The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-01-25
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR JANUARY 2e.
Subject: Jesus and Nicodemus, John ills
LIS Golden Text, John ILL.,, 1G-
Memory Verses, II, 1S-CommentaYy
on the Days Lesson.


I. Nicodemus comes to Christ Tvs. 4.
q. ]. "Of the Pharisees." A very strict
and religious sect of the Jews. They were
of the soul and a future state. They laid
great stress upon their traditions. esteem
ing them asshighly as they did the Scrip.
lures. They expected the Messiah would
Observation-Disclosures and king, and were
generally looking for Him. 9Nicodemus.'
A rich ruler of the Jews, a Phafises and a
member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme
council OF the Jewish nation. All W. know
of him with certainty is recorded here
and in John $50 and 1889. Z. Game
by nighR.n The act of cleansing the tenn
pie had brought Christ into prominence.
The plain inference is, also, that He had
performed miracles that IRE not mentioned
by the Bible writer's. He came privately,
by night, "as an act of prudence and dis
erection" He had strength Of character
and was an u~nprejudiced, earnest seeker
after light. Rabbi This was showing
great respect to one who had not been ed
ucated in the rabbinical schools. "a teach
er come from Cod This was a complete
endorsements Of, Jesus and His work, and
now, having thus Endorsed Him he was
under greater. obligations to accept the
truths that Jesus was about to- proclaim.
II. The new birth Tvs: 38). 3. Jesus
answered. Not to a spoken question, bit
to the deep unspoken question Of his soul.
".Verily, verify These words were used
to express the truthfuiness Of what was
about to be spoken and were considered
of equal import with the most solemn oath.
Il say unto thee" Jesus here entered
into the very heart OF gospel truth. He
did not undertake to preach a pleasing SER
mon lin order to make a new disciple OF
this master in Israeli but gave a per-
sonal, thorough, heart-searching tan, in
that he was not in the kingdom of God
simply because he was q piSus Jew. Tx
cept." Jesus meets the Except of NieodezsI
mus with another except, Nicodemus says.
'do;' Jesus says be- We must be before
we can do Born again" From above.
."anew," converted, regenerated. The one
born again has a new life, with q new ma.
ture, new principles. new affections; new
aims. Cannot see Enjoy. share IN, sen-
ter ". 81. Kingdom of God. The king.
dom Of grace here and Of glory hereafter.
4. "How--born," etc. sTobel born again
was a familiar figure with the Jews. but
Nicodemus evidently thought ChristSs de.
scription OF this being born again to be 9
radical and absolute as to suggest and jug
tify the query whether it did not includes
re-birth.of body. 5. 6Of water. and OF the
Spirit We present three different views
as to the meaning of the term water
J.. Water, washing and cleansing are 6gur-
alive. expressions used IN Scripture to de-
note a spiritual operation on mans hearts
1t is not necessary that we should Under
stand two different things, and this IS
probably only an elliptical form Of speech
for the Hoy Spirit under the similitude OF
water; :. a number of expositors think
the water has reference to Christian
baptism. 8. The expression refers to-
Johns baptism. which was unto repent
ance, and was alone known to Nicodemus.
6. "Of the flesh is flesh" Like produces
We are thoroughly fallen, and q cIean
thing cannot come fromsan unclean.
III. An illustration Tvs. z, 81. q.
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.
8. aWind bloweth." This illustration
was likely suggested by the sound of the
night wind about the house. Jesus speci.
fies three points in which the Holy Spirits
work in regeneration is like the wind: ].
Independence of movement, where it list.
eth" 9. Distinctness of effect, thou
nearest the sound" 8. Its surprising our
comprehension as to it's origin and its des-
analogy is certainly worthy of mention,
though not in. point with Nicodemus,
namely, the varieties in the power, some
times gentle as ~atzephyr, again ragihgsasI
a tornado. In Hebrew the term for WINK"
and spirit" is the same. This would
make the illustration all the more forcible.
$50 is every one" The laws of the spirit
nal life are unknown. We can understand
the new birth only as we receive it.
~. Christ's words the foundation of
faith Tvs. 9l3). 8. bow" etc. In verse
4 his question was really an objection, but
now he is not unbelieving but bewildered.
10. cart thou the teacher (R. W The
the Scriptures so you are capable of teach
ing them without learning these all-impor.
tant truths? Il. We" Ederaheim
thinks that. in all probability st. John
was present during this entire interview.
do know" He spoke with the greatest
possible assurance. Not upon hearsay, but
from personal knowledge. Ye 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.
y. "How shall We believe II you do
not believe the first prineiples-the Begin
nings of gospel truth.how shall ye believe
you Of the deeper things, the heavenly
things, such as, ""My diSinityl(r. 49,; the.
'atonement ". LAY; salvation by faith tr.
l5); the great love of God ". l6)
10. "-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 one, 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. In heaven He is
omnipresent, filing heaven and earth with
His presence, and even now is in heaven,
v. The way Of salvation Tvs; Il, ~.
history of the brazen serpent is a parable
Of the gospel. "Son of Man be lifted up"
/. In. His crucifxion. 2. In His exalta-
ton. 9. In the publishing and preaching
of His everlasting gospel. Is. Whose
ever" etc. Gentiies as we'll as Jews.
"Whosoever" IL better for each one than
though he were called by name, for the
same name might belong to another. Those
who accept Christ as their personal Sa-
yiour will be saved from the effects of sin.
which naturally end in the destruction of
the soul, and will be given spiritual life
here anc in the world to come life ever.
lasting. Eternal life." Eternal life is
fulness OF life. JOY, peace and love.
Might.
Eone NIGHT. upon thy raven wings.