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Articles
Helping Nicodemus
“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’” John 3:1-2
They knew. The Pharisees knew Jesus came from God, but they did not like it. Judging by the way the Pharisees treated Jesus throughout the rest of the gospels, you may not think they knew who He was. Yet Nicodemus indicates they knew. Perhaps some of them knew, but they just didn't understand. Or, perhaps more likely, they knew and understood, yet they did not like the fact that Jesus was the Son of God. Whatever the case, Nicodemus needed to find out more information for himself.
Nicodemus is in a tough spot. His friends and colleagues are pulling him one way, but Jesus is encouraging him to go another direction. Sound familiar? We all face that! All of the facts, the rational arguments, the logical evidence, it all points to Jesus. After all, Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life," (John 14:6, emphasis mine). So Nicodemus wants to find out more about Jesus.
The Scriptures never tell us why Nicodemus goes to Jesus by night. It is easy to assume he was going in secret, perhaps afraid of what his Pharisee buddies might think. That seems to fit as the conversation unfolds. Jesus begins by explaining how a person must change direction in life, one must be born again to enter the kingdom of God. He goes on to explain the love of God and His purpose for sending Jesus in the well-known passage of John 3:16. Then Jesus lays out the options Nicodemus had to choose between in John 3:19-21,
"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
What must Nicodemus have been thinking?! Here he comes to Jesus in the darkness of night, and Jesus tells him that God approves of those who come to the light! Those who practice the truth have no fear of being exposed, while those who practice evil prefer the cover of darkness!
Nicodemus' motive for coming at night, whether or not he is afraid or embarrassed to go to Jesus, is not really that important. What is important is he went to Jesus! Jesus is not harsh or condescending towards Nicodemus, but He certainly does not apologize for the truth either.
Thankfully it appears likely Nicodemus became a faithful disciple. Unlike many other people in the Bible, Nicodemus appears a few more times. While still with the Pharisees, he comes to Jesus' defense in John 7:50. After Jesus is crucified, Nicodemus is there with Joseph of Arimathea, (a secret disciple himself), "bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes" to help prepare Jesus' body for burial in John 19:39.
We need to appreciate men and women like Nicodemus. People who are interested in Jesus, but have many forces pulling them in another direction. People who want to find out more about Jesus, but might be afraid of what others might think. People who want to follow Jesus, but need help finding the courage to step out into the light. Jesus teaches us so much about how to treat people. Jesus was patient and He took time away from whatever He was previously doing. Jesus explained the truth without apology, but He did so in a manner that demonstrated His love and manifested the hope of something better through Him. Let us do likewise as we encounter people like Nicodemus in our life.
