Difference between revisions of "Nicodemus"

<p> A ruler of the Jews, a master ("teacher") of Israel, and a Pharisee. John (&nbsp;John 3:1-10) alone mentions him. John knew the high priest (&nbsp;John 18:15), so his knowledge of [[Nicodemus]] among the high priest's associates is natural. John watched with deep interest his growth in grace, which is marked in three stages (&nbsp;Mark 4:26-29). </p> <p> '''(1)''' An anxious inquirer. The rich were ashamed to confess Jesus openly, in spite of convictions of the reality of His mission; so [[Joseph]] of [[Arimathea]] "a disciple, but secretly for fear of the Jews" (&nbsp;John 19:38). The poor "came" by day, but Nicodemus "by night." By an undesigned coincidence marking genuineness, Jesus' discourse is tinged, as was His custom (&nbsp;John 6:26-27; &nbsp;John 4:7-14; &nbsp;John 4:35), with a coloring drawn from the incidents of the moment: cf6 "this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light", etc.; cf6 "every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light ... but he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God" (&nbsp;John 3:19-21). Nicodemus was now a timid but candid inquirer; sincere so far as his belief extended. Fear of man holds back many from decision for Christ (&nbsp;John 7:13; &nbsp;John 9:22; &nbsp;John 12:42-43; &nbsp;John 5:44; &nbsp;Proverbs 29:25; contrast &nbsp;Isaiah 51:7-8; &nbsp;Isaiah 66:5; &nbsp;Acts 5:41). </p> <p> Where real grace is, however, Jesus does "not quench the smoking flax." Many of Nicodemus' fellow rulers attributed Jesus' miracles to Beelzebub; Nicodemus on the contrary avows " we (including others besides himself) know Thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles which Thou doest, except God be with him." Nicodemus was probably one of the many who had "seen His miracles on the [[Passover]] feast day, and believed (in a superficial way, but in Nicodemus it ultimately became a deep and lasting faith) when they saw" (&nbsp;John 2:23-24); but "Jesus did not commit Himself unto them ... for He knew what was in man," as He shows now in dealing with Nicodemus. Recognition of the divine miracle. working Teacher is not enough for seeing the kingdom of God, Jesus with a twice repeated Amen solemnly declares; there must be new birth from above (margin &nbsp;John 3:3; &nbsp;John 3:5; &nbsp;John 3:7), "of water (the outward sign) and of the Spirit" ''(The Essential Thing, Not Inseparably [[Joined]] To The [[Water]] Baptism: '' &nbsp;Mark 16:16 ''; '' &nbsp;Acts 2:38 '' '' (See [[Baptism]] ) '')'' , so that, as an infant just born, the person is a "new creature"; compare [[Naaman]] the type, &nbsp;2 Kings 5:14; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 5:17; &nbsp;Ezekiel 36:25-26. </p> <p> For, being fleshly by birth, we must continue fleshly until being born of the Spirit we become spiritual (&nbsp;John 3:6). Nature can no more east out nature than Satan cast out Satan. Like the mysterious growth of the child in the womb, and like "the wind" whose motions we cannot control but know only its effects, "the sound," etc., so is the new birth (&nbsp;John 3:8; &nbsp;Ecclesiastes 11:5; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:11). Such was the beginning and growth of the new life in Nicodemus (&nbsp;Mark 4:27). [[Regeneration]] and its fruits are inseparable; where that is, these are (&nbsp;1 John 3:9; &nbsp;1 John 5:1; &nbsp;1 John 5:4). Nicodemus viewed Jesus' solemn declaration as a natural man, "how can these things be?" (&nbsp;John 3:4; &nbsp;John 3:9; compare &nbsp;John 6:52; &nbsp;John 6:60; &nbsp;1 Corinthians 2:14). Yet he was genuinely open to conviction, for Christ unfolds to him fully His own divine glory as having "come down from heaven," and as even then while speaking to him "being in heaven" in His divine nature; also God's love in giving His Son, and salvation through the Son who should be lifted up, as the brazen serpent was, to all who look to Him in faith, and condemnation to unbelievers. </p> <p> '''(2)''' A sincere but as yet weak believer. The next stage in Nicodemus' spiritual history appears &nbsp;John 7:45-53. [[Naturally]] timid, Nicodemus nevertheless remonstrates with bigots. The Pharisees, chagrined at the failure of their officers to apprehend Jesus, said, "why have ye not brought Him?" They