Christ's Interview with Nicodemus.
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the
Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know
that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born
when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and
be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound
thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so
is every one that is born of the Spirit. 9 Nicodemus answered and said
unto him, How can these things be? 10 Jesus answered and said unto him,
Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? 11 Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen;
and ye receive not our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things, and
ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven,
even the Son of man which is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
We found, in the close of the foregoing chapter, that few were brought
to Christ at Jerusalem; yet here was one, a considerable one. It is worth
while to go a great way for the salvation though but of one soul. Observe,
I. Who this Nicodemus was. Not many mighty and noble are called; yet
some are, and here was one. Not many of the rulers, or of the Pharisees;
yet. 1. This was a man of the Pharisees, bred to learning, a scholar. Let
it not be said that all Christ's followers are unlearned and ignorant men.
The principles of the Pharisees, and the peculiarities of their sect, were
directly contrary to the spirit of Christianity; yet there were some in
whom even those high thoughts were cast down and brought into obedience
to Christ. The grace of Christ is able to subdue the greatest opposition.
2. He was a ruler of the Jews, a member of the great sanhedrim, a senator,
a privy-counsellor, a man of authority in Jerusalem. Bad as things were,
there were some rulers well inclined, who yet could do little good because
the stream was so strong against them; they were over-ruled by the majority,
and yoked with those that were corrupt, so that the good which they wished
to do they could not do; yet Nicodemus continued in his place, and did
what he could, when he could not do what he would.
II. His solemn address to our Lord Jesus Christ, v. 2. See here,
1. When he came: He came to Jesus by night. Observe, (1.) He made a
private and particular address to Christ, and did not think it enough to
hear his public discourses. He resolved to talk with him by himself, where
he might be free with him. Personal converse with skilful faithful ministers
about the affairs of our souls would be of great use to us, Mal. ii. 7.
(2.) He made this address by night, which may be considered, [1.] As an
act of prudence and discretion. Christ was engaged all day in public work,
and he would not interrupt him then, nor expect his attendance then, but
observed Christ's hour, and waited on him when he was at leisure. Note,
Private advantages to ourselves and our own families must give way to those
that are public. The greater good must be preferred before the less. Christ
had many enemies, and therefore Nicodemus came to him incognito, lest being
known to the chief priests they should be the more enraged against Christ.
[2.] As an act of zeal and forwardness. Nicodemus was a man of business,
and could not spare time all day to make Christ a visit, and therefore
he would rather take time from the diversions of the evening, or the rest
of the night, than not converse with Christ. When others were sleeping,
he was getting knowledge, as David by meditation, Ps. lxiii. 6, and cxix.
148. Probably it was the very next night after he saw Christ's miracles,
and he would not neglect the first opportunity of pursuing his convictions.
He knew not how soon Christ might leave the town, nor what might happen
betwixt that and another feast, and therefore would lose no time. In the
night his converse with Christ would be more free, and less liable to disturbance.
These were Noctes Christianæ--Christian nights, much more instructive
than the Noctes Atticæ--Attic nights. Or, [3.] As an act of fear
and cowardice. He was afraid, or ashamed, to be seen with Christ, and therefore
came in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are many Nicodemites,
especially among the rulers, who have a better affection to Christ and
his religion than they would be known to have. But observe, First, Though
he came by night, Christ bade him welcome, accepted his integrity, and
pardoned his infirmity; he considered his temper, which perhaps was timorous,
and the temptation he was in from his place and office; and hereby taught
his ministers to become all things to all men, and to encourage good beginnings,
though weak. Paul preached privately to those of reputation, Gal. ii. 2.
Secondly, Though now he came by night, yet afterwards, when there was occasion,
he owned Christ publicly, ch. vii. 50; xix. 39. The grace which is at first
but a grain of mustard-seed may grow to be a great tree.
