Lectio Divina: “How can these things be?”

Gospel reading: John 3.7-15

[Jesus said] ‘Do not be astonished that I said to you, “You must be born from above.” The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

‘Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.’

Reflections

There is a parallelism in the flow of the half of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus in today’s Gospel reading from John, and the Annunciation to Mary by the angel as told by Luke. Within that flow, there are interesting juxtapositions to be drawn in the text.

First, there is the instruction not to be astonished (thaumazó, wonder or marvel), or not to fear (phobeó):

Then there will be a birth:

In Nicodemus’ case it is his own rebirth. The verb ‘be born’ is in the passive voice. Nicodemus may be a teacher of Israel but he has no power here. The power is with the Spirit, blowing where it chooses. In Mary’s case, it is the birth of Jesus. The verb ‘bear’ is not in the active but in the middle voice; Mary will also be affected in the bearing, as well as being the one doing the bearing. And Mary has the agency. She has a choice, and with her ‘Let it be to me according to your word’ at the end of the exchange, she chooses to be the God-bearer.

Then there is the response:

Both ask ‘How?’, and the translations are very similar, but the Greek shows the difference.

Nicodemus asks Pōs dynatai tauta genesthai, literally ‘How have the power [or ‘are able’] these things to happen [or ‘come into being’ or ‘become’]?’ The conversation has been full of this verb dunamai. In Nicodemus’ first address to Jesus (v2), he speaks of his power to do signs. Jesus uses it in his reply (v3), with respect to power to behold the kingdom of God. Being born from above is the necessary condition. Then Nicodemus starts asking questions (v4), and uses the verb twice regarding how this is possible once already old. Jesus’ answer (v5) again relates to the kingdom of God, this time the power to enter it. Now in Nicodemus’ questioning (v9) it is once more about the power to make these things happen.

Nicodemus may be a teacher of Israel, but he is being obtuse and not listening. So Jesus no longer responds using the language of power, but pivots to understanding and knowledge. Which is to say, not understanding and not receiving his testimony.*

Mary’s words are simpler: Pōs estai touto, ‘How will be this thing?’. Her ‘how’ is not about the means, but simply addresses the is or is not; the necessary act for procreation is a fact of life that would be a puzzle for any woman. She does not question God’s power, and she does not keep plugging away with her questions. But once the angel answers her, she trusts that God can do all things and gives her assent. She might be an untutored small-town girl, and yet she understands.

* Note that in v11 Jesus uses the first person plural: ‘we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony.’ Who is this ‘we’?

-oOo-

Since April 2020, I have been jointly hosting a shared Lectio Divina group on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings. These are my reflections only, during the prayer session and as I wrote them up. Please see my separate commentary and leaflet for more information about shared Lectio.