replied, "never man spoke like this man." The [[Pharisees]] retorted, "are ye also deceived? surely none of the rulers or the Pharisees have believed on Him, have they? (Greek) But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed." Here one who, as they thought, should have stood by them and echoed their language, ventures to cast a doubt on their proceedings: "doth our law judge any before it hear him and know what he doeth?" (compare &nbsp;Leviticus 19:15; &nbsp;Exodus 23:1). Indignantly they ask, "art thou also of Galilee? ... out of [[Galilee]] hath arisen (Greek) no prophet." [[Spite]] made them to ignore Jonah and Nahum. John marks the spiritual advance in Nicodemus by contrasting his first coming "by night" (&nbsp;John 7:50). He now virtually confesses Jesus, though in actual expression all he demands is fair play for an injured Person. As before he was an anxious inquirer, so now he is a decided though timid believer. </p> <p> '''(3)''' The third stage is (&nbsp;John 19:39) when he appears as a bold and strong believer, the same Nicodemus ''(As John Again Reminds Us)'' as "came at the first to Jesus by night." When even the twelve shrank from the danger to be apprehended from the mob who had clamored for Jesus' crucifixion, and whose appetite for blood might not yet be sated, and when Christ's cause seemed hopeless, the once timid Nicodemus shows extraordinary courage and faith Christ's crucifixion, which shook the faith of others, only confirms his. He remembers now Jesus had said He "must be lifted up," like the brazen "serpent," that all believers in Him might have eternal life. So Nicodemus had the honour of wrapping His sacred body in linen with 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes, in company, with Joseph of Arimathea. </p> <p> Christ's resurrection richly rewarded the faith of him who stumbled not at His humiliation. Compare on the spiritual lesson &nbsp;Matthew 12:20; &nbsp;Zechariah 4:10; &nbsp;Proverbs 4:18. Like Mary who "anointed Christ's body to the burying," "what Nicodemus did is and shall be spoken of for a memorial of him wheresoever the gospel is preached throughout the whole world." Where real desire after the [[Saviour]] exists, it will in the end overcome the evil of the heart, and make a man strong in faith through the [[Holy]] Spirit. The [[Talmud]] tells of a Nicodemus ben [[Gorion]] who lived until the fall of Jerusalem, a Pharisee, wealthy, pious, and of the Sanhedrin; bearing originally a name borne by one of the five rabbinical disciples of Christ (Taanith, f. 19, [[Sanhedrin]] f. 43); and that his family fell into squalid poverty. </p>

<p> One of the Pharisees and a teacher in Israel. He came to the Lord by night for instruction, and was greatly astonished to find that, instead of instruction, he needed to be born again. See NEW [[Birth]] To this the Lord added that the Son of man must be lifted up: sin must be condemned, and the Son of God be given in love, in order that whosoever believeth in Him should have everlasting life: that is, heavenly blessings in new creation. Nicodemus afterwards grew bolder, and suggested in the council that the Lord ought to be heard, and His acts examined before He was condemned. The last we read of Nicodemus is that after the crucifixion he brought about a hundred pounds' weight of myrrh and aloes to embalm the Lord's body. &nbsp;John 3:1-9; &nbsp;John 7:50; &nbsp;John 19:39 . This last act was a tacit acknowledgement of his attachment to the One to whom he had come for instruction, but who had spoken to him of God's love, and of heavenly blessings through the Son of man lifted up, and whom he had attempted to defend in the council. </p>

<p> [[Nicodemus]] ( ''Nĭk-O-Dç'Mus'' ), ''Conqueror Of The People.'' A Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, and a teacher of Israel, &nbsp;John 3:1; &nbsp;John 3:10, whose secret visit to our Lord was the occasion of the discourse recorded only by John. Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, and finally became a follower of Christ, and came with Joseph of Arimathæa to take down and embalm the body of Jesus. &nbsp;John 7:50; &nbsp;John 19:39. </p>

