Nicodemus: A Study in Spiritual Growth

Nicodemus appears in three passages of Scripture in the Gospel of John and has a possible mention in the Talmud, the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend. In each passage we see Nicodemus grow in faith.

1. The Curiosity and Conviction of Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
2. Who is Nicodemus? Nicodemus was a Jew, a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews.
3. He was a Jew like Jesus.
4. He was a Pharisee. Pharisees were a Jewish party that exercised strict piety according to Mosaic Law. They became active around 150 B.C. and endured as a strict party until being incorporated into the Rabbinic movement around 135 A.D.
5. He was a ruler of the Jews meaning that he sat on the Sanhedrin Council, the Jewish ruling council. It was made up of Pharisees and Sadducees. The Sadducees were based out of the Temple while most of the Pharisees were in the synagogues around the country. They were an aristocratic and priestly sect that numbered only a few hundred. They were an exclusive social group who did not welcome the poor or middle class among their ranks.
6. Where did Jesus and Nicodemus meet? In Jerusalem, probably on the rooftop of a local home. (3:8)
7. When did they meet? They met at night, in the cool of the evening. (3:2)
8. Nicodemus may have come at night because he was afraid to be seen with Jesus.
9. Perhaps he wanted uninterrupted and extended time one-on-one with Jesus.
10. The darkness of the night may represent the unbelief of Nicodemus before he saw the light of Christ.
11. Why did they meet? Initially Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus through the miracles that had taken place. (3:3) Nicodemus recognized that this was an act of God and wanted to understand more. It is also possible that he represented a group of religious leaders by his use of the word “we.” He was spiritually curious and possibly under conviction.
12. How did they meet? Nicodemus came to Jesus and met with Him one on one. He did not let circumstances stop him from getting answers to questions that he needed to know.
13. What do we learn? Jesus used four illustrations to show the basics of salvation to Nicodemus. We cannot earn our salvation as the Jews tried to do through the Law. Jesus said there has to be a personal relationship with God.
14. Birth (3:1-7): Jesus explains the difference of spiritual birth from human birth and that every person must be born again spiritually.
15. Wind (3:8-13): Like the wind, the Spirit is invisible but powerful; and you cannot explain or predict the movements of the wind. God cannot be put into a predictable box.
16. The Serpent on the Pole (3:14-18): From Numbers 21:4-9. Like the Israelites we have all fallen into sin. God’s wrath cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Like the serpent on the pole Jesus will be lifted up and pay our punishment. As the people had to believe individually that God would heal them so we must individually believe that God will save us.
17. Light and darkness (3:19-21): It is not “intellectual problems” that keep people from trusting Christ; it is the moral and spiritual blindness that keeps them loving the darkness and hating the light. (John 1:4-13)
18. The Confrontation of Nicodemus (John 7:50-52)
19. Who is involved? Nicodemus and other Pharisees.
20. Where does this happen? In Jerusalem probably at or near the Temple.
21. When does this take place? This was during the Festival of Booths which was also called the Festival of Tabernacles. Today it is called sukkot. It is one of three major pilgrimage festivals of Judaism. The others are Pesah (Passover) and Shauvot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost). Celebrated for eight days from the fifteenth of Tishri (September/October), it was Israel’s joyous harvest festival to mark the ingathering from the threshing floor and the wine press (Exod. 23:16; 34:22; Deut. 16:13–15). Its most distinctive ritual is a requirement to “dwell in booths” in commemoration of God’s protection of Israel during the wilderness wanderings (Lev. 23:39–43; Neh. 8:13–18).
22. Why is this happening? The Pharisees (and Sanhedrin) are threatened by Jesus and are considering seeking His arrest.
23. How is this happening? The Pharisees want to arrest Jesus on false charges to get rid of Him.
24. What do we learn?
25. Where we see Nicodemus coming to Jesus under cover of darkness before, here Nicodemus stands up to the other Pharisees demanding that Jesus, if arrested, be treated fairly. While this was not an open declaration of faith, it is definitely a sign that Nicodemus was sympathetic to the message of Jesus.
26. Nicodemus defended Jesus by reminding the Pharisees that what they were doing was not legitimate nor legal. By this he hoped to prevent drastic action.
27. There may come a time when we must stand up to injustice, even if it may cost us. Nicodemus was willing to endure ridicule to defend what was right.
28. The Cost of Faith for Nicodemus (John 19:38-42)
29. Who is involved? Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and other believers.
30. Where did this take place? This was just outside and in Jerusalem.
31. When? This happened immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
32. Why? Jesus’ followers wanted to give Him an appropriate burial.
33. How did this happen?
34. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are the only two people mentioned by name in this passage. Both are wealthy Jewish leaders. Joseph went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brings about 75 pounds of myrrh (and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. This was not a whim. This was carefully planned. Did they understand more than the Disciples?
35. The account identifies Joseph of Arimathea as a disciple of Jesus (John 19:38), but it offers no clear statement of Nicodemus’ faith. As Nicodemus and Joseph probably searched the Old Testament, they would find the messianic prophecies and discover that many of them had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. They would have seen Him as the “Lamb of God” and conclude that He would be sacrificed at Passover. Jesus had already told Nicodemus that He would be “lifted up” (John 3:14), and this meant crucifixion. Since the Passover lambs were slain about 3 p.m., the two men could know almost the exact time when God’s Lamb would die on the cross! Surely they would read Isaiah 53 and notice verse 9—“And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.” Jesus would be buried in a rich man’s tomb!
36. The surprising amount of spice indicates that Nicodemus ultimately recognizes Jesus as king. Borchert says, “it was enough spice to bury a king royally. The Johannine Death Story thus makes clear that Jesus was a King” (Borchert, NAC, 281). Tenney says the extravagant quantity of spice shows not only Nicodemus’ great wealth but also his appreciation of Jesus (Tenney, EBC, 186).
37. What do we learn?
38. Nicodemus has gone from curiosity to conviction to defense and finally to open declaration in his actions that Jesus is Lord and King.
39. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of burial spices to help prepare Jesus’ body for burial. This cost him a substantial amount of money. It shows that he was a wealthy man, but it also shows that he placed Christ before his wealth.
40. Talmud: Some have tried to identify Nicodemus of the Bible with Nicodemus ben Gorion of the Talmud. Nicodemus ben Gorion was a wealthy first-century member of the Sanhedrin who lost his status and fortune later in life. Some believe his losses were tied to his possible conversion to Christianity (Bauckham, “Nicodemus and the Gurion Family”).
41. It has been speculated that this story is to be paired with “The Woman at the Well.” She is the perfect outsider who was saved by Christ and told everyone she met about Jesus. Nicodemus was the quiet insider who met Christ and probably gave up all to follow Him.

