Dąbrowski, Maciej H. (Papieski Wydział Teologiczny we Wrocławiu, 2016)
The scene where Jesus and Nicodemus talk at night is sometimes named a rabbinic discussion. Even if on the literary level we may see certain features of this kind of discussion, in reality it cannot be perceived as such. The used terms ῥαββί (rabbi) and διδάσκαλος (didaskalos) not necessarily mean the same. It should be noted that the first of these words most probably is not yet in use in the times the Gospel describes, some claim it to be used anachronicly here. Moreover, Jesus was certainly not a rabbi, and if the term was not yet present in his times, neither was Nicodemus. There is no rabbinic discussion if there is no rabbi. The Gospel seems to be in that matter a witness of its times – probably it uses some images of rabbinic discussion to show that not the Phariseesim / Rabbinism is the true fulfillment of Israel’s vocation, but it is Christianity and only way for the Jews is to recognize Jesus as the only and highest teacher and a true rabbi.
