Nicodemus

1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God."

3 Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."

4 Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?"

5 Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' 8 The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?"

10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? 11 "Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

17 "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. 20 For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. 21 But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God."

--John 3:1-21 (NRSV)

Marjorie on Calling the Disciples

John 1:35-51.

This passage doesn't really speak to me. Its noticeable that a couple of John the Baptist's disciples left him for Jesus, perhaps this was at his encouragement. I love Nathanael's reaction because it seems to me he's being a bit caustic asking if anything good ever came out of Nazareth. I could see making a similar comment, trying to be funny -- talk about foot in mouth, a little geographic snobbiness and it turns out that God chose that location for his incarnation. I should stop trying to be funny.

I learned through Bible study that the significance of the fig tree is that its branches hang long and low and thick and that sitting under a fig tree would completely hide a person. So Jesus seeing Nathanael in such circumstances is really awe-inspiring and thus Nathanael's exclamation "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! The King of Israel!" (1:49)

I'm always amazed at the faith and boldness of these disciples to just go and follow Jesus. I envy the surety of their belief that this is the Messiah. I can't help but feel I'd be watching with skepticism. Am I doing that now?

Another Lamb

Of all the lambs found and cited as literary precursors of the "lamb of God", perhaps the most salient is found in Isaiah:

Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

This is part of a Suffering Servant poem (of which there are several in Isaiah). Many interpreters have concluded that Isaiah here foretells the life and career of the Saviour. Another way of looking at it is to consider that Jesus, being thoroughly familiar with Isaiah, took this poem as a pattern for his calling and life.

The whole poem is well worth your time:

52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (KJV)

Some people have called Isaiah the 5th gospel.

Divisions Covered Over by John?

John is depicted here as re-affirming the Lamb of God witness and based upon that some of his disciples move on to become some of Jesus' disciples. This is clearly important to the author and so he must believe it is important to the community for which he is writing. I can only assume that this is an answer to some problem he or his community faced -- likely there were a mixture of Jesus folks and Baptists folks in the community and there were disputes as to whose teachings were to be followed.

Another possibility is that these followers of John the Baptist may once have been a member of the community and split apart over issues of "whose prophet was better". Doesn't sound like Quakerism/Christianity to me (tongue planted firmly in his cheek).

This gives me a measure of comfort. There is a good variety of beliefs in the modern church and especially a wide range in the typical Quaker meeting as I have experienced it. It would seem a similar variety thrived in the first Christian churches as well.

I also note that three times the author felt obliged to translate for his readers what specific terms meant (Rabbi=teacher; Messiah=Anointed; Cephas=rock). The people for whom he is writing do not necessarily speak/read Aramaic or Hebrew. Aramaic was the common language of the Jews in and around Jerusalem and Galillee. It is likely the language Jesus taught in. If the membership of this community are Jewish theya re further afield. More comfy with Greek culture. This may be a mission church that John is speaking/writing to.

First Disciples (slightly out of place)

35 The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!" 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, "What are you looking for?" They said to him, "Rabbi" (which translated means Teacher), "where are you staying?" 39 He said to them, "Come and see." They came and saw where he was staying, and they remained with him that day. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. 41 He first found his brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated Anointed).42 He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You are to be called Cephas" (which is translated Peter). 43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." 46 Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." 47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" 48 Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." 49 Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 50 Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." 51 And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."