Nicodemus

Biblical Record

Nicodemus appears three times, all in the Gospel of John. John 3:1 introduces him as a Pharisee and "a ruler of the Jews," and Jesus calls him "a master of Israel" (John 3:10).

• The night visit (John 3:1-21): Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night. Jesus tells him, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). When Nicodemus asks how a man can be born a second time, Jesus answers that one must be born "of water and of the Spirit." The well-known verse John 3:16 also falls within this passage. Scholars differ, however, on where Jesus' words end and the evangelist's commentary begins.
• Defense before the council (John 7:45-52): When the chief priests and Pharisees denounce Jesus, Nicodemus asks whether the law judges a man without first hearing him. He is met with the retort, "Art thou also of Galilee?"
• The burial (John 19:38-42): After Jesus dies on the cross, Nicodemus, together with Joseph of Arimathea, brings "a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight"; they wrap the body in linen cloths and lay it in the tomb.

Significance Within Scripture

The three scenes are often read as a progression from a man who first comes secretly by night to one who later openly takes charge of Jesus' burial. Because the Gospel of John frequently contrasts light and darkness, many commentators see symbolic meaning in the reference to "night." Others take it simply as a practical detail: because of his position, he wished to avoid being seen.

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• "Born again": The word in the original Greek can be read as either "again" or "from above," so translations and interpretations differ.
• "Water and the Spirit": The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran and Anglican traditions generally connect this phrase with baptism. Many Reformed and evangelical interpreters take the water as a symbol of cleansing or of the Word, or as a reference to physical birth, and emphasize the inward new birth brought about by the Holy Spirit.
• Did he become a disciple?: The text does not state directly that Nicodemus professed faith. Some interpreters regard him as a secret disciple, while others see him as a figure whose standing remains unresolved to the end.
• Traditions outside the text: The apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus, which bears his name, is a later work and is not part of the canon (the list of books the church recognizes as Scripture). Accounts that he was baptized and suffered persecution are likewise later traditions. The Catholic and Orthodox churches commemorate him as a saint. John Calvin is known to have criticized Protestants in France who concealed their faith and took part in Catholic rites, calling them "Nicodemites."

In the Korean Church

In the Korean church, the story of Nicodemus is used chiefly in sermons on John 3 and in evangelism as a text for explaining being "born again" and salvation. John 3:16 is among the first verses learned for Scripture memorization in Sunday school. Church school curricula commonly present him as "the man who came to Jesus by night," using his story to teach about seeking the truth and confessing one's faith publicly.