2. What he said. He did not come to talk with Christ about politics
and state-affairs (though he was a ruler), but about the concerns of his
own soul and its salvation, and, without circumlocution, comes immediately
to the business; he calls Christ Rabbi, which signifies a great man; see
Isa. xix. 20. He shall send them a Saviour, and a great one; a Saviour
and a rabbi, so the word is. There are hopes of those who have a respect
for Christ, and think and speak honourably of him. He tells Christ how
far he had attained: We know that thou art a teacher. Observe, (1.) His
assertion concerning Christ: Thou art a teacher come from God; not educated
nor ordained by men, as other teachers, but supported with divine inspiration
and divine authority. He that was to be the sovereign Ruler came first
to be a teacher; for he would rule with reason, not with rigour, by the
power of truth, not of the sword. The world lay in ignorance and mistake;
the Jewish teachers were corrupt, and caused them to err: It is time for
the Lord to work. He came a teacher from God, from God as the Father of
mercies, in pity to a dark deceived world; from God as the Father of lights
and fountain of truth, all the light and truth upon which we may venture
our souls. (2.) His assurance of it: We know, not only I, but others; so
he took it for granted, the thing being so plain and self-evident. Perhaps
he knew that there were divers of the Pharisees and rulers with whom he
conversed that were under the same convictions, but had not the grace to
own it. Or, we may suppose that he speaks in the plural number (We know)
because he brought with him one or more of his friends and pupils, to receive
instructions from Christ, knowing them to be of common concern. "Master,"
saith he, "we come with a desire to be taught, to be thy scholars, for
we are fully satisfied thou art a divine teacher." (3.) The ground of this
assurance: No man can do those miracles that thou doest, except God be
with him. Here, [1.] We are assured of the truth of Christ's miracles,
and that they were not counterfeit. Here was Nicodemus, a judicious, sensible,
inquisitive man, one that had all the reason and opportunity imaginable
to examine them, so fully satisfied that they were real miracles that he
was wrought upon by them to go contrary to his interest, and to the stream
of those of his own rank, who were prejudiced against Christ. [2.] We are
directed what inference to draw from Christ's miracles: Therefore we are
to receive him as a teacher come from God. His miracles were his credentials.
The course of nature could not be altered but by the power of the God of
nature, who, we are sure, is the God of truth and goodness, and would never
set his seal to a lie or a cheat.
III. The discourse between Christ and Nicodemus hereupon, or, rather,
the sermon Christ preached to him; the contents of it, and that perhaps
an abstract of Christ's public preaching; see v. 11, 12. Four things our
Saviour here discourses of:--
1. Concerning the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth,
v. 3-8. Now we must consider this,
(1.) As pertinently answered to Nicodemus's address. Jesus answered,
v. 3. This answer was wither, [1.] A rebuke of what he saw defective in
the address of Nicodemus. It was not enough for him to admire Christ's
miracles, and acknowledge his mission, but he must be born again. It is
plain that he expected the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of the Messiah
now shortly to appear. He is betimes aware of the dawning of that day;
and, according to the common notion of the Jews, he expects it to appear
in external pomp and power. He doubts not but this Jesus, who works these
miracles, is either the Messiah or his prophet, and therefore makes his
court to him, compliments him, and so hopes to secure a share to himself
of the advantages of that kingdom. But Christ tells him that he can have
no benefit by that change of the state, unless there be a change of the
spirit, of the principles and dispositions, equivalent to a new birth.
Nicodemus came by night: "But this will not do," saith Christ. His religion
must be owned before men; so Dr. Hammond. Or, [2.] A reply to what he saw
designed in his address. When Nicodemus owned Christ a teacher come from
God, one entrusted with an extraordinary revelation from heaven, he plainly
intimated a desire to know what this revelation was and a readiness to
receive it; and Christ declares it.
(2.) As positively and vehemently asserted by our Lord Jesus: Verily,
verily, I say unto thee. I the Amen, the Amen, say it; so it may be read:
"I the faithful and true witness." The matter is settled irreversibly that
except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. "I say it
to thee, though a Pharisee, though a master in Israel." Observe,
[1.] What it is that is required: to be born again; that is, First,
We must live a new life. Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again
is to begin anew, as those that have hitherto lived either much amiss or
to little purpose. We must not think to patch up the old building, but
begin from the foundation. Secondly, We must have a new nature, new principles,
new affections, new aims. We must be born anothen, which signifies both
denuo--again, and desuper--from above. 1. We must be born anew; so the
word is taken, Gal. iv. 9, and ab initio--from the beginning, Luke i. 3.
