He wanted badly to understand, and he sensed that Jesus had the answer. Inside the Temple space, the noise and pressure were, if possible, worse. By the end of the Gospel of John, Nicodemus appears to have become a disciple, and so it's possible that Jesus did invite Nicodemus to follow him. Although Joseph of Arimathea, the owner of the tomb, is mentioned in all four canonical Gospels as preparing the body for burial, Nicodemus is mentioned only in the Gospel According to John. Representations of Nicodemus in art tend to focus on his sympathy for Jesus, his identification as a Jew, and his purported social prominence. He chose to have been thrown out of the synagogue after it was revealed that he believed in the Savior Jesus Christ. They formed the Jewish aristocracy, and were powerful though quite small in numbers.[6] This act was a direct frontal attackif not challenging their authority, challenging at least their conduct in regard to their responsibilities for the temple. The terms use receded after the 18th century. Jesus Teaches Nicodemus. Nicodemus' decision to not follow Jesus would have been even more significant, since it would be a set back in both his struggle against fear and skepticism. . What did you notice about how Jesus interacted with Photina? Nicodemus does not speak to Jesus simply as an individual, but as a leader of his community. His own disciples often queried him privately, seeking clarification following his public teaching or doctrinal understanding (see Matthew 24:3; Mark 9:2829). 801-422-6975. According to theologian Charles Ellicott, following the methods of Rabbinic dialogue, Nicodemus stresses on the improbable meaning of the words to bring out the real meaning. What is the story of Nicodemus? The Bible does not mention Nicodemus' wife. In particular, this episode of The Chosen shows us the impact of Jesus on Simon's wife (Eden), her mother, Nicodemus' wife (Zohara), Mary, and Photina (the Samaritan Woman at the Well from the well-known passage in John 4) - all against the backdrop of the unjust patriarchal society of ancient Israel. He received an answer that generations of Christians would hide in their hearts. Nicodemus.. Although Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were secret disciples, they were able to associate with Jesus during the last moments of his life. Jesus isn't using his conversation with Nicodemus as a teaching moment for a crowd; he's engaging Nicodemus in a private (it's at night) 1-1 conversation, in response to Nicodemus' honest questions. PROUDLY CREATED WITH WIX.COM. Nicodemus ben Gorion later lost his wealth and position so that some have attributed this reversal of circumstance to his having become a Christian. However, the author then adds, The identification is unlikely.[28]. . Nicodemus is one of the few in-betweeners present in the Gospels. But it seems like Nicodemus could have struggled with both skepticism and fear. During Jesus trial and crucifixion, Nicodemus was one of the leaders of the Jewish religious leaders. (John 3:3, NIV), "How can someone be born when they are old?" In Season 1, Episode 8, Nicodemus turns down the invitation. In his final appearance, Nicodemus aids Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Jesus, in Jesus' burial, at great expense (John 19:38-42). While Johns Gospel leaves many questions unanswered about Nicodemus, the main points of the story are clear: Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus but was not publicly declaring his faith. It also seems like following Jesus would create significant issues in his marriage with Zohara. Before this meeting, the scriptural record gives the account of Christs birth, His visit to the temple at age twelve, His baptism, the temptations, His turning water to wine at Cana, a short visit to Capernaum and the first cleansing of the temple. Similarly, fear is at work in the conflict between Nicodemus and Shmuel. . Regardless of the truth of his fate, his death is a mystery that persists to this day. He is saying plainly that men must believe in him; that he is the Son of God, the Promised Messiah, the Only Begotten of the Father, the One of whom Moses and the prophets testified. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. When he first sought out Jesus, Nicodemus went at night, so no one would see him. In the Bible, it isn't completely clear when Nicodemus began to follow Jesus, if he did at all. According to the scripture, Jesus went to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. He referred to Jesus as a man of God and sought to investigate his character. The Pharisees were a group of Jews who were fastidious in keeping the letter of the Law and often opposed Jesus throughout His ministry. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. Although Nicodemus wonders about the probability of being actually reborn from one's mother's womb, most theologians hold the view that Nicodemus was aware that Jesus was not talking about literal rebirth. Because John was known unto the high priest, he seemed to have little trouble gaining access to the palace (see John 18:1516). Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus, and believed in his Messiahship. The holy and righteous Nicodemus was a Pharisee who came to hear the Lord by night. I hope you enjoy them! Despite the evangelical obsession with the Heel-Face Turn, there are actually relatively few stories in the Gospels themselves that follow this pattern. Even though the timeline between their relationship remains anonymous, the couple apparently met a while before 2014. Eden (Peter's wife) and Zohara (Nicodemus' wife) both have husbands who have been called to follow Jesus. McClintock and Strong. There is no explicit indication in the Bible that Jesus asked Nicodemus to follow him. This prominent member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish supreme court, secretly visited Jesus Christ at night because he suspected the young teacher might be the Messiah promised to Israel by God. Matthew confirms this principle, for he taught them as one having Authority from God and not as having authority from the Scribes. (Joseph Smith Translation, Matthew 7:29). Any contribution is greatly appreciated! As Season One of The Chosen progresses, Mary's story fades into the background and the show becomes more male-dominated, focusing primarily on Simon, Nicodemus, and Matthew. Even so, a degree of ambiguity could still have been retained. The planning to kill Jesus had begun a year and a half earlier in reaction to His healing a man on the Sabbath (see John 5:216). We read in John 12:42, 43: Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.