Bible Study from November 21st, 2020

Nicodemus — The Wind Bloweth Where it Listeth

This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Soul and Body

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The miracles recorded in the Bible, which had before seemed to me supernatural, grew divinely natural and apprehensible; though uninspired interpreters ignorantly pronounce Christ’s healing miraculous, instead of seeing therein the operation of the divine law.

Jesus of Nazareth was a natural and divine Scientist. He was so before the material world saw him. He who antedated Abraham, and gave the world a new date in the Christian era, was a Christian Scientist, who needed no discovery of the Science of being in order to rebuke the evidence. To one “born of the flesh,” however, divine Science must be a discovery. Woman must give it birth.

As sweet music ripples in one’s first thoughts of it like the brooklet in its meandering midst pebbles and rocks, before the mind can duly express it to the ear, — so the harmony of divine Science first broke upon my sense, before gathering experience and confidence to articulate it. Its natural manifestation is beautiful and euphonious, but its written expression increases in power and perfection under the guidance of the great Master.

From “The Great Discovery” in, Retrospection and Introspection   by Mary Baker Eddy, page 26:12-23 (to 2nd.); 27: 21-28

Topic: Nicodemus – Ye Must be Born Again.

Moderator: Susan from MA

Bible Readings: Numbers 21:5-9; John 2:1-25; John 3:1-15, 7: 37-52, 19:38-42

Questions:

  1. Who was Nicodemus, and what events had been recently happening when Nicodemus came to see Jesus by night?
  2. What did Jesus mean (John 3:8), when he said, “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.”?
  3. What did Jesus mean (John 3:14), when he said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the son of man be lifted up:”?
  4. What other two events does Nicodemus appear in the book of John, that show there may have been a change in him after this meeting with Jesus?

Notes from the Discussion




The same word signifies both the wind and the Spirit. The wind bloweth where it listeth for us; God directs it. The Spirit sends his influences where, and when, on whom, and in what measure and degree, he pleases. Though the causes are hidden, the effects are plain, when the soul is brought to mourn for sin, and to breathe after Christ.

— Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary




The venom of the fiery serpents, shooting through the veins of the rebellious Israelites, was spreading death through the camp — lively emblem of the perishing condition of men by reason of sin. In both cases the remedy was divinely provided. In both the way of cure strikingly resembled that of the disease. Stung by serpents, by a serpent they are healed. By “fiery serpents” bitten—serpents, probably, with skin spotted fiery red — the instrument of cure is a serpent of brass or copper, having at a distance the same appearance. … it is by directing the eye to the uplifted Remedy that the cure is effected; in the one case the bodily eye, in the other the gaze of the soul by “believing in Him,” as in that glorious ancient proclamation — “Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth,” (Isa 45:22). As the serpent was God’s ordinance for the cure of every bitten Israelite, so is Christ for the salvation of every perishing sinner — the one however a purely arbitrary ordinance, the other divinely adapted to man’s complicated maladies. In both cases the efficacy is the same. As one simple look at the serpent, however distant and however weak, brought an instantaneous cure, even so, real faith in the Lord Jesus, however tremulous, however distant — be it but real faith — brings certain and instant healing to the perishing soul. In a word, the consequences of disobedience are the same in both. Doubtless many bitten Israelites, galling as their case was, would reason rather than obey, would speculate on the absurdity of expecting the bite of a living serpent to be cured by looking at a piece of dead metal in the shape of one — speculate thus till they died. Alas! is not salvation by a crucified Redeemer subjected to like treatment? Has the offense of the cross” yet ceased?

— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary




The operations of the wind

Sometimes it wails, and so the Spirit sets men mourning for sin.

Sometimes its sound is triumphant, and so the Spirit inspires in us the shout of victory over sin and death.

The wind is a great LEVELLER. It aims at things high. If you are down low in the street you escape its fury, but climb the height and you will scarcely stand. Even so the Spirit. He makes every high thought bow before the majesty of His might.

The wind PURFIES the atmosphere. In the Swiss valleys there is a heaviness which makes the inhabitants unhealthy. They take quinine and have big swellings in their necks. The air does not circulate; but if there is a great storm it is a great blessing to the people. So the Spirit cleanses out our evil and brings health to the soul.

The wind is a GREAT TRIER OF THE NATURE OF THINGS. It sweeps over heaps of rubbish and scatters the dust, etc., but iron and stone remain unmoved. The Holy Ghost is similarly a testing power, both of men and doctrines.

The wind is HELPFUL. In Lincolnshire, where the country is flat and below the sea level, they are obliged to dry the land by means of windmills. In many parts all the corn is ground by means of the wind. The Spirit is also a mighty helper. You are inundated by a flood of iniquity which you can never bale out; or you need some power to prepare your spiritual food, and you will never find better help than that which the Spirit can give.

Man must co-operate with the wind, and so Christians with the Spirit.

— from Biblehub.com by J. Caird, D. D




Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove.” Also he added: “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (refraining from admitting the claims of the senses).

— from Miscellany by Mary Baker Eddy, page 222




WIND. That which indicates the might of omnipotence and the movements of God’s spiritual government, encompassing all things. Destruction; anger; mortal passions.

— from the Glossary of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 597




John 3:1-3. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 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. 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.”

There must be a new birth because a new name is absolutely necessary for the discernment of spiritual things. The natural man cannot comprehend spiritual things, they must be spiritually discerned. The new birth is therefore necessary that we may have a spirit within us which can see or understand the kingdom of God; but until a man is born again, “he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 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.”

He undergoes a mysterious change, he becomes a new man, he enters into a new life which others cannot comprehend; though they hear the sound of it, they cannot tell whence this man’s new life comes, or whither it goes. He has become a spiritual person, not comprehended of natural men.

— from Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions




Greek, 4151, pneuma: a current of air i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by anal. or fig. a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by impl.) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., an angel, or (divine) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit:- ghost, life, spirit, mind.

— from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance







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