By our first birth we are corrupt, shapen in sin and iniquity; we must
therefore undergo a second birth; our souls must be fashioned and enlivened
anew. 2. We must be born from above, so the word is used by the evangelist,
ch. iii. 31; xix. 11, and I take this to be especially intended here, not
excluding the other; for to be born from above supposes being born again.
But this new birth has its rise from heaven (ch. i. 13) and its tendency
to heaven: it is to be born to a divine and heavenly life, a life of communion
with God and the upper world, and, in order to this, it is to partake of
a divine nature and bear the image of the heavenly.
[2.] The indispensable necessity of this: "Except a man (Any one that
partakes of the human nature, and consequently of its corruptions) be born
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God, the kingdom of the Messiah begun
in grace and perfected in glory." Except we be born from above, we cannot
see this. That is, First, We cannot understand the nature of it. Such is
the nature of things pertaining to the kingdom of God (in which Nicodemus
desired to be instructed) that the soul must be re-modelled and moulded,
the natural man must become a spiritual man, before he is capable of receiving
and understanding them, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Secondly, We cannot receive the
comfort of it, cannot expect any benefit by Christ and his gospel, nor
have any part or lot in the matter. Note, Regeneration is absolutely necessary
to our happiness here and hereafter. Considering what we are by nature,
how corrupt and sinful,--what God is, in whom alone we can be happy,--and
what heaven is, to which the perfection of our happiness is reserved,--it
will appear, in the nature of the thing, that we must be born again, because
it is impossible that we should be happy if we be not holy; see 1 Cor.
vi. 11, 12.
This great truth of the necessity of regeneration being thus solemnly
laid down,
a. It is objected against by Nicodemus (v. 4): How can a man be born
when he is old, old as I am: geron on--being an old man? Can he enter the
second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Herein appears, (a.) His
weakness in knowledge; what Christ spoke spiritually he seems to have understood
after a corporal and carnal manner, as if there were no other way of regenerating
and new-moulding an immortal soul than by new-framing the body, and bringing
that back to the rock out of which it was hewn, as if there was such a
connection between the soul and the body that there could be no fashioning
the heart anew but by forming the bones anew. Nicodemus, as others of the
Jews, valued himself, no doubt, very much on his first birth and its dignities
and privileges,--the place of it, the Holy Land, perhaps the holy city,--his
parentage, such as that which Paul could have gloried in, Phil. iii. 5.
And therefore it is a great surprise to him to hear of being born again.
Could he be better bred and born than bred and born an Israelite, or by
any other birth stand fairer for a place in the kingdom of the Messiah?
Indeed they looked upon a proselyted Gentile to be as one born again or
born anew, but could not imagine how a Jew, a Pharisee, could ever better
himself by being born again; he therefore thinks, if he must be born again,
it must be of her that bore him first. They that are proud of their first
birth are hardly brought to a new birth. (b.) His willingness to be taught.
He does not turn his back upon Christ because of his hard saying, but ingenuously
acknowledges his ignorance, which implies a desire to be better informed;
and so I take this, rather than that he had such gross notions of the new
birth Christ spoke of: "Lord, make me to understand this, for it is a riddle
to me; I am such a fool as to know no other way for a man to be born than
of his mother." When we meet with that in the things of God which is dark,
and hard to be understood, we must with humility and industry continue
our attendance upon the means of knowledge, till God shall reveal even
that unto us.
b. It is opened and further explained by our Lord Jesus, v. 5-8. From
the objection he takes occasion,
(a.) To repeat and confirm what he had said (v. 5): "Verily, verily,
I say unto thee, the very same that I said before." Note, The word of God
is not yea and nay, but yea and amen; what he hath said he will abide by,
whoever saith against it; nor will he retract any of his sayings for the
ignorance and mistakes of men. Though Nicodemus understood not the mystery
of regeneration, yet Christ asserts the necessity of it as positively as
before. Note, It is folly to think of evading the obligation of evangelical
precepts, by pleading that they are unintelligible, Rom. iii. 3, 4.
(b.) To expound and clear what he had said concerning regeneration;
for the explication of which he further shows,
[a.] The author of this blessed change, and who it is that works it.
To be born again is to be born of the Spirit, v. 5-8. The change is not
wrought by any wisdom or power of our own, but by the power and influence
of the blessed Spirit of grace. It is the sanctification of the Spirit
(1 Pet. i. 2) and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. iii. 5. The word he
works by is his inspiration, and the heart to be wrought on he has access
to.
