refused to talk with us except for when we confront him openly with the people!
Nicodemus looked down, breathed a sigh, chuckled and said, "Precisely. I will not confront him while others are present. I will meet with him alone. Maybe he'll feel more comfortable that way. Maybe he'll open up."
"And maybe he won't! Caiaphas shouted as he lept out of the high priest's chair again. Nicodemus, you just remember who you are and what you stand for. This man is very convincing-
"I don't need a lesson from you Caiaphas! And you don't have to give your insincere words of concern. We all know you wouldn't be high priest if it wasn't for your father-in-
At that moment Annas stood up. Nicodemus caught Anna's gaze, exhaled and said, "Forgive me brothers. I know this is a volatile issue. If I am successful in meeting with him I will report my findings immediately to the council."
"It is not the pleasure of the Sanhedrin that you meet with him Nicodemus, said Caiaphas with authority. He is a phony and a fake. It will just be a matter of time before the people figure it out and then we'll have to clean up the mess he left just like all those before him. If you meet with him it will show that there is division in the council. We forbid you to go."
The two men stared for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Nicodemus spoke. "I must know for myself. That is all I will say."
"What a crazy day, Nicodemus thought to himself! I hope no one is following me. I cannot afford a cirucs show." He looked up. The moon was cascading a strange iredescent glow seemingly leading him to his place of destination. "It's never been this bright at night in Jerusalem before, he said to himself."
Suddenly he begin to entertain the thought of sending the same student that spoke to Jesus on his behalf to cancel the appointment. It was as if his mind was playing hide-and-go seek. A wry smile crossed his face. "What I am scared of? I'm a ruler of the Jews...I'm a teacher of the law. I'm representing the Sanhedrin Council, well, sort of. Regardless, he should be nervous to see me!"
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and whispered the name that should not be spoken.As he cautiously placed one foot in front of the other, his eyes begin to scan left and right hoping he was not being followed as he made his way out from behind the wall. The light of the moon keeping him out of the enveloping darkness.
He was close now. He knew the area well. He had come here many times to give private lessons to his students. This is why he suggested it to Jesus.
And then he saw him. And for some reason he couldn't explain all of his nervousness vanished immdediately.
He gulped. He was drawn to him. The environment was surreal. He could hear the wind rustling, his heart making rythmic patterns that matched the soul of the night.
"Shalom, Rabbi, Jesus said, breaking the silence." "Shalom, said Nicodemus, not being able to take his eyes off of him."
"Nice to finally meet you Jesus, son of Joseph." "Likewise, Jesus said with a smile." It's something about this man, Nicodemus thought. He's too - pure. Argh! Those eyes! That penetrating stare! It was if he was looking into you...as if he knew everything about me.
Jesus motioned to two nearby rocks as a place to sit down. "So what brings us here tonight Nicodemus, Jesus asked."
Nicodemus could not bring himself to look Jesus in the face. "What is wrong with me?", Nicomdemus thought. This is incredulous. Why am I so nervous?" He started to twist his hands in a washing motion and stood up from the rock with his back turned to Jesus in an attempt to gather his emotions before he answered Jesus' question.
He breathed a heavy sigh once more and turned around and said, "Rabbi, we know that you're a gifted teacher and this giftedness can only come from one source, and that is God himself. We are sure of this because if God was not with you, you could not do the miracles that you do.
Jesus nodded his head. He rested his chin in his hand looking intently into Nicodemus' eyes as if he was hanging on every word that he spoke. He nodded once more and said, "Nicodemus, I tell you the truth except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
He fixed his gaze on Nicodemus with the moonlight passing over his face as he produced a smile and stood up from the rock and begin to walk in a half circle now adjacent to Nicodemus. The silence was eerie as Nicodemus begin to feel like he was the one who had been summoned to this place instead of him summoning Jesus.
