PURPOSE OF THE NIGHT VISIT OF NICODEMUS

THE REAL PURPOSE FOR WHICH HE CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT

            Many reasons have been advanced to explain why Nicodemus came to Jesus by night. Some are good, many are bad. Some are partial, and none seem to be complete. Some are plausible, and others are foolish.

             The most popular reason suggested is that he came to Jesus to enquire about the New Birth.
It is argued that the conversation which followed dealt with the new birth. This sees far from the truth because he did not even know the importance of the new birth, and the O.T. at this point on New birth was far from his mind (John 3:9-10). "Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?" "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?"
                     Another suggestion has been made that he wanted to know about entrance into the Kingdom (John 3:5). "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."
            But as a Jew who was in the sect of the Pharisees, this was already settled in his mind. The answer was religion in the strictest sense. It was adherence to the law.

           Whatever position is taken, it must be harmony with the previous ministry of Christ.

Christ knew what was in this man, for He knew all men and needed not that any should testify of man (John 2:24-25). "But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men," "And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man."

                     The clue to the real reason is to be explained by ministry and message of Christ up to this point.

                        -The forerunner of Christ, John the Baptist came saying, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:2).
                        -Christ then came preaching after John was put in prison, and He preached the gospel of the kingdom (Mark 1:14), and he said "Repent ye for the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel" (Mark 1:15).

                     Without a doubt this message concerning the Kingdom captured his mind.  And he was determined to find out when this kingdom was to be set up. He was a student of the Old Testament, and its major emphasis is upon a Kingdom that was to be set up, over which the Messiah would reign, and the Jewish people were to be exalted above all other nations. Since Christ spoke with such authority, he felt that here was a fresh voice from God, and that he could learn something from him about the Kingdom, but he must be able to get with him alone. During the day the crowds surged about him. The best time would be when the crowds had dispersed and gone to their homes. Night time would be the best to have a face to face talk with this teacher from God.

             But before he could even voice his request Jesus confronted him with this amazing statement, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God". In the mind of Christ there was one thing more important than when the kingdom was to be set up, and that was whether a man was qualified to enter. Jews expected to enter, but they lacked that necessary exper­ience of New birth (Amos 5:18).

"Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light."