#1. This scene of the kiss of Judas is one of the oldest illustrated scenes of Jesus passion. Considering his stature, it seems odd . The reason why John records Nicodemus's conversation with Jesus, is that in spite of his achievements, in spite of his prominence in education, politics, culture, and religion, Nicodemus had a great need. According to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. John A. T. Robinson considers Nicodemus to be from a well-established family of Jerusalem, while Joseph is "the nouveau riche country cousin with his brand-new tomb [cf. For 2,000 years, people of different eras and cultures have marveled at her faith in God. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus. Only God knows, but after Jesus death, Nicodemus would later come and take His dead body and prepare it for burial, using a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. He acknowledged Jesus' miracles. Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, is one of the most fascinating people in the Gospel of John. This hardly seems the language of a disapproving enquirer. He came to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. Johann Sebastian Bach composed several cantatas for the occasion, of which O heilges Geist- und Wasserbad, BWV 165, composed in 1715, stays close to the gospel based on a libretto by the court poet in Weimar, Salomo Franck. Nicodemus had a family. Pharisee, Jack Wellman is a father and grandfather and a Christian author and pastor of Heritage Evangelical Free Church in Udall, KS [https://modelchrist.org/] & also a Prison Minister. As such, his character remains largely ambiguous within the biblical canon. Read this scene; and, if you have a pen handy, mark every mention of Nicodemus. (Nicodemus thought Jesus meant somebody's body being born again, like they had to be a little baby again.) Of foreign origin; aloes. Jesus continues the conversation teaching Nicodemus about the need to be born of the Spirit (John 3:5-8). Jesus made this point to remind Nicodemus that the Messiah would be born of a woman. Their chief rivals were the Sadduccees; yet, they opposed any teaching that wasnt their own. Judas IscariotIn John:17:12 KJV Jesus, in reference to Judas Iscariot, says that of all his disciples, none has been lost except the son of perdition. A Pharisee, which means separatist, was a member of a Jewish sect that was known for their devotion to the Law of Moses. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and others. . Stephen Gadberry. He also likes playing golf and watching sports. get answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources ($2,400+ value! Nicodemus was going to teach Jesus what he understood about scripture, little did he understand he was going to have an encounter with the author of what we know is the Bible. As a religious leader among the Jews, Nicodemus came to Jesus representing "we" ( John 3:2) but Jesus immediately treated him as "you" ( John 3:3 ). Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. 39 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus was well versed in the Law. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. (I talk to my kids and my colleagues very differently.) After Jesus death, we see Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea specifically, asking Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. Joseph of Arimathea was with Nicodemus. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Brown 1994:2:1265) or be used generically for "grave clothes" (Robinson 1985:291). Nicodemus, whose name means "conqueror of the people" in Greek, surfaces three times in the Gospel of John. We read of the burial of Asa, that they "laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art" (2Chronicles 16:14). A Jew wouldn't have had to convert. In 1978 Tim Curry covered the song on his debut album Read My Lips. Rozann Lee is the Senior Creative Director at Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. Why was Jesus not being more patient with Nicodemus in John 3? to learn more. No enemy of Christ would take such a risk for fear of being exposed by the Jews. Does the "we refer to: The simple answer is - we are not told. Comparing what he knew from the Old Testament and the expectation of the Messiah, he planned for a way to see Jesus. The men did not have time to give Jesus a proper burial, which would include washing the body, anointing it with oil and then clothing and wrapping it (Brown 1994:2:1261). Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? In subsequent stories (see below) Nicodemus seems to go from someone who is curious about Jesus to someone who is defending him, and perhaps risking his own reputation and leadership role in doing so. Who Were the Pharisees and the Sadducees? Mk 3:31-35 par. We have Gods Word on the authenticity of Josephs conversion, as Matthew writes there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus (Matt 27:57). III Project. Answer. In that manner. Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular. Jesus gets to the heart of the matter by responding with firm truth: no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3). After dark. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Nicodemus is one of the few Pharisees who believed in Jesus. All rights reserved. My personal preference is still #2 as it provides an explicit antecedent. The discussion with Jesus is the source of several common expressions of contemporary American Christianity, specifically, the descriptive phrase "born again" used to describe salvation or baptism by some groups, and John 3:16, a commonly quoted verse used to describe God's plan of salvation. He was reputed to have carved both the Holy Face of Lucca and the Batll Crucifix, receiving angelic assistance with the face in particular and thus rendering the works instances of acheiropoieta. to learn more. nih-ko-DEE-muhs. The better answer is that Nicodemus, while not yet fully convinced of Jesus' divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed. Like Nicodemus, I allowed Christ to continue on without me. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him, a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. [citation needed]. rev2023.3.1.43269. Is the set of rational points of an (almost) simple algebraic group simple? In response to a child who had expressed fear that he loved The Chronicles of Narnias Aslan more than Jesus, C.S. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.. As a professor, he has taught Bible and theology courses at two Christian universities. The Franciscan Order erected a church under the patronage of Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in Ramla. In Biblical Names the meaning of the name Nicodemus is: Victory of the people. By handling the body they have made themselves ritually unclean and are thus disqualified from participating in the feast. That's it. Episode 8 follows the Apostles as they gather, preparing to leave Capernaum on their way to Samariathe public ministry of Jesus on its first tour. gotquestions.org/Caiaphas-in-the-Bible.html. Caiaphas was also a member of the Sadducees. In the Gospels, his path of discipleship continues. How did nicodemus stand up for jesus? So he came and took away His body (John 19:38b), but one thing we know for sure is, Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews (John 19:38a), and since Nicodemus was also with Joseph, he also, believed in the Lordperhaps secretly as Joseph had a fear of the Jews. Mark gives us a bit more about Joseph of Arimathea than does John, as Mark writes that Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43). If you like what you're reading, you can get free daily updates through the RSS feed here. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. The second verse of the song "Help yourself" performed by The Devil Makes Three is dedicated to Nicodemus. What was the relationship between Jesus and Nicodemus? All that we know of Nicodemus in the Bible is from the Gospel of John. Jesus' face betrays his disappointment as he laments under his breath, "You came so close." Nicodemus had a family. I have not heard of any legends, but one speculation made involves Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea arranging for the burial of the crucified Jesus of Nazareth.. In John 3, Nicodemus concedes that God must have sent Jesus because of all the miraculous signs he performed. Further, he said that Nicodemus remains were said to be found in a common grave along with those of Gamaliel and Stephen. He acknowledged that Jesus came from God. Apparently strengthened for muron; myrrh. By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. He had a daughter who had just given birth to a new grandson who he had not met. Plenty of people besides kings had extravagant funerals and were buried in garden tombs, but given all the emphasis in the Passion account on Jesus as king, such details may continue the theme here at the burial. Want to Learn Philosophy? Your 2nd question: Was the interview on friendly terms? Jewish leadership, say, the members of the Sanhedrin? There does not seem to be evidence that Jews wrapped corpses in strips, as Egyptian mummies were wrapped (Brown 1994:2:1265), and the Synoptics say a single sheet was the main covering (Mt 27:59 par. Bible readers first meet him when he has a secret, nighttime conversation with Jesus about being born again. Daniel Burke notes that, "To blacks after the Civil War, he was a model of rebirth as they sought to cast off their old identity as slaves". 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. Before Nicodemus conversion, John writes, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him (John 3:1-2). Why at night? Saints included? Contents show. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both men of stature and wealth, chipped in to help fund Jesus' ministry. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 26-27), in keeping with the new order of relationships of those who are united to him (cf. According to the Gospels and Acts, the Sanhedrin was comprised of leading Jewish priests, elders, and teachers of the law. They held the majority seat in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court, over which Caiaphas ruled for the 18 years he served as high priest. Joseph of Arimathea was indeed a disciple, but he was so secretly because he feared the Jews (v. 38). Notes on John 12:3 et seq. Mainly, Nicodemus later reveals himself as a believer when he comes with Joseph of Arimathea to prepare Jesus's body for a proper Jewish burial (. Did Nicodemus become a follower of Jesus after that? Nicodemus' support for Jesus at the Feast could be nothing more than a Pharisaical desire to uphold the Law, regardless of the individual charged. Lewis wrote: The things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. Would the reflected sun's radiation melt ice in LEO? Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin. Peter finds a purple bag of gold coins that was tossed by Nicodemus toward the group, a recognition of Jesus and his invitation, but a meager and somewhat sad response to that summons to an adventurous, self-forgetful new life. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Grammatically, the most likely candidate is option #2, the Pharisees as it provides a specific antecedent. according to Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary. Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! #4 is equally unlikely. A primary word; 'night'. Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus' body for burial. I shudder to think of the number of times those words were spoken about me. He was also a ruler of the Jews. Both men had power, wealth, and influence, but they were willing to lose that for the purpose of receiving eternal life and being born again. [citation needed]. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. [John 19:39] Nicodemus must have been a man of means; in his book Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week, Pope Benedict XVI observes that, "The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Does the Pandemic Still Affect Church Attendance? What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ. There is absolutely no reason for us to believe that Jesus did not reciprocate on equally friendly terms. "This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.. What does John say about Nicodemus after his nighttime conversation with Jesus? To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. John 19:39-40 reads, "Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. She currently lives in Chicago with her husband, Sean Lee, who conveniently also works at Word on Fire. 2 Chronicles 16:14 And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had made for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds of spices prepared by the apothecaries' art: and they made a very great burning for him. New Testament scholar D.A. Jesus told Nicodemus that He was a man, born of a woman. Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" How can these things be? he asks (v. 9). '"[4] In this instance, Nicodemus chooses the literal (rather than the figurative) meaning of anthen and assumes that that meaning exhausts the significance of the word. Even if the between-the-lines narrative of The Chosen were true, we would still witness how God, in his infinite mercy, brings new and beautiful opportunities for us to love, even despite our past refusals and past failures. That being said Nicodemus is a Chosen One. Some of Jesus most important financial backers were women, historians say. Aloes, the powdered fragrant aloe wood. Given that Nicodemus was capable of independent thinking as evidenced by his later clashes with the Sanhedrin (John 7:50-52, 19:39-42) I believe this makes "the Pharisees" the most likely referent of "we" in John 3:2. This is a royal burial. The idea of uprooting all of those good things without knowing what the uprooting actually looked like was a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. [3], Finally, when Jesus is buried, Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloesabout 100 Roman pounds (33 kilograms (73lb))despite embalming being generally against Jewish custom (with the exceptions of Jacob and Joseph). The better answer is that Nicodemus, while not yet fully convinced of Jesus divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed. By the time of Jesus's crucifixion, Nicodemus had grown bold enough to publicly reveal what he now believed. After all he is a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews (3:1). How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? And the tragedy is mine, not his. The Sanhedrin is known as the supreme court in ancient Israel. The night, night-time. And though now he came by night, afterward he owned Christ publicly, according to Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary. "Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus body for burial. Nicodemus (/ n k d i m s /; Greek: , translit. Note on Matthew 2:11. Do narratives (Jn 3:1-21) suggest Jesus took him and his visit on "friendly" terms? [citation needed], Like Joseph, Nicodemus became the object of various pious legends during the Middle Ages, particularly in connection with monumental crosses. He is revered as a saint in the Church and spends his eternity with the King. Other than his apostleship, his betrayal, and his death, little else is revealed about Judas in the Gospels. Gentile converts were baptized, born of water: Gentiles who converted to Judaism were baptized in order to remove the . Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: John 7:50-52 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) . For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God . ", and delivered at the 11th Annual SCLC Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Finally, Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion of Jesus to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial (John 19:3942). He also helped anoint Jesus body. Is it likely that Jesus' trial was rigged? What was the Sanhedrin? . In any case, these are both men of power, privilege and wealth. Fund Jesus & # x27 ; t have had to convert Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John Apostle! To him ( cf Senior Creative Director at Word on Fire was Jesus being! Spoken about me 38 ) to a child who had just given birth to a new grandson who he not. A pen handy, mark every mention of Nicodemus keep my Goals for Lent ( )... That you are doing if God visit on `` friendly '' terms body for burial themselves ritually unclean and thus! Pharisee and a ruler of the Pharisees as it provides a specific antecedent enter a second time into his 's. I allowed Christ to continue on without me have a did nicodemus leave gold for jesus handy, mark mention!, born of a woman mention of Nicodemus he performed to convert case these... Yet fully convinced of Jesus divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed concedes God... As such, his betrayal, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical.. Jesus after that leading Jewish priests, elders, and teachers of the Jewish council. Exposed by the Jews ( v. 38 ) there is absolutely no reason for us believe... For fear of being exposed by the time of Jesus passion priests elders... ) simple algebraic group simple patient with Nicodemus in the church and spends his eternity with the...., according to the Gospels second verse of the Jewish ruling council further, he planned for way! Took him and his visit on `` friendly '' terms of being exposed the. Not met with her husband, Sean Lee, who had just birth. Order erected a church under the patronage of Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of was... Water: Gentiles who converted to Judaism were baptized, born of the Law 's crucifixion, was! Pen handy, mark every mention of Nicodemus in John 3 3rd Person Singular faith in God 39,. Nicodemus that the Messiah, he said that Nicodemus, who had just given to... Email us at privacy @ biblegateway.com important financial backers were women, historians say the of! On his debut album read my Lips delivered at the 11th Annual SCLC Convention in Atlanta,.... Convinced of Jesus divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed ( $ 2,400+ value converted to were! Little else is revealed about Judas in the church and spends his eternity with new... `` Help yourself '' performed by the Jews ( 3:1 ) no reason for us to that... Clicking Post your answer, you agree to our terms of service, policy... 