As the silence continued for what seemed like time without end, Nicodemus pondered what Jesus had just said. "Born again?, he thought to himself. What an answer! Doesn't he know I'm a ruler of the law? He chuckled to himself. I was "born again" at my barmitsfa at 13 years old. I was born again when I was accepted into the most prestigious rabbinnical school in Jerusalem at the age of 20. At age 30 I became a very distinguished rabbi. I was born again just a few years ago at 50 when I took over a school and became a ruler of the law. I am born again! What is he talking about? Some rabbi! If it's an intellectual debate he wants, then it's an intellecutal debate he will get!
Breaking the silence Nicodemus smiled and said, "Tell me Jesus, how can a man be born again when he is old? Lifting his hands in a questioning gesture he continued, honestly, can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born? This I would like to see!"
Jesus did not break his posture. He did not blink while Nicodemus spoke. He did not seem to be moved by his sarcasm. He spoke and said, "Again, my friend, I tell you the truth except a man be born of the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus began to feel uneasy. What was this man talking about? He's a Jew just like me. He knows what it means to be born again. I've already reached the pinnacle of being "born again." Is he suggesting that I missed something?
Nicodemus no longer felt in control of the conversation. The words that Jesus spoke penetrated him. He felt as if there was a void within him, a hole, an emptiness. "What was happening to me, Nicodemus thought?"
"Nicodemus, Jesus spoke. There are two births a man must experience in order to see and enter the kingdom of God. He must be born of the flesh. This is a natural birth that humans give. Humans can only reproduce human life. But he also must be born of the Spirit...he must be born from above, this is the life from heaven. Don't be surpised that I am telling you that you must be born again. Is this not what you have come for? Is this not what has been gnawing at you for weeks? Is this not giving you an answer to your emptiness since the first time you heard me teach?
Listen, let me explain what I mean. The Spirit that brings the life from heaven is like the wind. You can hear the wind, but you can't tell where it comes from or even where it is going, and in the same way you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit."
"I don't understand. What do you mean, Nicodemus asked?"
"Oh, Nicodemus, Jesus said sarcastically. You are a highly respected Jewish teacher and you don't understand these things? Again, I am telling you the truth. I am telling you what we know and what I have seen and yet you won't believe us. If you don't believe me about the things I tell you that are happening here on earth, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about things going on in heaven?
For only I, the Son of Man, have come to earth and I will return to heaven again. Do you remember when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to heal the diseases of the people?
Even I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up and whoever believes in me will have eternal life.
Nicodemus, listen to me. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone that believes in him, will not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send his Son to condemn the world, but to save it."
Nicodemus sat back down on the rock. He began to shake his head. "It can't be true, he said out loud. It can't be true. He looked at Jesus breathing heavily, Wha-Wha-What do I do? What does this mean? How can I-
"Nicodemus, sit down for a moment, Jesus said. There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him. But those who do not trust him have already been judged for not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. They hate the light because they want to sin in the darkness. They stay away from the light for fear their sins will be exposed and they will be punished. But those who do what is right come to the light gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God wants."
"Do you see what I mean, Rabbi Nicodemus, Jesus asked?"
"Yes, Jesus son of Joseph. I see clearly."
Summary: Sometimes people approach Jesus to examine him with microscopic doubts and suspicisons not understanding that the reason why they have approached him is becuase he has drawn them. This is what happened to Nicodemus. He came to examine Jesus, yet Jesus examined him with the light of the Word. Has this ever happened to you? I'm sure it has. It may have happened when you first accepted Jesus. It may even be happening now as God uses you to draw people to him. I leave you with this question: When was the last time you allowed God to examine you?
Note: Text from the conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus was taken from the KJV and the NLT, respectively. Portions of this story, in particular the conversation in the Sanhedrin council, Nicodemus' thoughts leading up to his conversation with Jesus, his reponses and reactions to Jesus' words , and Jesus' thoughts in the conversation are part of my literary imagination in an attempt to tell a story, not to change Scripture. My additions are not part of the sacred text, they have no historical or canonical basis and are not intended to be taken as such.
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