The name Nicodemus may not be common among Christians but is definitely of great significance in the ministry of Jesus and to Christianity in general. Nicodemus appears at the beginning of the ministry and reappears during the events that surrounded the murderous death of Jesus.
This gap in between has led some people in to doubts over people in to doubts over Nicodemus disciples and commitment to Jesus. The doubt is supported by the observation that Nicodemus does not feature in the early church in Jerusalem.
Nicodemus is referred to in John 3:1 as a ruler of the Jews. It means he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal or judicial body of the Jewish people.
Nicodemus was also a teacher, an interpreter of the law and a very wealthy man. St Paul was also one a member of the Sanhedrin the name Nicodemus apparently means “victory of the people. It was prophetic to the mission of Jesus.
Impressed by the teaching and miracles of Jesus Nicodemus came at night to confess his belief in his messianic mission and to be more grounded in the faith Jesus applies the occasion to impart the message that have become very central to his Gospel.
Nicodemus is enabled to appreciate Jesus mission that would end in sacrificial death (and resurrection) as the great revelation of God’s unconditional love to mankind, Nicodemus also learns that for one to enter the kingdom of God, faith in Jesus and baptism (being born again) would be necessary. These messages became the foundation of the Christian Faith.
Later on, during the Passion of Jesus Nicodemus tried to defend Jesus Nicodemus tried to defend Jesus when the Sanhedrin was t get rid of the master. Soon after the murderous death of Jesus on the cross, Nicodemus together with Joseph of Arimathea, a fellow member of Sanhedrin offered to accord Jesus with a decent burial
In this respect, Nicodemus could also have differed from the Sanhedrin in bribing the eye witness soldiers against the revealing of the resurrection of Joseph
Some bible scholars interpret the coming of Nicodemus to Jesus at night as being out of prudence or emotional intelligence rather than out of fear. In the first place since it was during the peak of Jewish festival in Jerusalem.
Nicodemus might have meant to avoid the crowds that would have interrupted his interview with Jesus, but most importantly, an open disciple at that time could easily have led to his premature elimination by his colleagues.
It is alleged that Nicodemus eventually became a fully confessed Christian and died a martyr. Nicodemus is a Christian name unlike the rest of the pharisees who used to go Jesus to trick Him into mistakes by using the letter of Law, Nicodemus was truly seeking truth in order to nourish his faith with humility and mutual respect.
Such are the qualities that would enable one disown oneself for higher values or to pick up one’s cross day after day and follow Jesus continually (Luke 9: 23) The story reveals that Jesus came to save every one rich and poor, little and great alike
Nicodemus was indeed a winning card for Jesus. He emerges a very important disciple of Jesus and a role model to all disciple, Lent is given to rediscover our faith relationship with God in Jesus, which began at our spiritual rebirth at baptism it is a time to nourish our faith by internalizing the scripture and the catechism. Lent is ultimately, a time to translate faith in to action.
