What is it, then, that you do mean? [15], Jesus and Nicodemus by Crijn Hendricksz, 16161645. 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). Please see the About page for details. What is a Pharisee? Here we have a man, one of the Pharisees and member of the Sanhedrin (the ancient High Court and Legislature in the land of Israel) coming to Jesus. 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. Let me stress this: Jesus, a man, came from God. @ 2021-2023 Copyright | All Right Reserved. 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. Answer. The Pharisees ask an important question: Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? (v. 48) The Pharisees may have intended to be rhetorical, but then one of their own spoke up. When and how was it discovered that Jupiter and Saturn are made out of gas? 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. He acknowledged that Jesus came from God. In John 3:2, we are aware from V1 that Nicodemus is alone because he comes to Jesus at night - he clearly did not want others to know of his interview. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, both men of stature and wealth, chipped in to help fund Jesus' ministry. [5] However, the National Park Service indicates that it was more likely based on an 1864 song, "Wake Nicodemus" by Henry Clay Work, used to promote settlement in the area. Considering his stature, it seems odd . Jesus told Nicodemus that He was a man, born of a woman. Jesus' face betrays his disappointment as he laments under his breath, "You came so close." Nicodemus had a family. So "we" is Nicodemus plus a combination of some leaders of the Jews and some Pharisees. A bystander as Nicodemus comes to terms with his decision, I couldnt help but think of all of the smart, safe, and comfortable discernment I have undergone in the face of the radicality of Christ, moments when my heart was stirred by the Holy Spirit to a particular action that I simply let time overtake. [citation needed]. #5 is almost certainly untrue. The idea of uprooting all of those good things without knowing what the uprooting actually looked like was a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Some scholars question Nicodemus motives. The night, night-time. Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night. He has worked in both public and private schools, as well as colleges and universities. The aloe is an Eastern odoriferous wood--to be distinguished from the aloes of commerce--and chips of the better kinds are now said to be worth their weight in gold. How did nicodemus stand up for jesus? Adapted fromThe Life and Times of Jesus the Messiahby Alfred Edersheim (Book III, Chapter VI) and from the lecture notes of Dr. Doug Bookman, professor of New Testament Exposition at Shepherds Theological Seminary (used by permission). Sadducees were often wealthy men of high position and, as they sought to appease their Roman rulers, were heavily involved in politics. Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professors, theologians, and those interested in exegetical analysis of biblical texts. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!". Jewish leadership, say, the members of the Sanhedrin? Toward. Nicodemus wanted to learn more about Jesus, but he ended up learning more about himself. He acknowledged that Jesus came from God. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.(John 19:39-40). During Jesus' burial, Nicodemus provides about 100 Roman pounds (33 kg) of a mixture of myrrh and aloes. 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. 19:38). 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. Aloes, the powdered fragrant aloe wood. Your attempt to sign up by email has failed please try again. That $197.40 is a value out of time, however. Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin. As a professor, he has taught Bible and theology courses at two Christian universities. Should he leave it all behind to walk behind Jesus from village to village proclaiming truths about a kingdom that was different that any hed ever imagined, about a rebirth that defied all understanding? Nicodemus tried to fight for justice when the Jews were using illegal tactics to try Jesus (John 7:50-51), but to no avail, so I believe we will see these two men in the kingdom, and maybe then, we can get all these questions answered and satisfy our curiosity. ), The Climax of the Glorification Begins: Jesus' Passion and Death (18:1-19:42), Enemies and Friends Attend to Jesus' Body (19:31-42), 1 Peter: IVP New Testament Commentary [IVPNTC], The Letters of John: Tyndale New Testament Commentary [TNTC], The IVP New Testament Commentary, 20 Volumes, The Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, The Message of John's Letters, The Bible Speaks Today, The Message of Colossians & Philemon, The Bible Speaks Today. v. 41; Mt 27:60], which may suggest the lack of an established family mausoleum in the city" (1985:287). Theologian Charles Ellicott wrote that "after the method of Rabbinic dialogue, [Nicodemus] presses the impossible meaning of the words in order to exclude it, and to draw forth the true meaning. John 3:2 reads, 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. The Jewish leaders had a different perspective. [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). For less than $5/mo. The Chosens Nicodemus is dramatized. 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. While in Jerusalem he chased the moneychangers from the temple and overturned their tables. Also see How Many Prophecies Did Jesus Fulfill? