“Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of THEM” (John 7:50). He was one of THEM! At least that is what it seems like on the surface. Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of Pharisees, one of THEM, went to see Jesus before and now what? Well, if we dig a little bit and we look at the full picture that John gives us of Nicodemus, we find that he is NOT just one of THEM. Sure he is a member of the Sanhedrin, he is a Pharisee, he is part of the religious elite, but he is also a man willing to be vulnerable with Jesus, willing to stand up to his peers, willing to put his life on the line because of the Word of God.
When Nicodemus went to see Jesus before it was back toward the beginning of John’s gospel account. “He came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God: for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” Jesus responds telling him that to be part of the Kingdom of God he must be born from above. Nicodemus doubts this teaching thinking of the literal definition of birth. Jesus attempts to expand Nicodemus’ understanding, as he explains one must be born of water and Spirit, referring to baptism, repentance of sins, and spiritual transformation. Nicodemus still does not get it.
Jesus, now seemingly frustrated with Nicodemus, wonders how a religious teacher cannot understand. If Jesus tells Nicodemus about earthly wisdom and he does not comprehend, how will he possibly grasp the heavenly wisdom that Jesus offers? Yet, Jesus continues this dark dialogue, as he says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that he world might be saved through him” (John 3:16-17). Nicodemus, a confused religious teacher shrouded in darkness, seeks wisdom from Jesus, the one true light, and even though he cannot possibly understand all that he is being told, this Pharisee is the one whom Jesus chooses to tell what many would consider the thesis of the gospel: God loves us so much that God sends his son, so that we may have everlasting life.
We do not hear about Nicodemus leaving that night. Still I can see him walking away shaking his head in perplexity. What stuck with him? Did something change in him? Was he still in darkness? Our passage from today sheds some light on what might have transformed within Nicodemus.
Jesus went up to Jerusalem to the Festival of Booths (Sukkot). This Jewish holy day is only five days after Yom Kippur, which is a very solemn affair. During the Festival of Booths Jewish people remember that their ancestors spent time in the wilderness. They do this by erecting booths, much like the temporary dwelling places Moses and others dwelt in while journeying in the desert. It is a festival when those celebrating would have been quite thankful for water. Then Jesus, chooses to reach to another level of thirst, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink.” This causes an uproar within the crowd.
Some believe, some question, and some (the Pharisees, the THEM) want to arrest him. The Pharisees are disgusted by accounts of what is happening at THEIR festival. THEY want to persecute Jesus. THEY cannot believe others would believe in him. THEY wonder, “Do any of US believe in HIM?” Then, all of a sudden it happens. Whatever Jesus had said on that dark night, whatever seed he had planted, whatever living water he had given, whatever word he had spoken to Nicodemus comes alive within this Pharisee, one of THEM.
Nicodemus risks his status by saying, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” What? Is HE one of THEM? The Pharisees wonder is Nicodemus from Galilee? Is he not one of US? Is HE with HIM? Nicodemus has the courage to stand up to his peers. He is ridiculed, but he will go one step further in his last appearance in John’s Gospel.
After Jesus is crucified, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, help to give Jesus a proper burial. Nicodemus risks much more than he did in standing up to the Sanhedrin, he risks his life just to bring myrrh to anoint Christ, the Anointed. We may wonder why he does this, why does he risk his life after Jesus has died? We may never really know on this side of the grave. Yet, I believe it is because Nicodemus at his most vulnerable had one conversation with Jesus, he turned to the Word of God, and he believed in the Christ.
We experience dark nights of the soul. We may wonder how it is that we are to respond. What are we to do? We have an example who can help guide us in our darkness. We can walk with Nicodemus to Jesus during our spiritual midnights. We may not understand exactly what the Word of God speaks to us on that night, but believing in Christ will transform us, will give us courage, and will strengthen us to face even the toughest moments. He is not just one of them he is an example of how to turn to Jesus in our darkness. Amen.
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