The Road He Chose: The Seeker

Scripture says he came to Jesus by night. Cloaked in the darkness of anonymity, he approached the new teacher who was upsetting the powers within the Temple. Those who followed Jesus were commoners, unlike Nicodemus, who held position within the Temple hierarchy - a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish Sanhedrian, the highest Jewish legislative body. He had more to lose than any other who sought out this new rabbi. And yet, he came. For the words of Jesus stirred his soul…and he needed answers.

Nicodemus was not a man who was ignorant of the Law and the Prophets. Nor was he unaware of the rising antagonism toward Jesus among the leaders of the Temple. But he was troubled by Jesus’ teaching of rebirth - the necessity of being “born again.” And so, Nicodemus came to Jesus asking, “How can a man who has grown old be reborn? Surely he cannot go into his mother’s womb a second time to be born.”

As one knowledgeable in Jewish history, Nicodemus knew physical rebirth was not an impossible occurrence. Had not God created an army from dry bones, and Elijah raised the son of the widow of Zarephath from the dead? But Nicodemus’ understanding was overshadowed by the physical. Jesus spoke of spiritual rebirth, of eternal new life based on the love of God. “God loved the world so much,” Jesus explained to Nicodemus,” that He sent His only Son, that whoever believed in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God did not send His son into the world to condemn, Jesus explained, but to save.

During His ministry, Jesus laid out the path for those who, like Nicodemus, were seekers of the truth - Ask and it will be given, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened. He had outlined the description of those who inhabited the kingdom - peacemakers, the merciful, the meek, the forgiving. He had taught how to pray, how to trust, to responsibly search for the truth found only in the Son of God.

While Nicodemus was not a member of the twelve disciples, nor was he, to our knowledge, a missionary or a leader, he had come to Jesus seeking answers to words he did not understand. We, too, come to Jesus with what we do not understand. Perhaps not theological issues, like rebirth through baptism, but often with more personal questions of faith or life situations. Regardless of the path we have taken, the basis of every answer has not changed since it was first spoken to Nicodemus that night in Jerusalem. God loves the world so much that He sent His only Son - to live as we live, to deal with human problems, and to provide eternity for us through His death and resurrection, so that if we believe in Him, we will not perish. This is the answer to every question or dilemma. God’s love - so strong, so amazing, so complete.

Nicodemus remained in the Sanhedrin, using his influence to try to stem the reactions against Jesus. The gospel of John records an incident within the Temple hierarchy when the Pharisees were discussing what to do about Jesus. Nicodemus asked, “Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” But for the Pharisees, there was no turning back. After Jesus raised Lazerus from the dead, the High Priest Caiaphas reasoned “It is better that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

The last time Nicodemus is mentioned in the Bible, he had joined with Joseph of Arimathea after the crucifixion to ask Pilate for the body of Jesus for burial. Joseph would provide the grave, a newly hewn rock tomb, and Nicodemus brought spices - 75 pounds - for embalming the body. Instead of being thrown into a poor man’s grave, rocks tossed on top of the dirt, Jesus was lovingly placed in a rich man’s burial garden.

Nicodemus was a man who sought the truth and found it in Jesus. His role was not to stop the crucifixion but to prepare for the resurrection.

“Seek and you will find” - Mathew 7:7