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and others. The other two appearances are relatively brief, yet nonetheless, significant. Nicodemus had a family. Nicodemus, thinking literally and physically, asks how anyone can be born twice (John 3:4). . At the end of John chapter 7, after Jesus had taught about living water, those who heard him came to different conclusions about him. Verse 2 When did Nicodemus come to visit Jesus? Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, is one of the most fascinating people in the Gospel of John. Did Nicodemus become a follower of Jesus after that? Read this scene; and, if you have a pen handy, mark every mention of Nicodemus. The Sanhedrin was the highest legal court in first-century Judaism. 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). Why was Jesus not being more patient with Nicodemus in John 3? A primary word; 'night'. link to How Old Was Mary When She Gave Birth to Jesus? Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds (John 19:39). But there came also Nicodemus who at the first came to him by night. Is it likely that Jesus' trial was rigged? Why is the article "the" used in "He invented THE slide rule"? ", and delivered at the 11th Annual SCLC Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Though the plural is used here, it may refer to a single sheet (cf. He did not ask; he declared that Jesus was a Teacher from God. Why Did Jesus Ask Three Times if Peter Loved Him? Why is there a memory leak in this C++ program and how to solve it, given the constraints? #1 is also too vague. Does it Matter That I Didn't Keep My Goals for Lent? Sources outside of the Bible, as we know, are unreliable at times, but the Gospel of Nicodemus, as well as other apocryphal works, indicated that Nicodemus lost his position as a Pharisee and was kicked off the Sanhedrin, and was eventually banished from Jerusalem by the hostile Jews. But the spiritual lessons remain. 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. Although there is no clear source of information about Nicodemus outside the Gospel of John, Ochser and Kohler (in an article in The Jewish Encyclopedia) and some historians[1] have speculated that he could be identical to Nicodemus ben Gurion, mentioned in the Talmud as a wealthy and popular holy man reputed to have had miraculous powers. Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. - Is John 3:3 a universal statement, O.T. gotquestions.org/Caiaphas-in-the-Bible.html. (Nicodemus thought Jesus meant somebody's body being born again, like they had to be a little baby again.) But Pilate had clearly said three times that Jesus was innocent, which may account for his allowing Joseph to take the body. This led the scholars to believe that Nicodemus was likely a wealthy man. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of the Old Testament story of Moses and the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-8 ). Some said he was a prophet; others said he was the Messiah. Do John 3:1-8 ("born from above") and 1 Corinthians 15:39-54 ("the rising again of the dead") refer to the same event? French tradition spuriously claims that she evangelized Provence (southeastern France) and spent her last 30 years in an Alpine cavern. When Nicodemus visits Jesus he makes reference to these events: "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. We see this in John 3:1-21. That is, unlike those who wanted Jesus killed and were willing to ignore the Law, Nicodemus' primary concern was for adherence to the Law. Nicodemus was a Rabbi and he called Jesus Rabbi, a respectable title. "Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. Some think John's point is that Jesus would not be brought into contact with corruption (Westcott 1908:2:324), or that there would be no question of mistaken identity when the tomb was empty (Chrysostom In John 85.4; Brown 1970:959). The Pharisees, however, did not believe Jesus was the Messiah, despite the signs which revealed His identity. The details of Nicodemus story in the Gospel of John suggest that he became a follower of Jesus Christ. but being overcome with the outrage of the crowd, he delivers him to be crucified. to learn more. 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. Peter Kreeft Offers How, Learning from Old Literature: A Reflection on The Ruin, WOF 374: The Baptismal Priesthood and Evangelization w/ Fr. He brought "a combination of myrrh and aloes weighing around seventy-five . Does the Pandemic Still Affect Church Attendance? Jesus went right to the heart of his mission: Born again. After the crucifixion, John records that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pontius Pilate and asked to take Jesus body (v. 38). His books are include: Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children, Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?, "The Great Omission; Reaching the Lost for Christ," and Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible.". I shudder to think of the number of times those words were spoken about me. And so he summoned great courage to seek out Jesus and ask questions. He had a wife who had become accustomed to the stable, secure, and beautiful life his position afforded. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Is Nicodemus plus a combination of myrrh and aloes weighing around seventy-five, Jesus and ask.. & # x27 ; ministry ruling council appearances are relatively brief, yet nonetheless, significant him by.. Keep reading to learn more about himself may suggest the lack of an family. 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