How did Jesus respond to this opening gesture? Jesus was objectively being quick to the point in logic because Nicodemus was an expert of the Hebrew Scripture. Who Were the Pharisees and the Sadducees? But Pilate had clearly said three times that Jesus was innocent, which may account for his allowing Joseph to take the body. 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. Jesus and Nicodemus (John 3:1-21) 1 Now there came a man of the Pharisees whose name was Nicodemus, a member of the council. Consider simple gifts that dont add to clutter, such as movie or concert tickets, authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus say. Jesus is scourged, crowned with thorns, and beaten. What is it, then, that you do mean? 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. They accuse the crowd of being deceived and ignorant of the law. This is the first recorded encounter of Jesus and a Pharisees in John. He has worked in both public and private schools, as well as colleges and universities. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'. In popular music, Nicodemus' name was figuratively used in Henry Clay Work's 1864 American Civil War-era piece "Wake Nicodemus",[7] which at that time was popular in minstrel shows. He acknowledged Jesus' miracles. 'You cannot mean that a man is to enter the second time into his mothers womb, and be born. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. [13] To Calvin, who opposed all veneration of saints, the fact of Nicodemus becoming a Catholic saint in no way exonerated his "duplicity". According to some accounts of the dating (see comment on 18:28; 19:14), this means they would miss the Passover itself, in which case Christ has replaced the Passover for them in keeping with John's focus on Jesus as the Lamb of God and the fulfillment of the Jewish feasts in general. After the crucifixion, John records that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pontius Pilate and asked to take Jesus body (v. 38). Known for: Nicodemus was a leading Pharisee and well-recognized religious leader of the Jewish people. One hundred. So he came and took away His body, a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, 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, Jesus told his disciples, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher, If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple, Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple, So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple, made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth., Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Also see Is Jesus Coming Back Soon? [5] Rosamond Rodman asserts that freed slaves who moved to Nicodemus, Kansas, after the Civil War named their town after him. Berean Study Bible John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. The Franciscan Order erected a church under the patronage of Saints Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in Ramla. For less than $5/mo. Read them in the archive below. Some said he was a prophet; others said he was the Messiah. But the spiritual lessons remain. Mar 23, 2019. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Its valuable because of the Aslan principle: it allows us to run our fingers through the hair of that strange and powerful lion that is both irresistible goodness and ultimate power, who is in love with us but is a character we simultaneously and properly fear. To be sure, we just dont know what happened to Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, but I believe we will see them both in the kingdom, because they showed by their actions that they revered the dead body of Jesus and wanted to give His body a proper and decent and honorable burial. Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He is a member of the Sanhedrin and was obviously a wealthy man, because he purchased about a hundred pounds of spices to be placed between the folds of the cloth in . Carson writes that Nicodemus is advocating for Jesus but not directly. Early traditions of the Roman imperial church, which held Nicodemus in high . Acceleration without force in rotational motion? He did this despite the fact that embalming was more or less not allowed in Judaism. Jewish leadership, say, the members of the Sanhedrin? And the tragedy is mine, not his. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed His body. "(John 3:2). From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. 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. What was the relationship between Jesus and Nicodemus? Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and . His request was a literal one, and the viewer witnesses how the idea astounds Nicodemus, a man of his age with a family and a place in the Sanhedrin. Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular. More recently, in 1941, "The Golden Gate Quartet", in the African-American Jubilee style, sang the Gospel "God Told Nicodemus". The closest the Bible comes to answering this question is in John 19:40 Nicodemus plays a role in burying the body of Jesus Christ. Jesus face betrays his disappointment as he laments under his breath, You came so close.. BEST VALUE in digital Bible study. In the Lutheran prescribed readings of the 18th century, the gospel text of the meeting of Jesus and Nicodemus at night was assigned to Trinity Sunday. [9] Harder used events and timetables for his novel found within the pages of the Passion Translation version of the Bible[10] and brought biblical characters to life in a realistic story with the goal of keeping his book historically and scripturally accurate. That $197.40 is a value out of time, however. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. Nicodemus is one of the few Pharisees who believed in Jesus. At first, Nicoedums is confused (v. 3-8). Why does John mention that it was nighttime? [citation needed]. And though now he came by night, afterward he owned Christ publicly, according to Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? But there are three problems with this idea. Verse 2 When did Nicodemus come to visit Jesus? Also see What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ? In the Gospels, his path of discipleship continues. However, some exceptions, like in the cases of Jacob and Joseph, exist. Underline any details you learn about him. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Some of Jesus most important financial backers were women, historians say. The Pharisees, however, did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, despite the signs which revealed His identity. He watched in anguish as Christ and his disciples walked away on mission. Your 2nd question: Was the interview on friendly terms? So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews., Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. 39 Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of the Old Testament story of Moses and the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-8 ). Rozann Lee is the Senior Creative Director at Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. 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. (Isaiah 7) If this was the case, Nicodemus needed to consider the possibility that Jesus could be the Messiah. He received an answer that generations of Christians would hide in their hearts. Just Nicodemus and those with whom he had recently discussed things? This is the first recorded encounter of Jesus and a Pharisees in John. It is ironic that these two men come out of hiding and clearly associate themselves with Jesus at his death, since they would have thought his movement had come to an end. Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More. n-ih-kh-uh-d-ee-m-ih-s. to learn more. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? Jesus told Nicodemus that He was a man, born of a woman. According to Eastern tradition, she accompanied St. John the Apostle to Ephesus, where she died and was buried. It only takes a minute to sign up. This action makes the extent of their dissent evident to their fellow Jewish leaders. Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. Joseph derived his name, Joseph of Arimathea, from the Judean city from which he came and Nicodemus was very much like Paul, a Pharisee of the Pharisees, a member of the Sanhedrin. In 2005, she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with dual degrees in Graphic Design and Theology. What Is The Education System Like In Israel? 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. We know that Christ himself provides intimacy when and where he deems necessary, especially in response to our commitment to him and love of him (we see this in the lives of the saints), but to be afforded the gift of hearing his words spoken with inflection, see his eyes glimmer with affection, and see his strong hand wrap around the head of a man like Nicodemus, as Nicodemus buried his face in Christs neck and cried the blessed tears of true epiphany, stirs ones heartand soulin new and beautiful ways. And as you hear the Apostles count heads, you can see Nicodemus around the corner in agony, knowing the invitation has been offered . Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds (John 19:39). Also see How Old Was Jesus When Started His Ministry? What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ. Therefore, he came honestly seeking after God. The first mention of Nicodemus comes in the well-known exchange with Jesus about the doctrine of spiritual rebirth. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. Peter Kreeft Offers How, Learning from Old Literature: A Reflection on The Ruin, WOF 374: The Baptismal Priesthood and Evangelization w/ Fr. My seminary professor told us that he believed Nicodemus was saved early, even before Calvary, and was later baptized by the Apostles Peter and John, although he acknowledged that its impossible to prove. 1 Chronicles 16:11 Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually! Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and others. Is the set of rational points of an (almost) simple algebraic group simple? Jesus then went on to tell Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. My guess is that most were sitting on the fence at the time of the interview. 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). All rights reserved. The idea of uprooting all of those good things without knowing what the uprooting actually looked like was a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. 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). The Romans would often leave the body on the cross for days, though they might allow the family to take down the body for burial. Jesus calls him by an honorific title, "the Teacher of Israel" ( John 3:10 ). Mary Magdalenes life after the Gospel accounts. He wanted to get the truth directly from the . 19:38). Sadducees were often wealthy men of high position and, as they sought to appease their Roman rulers, were heavily involved in politics. Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. In the field of Psychology, personality types are commonly defined as a collection of traits that are thought to occur consistently together in people's thinking, behavior, and emotions. Instead, the seventy-five pounds of spices, which were probably in granular or powder form, could be packed under and around the body and in the strips of linen with which they wrapped the body. When the other Jewish leaders referenced the Law, Nicodemus cited its teachings about fair hearings right back to them. Did Nicodemus become a follower of Jesus after that? The myrrh and aloes were probably pulverised and mixed together, and then placed in the linen in which the body was wrapped. The song "Help Yourself" by The Devil Makes Three contains a very informal retelling of the relationship between Nicodemus and Jesus.[8]. The Pharisees were a group of Jews who were fastidious in keeping the letter of the Law and often opposed Jesus throughout His ministry. WOF 373: Why is Your Religion the Right One? [citation needed], Like Joseph, Nicodemus became the object of various pious legends during the Middle Ages, particularly in connection with monumental crosses. . Jesus has no ancestral tomb but rather has begun a new family of those born from above who will never die (11:26). Entombment, by Pietro Perugino, with Nicodemus and Joseph from Arimatea, Nicodemus (right) talking to Jesus, by William Brassey Hole, (18461917). Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both men of stature and wealth, chipped in to help fund Jesus ministry. And Nicodemus, though not actually called a "disciple," nevertheless had visited Jesus at night (v. 39) and had affirmed at that time that Jesus was a teacher come from God (3:2). He was a member of the Sanhedrin, so could "we" include, if not all, but most colleagues ? He came at night, perhaps not wanting it known that he met with Jesus. Jesus Christ, who will be rejected by the religious leaders, tells Nicodemus that he must be born again - even as a Pharisee! to learn more. In John 3:1, he is described as a Pharisee. The speech was called "Where Do We Go From Here? From the Synoptics we learn that Joseph was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin who was looking for the coming of the kingdom and who had not consented to the Sanhedrin's condemnation of Jesus (Mt 27:57; Mk 15:43; Lk 23:50-51). Other than his apostleship, his betrayal, and his death, little else is revealed about Judas in the Gospels. Always the last on the list of the Apostles, he was their treasurer. He advocated for a fair trial for Jesus, and he came to the tomb to anoint his body with fine ointments to assist in his burial. But Nicodemus believed because of the miracles Jesus did. We all have something. How much would the 30 pieces of silver be worth today? 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. The Pharisees specifically mention in V1? 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. This is a royal burial. #4 is equally unlikely. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Bibles. Nicodemus was not just a Pharisee, but a ruler of the Pharisees, which was one of the most powerful positions to hold in Jewry. For no one could do the miraculous signs that you do unless God were with him.". He acknowledged that Jesus came from God. Janis DardarisJanis Dardaris as Zohara: the wife of Nicodemus. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. Nicodemus (/nkdims/; Greek: , translit. That's it. The Sanhedrin was the highest legal court in first-century Judaism. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus. [citation needed]. Who Was Doubting Thomas? Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. link to How Old Was Mary When She Gave Birth to Jesus? Why at night? John 3:2-Nicodemus said "we" know," who are "we" he refers to? This all leads to the most haunting and tragic moment of the series thus far. The fact that it is a new tomb is emphasized by John (v. 41). Or even that Nicodemus ever recognized his words as legitimate. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. The series has followed him as he has struggled to understand, with humility and openness, who Jesus is and what that means. Why is the article "the" used in "He invented THE slide rule"? (2007). The better answer is that Nicodemus, while not yet fully convinced of Jesus divinity, had seen the miracles Jesus performed. 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. The term was originally applied mainly to crypto-protestants hidden Protestants in a Catholic environment later used more broadly. This led the scholars to believe that Nicodemus was likely a wealthy man. But nowhere in the Bible does it actually say that Nicodemus believed in Jesus or ever took Jesus's words in John 3 to heart. Note on Matthew 2:11. Just as Jesus said, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3), and there is strong reason to believe these two men were just that; born again. So, in V2, why is (= we know) plural. He was a powerful Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. It is in John 7:45-51 that he makes his second appearance, in which he explains the law of Jesus' imprisonment at the Feast of Booths. The meaning of the word for strips of linen (othoniois) is unclear. He currently works as a professor at a local college. When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? v. 41; Mt 27:60], which may suggest the lack of an established family mausoleum in the city" (1985:287). '"[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. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him (John 3:14-15). Lewis wrote: The things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. Bishop Barron's Gospel Reflections straight to your inbox. Source: Thanks, @Lesley. Jesus tells him that he is speaking of heavenly truths, not earthly ones. 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. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. John 3:1 reads, Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. John calls Nicodemus a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, which is a reference to the Sanhedrin. Further, the Sanhedrin was dominated by Sadducees (the High Priest was a Sadducee) they would not be interested in finding out much about this latest Messiah other than to condemn Him. Jesus was kind, HE did not humiliate Nicodemus, Jesus explained what HE was about. The night, night-time. As is the case with Lazarus, Nicodemus does not belong to the tradition of the Synoptic Gospels, and is mentioned only by John,[3] who devotes more than half of Chapter 3 of his gospel and a few verses of Chapter 7 to Nicodemus, and lastly mentions him in Chapter 19. In 1978 Tim Curry covered the song on his debut album Read My Lips. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.". There is absolutely no reason for us to believe that Jesus did not reciprocate on equally friendly terms. Nicodemus is described in John 3:1 as a Pharisee and a member of the powerful Jewish high council called the Sanhedrin. Paul is a big fan of the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots. This would offset the smell of decay and help preserve the body until it could be properly attended to after the sabbath (v. 42; Robinson 1985:282-83).
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