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(de). O Often John is explanatory and transitional, not adversative, using a parenthetical style, and writing in the simplest of common Greek.
John also translates the Hebrew terms into Greek meanings, obviously for Greek readers. He explains Jewish traditions for gentile readers, (John 1:38, 41; 4:9, 25, 9:7, etc.). All of which proves he initially wrote in a non-Hebrew Greek language.
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Nicodemus was a ruler
of the Jews which meant that he was a member of the court of seventy elders,
known as the Sanhedrin, which was the highest religious body among the Jews.
He also was described as “the” (article present in Gr.) teacher of Israel.
This did not mean that he was a teacher superior to all other teachers, but
simply that he was the well-known and acknowledged teacher who even had a
place in the Sanhedrin. It could be expected of such a man that he knew the
OT well indeed. As a teacher “of Israel” it was pointed out that he had a
special responsibility for the religious instruction of the people of God.
So Nicodemus was no unlearned, "uneducated, and untrained" person as Peter and John were later judged (Acts 4:13), but he was a well-known and acknowledged teacher, a member of the highest religeous court in Israel--the Sanhedrin. And Jesus, a poor carpenter--uneducated and untrained person was teaching him about "understanding" entering "the Kingdom of God."
The fact that Nicodemus was a Pharisee was related directly to the
conversation which Jesus had with him, for such a conversation would have been
impossible with a Sadducee or a Herodian.
Nicodemus was of interest to the
author of the fourth gospel because he afforded an opportunity to set out
Jesus’ teaching. Only the first part of the conversation between Jesus and
Nicodemus is set in dialogue (3:2-10).
What else may have been said by
Nicodemus was set aside by John because the subject introduced through him
upon which Jesus commented was the all important consideration.
As a Pharisee,
Nicodemus’ entire religious hope rested upon his lineage, a physical descent
from Abraham.
The Pharisees were noted for their claim to be Abraham’s seed.
It was this heir of Pharisaic teaching concerning the importance of racial
heritage in religion that was introduced to Jesus’ teaching concerning the
necessity of a new birth. Nicodemus is represented as having misunderstood
the teaching about being born again. This came from the fact that the word
“again” in Gr. was capable of other meanings, esp. important in the instance
was the meaning “from above,” therefore “from God.”
The lesson taught through
the encounter with Nicodemus was the necessity of spiritual generation for
the man who possessed God’s life, as against the teaching of the Pharisees
who emphasized natural generation through Abraham.
(So it would follow Jesus later mentioning "born of water (flesh) and the Spirit....)
Many have observed a
progression in Nicodemus’ relationship to Jesus. He began with Jesus in “the
night” which has suggested to most of the interpreters that he was hesitant
and afraid to be seen with Jesus, coming as he did in secrecy out of regard
for his reputation and to protect himself.
At a later time Nicodemus
defended, even if hesitantly, Jesus before the Sanhedrin, insisting “Does our
law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he
does?” (7:51). This brought the taunting reply, “Are
you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise
from Galilee” (7:52). At the time of Jesus’ burial he came
out into the open and brought spices with which to anoint the body and
assisted in the burial (19:39-42). Nothing else is known of him from
Scripture
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