Nicodemus: Pharisee or Disciple?

I have struggled more with this writing about Nicodemus than most of the time when writing these reflections.  Nicodemus is a reclusive person in the life of Jesus.  He is a mystery.  I really like him, but I have struggled with why I have such a soft spot for him.

All we know of Nicodemus in the Bible is in today’s reading.  He is described as a Pharisee. The Pharisees kept the letter of the Law and held the people’s feet to the fire of the Law. We know Jesus was often in conflict with the Pharisees.

Nicodemus was a leader of the Jews and a member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews. The Sanhedrin was a court that dealt with smaller disputes. The Sanhedrin condemned Jesus. They needed Pilate’s approval to go forward with the death penalty, but it was their sentence.

Nicodemus came to speak with Jesus at night. Maybe he was afraid due to his role in the Sanhedrin.  He did not dare visit in the light of day. Also, as a member of the Jewish ruling council, it would have been his responsibility to find out about the reputability of any teachers and preachers in Jerusalem. Perhaps he went as a member of the Sanhedrin, or maybe it was part of his personal quest for understanding and faith.

Jesus and Nicodemus have an intimate conversation.  Jesus explains about rising from the dead, and Nicodemus is told a truth by Jesus that only appears in the Gospel of John. Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.” 

The only other time we encounter Nicodemus is after Jesus’ crucifixion. Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea in Jesus’ burial. Joseph is a follower of Jesus, albeit a secret one, because he was afraid of the Jews. Joseph and Nicodemus prepare the body of Jesus for burial and place him in the tomb.

There are more questions about Nicodemus than there are answers.  Was he a true believer? What did he do after the resurrection? Neither the Bible nor any other resource gives answers. Perhaps, like Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus but had not yet mustered the courage to declare his faith openly.

That is a lot of history.  But it helps us understand Nicodemus and ourselves.  Nicodemus was a man open to Jesus.  He was an honest searcher in faith.  He is depicted as the opposite of the disciples, who dropped everything to follow Jesus.  He came at night, and his faith was private and questioning. But he was there with Jesus, and Jesus was kind and loving to him.

Nicodemus is a comforting figure in the Gospels.  He is quiet and honestly searching for the direction he is to follow.  He asks questions and listens to Jesus with an open heart and mind.  Perhaps he is more like us in our faith journey than many of the disciples were.  

Faith is a journey.  There are no easy answers for us.  Sometimes, we may be like the disciples, “all in” with our faith response.  But for most of us, faith is not easy, and sometimes we doubt.  Sometimes, we are unsure what we believe and how best to express our faith.  Nicodemus is our guy.  He believed, yet he was reticent and did not go “all in” with the disciples.  

His cautious faith can remind us that we need not be preaching on street corners or making a great show of faith.  All God wants is our honest seeking and finding him.  All God wants is our hearts in the right place.  Nicodemus did the quiet actions of faith.  He had an intimate conversation with Jesus in the night, and he prepared his body for burial.  Quiet action on his journey to unity with God.  

That is what we need, too.  We need to be faithful to our journey, not someone else’s.  Patience with the road of faith we are on and a willingness to trust in our journey of faith.  That is all Jesus asked of Nicodemus; that is all he wants from us.

In God’s Unending Love,

Gwen