<p> ( '''''Νικόδημος''''' '', [[Conqueror]] Of The People'' ) '','' a Pharisee, a ruler ( '''''Ἄρχων''''' '''''‘''''' '','' the usual title for a member of the Sanhedrim) of the Jews, and teacher (the article in '''''Ὁ''''' '''''Διδάσκ''''' . is probably only generic, although Winer and bishop Middleton suppose that it implies a rebuke) of [[Israel]] (&nbsp;John 3:1; &nbsp;John 3:10), whose secret visit to our Lord was the occasion of the discourse recorded by the evangelist. The name was not uncommon among the Jews (Josephus, ''Ant.'' 14:3, 2), and was no doubt borrowed from the Greeks. In the Talmud it appears under the form '''''נקדימון''''' , and some would derive it from '''''נקי''''' , innocent, '''''דם''''' , blood (i.e. "Sceleris purus"); Wetstein, ''N.T.'' 1:150. In the case of Nicodemus ben-Gorion, the name is derived by R. [[Nathan]] from a miracle which he is supposed to have performed (Otho, Lex. Rab. s.v.). Nicodemus is only mentioned by John (yet some German rationalists have sought or rather forced a comparison with the rich young man of &nbsp;Mark 10:17-24), who narrates his nocturnal visit to Jesus, and the conversation which then took place at this the evangelist may himself have been present. A.D. 26. The high station of Nicodemus, and the avowed scorn under which the rulers concealed their inward conviction (&nbsp;John 3:2) that Jesus was a teacher come from God, are sufficient to account for the secrecy of the interview. A constitutional timidity is discernible in the character of the inquiring Pharisee, which could not be overcome by his vacillating desire to befriend One whom he knew to be a Prophet, even if he did not at once recognize in him the promised Messiah. Thus the few words which he interposed against the rash injustice of his colleagues are cautiously rested on a general principle (&nbsp;John 7:50), and betray no indication of his faith in the [[Galilaean]] whom his sect despised. Even when the power of Christ's love, manifested on the cross, had made the most timid disciples bold, Nicodemus did not come forward with his splendid gifts of affection until the example had been set by one of his own rank and wealth, and station in society (19:39). See Hase, Leben Jesu, p. 106 sq.; Volbeding, Index Programmatum, p. 32. </p> <p> In these three notices of Nicodemus a noble candor and a simple love of truth shine out in the midst of hesitation and fear of man. But Niemeyer (Charakt. 1:113 sq.) has endeavored to show that the apparent timidity of Nicodemus was but reasonable prudence. We can easily believe the tradition that after the resurrection (which would supply the last outward impulse necessary to confirm his faith and increase his courage) he became a professed disciple of Christ, and received baptism at the hands of Peter and John. All the rest that is reported of him is very uncertain. It is said. however, that the Jews, in revenge for his conversion, deprived him of his office, beat him cruelly, and drove him from Jerusalem; that Gamaliel, who was his kinsman, hospitably sheltered him until his death in a country house, and finally gave him honorable burial near the body of Stephen, where Gamaliel himself was afterwards interred. Finally, the three bodies are said to have been discovered August 3, A.D. 415, which day was set apart by the Romish Church in honor of the event (Phot. Biblioth. Cod. p. 171; Lucian, De S. Steph. inventione). </p> <p> If the Nicodemus of John's Gospel be identical with the Nicodemus ben- Gorion of the Talmud (see Delitzsch ill the Zeitsckr.f. luth. Theologie, 1854, p. 643 sq.), he must have lived till the fall of Jerusalem, which is not impossible, since the term '''''Γέρων''''' '','' in &nbsp;John 3:4, may not be intended to apply to Nicodemus himself. The arguments for their identification are that both are mentioned as Pharisees, wealthy, pious, and members of the [[Sanhedrim]] ( ''Taanith,'' f. 19, etc.); and that the original name (altered on the occasion of a miracle performed by Nicodemus in order to procure rain) is said to have been '''''בוני''''' , Bonay, which is also the name of one of five rabbinical disciples of Christ mentioned in ''Sanhed. F.'' 43, 1 (Otho, s.v. Christus). Finally, the family of this Nicodemus are said to have been reduced from great wealth to the most squalid and horrible. poverty, which, however, may as well be accounted for by the fall of Jerusalem as by the change of fortune resulting from an acceptance of Christianity. </p>