To become new—how promising this sounds, how refreshing, how healing. This promise of newness must have been exciting and intimidating at the same time for Nicodemus, a theological teacher who approached Jesus one evening to discuss matters of spiritual importance, matters of theological weight.
Jesus explains to Nicodemus what it takes to understand life as it truly is—life in Spirit—and to Nicodemus’ utter puzzlement, he introduces the concept of a completely new birth: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 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” (John 3:5–8).
This play on words with “Spirit” and “wind” makes sense in the original Greek: Pneuma is the word used for both “Spirit” and “wind.” The teaching and healing work of Christ Jesus brought to light the reality of life in and of Spirit. Spirit, not matter, being substance; Spirit, not material history, defining man; Spirit, not material force, being true power; Spirit, not human personality, being Love. And the textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, builds entirely on Christ Jesus’ definition of Life as Spirit. It is a book that is so revolutionary and innovative that people have been either rejecting it altogether or soaking it up like a sponge and incorporating its ideas into their daily lives in the most fundamental way.
