Nicodemus, Joseph Of Arimethea

by Lindsay Prasher, Portslade, England | Category: Lives As Lessons | Mar 1996

Nicodemus and Joseph: how much they had in common! They were both members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jewish nation, and were both rich men. Further, both were secret disciples of Jesus, for fear of their fellows. How Joseph came to faith is not known, but the initial contact with Jesus is given in the case of Nicodemus, so he will he discussed first.

Early contact with Jesus:

Nicodemus is twice referred to in the fourth Gospel as the man who came to Jesus by night; of no other is this recorded. Everybody else, despite how busy they or the Lord might have been, managed to meet in the day. There can be no doubt that Nicodemus did not want it known that he was spending time with Jesus. Yet he was a determined seeker, who was alert to the significance of the Lord's miracles as evidence of the genuineness of His words. He was also a good listener. Note how few were his spoken words in John chapter 3, for they total but one sixth of the words of the Master. Ecclesiastes 5:2 records, 'God is in heaven... let thy words be few'. In this case, God was on earth, so how much more should mere man's words be few!

Apart from his opening gambit, the words of Nicodemus took the form of questions. It is good to ask questions, but those of this man bear the stamp of resistance to what was being propounded. Take, for example, his first question in the context of the new birth. William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible contends that, as the teacher of Israel, he would have been familiar with Ezekiel 36:26, which speaks of getting a new heart and a new spirit. Further, a proselyte who embraced Judaism was regarded by the rabbis' as newborn. Therefore, the new birth could not have been an entirely fresh concept for Nicodemus. He was rather putting up the shutters against the words of the Lord by the crude, literal interpretation of the new birth that was embodied in his question, '...can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?' The Master, discerning this, ignores the literalism and presses ahead with more for Nicodemus to ponder on the subject of the new birth.

In his second question, Nicodemus resorts to 'I don't understand'. Again, the Lord calls his bluff, saying in effect, 'You, of all people, the chief teacher of your day, certainly do understand what I am saying, but you don't want to know: you are just fencing'. Then follows the most marvellous gospel address that ever was preached, underlining the necessity of belief in God's Son to receive eternal life. However, there is no indication whether or not this Pharisee had accepted the message. That is left to later events to reveal.

The lesson for today is twofold:

firstly, the necessity of rightly assessing the level of appreciation of enquirers, and replying accordingly, and secondly, of preaching the Word faith-fully, whether or not folk respond.

A timid defence of Jesus:

The next time the name of Nicodemus appears in John's Gospel is in chapter 7, where it is recorded that the Pharisees had sent soldiers to apprehend Jesus, because of His claim to Messiahship. On their return empty-handed, and in response to the Pharisees' concerted question, 'Why did ye not bring him?', the soldiers had replied, 'Never man so spake'. It was then that the lone voice of Nicodemus was heard in the Sanhedrin in defence of Jesus. It was not a direct defence: he dared only quote certain legal maxims which were relevant. A man could not be condemned on secondhand information: he had the right to speak for himself. In his heart, Nicodemus wanted to speak out, but his head told him to restrain: it was a timid defence. But it was enough for it to be seen that the message of the Lord's earlier ministry had been accepted by Nicodemus: surely in his heart of hearts he had believed on the Son; but he could not bring himself to speak openly of Jesus, as the soldiers had done: he was a secret disciple.

Today, even more than when Jesus was Himself on earth, there is the need to speak out fearlessly in defence of the Master. May we be kept from the fear of men hindering us.

Little defence of Jesus:

Although Jesus appeared before the Sanhedrin, Luke makes the interesting record that Joseph of Arimathea had not consented to the decision that He should be killed (Luke 23:50,51).

There is no mention of Nicodemus. Was he absent on that occasion, did he withhold his vote or was he too afraid to speak up on His behalf? It is just not known. What is certain is that the Christ had to die: this was in God's great purpose (John 11:50-53). The majority vote had to go against Him.

Today, it is good to know there are good and righteous people in high places, who are willing to stand up and be counted in their opposition to legislation which transgresses scriptural principles, even if the final vote goes against them.

Bold request for the body of Jesus:

It was Joseph who went boldly to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. On learning that Jesus was 'dead already',

Pilate granted his request. Assisted by Nicodemus, how carefully they would unhook the body from the nails, so as not to break a bone. How tenderly they would wash that body, preparatory to embalming. The rich man Nicodemus provided the ointment and spices. The rich man Joseph provided the new tomb, in which man had never yet lain. As they worked, were they conscious of the words of Isaiah, 'They made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death'?

Firstly the shroud was pulled over that clean body, then the ointment applied, and from the neck to the feet it was wrapped round and round with linen cloths. A separate cloth was wrapped about the head. They then reverently laid the body in its place in the cave. With what sorrowful satisfaction they would roll the great stone across the mouth of the cave, before the sun went down that evening, content that they had been able to pay their last respects to the Man in whom they had come to believe. The secret disciples were acting openly on His behalf. They came strongly into their own at the last, in a deed which spoke more loudly than any words. They were not to know that what they had done, would, two days later, provide John with circumstantial evidence of the resurrection of the Lord, evidence that Mary Magdalene's story of a stolen body could not be true, for there lay the tight wrappings, exactly as they had been when the body was inside them.

Today, each of us may never know the extent to which our acts of devotion to the same Master will be used by God to the spiritual blessing of others. May we not leave them so late as did Nicodemus and Joseph!

Lindsay Prasher, Portslade, England | Mar 1996
Lives As Lessons