The National tribune., 1891-07-16

JRSDAY. JULY l6, 1891.
SUNDAY MEDITATION.
Practical Duties Taught by study of the
international Sunday-school Lesson AP-
pointed Tor July &c, 1891. 81. John, , . L
81.
lone reading these notes should FIRST carefully
study tie paragraph from the Holy Scriptures as
indicated aDove.i
SUBJECT: CuRIsF AND NICoDaMUs.
1. Date
We have only one account 20 wit, St. John,
=. l-2l. All stated Ia said verses seem 10 be
parts OF the interview between Christ aud
Ncoaemus. The data * i'm the form Of cate
chsm or diliog. Verse, , and 3 contain the
first question and answer. verses 90 5 iuc.u-
size tHe second question and answer, verses
. TO 2l Inclusive luc tijEl question aud answer.
Tie first question and answer aye quite equal
as 10 Icugth, the second answer is much longer
than the second question, tie third answer IS
very full, One verse - gives the first gues-
.ioa, aud another verse 81 soc reply. 4 single
verse Is gives the second question, wh.,e lour
verses - % - arc required for reply. The
third question IS IN verse q. but II verses 10
% 2lJ set forth the reply. We notice the quc5-
tious Et INCIDENTS shorten, while the answers
OF Christ enlarge. Ncgdcmus H4s become "a
nous. and yet Es played a very small part in
ChTIst's work. Only -. John mentions bin,
and that but three times hri iy, to wit. in this
lesson, in Z 90, aud in 10 %. Rc.cuirg 70
I: 30 wo find another question. NicodeaUs
was evidently bent on Investigation. From
the subjective, philosophical and theological
nature of the interview between Christ and
NicodCmUs We would expect % fad the report
given by st. John. instead Of by either syuoP-
tic Gosfi writer.
3 Tims.
We date between March % and %, A. d. &c
We read, il was at the time of the passover
(2:1G.J Moses raised the serpent (V. IiJ I,i77
years before our lesson. Christ descended from
Heaven (E. - CT vs.. II, 10 by conception,
Nov. Il. CT; by birth b. G. 6. When conversiug
with NiCOdemgs Christ was about u and one
half years old We suppose NcodGmus quite
in age, and hence we have 4 kind Of repetition
Of ChTist's discussion with tho doctors when u
years old. la such discrepancy Of ages the
younger must be very self possessed aud inn
press.yely diguifed in manner to secure respect
aud reverence Of person and wejghtiues5 Of
words
The interview was at night we. c. Y:
80 aud 10: 39.t la every allusiOn 10 NicOde-
mus the fact he sought Jesus ~ night is men
toned. Why by night2 lie may have had
something Of that false shame about being re-
iigi0us which some men discover even yet
Then, the jews hating Christ, Nicodemus may
have appEehended lack OF popularity, if 1t
became known he went to Jesus. Then, he may
have wanted 70 investigate more carefully be-
fore lac acted publicly, lest he might be caught
IN a delusiOn or impOsture, and so suffer Tidi-
cule for his folly aud freshness. But we would
think from the account he felt confidence in
Christ's claims. He was convinced by the mira
cles which Jesus effected.
B. Place
The interview occurred at some place where
Christ was stopping in Jerusalem during the
passover. He had before effected noted mira
Giles. q: By
T. NicodsmlS.
The Greek name Nicodemus means ric'or
pOyUl, a leader Of the people. NicOdemus was
a Pharisee, a master or teacher among the Jews,
a member Of the Sanbedrim, and so a ruler in
Israel. lie is reported to have been wealthy.
He was the only one Of the rulers Of the Jews
TO seek Jesus and he came by night. Canon
Farrar thus sums him up: "A constitutional
tImidity =, however, observable in ali which
the Gospel tells Us about NicOdemu5 a tirnidity
which could not be wholly overcome even By
his honest desire to be friend and acsuOwl-
edge One whom he knew 10 be q prophet, even
IL he did not at once recognize in him tho
FlDu441cE lAt-1l0ll. nus the lew NoEtL1 III
which he interpOsed 10 cheek the rash injustice
Of his colleagues (7:jO 81 are cautiously
rested on a general principle aud betray no
indication OF his personal faith in the Gaiileau
whom his sect despised. And even when the
power Of Chr.sJ's love, manifested on ths cross,
/ had made the most timid disciples bold, Nico-
demu5 does not come forward with his splendid
f. gifts Of affection until the example had been
set By one of his own wealth and rank and
81 in arpilFyF EUafl A DaitEf win
with that mingled caHdOr and fear Of man
I which charact :EiZe oil that we know Of him,
came indeed 10 Jesus, but came cautiously by
night"
! 1t is not difficult to SEQ how Nicodemu5 be-
\ came interested in Christ, and why he decided
/ 20 investigate the case. Before the interview
/ Christ had changed water into wine at Cana.
/ (2:I-ILJ BY a sort of miracle power he cleared
the temple Of cattle dealers aud brokers, usiEg z
a mere whip Of small cords (2:1fJ lie had
/ laid claims 10 powers thought utterly extraya-
| CANT and superhumau, IN that, as the people
\ understood him, he declared he could re-
\ build within three days the temple, which had
i required for its erection many men for IS years.
/ Had they fully compTehended his real mean
| ing, 10 wit. that il they killed him. hs would
4 be alive again within y hours, they would
! have held him 20 DO utterly wild. q: Is %
/ Bat verse %, Chapter ?, speaks of the miracles
/ which he did" lie must nave effected many
such Of which no account las come down to Us
| 81: 2J.)
! ). The FactS.
Tho method is Socratic. Christ went right
10 the point" Ye must be born again -; '' We y
every one Of the human race" must be y
/ not ought to be may be, but must be
| born again" IL was tri1iHg for Nicodemus 10
intimate the impOssibiIity of a repeated physi-
cal birth. Jesus explains how to DO born again,
1t consists OF baptism and its accompanying
/ spiritual renovation. Baptism is IAN outward
and visible sign of an inward and spiritual
grace. The spiritual grace IS death unto
sin, and a new birth unto righteousness"
The worldly side OF the Kingdom of God is
+ the visible, militant Church. One cannot enter
this save by water baptism. The Heavenly
side Of Gods Kingdom Is the Saints Home
after death. One 10 gain access there must
have tla suiritual grace of which tine font /.