Post by alon on Nov 13, 2015 2:09:32 GMT -8
John 3:1-2 (ESV) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
Yeshua was talking to Nicodemos, a man of authority himself; if not a believer and follower of Yeshua, then at least one who recognizes His authority as well. Note he came by night, not wanting to be seen; and he was not rebuked for this.
John 3:3-4 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [or from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
John 3:10-11 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
Why does it say he’s not accepting the message or the evidence Yeshua is giving?
John 3:11 (YLT) `Verily, verily, I say to thee -- What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive;
Depending on which source document is used, the term translated “do not receive” is either lombano ou or ou lambanete. Ou means it is negative, and lambano/lambanete can have connotations of catching, receiving, or understanding. It’s not saying you’re refusing or not accepting the evidence, it says you’re not getting the evidence. “You’re not understanding what I’m saying.” Yeshua was talking about being born again and Nicodemos needed clarification.
There were 5 ways that phrase was used in the first century:
1. A convert to Judaism was said to be “born again.”
2. When a man was crowned king, he was said to be “born again”.
3. One could be “born again” by tevilah and becoming
observant.
4. To get married was to be “born again.”
5. Becoming head of a Rabbinic Academy where you had authority to train and ordain future Rabbis meant you were “born again.”
Nicodemos was not uneducated, he was just trying to understand which way Yeshua was using this phrase. It didn’t match any of the known definitions, so he basically said “the only definition left is for a person to go back into the womb.”
So Yeshua gave him another definition, to be reborn of the Ruach haChodesh.
John 3:5 (ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:12 (ESV) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
This was a heavenly, or Spiritual rebirth; not one of this world but unto the next.
Dan C
Based on a short d’rash by Rav S
Yeshua was talking to Nicodemos, a man of authority himself; if not a believer and follower of Yeshua, then at least one who recognizes His authority as well. Note he came by night, not wanting to be seen; and he was not rebuked for this.
John 3:3-4 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again [or from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?”
John 3:10-11 (ESV) Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.
Why does it say he’s not accepting the message or the evidence Yeshua is giving?
John 3:11 (YLT) `Verily, verily, I say to thee -- What we have known we speak, and what we have seen we testify, and our testimony ye do not receive;
Depending on which source document is used, the term translated “do not receive” is either lombano ou or ou lambanete. Ou means it is negative, and lambano/lambanete can have connotations of catching, receiving, or understanding. It’s not saying you’re refusing or not accepting the evidence, it says you’re not getting the evidence. “You’re not understanding what I’m saying.” Yeshua was talking about being born again and Nicodemos needed clarification.
There were 5 ways that phrase was used in the first century:
1. A convert to Judaism was said to be “born again.”
2. When a man was crowned king, he was said to be “born again”.
3. One could be “born again” by tevilah and becoming
observant. 4. To get married was to be “born again.”
5. Becoming head of a Rabbinic Academy where you had authority to train and ordain future Rabbis meant you were “born again.”
Nicodemos was not uneducated, he was just trying to understand which way Yeshua was using this phrase. It didn’t match any of the known definitions, so he basically said “the only definition left is for a person to go back into the womb.”
So Yeshua gave him another definition, to be reborn of the Ruach haChodesh.
John 3:5 (ESV) Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:12 (ESV) If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
This was a heavenly, or Spiritual rebirth; not one of this world but unto the next.
Dan C
Based on a short d’rash by Rav S