[b.] The nature of this change, and what that is which is wrought; it
is spirit, v. 6. Those that are regenerated are made spiritual, and refined
from the dross and dregs of sensuality. The dictates and interests of the
rational and immortal soul have retrieved the dominion they ought to have
over the flesh. The Pharisees placed their religion in external purity
and external performances; and it would be a mighty change indeed with
them, no less than a new birth, to become spiritual.
[c.] The necessity of this change. First, Christ here shows that it
is necessary in the nature of the thing, for we are not fit to enter into
the kingdom of God till we are born again: That which is born of the flesh
if flesh, v. 6. Here is our malady, with the causes of it, which are such
that it is plain there is no remedy but we must be born again. 1. We are
here told what we are: We are flesh, not only corporeal but corrupt, Gen.
vi. 3. The soul is still a spiritual substance, but so wedded to the flesh,
so captivated by the will of the flesh, so in love with the delights of
the flesh, so employed in making provision for the flesh, that it is mostly
called flesh; it is carnal. And what communion can there be between God,
who is a spirit, and a soul in this condition? 2. How we came to be so;
by being born of the flesh. It is a corruption that is bred in the bone
with us, and therefore we cannot have a new nature, but we must be born
again. The corrupt nature, which is flesh, takes rise from our first birth;
and therefore the new nature, which is spirit, must take rise from a second
birth. Nicodemus spoke of entering again into his mother's womb, and being
born; but, if he could do so, to what purpose? If he were born of his mother
a hundred times, that would not mend the matter, for still that which is
born of the flesh if flesh; a clean thing cannot be brought out of an unclean.
He must seek for another original, must be born of the Spirit, or he cannot
become spiritual. The case is, in short, this: though man is made to consist
of body and soul, yet his spiritual part had then so much the dominion
over his corporeal part that he was denominated a living soul (Gen. ii.
7), but by indulging the appetite of the flesh, in eating forbidden fruit,
he prostituted the just dominion of the soul to the tyranny of sensual
lust, and became no longer a living soul, but flesh: Dust thou art. The
living soul became dead and inactive; thus in the day he sinned he surely
died, and so he became earthly. In this degenerate state, he begat a son
in his own likeness; he transmitted the human nature, which had been entirely
deposited in his hands, thus corrupted and depraved; and in the same plight
it is still propagated. Corruption and sin are woven into our nature; we
are shapen in iniquity, which makes it necessary that the nature be changed.
It is not enough to put on a new coat or a new face, but we must put on
the new man, we must be new creatures. Secondly, Christ makes it further
necessary, by his own word: Marvel not that I said unto thee, You must
be born again, v. 7. 1. Christ hath said it, and as he himself never did,
nor ever will, unsay it, so all the world cannot gainsay it, that we must
be born again. He who is the great Lawgiver, whose will is a law,--he who
is the great Mediator of the new covenant, and has full power to settle
the terms of our reconciliation to God and happiness in him,--he who is
the great Physician of souls, knows their case, and what is necessary to
their cure,--he hath said, You must be born again. "I said unto thee that
which all are concerned in, You must, you all, one as well as another,
you must be born again: not only the common people, but the rulers, the
masters in Israel." 2. We are not to marvel at it; for when we consider
the holiness of the God with whom we have to do, the great design of our
redemption, the depravity of our nature, and the constitution of the happiness
set before us, we shall not think it strange that so much stress is laid
upon this as the one thing needful, that we must be born again.
[d.] This change is illustrated by two comparisons. First, The regenerating
work of the Spirit is compared to water, v. 5. To be born again is to be
born of water and of the Spirit, that is, of the Spirit working like water,
as (Matt. iii. 11) with the Holy Ghost and with fire means with the Holy
Ghost as with fire. 1. That which is primarily intended here is to show
that the Spirit, in sanctifying a soul, (1.) Cleanses and purifies it as
water, takes away its filth, by which it was unfit for the kingdom of God.
