Manna Every Morning
(23) Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. (24) But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people (25) and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man. (3:1) Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (2) 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.” (3) Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 2:23-3:3 ESV
As I started John chapter 3, the first word stopped me: Now. That told me this was the continuation of what came before, so I went back to the end of chapter 2. John didn’t write with chapter breaks. Publishers added those to help us. In this case, they get in the way.
Reading the passage in context, another word jumped out: man. It shows up four times, and it is not casual. Jesus did not trust man—meaning people in general—because He knew what was in them. He knew the condition of the human heart.
There had been no software update since Genesis 8:21: “the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth.” The rest of Scripture confirms the diagnosis (Jeremiah 17:9 and plenty more). What it had not yet offered was a real solution.
When Nicodemus arrives, John does not say, “a Pharisee named Nicodemus showed up.” He emphasizes that Nick was “a man of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews,” and “this man came to Jesus.” This man had religious and political clout. Pharisees were zealous about the Law. He was a ruler—a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal and judicial body among the Jews. Nick was a pillar of the community.
He even admitted something special was going on with Jesus. He had seen the signs and was honest enough to say God had to be in it. He came at night, most likely so his Pharisee friends would not see him. Remember, Jesus had just cleaned out the temple with a whip (John 2:13–21). He was not on the A-list at headquarters.
Jesus knew all of that and was not impressed. He knew what was in man—even the well-educated, prosperous, and powerful ones. So He went straight to the heart of it: you have to be born again. Your good deeds will not do it. Your education will not do it. Your political power will not do it. Your family name is not enough. You have to become a completely new person.
Here’s the point: The human condition is brokenness. None of us come to the Lord waving a résumé of good works. We come as fallen people with broken hearts. Just as surely as our good works cannot earn His favor, our failures are not enough to keep Him from loving us. He came to save us knowing full well who we are. Your place in the Kingdom is not about your performance. It is about believing in His.
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12–13, ESV
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