Nicodemus is surprised and cannot understand how this can be. Jesus, in turn, is surprised that Nicodemus does not understand. The you here is singular again. Nicodemus was Israel’s teacher. This doesn’t mean he was the only teacher, but people looked up to him expecting to learn, and he didn’t know even the most fundamental things about the human condition and our need of God. Sadly there are many ministers and pastors of whom the same could be said.
Was it reasonable of Jesus to expect him to know this simple truth? The answer is yes. Several times in the Old Testament it speaks of our need of the Holy Spirit and renewing (Is 44:3, 59:21; Ezek11:19,20, 36:26,27; Joel 2:28,29; Ps 51:10).
The truth is very plain in the Bible yet we so easily miss it. When I think of others there are times when I wonder “how can you not see that?”. Yet I also have no doubt that there are many areas in my own life where I have blind spots. The problem is that because they are blind spots I don’t know what they are! That is why we must keep on studying the Bible, and with a humble attitude (Is 66:2) for we all need to learn from Him.
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