It is the washing of regeneration, Tit. iii. 5. You are washed, 1 Cor.
vi. 11. See Ezek. xxxvi. 25. (2.) Cools and refreshes it, as water does
the hunted hart and the weary traveller. The Spirit is compared to water,
ch. vii. 38, 39; Isa. xliv. 3. In the first creation, the fruits of heaven
were born of water (Gen. i. 20), in allusion to which, perhaps, they that
are born from above are said to be born of water. 2. It is probable that
Christ had an eye to the ordinance of baptism, which John had used and
he himself had begun to use, "You must be born again of the Spirit," which
regeneration by the Spirit should be signified by washing with water, as
the visible sign of that spiritual grace: not that all they, and they only,
that are baptized, are saved; but without that new birth which is wrought
by the Spirit, and signified by baptism, none shall be looked upon as the
protected privileged subjects of the kingdom of heaven. The Jews cannot
partake of the benefits of the Messiah's kingdom, they have so long looked
for, unless they quit all expectations of being justified by the works
of the law, and submit to the baptism of repentance, the great gospel duty,
for the remission of sins, the great gospel privilege. Secondly, It is
compared to wind: The wind bloweth where it listeth, so is every one that
is born of the Spirit, v. 8. The same word (pneuma) signifies both the
wind and the Spirit. The Spirit came upon the apostles in a rushing mighty
wind (Acts ii. 2), his strong influences on the hearts of sinners are compared
to the breathing of the wind (Ezek. xxxvii. 9), and his sweet influences
on the souls of saints to the north and south wind, Cant. iv. 16. This
comparison is here used to show, 1. That the Spirit, in regeneration, works
arbitrarily, and as a free agent. The wind bloweth where it listeth for
us, and does not attend our order, nor is subject to our command. God directs
it; it fulfils his word, Ps. cxlviii. 8. The Spirit dispenses his influences
where, and when, on whom, and in what measure and degree, he pleases, dividing
to every man severally as he will, 1 Cor. xii. 11. 2. That he works powerfully,
and with evident effects: Thou hearest the sound thereof; though its causes
are hidden, its effects are manifest. When the soul is brought to mourn
for sin, to groan under the burden of corruption, to breathe after Christ,
to cry Abba--Father, then we hear the sound of the Spirit, we find he is
at work, as Acts ix. 11, Behold he prayeth. 3. That he works mysteriously,
and in secret hidden ways: Thou canst not tell whence it comes, nor whither
it goes. How it gathers and how it spends its strength is a riddle to us;
so the manner and methods of the Spirit's working are a mystery. Which
way went the Spirit? 1 Kings xxii. 24. See Eccl. xi. 5, and compare it
with Ps. cxxxix. 14.
2. Here is a discourse concerning the certainty and sublimity of gospel
truths, which Christ takes occasion for from the weakness of Nicodemus.
Here is,
(1.) The objection which Nicodemus still made (v. 9): How can these
things be? Christ's explication of the doctrine of the necessity of regeneration,
it should seem, made it never the clearer to him. The corruption of nature
which makes it necessary, and the way of the Spirit which makes it practicable,
are as much mysteries to him as the thing itself; though he had in general
owned Christ a divine teacher, yet he was unwilling to receive his teachings
when they did not agree with the notions he had imbibed. Thus many profess
to admit the doctrine of Christ in general, and yet will neither believe
the truths of Christianity nor submit to the laws of it further than they
please. Christ shall be their teacher, provided they may choose their lesson.
Now here, [1.] Nicodemus owns himself ignorant of Christ's meaning, after
all: "How can these things be? They are things I do not understand, my
capacity will not reach them." Thus the things of the Spirit of God are
foolishness to the natural man. He is not only estranged from them, and
therefore they are dark to him, but prejudiced against them, and therefore
they are foolishness to him. [2.] Because this doctrine was unintelligible
to him (so he was pleased to make it), he questions the truth of it; as
if, because it was a paradox to him, it was a chimera in itself. Many have
such an opinion of their own capacity as to think that that cannot be proved
which they cannot believe; by wisdom they knew not Christ.
