Nicodemus

David Clarkson
Story of Nicodemus
Outside reading.

Nicodemus' story is an interesting one in the Bible, because it is not one told in consecutive verses as most stories in the gospel sare told, but in 3 different chapters of the book of John. We are first introduced to Nicodemus in John chapter 3, learning that he is both a Pharisee and a member of the governing council, the Sanhedrin. Both of these groups were the strongest of contestants to Jesus, and the governing council he was a part of, was the same council that would later kill Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus saying that he knows that Jesus has come from God, because He could not do the things He had been doing unless He had come from God. However, its key to note that he came to Jesus in the night. He wasn't ready to completely commit to Jesus because he would lose his high positions, so he was more than likely very discouraged to learn that he would have to be born again completely to follow the one he knows is true.

However, during his next two appearances we can safely assume that he heeds to Christ's teaching and becomes born again. In Chapter 7 he defends Jesus by saying that he thinks Jesus at least deserves a trial in order to be executed. Though this is a bit of a weak defense, we can see that he has come a long way from coming to Jesus at night, as he stands up to all of his colleagues defending the man they want to kill. Finally, after the death of Jesus, we can see that Nicodemus has more than likely completely been born again as he brings 100 pounds of expensive perfume, worth probably 150-200k in comparison to today's market, to Jesus. I highly doubt anyone who is not completely born again, would spend this amount of money on a dead body, even if he assumed it to be the Son of God.