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NASB | John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:1 Now there was a certain man among the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler (member of the Sanhedrin) among the Jews, |
Bible Question: Has anyone heard that the the rich young ruler (in Matthew 19) could have been Nicodemus? |
Bible Answer: I have this same question and would like any information that supplements or corrects my initial thoughts. I notice that Matthew 19 correlates with Mark 10 and Luke 18. I am inclined to think that Nicodemus is not the rich young ruler mostly because of the context and content of the dialogue. I believe every word in scripture is there for a reason, subject to interpretation through the Holy Spirit. I think it is important that the text includes that it was after dark, Nicodemus was a Pharisee, and that he came to speak with Jesus. Nicodemus' position as a Pharisee carries political implications. Chronologically in the text, this meeting follows Jesus clearing out the temple, a radical and upsetting event, exacerbating contention toward Jesus by the Jewish leaders. The conversation begins with Nicodemus making a statement about observations of the evidence of his interpretation of Jesus' purpose (to teach). I question the sincerity of Nicodemus' statement. It sounds like it may not be an earnest recognition of Jesus' works through God's power, rather flattery used to gain access to bait Jesus to say or do something that could be charged against him. Nicodemus is not making a personal inquiry about eternal life as did the rich young ruler. There is no indication of Nicodemus showing reverence toward Jesus, and no emotion is ascribed to Nicodemus as a result of this dialogue. Although Nicodemus did not ask a question, Jesus did answer indicating that the way into the Kingdom of God is via rebirth. Nicodemus seeks to have his literal interpretation clarified. His focus is on deconstructing Jesus' response rather than receiving what Jesus has to say. Jesus is speaking in a spiritual sense, but Nicodemus' thinking is restricted by his conceptualization of the natural world. In verse 10, Jesus mentions Nicodemus' status, perhaps condescendingly, and continues to reference historic and prophetic scripture to profoundly indicate who He is and emphasize His greater purpose.(Think about how powerful what Jesus is saying here, how widely John 3:16 is used to concisely convey the gospel.) The dialogue with the rich young ruler is more personalized. The ruler's inquiry and responses seem earnest as he describes how he has walked in God's commandments all his life and is now seeking a higher level. I think the message that Jesus intends to convey is that serving the Kingdom of God requires non-attachment to the things of the world. Jesus' recognizes and teaches that this can be difficult for people who are wealthy. The rich young ruler was sad because he was attached to his worldly possessions. Even though he may have been sincere at the beginning of the scene, by the end, we see that in his heart, he valued his things above God. Nicodemus' role in this conversation establishes a setting in which Jesus can deliver to all, the greatest fundamental message in Christianity. The message conveyed through the story of the rich young ruler is also significant, the need to put God first, but comparatively, they are distinctly different messages and one clearly depends on the other. One cannot serve the Kingdom of God if one has not first entered into the Kingdom of God. The similarities between the account of the rich young ruler among Matthew, Mark and Luke indicate that each account is of the same interaction. Contrasted with the story of Nicodemus, that is substantially different in content and context. I have read and heard a variety of reasons proposed as to why the gospel according to John differs so much from Matthew Mark and Luke overall. I will not get into those reasons here, but info is easily searchable. |
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Questions and/or Subjects for John 3:1 | Author | ||
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vkey | ||
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Jimmie | ||
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Lourdes Figueroa | ||
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jkf3rdkid | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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ebrain | ||
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annikamichelle | ||
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Tamara Brewington | ||
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YenIsaRap | ||
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Big H | ||
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rizza3 |