Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1905-01-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY %.
Subject: Jesus and Ntcodemus, John iu.'
1-15 Golden Text, John ILL.,, 49,
Memory Verses, IA, i5-Commentary
nm ths Dav's IeaSou.

Memory Verses, II, i5-Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
/. Nicodemus comes to Christ Tvs. ],
q. |. "Of the Pharisees" A very strict
and religious sect of the Jews. They were
orthodox and believed in the Immortality
of the soul and future state They laid
ing them as highly az they did the Scrip.
lures. They expected the Messiah would
be temporal delivercr and king and were
generally looking for Him. "Nicod.mus."
A rich ruler of the Jews Pharisee and
member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme
council of the Jewish nation. All we know
Of him with certainty is recorded here
and in John $50 and 1879. 2. Came
by night" The act of cleansing the tenn
Die had brought Christ into prominence
The plain inference is, also. that He had
performed miracles that are not mentioned
BY the Bible writer's. He came privately
by night. "as an act of prudence and dis
cretion" He had strength of character
and was an unprejudiccd, earnest seeker
after light. Rabbi This was showing
great respect to one who had not been 80
ucated in the rabbinical schools. "A teach
er come from Cod" This was q complete
Endorsement of Jesus and HIS work, and
under greater obligations to accept the
truths that Jesus was about to proclaim
ii. The new birth Tvs. 3-6) 3. Jesus
answered" Not to spoken question: hut
to the deep unspoken question OF his soul:
"Verily, verify" These words were used
to express the truthfulness of what was
about to be spoken aud were considered
of equal import with the most solemn oath.
81 say unto thee" Jesus here entered
into the very heart of gospel truth. He
did not undertake to preach pleasing ser.
mon in order to make new disciple OF
this master IN Israel" but gave a per
sonal, thorough heart-searchiug talk. IN
which Nicodemus was made to understand
that he was not IN the kingdom of God
simply because he was pious jew: "Ex-
cept." "Jesus meets the except Of Nicode
mus with another except Nicodemus saws
do Jesus saws be We must be before
we can do" Born again" From above, y
anew" converted, regenerated. The one
born again has new life with new ma
ture, new principles, new affections new
aims. Cannot see" Enjoy. share in, en-
ter ". 81. Kingdom of Cod" The king
dom of grace here and of glory hereafter.
4. "How-born," etc. To be born again
was a familiar figure with the Jews, but
Nicodemus evidently thought Christ's de-
radical and absolute as to suggest and JUS
tify the query whether it did not include
re-birth Of body. 5. "Of water and of the
Spirit" We present three different views
as to the meaning of the term water
|. Water, washing and cleansing are iigur-
alive expressions used in Scripture to de-
note a spiritual operation on mans heart.
1t is not necessary that we should under
stand two different things, and this is
probably only an ellipticaI form of speech
for the Hoy Spirit under the simiitude OF
water. q A number of expositors think
the water" has reference TO Christian
baptism 8. The expression refers TO
Johns baptism. which was unto repent
s. "Of the flesh is flesh" Like produces
like with regard to both flesh and spirit.
We are thoroughly fallen. and a clean
thing cannot come from an unciean.
III. An illustration Tvs. I, 81. I.
Marvel not" Do not wonder at this,
there are many things You do not under.
stand. Thou canst not even understand
the blowing of the wind Must be-"
This law is Interchangeable There is no
other way of entering the kingdom OF
heaven
s. wind bloweth." This illustration
was likely suggested by the sound OF the
fes three points in which the Holy Spirit $
work in regeneration is like the wind: |.
Independence Of movement, where it list
eth" 2. Distnctness of effect, chou
nearest the sound" 8. Its surprising our
comprehension as to it's origin and its des-
tiny, thou "canst not tell, etc. A fourth
analogy is certainly worthy of mention,
though not in point with Nicodemus
namely, the varieties in the power. some
times gentle as zephyr, again raging as
tornado In Hebrew the term for wind
and spirit" is the same. This would
make the illustration all the more forcible.
$50 is every one" The laws of the spirit
ual life are unknown. We can understand
the new birth only az we receive it.
w. 'Christ's words the foundation OF
faith Tvs 9.l3). 9. How" etc. In verse
1 his question was really an objection, but
now he is not unbelieving but bewildered
He could not apprehend spiritual truth
10. cart thou the teacher" Or. W The
question is a reproof Have you studied
the Scriptures so you are capable OF teach
ing them without learning these all-impor'
tant truths? II. We Edcrsheim
thinks that in all probability st. John
was present during this entire interview.
possible assurance. Not upon hearsay, but
from personal knowledge. aye receive
not our witness They received His mir.
acles as genuine, yet refused to accept the
spiritual truths He taught. eye" is. al.
ways plural and is spoken with reference
to the class to which Nicodemus belongs
II. "How shall We believe" If you do
not believe the first principles-the begin
nings Of gospel truth--how shall We believe
if t continue the subject further and tell
you of the deeper things, the heavenly
things, such as, MY divinity ". l3); the
atonement ". lQ; salvation by faith ".
l5); the great love of God ". l6) ?"
Is. "And no man." etc. There was a
false notion among the Jews that Moses
had assembled up to heaven to get the law.
Jesus in effect says, No ore, not even
Moses, hath assembled up to heaven to
search out heavenly things; but the Son
of man has dwelt "from all eternity in the
bosom of the Father" and has come di-
rect from heaven. I'm heaven" He is
omnipresent, filling heave> and earth with
His presence, and even aow is IN heaven.
IA. "The serpent" Mum. 2l:4-9. The
of the gospel "Son of Man be lifted up
|. In His crucifxion. g In His exata-
ton. 3. In the publishing and preaching
Of His everlasting gospel Is. Whose
ever" etc. Gentiles as well as Jews.
"Whosoever" is better for each one than
though he were called by name, for the
same name might belong to another. Those
who accept Christ az their personal Sa.
viour will be saved from the effects of sin,
which naturally end in the destruction OF
the soul, and will be given spiritual life
| here and in the world to come life ever.
lasting. Eternal life" Eternal life is