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.(John 3:1-2).A Pharisee meeting with Jesus presents a very fascinating scenario. Considering the place of the Pharisees in society, I can safely describe Nicodemus as a representation of the Mosaic Law; because according to Jesus, the Pharisees sit in Moses' sit(Matthew 23:2). The Catholic Encyclopedia defines the Mosaic Law as "The body of juridical, moral, and ceremonial institutions, laws and decisions comprised in the last four books of the Pentateuch, and ascribed by Christian and Hebrew tradition to Moses."
The Pentateuch or Torah, is basically comprised of the first five books of the Old Testament. So, if the Mosaic Law takes its definition from the last four books of the Pentateuch, then, the Mosaic Law is simply all the ceremonial and religious law, including the Ten commandments contained in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These rules and commandments, handed to Moses by God, served as a moral code by which God related to the nation Israel.
Nicodemus, with a high moral standard approaching Jesus to enquire about God is a strong indication that, the Mosaic Law, with all its moral code was not sufficient to appease God's demand for justice for humanity's sin. Good works and morality by themselves doesn't save:
...by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight... ( Romans 3:20).This naturally leads us to the next verse:
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." (John 3:3).....
To be continued.....
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