(2.) The reproof which Christ gave him for his dulness and ignorance:
"Art thou a master in Israel, Didaskalos--a teacher, a tutor, one who sits
in Moses's chair, and yet not only unacquainted with the doctrine of regeneration,
but incapable of understanding it?" This word is a reproof, [1.] To those
who undertake to teach others and yet are ignorant and unskilful in the
word of righteousness themselves. [2.] To those that spend their time in
learning and teaching notions and ceremonies in religion, niceties and
criticisms in the scripture, and neglect that which is practical and tends
to reform the heart and life. Two words in the reproof are very emphatic:--First,
The place where his lot was cast: in Israel, where there was such great
plenty of the means of knowledge, where divine revelation was. He might
have learned this out of the Old Testament. Secondly, The things he was
thus ignorant in: these things, these necessary things, there great things,
these divine things; had he never read Ps. l. 5, 10; Ezek. xviii. 31; xxxvi.
25, 26?
(3.) Christ's discourse, hereupon, of the certainty and sublimity of
gospel truths (v. 11-13), to show the folly of those who make strange of
these things, and to recommend them to our search. Observe here,
[1.] That the truths Christ taught were very certain and what we may
venture upon (v. 11): We speak that we do know. We; whom does he mean besides
himself? Some understand it of those that bore witness to him and with
him on earth, the prophets and John Baptist; they spoke what they knew,
and had seen, and were themselves abundantly satisfied in: divine revelation
carries its own proof along with it. Others of those that bore witness
from heaven, the Father and the Holy Ghost; the Father was with him, the
Spirit of the Lord was upon him; therefore he speaks in the plural number,
as ch. xiv. 23: We will come unto him. Observe, First, That the truths
of Christ are of undoubted certainty. We have all the reason in the world
to be assured that the sayings of Christ are faithful sayings, and such
as we may venture our souls upon; for he is not only a credible witness,
who would not go about to deceive us, but a competent witness, who could
not himself be deceived: We testify that we have seen. He spoke not upon
hear-say, but upon the clearest evidence, and therefore with the greatest
assurance. What he spoke of God, of the invisible world, of heaven and
hell, of the divine will concerning us, and the counsels of peace, was
what he knew, and had seen, for he was by him as one brought up with him,
Prov. viii. 30. Whatever Christ spoke, he spoke of his own knowledge. Secondly,
That the unbelief of sinners is greatly aggravated by the infallible certainty
of the truths of Christ. The things are thus sure, thus clear; and yet
you receive not our witness. Multitudes to be unbelievers of that which
yet (so cogent are the motives of credibility) they cannot disbelieve!
[2.] The truths Christ taught, though communicated in language and expressions
borrowed from common and earthly things, yet in their own nature were most
sublime and heavenly; this is intimated, v. 12: "If I have told them earthly
things, that is, have told them the great things of God in similitudes
taken from earthly things, to make them the more easy and intelligible,
as that of the new birth and the wind,-- if I have thus accommodated myself
to your capacities, and lisped to you in your own language, and cannot
make you to understand my doctrine,--what would you do if I should accommodate
myself to the nature of the things, and speak with the tongue of angels,
that language which mortals cannot utter? If such familiar expressions
be stumbling-blocks, what would abstract ideas be, and spiritual things
painted proper?" Now we may learn hence, First, To admire the height and
depth of the doctrine of Christ; it is a great mystery of godliness. The
things of the gospel are heavenly things, out of the road of the enquiries
of human reason, and much more out of the reach of its discoveries. Secondly,
To acknowledge with thankfulness the condescension of Christ, that he is
pleased to suit the manner of the gospel revelation to our capacities,
to speak to us as to children. He considers our frame, that we are of the
earth, and our place, that we are on the earth, and therefore speaks to
us earthly things, and makes things sensible the vehicle of things spiritual,
to make them the more easy and familiar to us. Thus he has done both in
parables and in sacraments. Thirdly, To lament the corruption of our nature,
and our great unaptness to receive and entertain the truths of Christ.
Earthly things are despised because they are vulgar, and heavenly things
because they are abstruse; and so, whatever method is taken, still some
fault or other is found with it (Matt. xi. 17), but Wisdom is, and will
be, justified of her children, notwithstanding.
[3.] Our Lord Jesus, and he alone, was fit to reveal to us a doctrine
thus certain, thus sublime: No man hath ascended up into heaven but he,
v. 13.