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. Have you ever let fear or circumstances stop you from asking a question that you wanted or needed to know? How can we overcome this?
2. Have you ever heard a message explained to you, but you still did not understand it? How did you come to the point of understanding the meaning? Has that ever happened when you were reading the Bible? How did you get the answer?
3. Have you ever seen an injustice committed and failed to act? How did that make you feel? What if you could relive that situation over again? What would you change or would you?
4. Have you ever stood up for something you knew was right? Did it cost you? Was it worth it? How does this compare to living the Christian life?
5. How are you growing in your faith? Nicodemus grew from curiosity to conviction to defense and finally to an open declaration in his actions that Jesus is Lord and King. Can you see a pattern of spiritual growth in your life? If not, why not?
6. Nicodemus’ actions showed that he placed Christ before his wealth. Do you? Does how you spend your money tell people what is most important in your life? What message does it say?
7. If the Talmud mention of Nicodemus is accurate, that means that Nicodemus lost his status and wealth because of his conversion to Christianity. What are you willing to give up for Christ? What if the day came that you were forced to choose between your comfort and lifestyle or admitting that you are a follower of Christ, what would you say?
8. What has your faith cost you?

Nicodemus appears in three passages of Scripture in the Gospel of John and has a possible mention in the Talmud, the body of Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend. In each passage we see Nicodemus grow in faith.

