Nicodemus makes his way to see Jesus under cover of night. Maybe Nicodemus wants to keep the other Pharisees and religious leaders from seeing him show interest in this new rabbi. Maybe Nicodemus has been busy during the daylight hours and is making time to come talk with Jesus when he is free. Maybe Nicodemus wants to find time with Jesus after the crowds have dispersed and they can talk without others interrupting. Whatever the reason, Nicodemus comes to talk with Jesus at night. He offers respectful words, saying that clearly Jesus must come from God since these signs Jesus has done couldn’t possibly be done without apart from God. Then Jesus takes the conversation into a deep and confusing direction. Jesus talks about the kingdom of God and being born from above. Jesus talks about water, spirit, flesh, wind. These ideas will require further teachings from Jesus and the work of theologians and more teachers over generations to begin to unravel and explore. It is no wonder that Nicodemus is confused.
I have had my fair share of late night conversations. Casual talks where everyone’s guard comes down. Long and leisurely exchanges filled with speculation and questions. Evenings when it is quiet and dark and people are willing to be vulnerable. That’s how I like to imagine this encounter of Nicodemus with Jesus. They are talking late into the night about complicated and powerful topics that Nicodemus is struggling to understand. In fact, theologians are still working to figure out what Jesus is saying in this passage.
Then, suddenly less confusing, Jesus offers a concise and beautiful summary of the Gospels: “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. 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.” God’s love for the whole world is so great, God reaches out to the world in remarkable ways to bring healing and new life. Don’t be mistaken – God’s intention is reconciliation and wholeness for everyone and everything. God shows up to share love and teach us how to live that love. Not to condemn our broken and unwell parts, but to transform and heal them.
May we find the courage to question and wrestle and admit that we are confused by the things Jesus teaches us and calls us to. May we continue to try and make sense of who God is and what God is doing in the world. May we also find places for deep and vulnerable discussions that don’t always lead to clear answers. And may we always rest in the reassurance that God’s love for the world (all of it) is so great that God comes close to heal and redeem it all.
Peace,