To understand Jesus' statement in verse 12, we need to see the background of Nicodemus. In Chapter 7, Nicodemus advises his colleagues among "the chief priests and the Pharisees", to hear and investigate before making a judgment concerning Jesus. How much would the 30 pieces of silver be worth today? This led the scholars to believe that Nicodemus was likely a wealthy man. [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. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!". Brown 1994:2:1265) or be used generically for "grave clothes" (Robinson 1985:291). 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. This is the first recorded encounter of Jesus and a Pharisees in John. Rozann Lee is the Senior Creative Director at Word on Fire Catholic Ministries. They claimed that he came as a representative of the Sanhedrin as a kind of spy, tasked with trapping Jesus in giving an official response based on the questions he would pose. As a Pharisee, Nicodemus was well versed in the Law. Apparently strengthened for muron; myrrh. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateways emails at any time. 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 Gospel of John also tells us Nicodemus was among the elite leaders in Jerusalem ( John 7:45-52) and describes Nicodemus bringing an extremely expensive 75 pounds of spices . Nicodemus said and believed this incredible statement. He was a pastor for 10 years. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, NT Gospels: John 19:39 Nicodemus who at first came to Jesus (Jhn Jo Jn). A Pharisee, which means separatist, was a member of a Jewish sect that was known for their devotion to the Law of Moses. "Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. but being overcome with the outrage of the crowd, he delivers him to be crucified. He currently works as a professor at a local college. Stephen Gadberry. Nicodemus himself might have wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah. Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. Comparing what he knew from the Old Testament and the expectation of the Messiah, he planned for a way to see Jesus. He had a daughter who had just given birth to a new grandson who he had not met. Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, is one of the most fascinating people in the Gospel of John. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Nicodemus appears in Johns Gospel two more times. Indeed, in this story we see this family gaining two new members. Its in this story of Nicodemus where John writes the God-inspired verse: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. He also likes playing golf and watching sports. Joseph of Arimathea . Is there precedent (perhaps in Jewish tradition) for the usage of "Rabboni," which is solely found consistently in John 20:16? It is possible, Joseph of Arimathea fulfilled Isaiah 53:9 where it was told that the suffering servant, Jesus Christ, 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. This was fulfilled, probably unknowingly, when Joseph gave his own burial site for Jesus to be laid, perhaps indicating Joseph was well advanced in years. Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria? 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 (. [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. 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. During the struggle between Protestants and Catholics in Europe, from the 16th century to the 18th, a person belonging to a Church different from the locally dominant one often risked severe punishment in many cases, capital. Further, he said that Nicodemus remains were said to be found in a common grave along with those of Gamaliel and Stephen. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. 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). Why was Jesus not being more patient with Nicodemus in John 3? Many Pharisees did not believe that Jesus Christ was sent by God. (John 3:1-15). 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. It is at this encounter that Jesus informs Nicodemus that he must be "born again" in order to enter the Kingdom of God, which is a tragic episode in the Gospel of Matthew. For no one could do the miraculous signs that you do unless God were with him.". They had nothing to gain and everything to lose. Also see How Many Prophecies Did Jesus Fulfill? All rights reserved. However, some exceptions, like in the cases of Jacob and Joseph, exist. 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. Later in John 19:39, after Jesus had been crucified, Nicodemus joined Joseph of Arimathea in giving Jesus a traditional Jewish burial. And though now he came by night, afterward he owned Christ publicly, according to Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary. Whether someone is a life-long follower of Jesus or just curious about Christianity's beliefs, followers, history, and practices, Christianity FAQ aims to offer trustworthy information that is easy to understand. [citation needed]. Since other Jewish officials challenged Jesus in public, Nicodemus would not have needed to sneak through the night to visit Jesus. Joseph Caiaphas was the Jewish high priest during the time of Jesus ministry (see John 11:48-50). Biblical narrative In the Gospel of John, the prediction is preceded by the assertion in 13:1718 that Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot would betray him: If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. [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). Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Thanks for contributing an answer to Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange! And the tragedy is mine, not his. 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? 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 . Nicodemus, thinking literally and physically, asks how anyone can be born twice (John 3:4). . Jack has written 1284 articles on What Christians Want To Know! Thus, Joseph had no claims on the body and, depending on how Pilate viewed the case, would have been putting himself in considerable danger. He needed to know God. Lewis wrote: The things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the things Jesus really did and said. 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. 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. . California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. After these events "many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing" (John 2:2325). to learn more. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. 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. 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.". In John 3, Nicodemus - a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council - came to Jesus at night with a seeker's heart and a question regarding the deeper meaning of salvation. The Burial of Jesus 38 Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. He came looking for information and Jesus offered him transformation. 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. No enemy of Christ would take such a risk for fear of being exposed by the Jews. . How to extract the coefficients from a long exponential expression? 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. Jesus went right to the heart of his mission: Born again. Jesus has been lifted up and is now beginning to draw all people to himself (12:32), beginning with these hidden disciples, who were members of the very group that insisted on Jesus' death. Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. We see this in John 3:1-21. Copyright 2010-2023 Telling Ministries LLC. that disappointed expression; that You came so close on the mouth of the Lord of the Universe. Nicodemus (/ n k d i m s /; Greek: , translit. 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. Earlier I received a question from a friend based on Acts 1:18 which reads: With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. What Does It Mean To Be Crucified With Christ. Then he alludes to a story from the book of Numbers to drive home his point. In 2005, she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with dual degrees in Graphic Design and Theology. 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). How did nicodemus stand up for jesus? They also abided by a strict moral law (Mark 7:3). 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). What does the Bible tell us about Nicodemus? Then follows a conversation with Nicodemus about the meaning of being "born again" or "born from above" (Greek: ): Nicodemus explores the notion of being literally born again from one's mother's womb, but most theologians recognise that Nicodemus knew Jesus was not speaking of literal rebirth. Born?, some exceptions, like in the cases of Jacob and Joseph,.... Stack Overflow the company, and of the Universe did nicodemus leave gold for jesus was doing '' ( 2:2325! Since other Jewish officials challenged Jesus in public, Nicodemus joined Joseph Arimathea. Now he came looking for information and Jesus offered him transformation grave along with those of Gamaliel and.. 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