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There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came
to Jesus at 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 are doing unless God is with him.” John 3:1–2
Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, is mentioned three
times in the Gospel of John. The passage above comes from the first
time he’s mentioned. The second time is when he reminds the
Sanhedrin that Jesus should be heard by them before they condemn
Him, and the third time is when Nicodemus assists with Jesus’
burial after His death. John’s Gospel is very symbolic. He
especially uses the images of light and dark. For example, when
Judas went out to betray Jesus, John’s Gospel notes that “it was
night.” In the passage above, John’s Gospel notes that Nicodemus
came to Jesus “at night.”
Saint Augustine, in commenting upon this passage, says that
Nicodemus came to Jesus “at night” because Nicodemus was not yet
fully born again and, therefore, was not yet living fully in the
light of faith. But the fact that Nicodemus does come to Jesus and
questions Him at length shows that he had a spark of faith and that
he wanted to deepen that faith. He clearly hoped that Jesus was the
Messiah and professed that Jesus was “a teacher who has come from
God.”
From early times, prior to the formalization of canonization
practices, Nicodemus has been given the title of “saint” within the
Catholic Church as well as in the Orthodox Church. He is especially
venerated because he stood up against the other religious leaders
at the time to defend Jesus and show support for Him. This took
courage. He was ridiculed and risked being shunned by the others.
But Nicodemus knew there was something special about Jesus, and he
persevered in following that inspiration.
In many ways, Nicodemus is a great example for us today in our
modern world. More and more, in most secular world cultures, being
a follower of Jesus is looked down upon. This is especially true if
you choose to live your faith openly and believe all that the
Gospels teach. Many Christians find that living their faith openly,
especially within the workplace, school environments, and other
civic circles, is challenging. And like Nicodemus, many find it
easier to come to Jesus “at night,” meaning, in a hidden way. And
though Nicodemus started this way, he eventually spoke openly in
defense of Jesus in the presence of his fellow Pharisees who,
according to some traditions, persecuted him and drove him into
exile.
Reflect, today, upon Saint Nicodemus. He allowed the spark of faith
within him to grow as He listened to Jesus, struggled with the
pressure from his peers, but ultimately openly professed his faith
in Christ. And though this hurt his worldly position of honor
within the Sanhedrin and among the earthly rulers, it earned
Nicodemus an eternal honor in Heaven. Reflect upon the courage he
must have had to go against the pressure of his peers by allowing
the faith he found in Christ to grow and fill his life with the
light of Truth. Seek to imitate this good man and allow yourself to
be inspired by his courage so that you, too, will receive the same
eternal glory he now enjoys in Heaven.
Lord of light and truth, You reveal Yourself to those who come
to You with faith. Help me to follow the example of Nicodemus so
that all confusion and darkness will be dispelled by the light of
Your truth. Give me courage, dear Lord, to follow You and to set my
heart on all that You reveal. Jesus, I trust in You.
Henry Ossawa Tanner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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