Chapter 17

Teachim Nicodemus

TAEM hem attendim Passova bilong 30 C.E., Jesus duim olketa nambawan saen, or mirakol. From diswan, planti pipol showim aot faith long hem. Nicodemus, wanfela member bilong Sanhedrin, hae kot bilong olketa Jew, hem interest for gud and want for learnim moa samting. So hem visitim Jesus long naet, from hem fraet maet otherfela leader bilong Jew lukim hem and tok spoelem hem.

“Rabbi,” hem say, “mifela savvy iu wanfela teacher wea kam from God; from no anywan savvy duim olketa saen hia wea iu duim sapos God no stap withim hem.” Taem hem ansa, Jesus talem Nicodemus hao sapos hem want for go insaed long Kingdom bilong God, hem mas “born moa.”

But, hao nao man savvy born moa? “Hem kanduit for go insaed long bele bilong mami bilong hem for mek-tu taem and born moa, hem tru?” Nicodemus hem ask.

No moa nao, datwan hem no meaning bilong way for born moa. “Sapos man hem no born from wata and spirit,” Jesus hem say, “hem kanduit for go insaed long kingdom bilong God.” Taem Jesus hem baptaes and holy spirit kam long hem, long datfela taem hem born “from wata and spirit.” Withim disfela toktok wea kam from heven, ‘Hem nao Son bilong mi wea mi hapi long hem,’ God talemaot hao hem mekem wanfela spiritual son kamap wea garem hope for go insaed long Kingdom bilong heven. Bihaen, long Pentecost 33 C.E., olketa other wan wea baptaes bae kasem holy spirit so olketa tu bae born moa olsem olketa spiritual son bilong God.

But work bilong spesel Son bilong God long earth hem moa important. “Olsem Moses hem liftim ap datfela snek long wilderness,” Jesus talem long Nicodemus, “so long sem way tu olketa mas liftim ap Son bilong man, mekem evriwan wea believe long hem savvy kasem laef olawe.” Yes, olsem olketa Israelite wea poison snek baetem them mas luk go long datfela copper snek for stap laef, long sem way tu evri man wea go-go for dae mas showim aot faith long Son bilong God for kasem laef.

Taem hem mek hae long love bilong Jehovah long diswan, Jesus say moa long Nicodemus: “God love-im world tumas dastawe hem givim only Son bilong hem, mekem evriwan wea show aot faith long hem no need for dae but kasem laef olawe.” So, long hia long Jerusalem just sixfela month bihaen hem startim ministry bilong hem, Jesus talem klia hao hem nao man wea Jehovah God bae iusim for sevem olketa man.

Jesus go ahed for meanim diswan moa long Nicodemus: “From God sendem Son bilong hem long world, no for hem judge-im world,” hem meanim, no for judge-im world mekem olketa man mas dae and finis evribit. But, olsem Jesus talem, God sendem hem kam “for sevem world thru long hem.”

From Nicodemus fraet, hem kam long Jesus long naet. So way wea Jesus finisim story withim Nicodemus hem interesting, hem say: “Diswan nao hem faondeson bilong judgment, laet [wea Jesus showim aot evribit thru long living and olketa teaching] hem kam long world but olketa man love-im darkness winim laet, from samting wea olketa duim hem no gud. Man wea duim olketa badfela samting hem hate-im laet and no kam long laet, mekem hem no kasem kaonsel long olketa samting wea hem duim. Man wea duim trufela samting bae kam long laet, mekem work bilong hem show aot klia olsem hem garem wan mind withim God.” John 2:​23–3:21; Matthew 3:​16, 17; Acts 2:​1-4; Numbers 21:⁠9.

▪ Wanem nao muvim Nicodemus for kam long Jesus, and why nao hem kam long naet?

▪ Wanem nao hem meanim for “born moa”?

▪ Wanem tok piksa nao Jesus talem abaot work bilong hem for sevem iumi?

▪ Wanem nao hem meanim taem hem say Jesus no kam for judge-im world?