1. The Curiosity and Conviction of Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)
2. Who is Nicodemus? Nicodemus was a Jew, a Pharisee, and a ruler of the Jews.
3. He was a Jew like Jesus.
4. He was a Pharisee. Pharisees were a Jewish party that exercised strict piety according to Mosaic Law. They became active around 150 B.C. and endured as a strict party until being incorporated into the Rabbinic movement around 135 A.D.
5. He was a ruler of the Jews meaning that he sat on the Sanhedrin Council, the Jewish ruling council. It was made up of Pharisees and Sadducees. The Sadducees were based out of the Temple while most of the Pharisees were in the synagogues around the country. They were an aristocratic and priestly sect that numbered only a few hundred. They were an exclusive social group who did not welcome the poor or middle class among their ranks.
6. Where did Jesus and Nicodemus meet? In Jerusalem, probably on the rooftop of a local home. (3:8)
7. When did they meet? They met at night, in the cool of the evening. (3:2)
8. Nicodemus may have come at night because he was afraid to be seen with Jesus.
9. Perhaps he wanted uninterrupted and extended time one-on-one with Jesus.
10. The darkness of the night may represent the unbelief of Nicodemus before he saw the light of Christ.
11. Why did they meet? Initially Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus through the miracles that had taken place. (3:3) Nicodemus recognized that this was an act of God and wanted to understand more. It is also possible that he represented a group of religious leaders by his use of the word “we.” He was spiritually curious and possibly under conviction.
12. How did they meet? Nicodemus came to Jesus and met with Him one on one. He did not let circumstances stop him from getting answers to questions that he needed to know.
13. What do we learn? Jesus used four illustrations to show the basics of salvation to Nicodemus. We cannot earn our salvation as the Jews tried to do through the Law. Jesus said there has to be a personal relationship with God.
14. Birth (3:1-7): Jesus explains the difference of spiritual birth from human birth and that every person must be born again spiritually.
15. Wind (3:8-13): Like the wind, the Spirit is invisible but powerful; and you cannot explain or predict the movements of the wind. God cannot be put into a predictable box.
16. The Serpent on the Pole (3:14-18): From Numbers 21:4-9. Like the Israelites we have all fallen into sin. God’s wrath cannot allow sin to go unpunished. Like the serpent on the pole Jesus will be lifted up and pay our punishment. As the people had to believe individually that God would heal them so we must individually believe that God will save us.
17. Light and darkness (3:19-21): It is not “intellectual problems” that keep people from trusting Christ; it is the moral and spiritual blindness that keeps them loving the darkness and hating the light. (John 1:4-13)
18. The Confrontation of Nicodemus (John 7:50-52)
19. Who is involved? Nicodemus and other Pharisees.
20. Where does this happen? In Jerusalem probably at or near the Temple.
21. When does this take place? This was during the Festival of Booths which was also called the Festival of Tabernacles. Today it is called sukkot. It is one of three major pilgrimage festivals of Judaism. The others are Pesah (Passover) and Shauvot (Feast of Weeks or Pentecost). Celebrated for eight days from the fifteenth of Tishri (September/October), it was Israel’s joyous harvest festival to mark the ingathering from the threshing floor and the wine press (Exod. 23:16; 34:22; Deut. 16:13–15). Its most distinctive ritual is a requirement to “dwell in booths” in commemoration of God’s protection of Israel during the wilderness wanderings (Lev. 23:39–43; Neh. 8:13–18).
22. Why is this happening? The Pharisees (and Sanhedrin) are threatened by Jesus and are considering seeking His arrest.
23. How is this happening? The Pharisees want to arrest Jesus on false charges to get rid of Him.
24. What do we learn?
25. Where we see Nicodemus coming to Jesus under cover of darkness before, here Nicodemus stands up to the other Pharisees demanding that Jesus, if arrested, be treated fairly. While this was not an open declaration of faith, it is definitely a sign that Nicodemus was sympathetic to the message of Jesus.
26. Nicodemus defended Jesus by reminding the Pharisees that what they were doing was not legitimate nor legal. By this he hoped to prevent drastic action.
27. There may come a time when we must stand up to injustice, even if it may cost us. Nicodemus was willing to endure ridicule to defend what was right.
