NICODEMUS

#795d                                                  NICODEMUS

Scripture  John 3:1-14, 7:50-52, 19:38-40                                                              Orig. 3/23/1983

Passage:

John 3:1-14

1Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.[a]” 4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”

5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit[b] gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You[c] must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”[d] 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.[e] 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,[f]

John 7:50-52

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, 51 “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.”

John 19:38-40

but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.[a] 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.

Timeline/Series:         Personality Profiles

Introduction--What We Know of Him

·                     Name means “Conqueror of the people.”

·                     Pharisee (3:1), Sanhedrin (ruler of the people)

·                     Scribe or Rabbi, 3:10, 7:50

I.          What We Know of Sanhedrin

·                     Sadducees, aristocrats—majority

·                     Pharisees

·                     Scribes—teachers (Rabbi)

II.         The Measure of His Coming to Jesus

·                     As a private enquirer

·                     As a Jewish official

·                     He came with a culture block

·                     We note his timidity—3:19, "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light.”

III.       An Attempt to Accept Jesus—7:32f

·                     Pharisees and Chief Priests sent officers, v32

·                     They fail, v 44

·                     Nicodemus defends the officers, v50

IV.       An Attempt to Befriend at Jesus’ Death, 19:38-40

V.        Could This Have Been “Rich Young Ruler”?  Matthew 19, Mark 10, Luke 18—Probably not!

VI.       Other Use of Name

·                     Josephus—sent to Pompey 63 BC on behalf of Aristobulus

·                     Talmud (Babylonian)—Nakdimore (Buni); 70 AD date raises a serious question