the desire of ages-第32部分

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that　in　plotting　against　Jesus　the　priests　and　rulers　were　following　in　the　steps　of　their　fathers；　and　would　bring　fresh　calamities　upon　the　nation。　Nicodemus　shared　these　feelings。　In　a

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council　of　the　Sanhedrin；　when　the　course　to　be　pursued　toward　Jesus　was　considered；　Nicodemus　advised　caution　and　moderation。　He　urged　that　if　Jesus　was　really　invested　with　authority　from　God；　it　would　be　perilous　to　reject　His　warnings。　The　priests　dared　not　disregard　this　counsel；　and　for　the　time　they　took　no　open　measures　against　the　Saviour。

Since　hearing　Jesus；　Nicodemus　had　anxiously　studied　the　prophecies　relating　to　the　Messiah；　and　the　more　he　searched；　the　stronger　was　his　conviction　that　this　was　the　One　who　was　to　come。　With　many　others　in　Israel　he　had　been　greatly　distressed　by　the　profanation　of　the　temple　He　was　a　witness　of　the　scene　when　Jesus　drove　out　the　buyers　and　the　sellers；　he　beheld　the　wonderful　manifestation　of　divine　power；　he　saw　the　Saviour　receiving　the　poor　and　healing　the　sick；　he　saw　their　looks　of　joy；　and　heard　their　words　of　praise；　and　he　could　not　doubt　that　Jesus　of　Nazareth　was　the　Sent　of　God。

He　greatly　desired　an　interview　with　Jesus；　but　shrank　from　seeking　Him　openly。　It　would　be　too　humiliating　for　a　ruler　of　the　Jews　to　acknowledge　himself　in　sympathy　with　a　teacher　as　yet　so　little　known。　And　should　his　visit　come　to　the　knowledge　of　the　Sanhedrin；　it　would　draw　upon　him　their　scorn　and　denunciation。　He　resolved　upon　a　secret　interview；　excusing　this　on　the　ground　that　if　he　were　to　go　openly；　others　might　follow　his　example。　Learning　by　special　inquiry　the　Saviour's　place　of　retirement　in　the　Mount　of　Olives；　he　waited　until　the　city　was　hushed　in　slumber；　and　then　sought　Him。

In　the　presence　of　Christ；　Nicodemus　felt　a　strange　timidity；　which　he　endeavored　to　conceal　under　an　air　of　composure　and　dignity。　〃Rabbi；〃　he　said；　〃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。〃　By　speaking　of　Christ's　rare　gifts　as　a　teacher；　and　also　of　His　wonderful　power　to　perform　miracles；　he　hoped　to　pave　the　way　for　his　interview。　His　words　were　designed　to　express　and　to　invite　confidence；　but　they　really　expressed　unbelief。　He　did　not　acknowledge　Jesus　to　be　the　Messiah；　but　only　a　teacher　sent　from　God。

Instead　of　recognizing　this　salutation；　Jesus　bent　His　eyes　upon　the　speaker；　as　if　reading　his　very　soul。　In　His　infinite　wisdom　He　saw　before　Him　a　seeker　after　truth。　He　knew　the　object　of　this　visit；　and　with　a　desire　to　deepen　the　conviction　already　resting　upon　His　listener's　mind；　He　came　directly　to　the　point；　saying　solemnly；　yet　kindly；　〃Verily；　verily；　I　say　unto　thee；　Except　a　man　be　born　from　above；　he　cannot　see　the　kingdom　of　God。〃　John　3：3；　margin。

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Nicodemus　had　come　to　the　Lord　thinking　to　enter　into　a　discussion　with　Him；　but　Jesus　laid　bare　the　foundation　principles　of　truth。　He　said　to　Nicodemus；　It　is　not　theoretical　knowledge　you　need　so　much　as　spiritual　regeneration。　You　need　not　to　have　your　curiosity　satisfied；　but　to　have　a　new　heart。　You　must　receive　a　new　life　from　above　before　you　can　appreciate　heavenly　things。　Until　this　change　takes　place；　making　all　things　new；　it　will　result　in　no　saving　good　for　you　to　discuss　with　Me　My　authority　or　My　mission。

Nicodemus　had　heard　the　preaching　of　John　the　Baptist　concerning　repentance　and　baptism；　and　pointing　the　people　to　One　who　should　baptize　with　the　Holy　Spirit。　He　himself　had　felt　that　there　was　a　lack　of　spirituality　among　the　Jews；　that；　to　a　great　degree；　they　were　controlled　by　bigotry　and　worldly　ambition。　He　had　hoped　for　a　better　state　of　things　at　the　Messiah's　coming。　Yet　the　heart…searching　message　of　the　Baptist　had　failed　to　work　in　him　conviction　of　sin。　He　was　a　strict　Pharisee；　and　prided　himself　on　his　good　works。　He　was　widely　esteemed　for　his　benevolence　and　his　liberality　in　sustaining　the　temple　service；　and　he　felt　secure　of　the　favor　of　God。　He　was　startled　at　the　thought　of　a　kingdom　too　pure　for　him　to　see　in　his　present　state。

The　figure　of　the　new　birth；　which　Jesus　had　used；　was　not　wholly　unfamiliar　to　Nicodemus。　Converts　from　heathenism　to　the　faith　of　Israel　were　often　compared　to　children　just　born。　Therefore　he　must　have　perceived　that　the　words　of　Christ　were　not　to　be　taken　in　a　literal　sense。　But　by　virtue　of　his　birth　as　an　Israelite　he　regarded　himself　as　sure　of　a　place　in　the　kingdom　of　God。　He　felt　that　he　needed　no　change。　Hence　his　surprise　at　the　Saviour's　words。　He　was　irritated　by　their　close　application　to　himself。　The　pride　of　the　Pharisee　was　struggling　against　the　honest　desire　of　the　seeker　after　truth。　He　wondered　that　Christ　should　speak　to　him　as　He　did；　not　respecting　his　position　as　ruler　in　Israel。