First, None but Christ was able to reveal to us the will of God for
our salvation. Nicodemus addressed Christ as a prophet; but he must know
that he is greater than all the Old-Testament prophets, for none of them
had ascended into heaven. They wrote by divine inspiration, and not of
their own knowledge; see ch. i. 18. Moses ascended into the mount, but
not into heaven. No man hath attained to the certain knowledge of God and
heavenly things as Christ has; see Matt. xi. 27. It is not for us to send
to heaven for instructions; we must wait to receive what instructions Heaven
will send to us; see Prov. xxx. 4; Deut. xxx. 12.
Secondly, Jesus Christ is able, and fit, and every way qualified, to
reveal the will of God to us; for it is he that came down from heaven and
is in heaven. He had said (v. 12), How shall ye believe, if I tell you
of heavenly things? Now here, 1. He gives them an instance of those heavenly
things which he could tell them of, when he tells them of one that came
down from heaven, and yet is the Son of man; is the Son of man, and yet
is in heaven. If the regeneration of the soul of man is such a mystery,
what then is the incarnation of the Son of God? These are divine and heavenly
things indeed. We have here an intimation of Christ's two distinct natures
in one person: his divine nature, in which he came down from heaven; his
human nature, in which he is the Son of man; and that union of those two,
in that while he is the Son of man yet he is in heaven. 2. He gives them
a proof of his ability to speak to them heavenly things, and to lead them
into the arcana of the kingdom of heaven, by telling them, (1.) That he
came down from heaven. The intercourse settled between God and man began
above; the first motion towards it did not arise from this earth, but came
down from heaven. We love him, and send to him, because he first loved
us, and sent to us. Now this intimates, [1.] Christ's divine nature. He
that came down from heaven is certainly more than a mere man; he is the
Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. xv. 47. [2.] His intimate acquaintance with the
divine counsels; for, coming from the court of heaven, he had been from
eternity conversant with them. [3.] The manifestation of God. Under the
Old Testament God's favours to his people are expressed by his hearing
from heaven (2 Chron. vii. 14), looking from heaven (Ps. lxxx. 14), speaking
from heaven (Neh. ix. 13), sending from heaven, Ps. lvii. 3. But the New
Testament shows us God coming down from heaven, to teach and save us. That
he thus descended is an admirable mystery, for the Godhead cannot change
places, nor did he bring his body from heaven; but that he thus condescended
for our redemption is a more admirable mercy; herein he commended his love.
(2.) That he is the Son of man, that Son of man spoken of by Daniel (vii.
13), by which the Jews always understand to be meant the Messiah. Christ,
in calling himself the Son of man, shows that he is the second Adam, for
the first Adam was the father of man. And of all the Old-Testament titles
of the Messiah he chose to make use of this, because it was most expressive
of his humility, and most agreeable to his present state of humiliation.
(3.) That he is in heaven. Now at this time, when he is talking with Nicodemus
on earth, yet, as God, he is in heaven. The Son of man, as such, was not
in heaven till his ascension; but he that was the Son of man was now, by
his divine nature, every where present, and particularly in heaven. Thus
the Lord of glory, as such, could not be crucified, nor could God, as such,
shed his blood; yet that person who was the Lord of glory was crucified
(1 Cor. ii. 8), and God purchased the church with his own blood, Acts xx.
28. So close is the union of the two natures in one person that there is
a communication of properties. He doth not say hos esti. GOD is the ho
on to ourano--he that is, and heaven is the habitation of his holiness.
3. Christ here discourses of the great design of his own coming into
the world, and the happiness of those that believe in him, v. 14-18. Here
we have the very marrow and quintessence of the whole gospel, that faithful
saying (1 Tim. i. 15), that Jesus Christ came to seek and to save the children
of men from death, and recover them to life. Now sinners are dead men upon
a twofold account:-- (1.) As one that is mortally wounded, or sick of an
incurable disease, is said to be a dead man, for he is dying; and so Christ
came to save us, by healing us, as the brazen serpent healed the Israelites,
v. 14, 15. (2.) As one that is justly condemned to die for an unpardonable
crime is a dead man, he is dead in law; and, in reference to this part
of our danger, Christ came to save as a prince or judge, publishing an
act of indemnity, or general pardon, under certain provisos; this saving
here is opposed to condemning, v. 16-18.
[1.] Jesus Christ came to save us by healing us, as the children of
Israel that were stung with fiery serpents were cured and lived by looking
up to the brazen serpent; we have the story of it, Num. xxi. 6-9. It was
the last miracle that passed through the hand of Moses before his death.