28. The Cost of Faith for Nicodemus (John 19:38-42)
29. Who is involved? Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and other believers.
30. Where did this take place? This was just outside and in Jerusalem.
31. When? This happened immediately after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
32. Why? Jesus’ followers wanted to give Him an appropriate burial.
33. How did this happen?
34. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus are the only two people mentioned by name in this passage. Both are wealthy Jewish leaders. Joseph went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus. Nicodemus brings about 75 pounds of myrrh (and aloes to prepare Jesus’ body for burial. This was not a whim. This was carefully planned. Did they understand more than the Disciples?
35. The account identifies Joseph of Arimathea as a disciple of Jesus (John 19:38), but it offers no clear statement of Nicodemus’ faith. As Nicodemus and Joseph probably searched the Old Testament, they would find the messianic prophecies and discover that many of them had been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. They would have seen Him as the “Lamb of God” and conclude that He would be sacrificed at Passover. Jesus had already told Nicodemus that He would be “lifted up” (John 3:14), and this meant crucifixion. Since the Passover lambs were slain about 3 p.m., the two men could know almost the exact time when God’s Lamb would die on the cross! Surely they would read Isaiah 53 and notice verse 9—“And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death.” Jesus would be buried in a rich man’s tomb!
36. The surprising amount of spice indicates that Nicodemus ultimately recognizes Jesus as king. Borchert says, “it was enough spice to bury a king royally. The Johannine Death Story thus makes clear that Jesus was a King” (Borchert, NAC, 281). Tenney says the extravagant quantity of spice shows not only Nicodemus’ great wealth but also his appreciation of Jesus (Tenney, EBC, 186).
37. What do we learn?
38. Nicodemus has gone from curiosity to conviction to defense and finally to open declaration in his actions that Jesus is Lord and King.
39. Nicodemus brought 75 pounds of burial spices to help prepare Jesus’ body for burial. This cost him a substantial amount of money. It shows that he was a wealthy man, but it also shows that he placed Christ before his wealth.
40. Talmud: Some have tried to identify Nicodemus of the Bible with Nicodemus ben Gorion of the Talmud. Nicodemus ben Gorion was a wealthy first-century member of the Sanhedrin who lost his status and fortune later in life. Some believe his losses were tied to his possible conversion to Christianity (Bauckham, “Nicodemus and the Gurion Family”).
41. It has been speculated that this story is to be paired with “The Woman at the Well.” She is the perfect outsider who was saved by Christ and told everyone she met about Jesus. Nicodemus was the quiet insider who met Christ and probably gave up all to follow Him.

Questions for Guided Discussion

1. Have you ever let fear or circumstances stop you from asking a question that you wanted or needed to know? How can we overcome this?
2. Have you ever heard a message explained to you, but you still did not understand it? How did you come to the point of understanding the meaning? Has that ever happened when you were reading the Bible? How did you get the answer?
3. Have you ever seen an injustice committed and failed to act? How did that make you feel? What if you could relive that situation over again? What would you change or would you?
4. Have you ever stood up for something you know was right? Did it cost you? Was it worth it? How does this compare to living the Christian life?
5. How are you growing in your faith? Nicodemus grew from curiosity to conviction to defense and finally to an open declaration in his actions that Jesus is Lord and King. Can you see a pattern of spiritual growth in your life? If not, why not?
6. Nicodemus actions showed that he placed Christ before his wealth. Do you? Does how you spend your money tell people what is most important in your life? What message does it say?
7. If that Talmud mention of Nicodemus is accurate, that means that Nicodemus lost his status and wealth because of his conversion to Christianity. What are you willing to give up for the cause of Christ? What if the day came that you were forced to choose between you comfort and lifestyle or admitting that you are a follower of Christ, what would you say?
8. What has your faith cost you?