Reading
John 3:7-15
7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
Comment
Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about the need to be "born again" and he is curious to know how this can happen (v. 9). Although he is a scholar in Israel, he did not understand the profound meaning of the Scriptures and of the events of the ancient dispensation of salvation, which foreshadow what will be realized in Christ.
Moses, on God's advice, placed a copper snake on a rod to heal the Jews from the bites of poisonous snakes (Num 21:5-9); in this page of John's Gospel the Greek verb hypsoo, "to raise", recalls the exaltation of Jesus in his death and resurrection. As he who looked at the copper serpent had saved his life, so whoever "looks" with faith at Christ's sacrifice will be saved from the poison of sin and will have eternal life (v. 15). The image of the mortal animal became a means of salvation for the body, so the cross, an instrument of torture and death, will obtain the salvation of souls.
To understand the celestial truths it is necessary to have ascended to Heaven - but no one has ever done so (v. 13) - or to have descended from Heaven, and the only one who has done so is the Son of man, the incarnate Logos. Moses had ascended on Mount Sinai to receive the Law, but not up to Heaven; the ancient prophets had spoken by divine inspiration but continued to walk the earth. No man has obtained a knowledge of God equal to that of Christ, although he must present it to us in images and similes, because of our spiritual weakness.
In the dialogue with Nicodemus, Jesus foreshadows his crucifixion, when he will be suspended between heaven and earth, separated from both because he became sin despite being without sin, therefore rejected by men and by God; yet reaching both, to reconcile them, with the full gift of himself. Let us look at him and we will be healed of the wounds that evil has produced in our souls. We look to him and we will be radiant (Ps 34:5).
Prayer
Draw us to you, Lord, away from the tribulations of the world; so that we can regain full health of soul and body and contemplate your glory. Amen.
- Rev. Dr. Luca Vona
