Nicodemus
Israelite / Jew Jewish; a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews · Life of Christ · New Testament
- Role
- Pharisee and ruler who came to Jesus by night
- When
- c. AD 28-30
What they did
He came to Jesus by night and heard that a man must be born again; later he spoke up for Jesus before the Pharisees and, after the crucifixion, brought about a hundred pound weight of myrrh and aloes for his burial.
Why it matters: the purpose of their role
To him Jesus spoke the words of John 3:16, and his growing courage shows how God draws seekers step by step to faith.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3 (KJV)
Bible references
There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. John 3:1-2 (KJV)
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3 (KJV)
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? John 7:50-51 (KJV)
And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. John 19:39 (KJV)
Family
Scripture records little about this person's family.