Nicodemus

Scripture: John 7:45-53 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

45 When the Temple guards returned without having arrested Jesus, the leading priests and Pharisees demanded, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” 46 “We have never heard anyone speak like this!” the guards responded. 47 “Have you been led astray, too?” the Pharisees mocked. 48 “Is there a single one of us rulers or Pharisees who believes in him? 49 This foolish crowd follows him, but they are ignorant of the law. God’s curse is on them!” 50 Then Nicodemus, the leader who had met with Jesus earlier, spoke up. 51 “Is it legal to convict a man before he is given a hearing?” he asked. 52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Search the Scriptures and see for yourself—no prophet ever comes from Galilee!” 53 Then the meeting broke up, and everybody went home. (John 7:45–53 NLT)

The Pharisees really believed that the law given by Moses, along with their own detailed interpretations and applications of that law, was meant to be kept. But like all religionists, they found ways to circumvent parts of the law as necessary for the sake of convenience or practicality. Priests could work on the Sabbath to offer sacrifices and officiate at the Temple, if an animal got out of its pen, they could catch it and put it back, practical stuff like that.

In their minds, Jesus was disobeying the law and even flaunting his disobedience by healing on the Sabbath, by even healing people right in the Synagogue services. And when he didn’t cooperate, they sent Temple guards to arrest him, they tried to get people he had healed to testify against him, and they tried to kill him. There’s a kind of blindness that can overcome people in situations like the Pharisees were in. They can become so fixated on the technical details of law, rules, doctrine, or tradition, that they become guilty of much more serious violations of much greater laws and end up hating and hurting others.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee, but he wasn’t caught in the legalism trap and blinded to truth. He was able to see that Jesus was living by a higher law, the law of love. Nicodemus wasn’t a particularly brave man—he visited Jesus at night so he wouldn’t be seen—but his questions were sincere and his heart was good. But He had a lot to lose! He did speak up for Jesus here, and helped avert a crisis. I have no criticism of Nicodemus. It can be very costly to go against the flow! It’s hard to know what to do and say and how hard to push sometimes, isn’t it?!

Prayer:

Father, Thanks for those who stand for peace and work for fairness. Thanks for those who speak up in the face of opposition. Please give us courage and wisdom! Amen.