Now in this type of Christ we may observe,
First, The deadly and destructive nature of sin, which is implied here.
The guilt of sin is like the pain of the biting of a fiery serpent; the
power of corruption is like the venom diffused thereby. The devil is the
old serpent, subtle at first (Gen. iii. 1), but ever since fiery, and his
temptations fiery darts, his assaults terrifying, his victories destroying.
Ask awakened consciences, ask damned sinners, and they will tell you, how
charming soever the allurements of sin are, at the last it bites like a
serpent, Prov. xxiii. 30-32. God's wrath against us for sin is as those
fiery serpents which God sent among the people, to punish them for their
murmurings. The curses of the law are as fiery serpents, so are all the
tokens of divine wrath.
Secondly, The powerful remedy provided against this fatal malady. The
case of poor sinners is deplorable; but is it desperate? Thanks be to God,
it is not; there is balm in Gilead. The Son of man is lifted up, as the
serpent of brass was by Moses, which cured the stung Israelites. 1. It
was a serpent of brass that cured them. Brass is bright; we read of Christ's
feet shining like brass, Rev. i. 15. It is durable; Christ is the same.
It was made in the shape of a fiery serpent, and yet had no poison, no
sting, fitly representing Christ, who was made sin for us and yet knew
no sin; was made in the likeness of sinful flesh and yet not sinful; as
harmless as a serpent of brass. The serpent was a cursed creature; Christ
was made a curse. That which cured them reminded them of their plague;
so in Christ sin is set before us most fiery and formidable. 2. It was
lifted up upon a pole, and so must the Son of man be lifted up; thus it
behoved him, Luke xxiv. 26, 46. No remedy now. Christ is lifted up, (1.)
In his crucifixion. He was lifted up upon the cross. His death is called
his being lifted up, ch. xii. 32, 33. He was lifted up as a spectacle,
as a mark, lifted up between heaven and earth, as if he had been unworthy
of either and abandoned by both. (2.) In his exaltation. He was lifted
up to the Father's right hand, to give repentance and remission; he was
lifted up to the cross, to be further lifted up to the crown. (3.) In the
publishing and preaching of his everlasting gospel, Rev. xiv. 6. The serpent
was lifted up that all the thousands of Israel might see it. Christ in
the gospel is exhibited to us, evidently set forth; Christ is lifted up
as an ensign, Isa. xi. 10. 3. It was lifted up by Moses. Christ was made
under the law of Moses, and Moses testified of him. 4. Being thus lifted
up, it was appointed for the cure of those that were bitten by fiery serpents.
He that sent the plague provided the remedy. None could redeem and save
us but he whose justice had condemned us. It was God himself that found
the ransom, and the efficacy of it depends upon his appointment. The fiery
serpents were sent to punish them for their tempting Christ (so the apostle
saith, 1 Cor. x. 9), and yet they were healed by virtue derived from him.
He whom we have offended is our peace.
Thirdly, The way of applying this remedy, and that is by believing,
which plainly alludes to the Israelites' looking up to the brazen serpent,
in order to their being healed by it. If any stung Israelite was either
so little sensible of his pain and peril, or had so little confidence in
the word of Moses as not to look up to the brazen serpent, justly did he
die of his wound; but every one that looked up to it did well, Num. xxi.
9. If any so far slight either their disease by sin or the method of cure
by Christ as not to embrace Christ upon his own terms, their blood is upon
their own head. He hath said, Look, and be saved (Isa. xlv. 22), look and
live. We must take a complacency in and give consent to the methods which
Infinite Wisdom has taken is saving a guilty world, by the mediation of
Jesus Christ, as the great sacrifice and intercessor.
Fourthly, The great encouragements given us by faith to look up to him.
1. It was for this end that he was lifted up, that his followers might
be saved; and he will pursue his end. 2. The offer that is made of salvation
by him is general, that whosoever believes in him, without exception, might
have benefit by him. 3. The salvation offered is complete. (1.) They shall
not perish, shall not die of their wounds; though they may be pained and
ill frightened, iniquity shall not be their ruin. But that is not all.
(2.) They shall have eternal life. They shall not only not die of their
wounds in the wilderness, but they shall reach Canaan (which they were
then just ready to enter into); they shall enjoy the promised rest.