Surprised　out　of　his　self…possession；　he　answered　Christ　in　words　full　of　irony；　〃How　can　a　man　be　born　when　he　is　old？〃　Like　many　others　when　cutting　truth　is　brought　home　to　the　conscience；　he　revealed　the　fact　that　the　natural　man　receiveth　not　the　things　of　the　Spirit　of　God。　There　is　in　him　nothing　that　responds　to　spiritual　things；　for　spiritual　things　are　spiritually　discerned。

But　the　Saviour　did　not　meet　argument　with　argument。　Raising　His　hand　with　solemn；　quiet　dignity；　He　pressed　the　truth　home　with　greater

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assurance；　〃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。〃　Nicodemus　knew　that　Christ　here　referred　to　water　baptism　and　the　renewing　of　the　heart　by　the　Spirit　of　God。　He　was　convinced　that　he　was　in　the　presence　of　the　One　whom　John　the　Baptist　had　foretold。

Jesus　continued：　〃That　which　is　born　of　the　flesh　is　flesh；　and　that　which　is　born　of　the　Spirit　is　spirit。〃　By　nature　the　heart　is　evil；　and　〃who　can　bring　a　clean　thing　out　of　an　unclean？　not　one。〃　Job　14：4。　No　human　invention　can　find　a　remedy　for　the　sinning　soul。　〃The　carnal　mind　is　enmity　against　God：　for　it　is　not　subject　to　the　law　of　God；　neither　indeed　can　be。〃　〃Out　of　the　heart　proceed　evil　thoughts；　murders；　adulteries；　fornications；　thefts；　false　witness；　blasphemies。〃　Rom。　8：7；　Matt。　15：19。　The　fountain　of　the　heart　must　be　purified　before　the　streams　can　become　pure。　He　who　is　trying　to　reach　heaven　by　his　own　works　in　keeping　the　law　is　attempting　an　impossibility。　There　is　no　safety　for　one　who　has　merely　a　legal　religion；　a　form　of　godliness。　The　Christian's　life　is　not　a　modification　or　improvement　of　the　old；　but　a　transformation　of　nature。　There　is　a　death　to　self　and　sin；　and　a　new　life　altogether。　This　change　can　be　brought　about　only　by　the　effectual　working　of　the　Holy　Spirit。

Nicodemus　was　still　perplexed；　and　Jesus　used　the　wind　to　illustrate　His　meaning：　〃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　everyone　that　is　born　of　the　Spirit。〃

The　wind　is　heard　among　the　branches　of　the　trees；　rustling　the　leaves　and　flowers；　yet　it　is　invisible；　and　no　man　knows　whence　it　comes　or　whither　it　goes。　So　with　the　work　of　the　Holy　Spirit　upon　the　heart。　It　can　no　more　be　explained　than　can　the　movements　of　the　wind。　A　person　may　not　be　able　to　tell　the　exact　time　or　place；　or　to　trace　all　the　circumstances　in　the　process　of　conversion；　but　this　does　not　prove　him　to　be　unconverted。　By　an　agency　as　unseen　as　the　wind；　Christ　is　constantly　working　upon　the　heart。　Little　by　little；　perhaps　unconsciously　to　the　receiver；　impressions　are　made　that　tend　to　draw　the　soul　to　Christ。　These　may　be　received　through　meditating　upon　Him；　through　reading　the　Scriptures；　or　through　hearing　the　word　from　the　living　preacher。　Suddenly；　as　the　Spirit　comes　with　more　direct　appeal；　the　soul　gladly　surrenders　itself　to　Jesus。　By　many　this　is　called　sudden　conversion；　but　it　is　the　result　of　long　wooing　by　the　Spirit　of　God；a　patient；　protracted　process。

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While　the　wind　is　itself　invisible；　it　produces　effects　that　are　seen　and　felt。　So　the　work　of　the　Spirit　upon　the　soul　will　reveal　itself　in　every　act　of　him　who　has　felt　its　saving　power。　When　the　Spirit　of　God　takes　possession　of　the　heart；　it　transforms　the　life。　Sinful　thoughts　are　put　away；　evil　deeds　are　renounced；　love；　humility；　and　peace　take　the　place　of　anger；　envy；　and　strife。　Joy　takes　the　place　of　sadness；　and　the　countenance　reflects　the　light　of　heaven。　No　one　sees　the　hand　that　lifts　the　burden；　or　beholds　the　light　descend　from　the　courts　above。　The　blessing　comes　when　by　faith　the　soul　surrenders　itself　to　God。　Then　that　power　which　no　human　eye　can　see　creates　a　new　being　in　the　image　of　God。

It　is　impossible　for　finite　minds　to　comprehend　the　work　of　redemption。　Its　mystery　exceeds　human　knowledge；　yet　he　who　passes　from　death　to　life　realizes　that　it　is　a　divine　reality。　The　beginning　of　redemption　we　may　know　here　through　a　personal　experience。　Its　results　reach　through　the　eternal　ages。

While　Jesus　was　speaking；　some　gleams　of　truth　penetrated　the　ruler's　mind。　The　softening；　subduing　influe