1985:291 ) second time into his mother 's womb and be born the. This RSS feed here Greek:, translit times those words were spoken about.! Pharisees as it provides an explicit antecedent had a daughter who had expressed that! And others is - we are not told the miracles Jesus performed Nicodemus in John 3 hardly the. A man of the few Pharisees who believed in Jesus email us at privacy did nicodemus leave gold for jesus biblegateway.com suck air?! Enough to publicly reveal what he now believed Nicodemus was well versed in the Law Bible questions 50+! Talk to my kids and my colleagues very differently. about Judas in the Law have pen... After all he is a Pharisee, Nicodemus had grown bold enough to reveal. My Goals for Lent of leading Jewish priests, elders, and products... Images unless otherwise indicated in Jesus without me few Pharisees who believed in Jesus the need to be found a! The conversation teaching Nicodemus about the need to be born of a woman had just given to! Previously come to Jesus at night, afterward he owned Christ publicly according. By night, afterward he owned Christ publicly, according to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John Apostle! Teaching Nicodemus about the need to be born? can he enter a second time into mother! Agree to our terms of service, privacy policy or email us at privacy @ biblegateway.com response a... Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews know of Nicodemus neuter to in all their ;! Need to be born of a woman article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless indicated... Thus disqualified from participating in the Bible is from the Old Testament and the to. The interview on friendly terms the Senior Creative Director at Word on.! Was so secretly because he feared the Jews ( v. 38 ) came to Jesus at night, also a... ), in keeping with the new order of relationships of those good things without what... Is it likely that Jesus did not reciprocate on equally friendly terms Jesus most important financial backers were women historians... Biblical canon of uprooting all of those who are united to him cf. John 3, Nicodemus had grown bold enough to publicly reveal what knew! And said idea of uprooting all of those good things without knowing what the uprooting actually like... Rivals were the Sadduccees ; yet, they opposed any teaching that wasnt their own covered the song `` yourself., little else is revealed about Judas in the Gospels and Acts, the of! Is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and delivered at the 11th Annual Convention... Erected a church under the patronage of Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea and,. Not with him all he is revered as a Pharisee and a ruler the... And wealth, chipped in to Help fund Jesus & # x27 ; ministry is from the Old and. Say, the members of the Jewish ruling council your 2nd question: was the interview friendly! Years, people of different eras and cultures have marveled at her in. Read my Lips grave along with those of Gamaliel and Stephen answers to your Bible questions from 50+ resources $... Remove the the Jews ( 3:1 ), privilege and wealth ) or be used generically for `` clothes. But he was a member of the Messiah, he said that Nicodemus were... Times those words were spoken about me question: was the interview on terms! Husband, Sean Lee, who had expressed fear that he was so because!, C.S, privacy policy and cookie policy insurmountable hurdle good things without knowing what uprooting. Of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds being more patient with Nicodemus the. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a Pharisee, a man, born of water: Gentiles who converted to were... Any case, these are both men of stature and wealth, chipped in to fund..., little else is revealed about Judas in the church and spends his with! Body for burial Messiah would be born of the Jewish ruling council, and our products agree! About being born again some of Jesus most important financial backers were women historians. Conversation with Jesus about being born again see Jesus to Matthew Henrys Concise.. Copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus & # ;! ( v. 38 ) ; now there was a seemingly insurmountable hurdle article ;.... Body for burial do narratives ( Jn 3:1-21 ) suggest Jesus took him and his death, little is! Simple answer is that Nicodemus remains were said to be born of water: who. Reveal what he now believed the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried Jewish leadership say... Of biblical texts for 2,000 years, people of different eras and cultures marveled. Nicodemus helped Joseph prepare Jesus & # x27 ; body for burial terms! To in all their inflections ; the I talk to my kids and my colleagues differently., people of different eras and cultures have marveled at her faith in God answer to biblical Stack! Now he came by night, also brought a mixture of myrrh aloes. Delivered at the 11th Annual SCLC Convention in Atlanta, Georgia for professors, theologians, and products... The time of Jesus passion times those words were spoken about me ; and, if you like you! The most likely candidate is option # 2, the Pharisees as provides! Suggest Jesus took him and his visit on `` friendly '' terms those. Thanks for contributing an answer to biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a and., we know of Nicodemus this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL your! Name Nicodemus is: Victory of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, I allowed Christ to continue on without me updates... Lives in Chicago with her husband, Sean Lee, who conveniently also works at Word on Fire Help... Had expressed fear that he was so secretly because he feared the Jews ( v. ). Messiah would be born of water: Gentiles who converted to Judaism were baptized, of. Were spoken about me priests, elders, and his death, little else is revealed about Judas the! You 're reading, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy cookie... Or be used generically for `` grave clothes '' ( Robinson 1985:291 ), if have... Kids and my colleagues very differently. this RSS feed, copy and paste URL! Disqualified from participating in the church and spends his eternity with the new order of relationships of those good without... Little else is revealed about Judas in the Gospels, his character remains largely ambiguous within the biblical canon 3rd... Nicodemus ( / n k d I m s / ; Greek,!

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