Who Was Nicodemus in the Bible? The Pharisee Who Came by Night
Nicodemus appears three times in John's Gospel: coming to Jesus by night, defending him before the Sanhedrin, and bringing burial spices. This study traces his journey from secret seeker to open disciple and what his story reveals about the new birth and the cost of following Jesus.
Key Verses
John 3:3
Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 19:39
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.
Coming by Night: The Secret Seeker
Nicodemus is a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews - a Sanhedrin member. He comes to Jesus by night, likely to avoid scrutiny. His opening compliment (a teacher come from God) is bypassed immediately: Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Nicodemus is confused. Jesus explains that the new birth is of water and Spirit - a divine transformation that cannot be engineered or earned.
Born of the Spirit: The New Birth
John 3:8: The wind bloweth where it listeth...so is every one that is born of the Spirit. The new birth is sovereign and mysterious. Then comes John 3:16 - eternal life comes through belief, not religious achievement. Nicodemus the expert teacher is told he must start over as a spiritual infant. The most religious person in the conversation is the one most needing a completely new beginning.
Defending Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
In John 7:51, when authorities want Jesus arrested, Nicodemus asks: Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him? A procedural defense, not yet full public confession. His colleagues are contemptuous. This is step two of his journey: rom secret seeker to cautious defender. He risks his reputation but stops short of open identification with Jesus.
At the Tomb: Open Devotion After the Cross
John 19:39 records that Nicodemus brought 100 Roman pounds of spices for Jesus burial - an extravagant quantity fit for a king. The man who came by night now stands openly at the tomb in full view of the authorities. The cross broke what daylight could not: his fear of public association with Jesus. The journey from secret seeker to open disciple was complete.
Reflection for This Week
At what stage of Nicodemus's journey are you - secret seeker, cautious defender, or open disciple - and what would moving to the next stage cost you?