[10]. Click here for my affiliation policy. Theologian John Calvin was the originator of it. Woller as Gaius: a Roman centurion and a former associate of Matthew. He comes from a family of fishermen. He was, for example (1) a Pharisee, (2) a member of the Sanhedrin, (3) wealthy, and (4) one of whom it was known that his attachment to Christ was great.. As Photina pointed out, most rabbis wouldn't be caught dead talking to a Samaritan woman with her past. It would seem to be wise for one to come and see (John 1:46) for oneself as Philip suggested to Nathanael. If any one quarrels with his rabbi, it is as if he contended with the living God. He had skipped the previous Passover in the spring. In spite of the loathing the Sanhedrin had for this Galilean and their determination to arrest, condemn, and put Him to death, Nicodemuss defense of Jesus in that setting is characterized by some authors as cautious and as a voice of mild protest. Being a Pharisee himself and a member of that esteemed council, he probably would have been privy to their planning. As a more fully realized narrative, we expect it to fill in some of the gaps that are left by the Gospel. See also Farrar, The Life of Christ, 2:428; emphasis added. This letter is placed in the keeping of his synagogue administrator, Jairus, to give Yussif time to reconsider his words before sending it. [8] James Strong, The Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville: Abingdon, 1981), s.v. Or did Jesus' teaching in John 3 leave Nicodemus still questioning and doubtful? We are not given the end of their initial conversation (John 3:1-21), and so we don't know how Nicodemus ultimately responded to Jesus' teaching. Jesus is the source of all truth, the meaning of life. Jesus reminds Nicodemus of the Old Testament story of Moses and the Bronze Serpent (Numbers 21:4-8 ). Sometimes their conversation got a little tense. Episode 8 Guide: The Woman at the Well, Eden, & Zohara, Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers, The Chosen Season 2 Controversy (Jesus, the Bible, & the Process of Inspiration), Should Nicodemus Kneel? Apparently John was, if not walking in the same circles, at least comfortable among those who wielded power in Jerusalem. At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. The second mention of Nicodemus occurs when some of the chief priests and Pharisees of the Sanhedrin ask why the temple guards failed to bring Jesus to them. John 7:13; 9:22; 12:42; 19:38; 20:19). Nicodemus in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Nicodemus may seem like strange choice for a primary POV character in a show about the life of Jesus. Some of the extra-biblical traditions about Nicodemus are based on conjecture. While watching The Chosen, I made occasional comments through the chat but I tried to not do too much teaching. The failure of his character to follow out of his fear of societal disapproval sets up an interesting plot trajectory for his future development. While in Jerusalem he chased the moneychangers from the temple and overturned their tables. The first time Nicodemus is mentioned, he is identified as a Pharisee who comes to see Jesus at night. This seems to be a general tendency of The Chosen. He received the credits for carving both the Holy Face of Lucca and the Batll Crucifix, apparently with angelic help. This passage is one of the most influential in all of the Bible, so it is imperative to study it closely. I've condensed the lesson into an easily printable pdf below. Come, follow me." Claudia Procula What does the Bible say about Pontius Pilates wife? He brought with him a large amount of spices, including myrrh and aloes. Joshua and his wife, Rebecca, launched How to Love, a podcast about relationships, sex, . John gives us the account of Nathanael when he asks Philip, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? He is invited to Come and see. Then based on Jesus miraculous description of Nathanael praying, he bears witness, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel (John 1:4649)thus a skeptic becomes a disciple and perhaps even an Apostle. Eighteen years earlier, Jesus, then twelve years of age, was also in the temple. We can conclude that Nicodemus was a highly honored Jewish teacher who also happened to be very rich and very powerful. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 8 of The Chosen with your youth group. They were regarded as enemies by the Sanhedrin. As a result, we're left to wonder whether the teacher will accept Jesus' claims or reject them. Elliott was well versed in Pot Fishing by 19 and was better than your average . There is no indication in the Bible that Nicodemus met John the Baptist, talked to him, or visited him in jail. The Woman at the Well, Eden, & Zohara (Exploring The Chosen with Youth), Photina in the Market in The Chosen Season 2, Jesus with Mary Magdalene, Tamar, Ramah, and his mother, Mary, Due to COVID restrictions, my youth group watched The Chosen online using Zoom. 1) Nicodemus meets Jesus secretly. What would it look like for us as a community to demonstrate this? Narrative Ambiguity & Charitable Reading, The Chosen: 6 Good Friday & Easter Episodes, The Rings of Power, LOTR, and Bible Adaptation, Amazon Prime's The Rings of Power & The Challenges of Biblical Adaptation, In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 1), In Defense of The Chosen and Other Christian Movies, Books, & Media (Part 2), Imagining Mary Magdalene (5 More Bible Adaptations While You Wait for The Chosen Season 2), Yussif, Jairus, & Shmuel in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Ears to Hear (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 with Youth or Small Group), The Chosen Season 3 Episode 7 & Episode 8: Recap, Review, & Analysis, The Feeding of the 5,000 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 8 with Youth or Small Group), Pontius Pilate & His Wife in The Chosen (Adapting Biblical Characters), Intensity in Tent City (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 6 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 2 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 5 with Youth or Small Group), Clean Part 1 (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 4 with Youth or Small Group), Physician, Heal Thyself (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 3 with Youth or Small Group), Two by Two (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 2 with Youth or Small Group), Little James in The Chosen & Scripture (Adapting Biblical Characters), Homecoming (Exploring The Chosen Season 3 Episode 1 with Youth or Small Group), 2022 BY THE BIBLE ARTIST. [24], The Anchor Bible Dictionary concludes: Though Nicodemus is often portrayed as timid, [John A. T.] Robinson is probably correct in seeing him as quite courageous. The Chosen should allow its characters to embrace faith in Jesus with a more incomplete or tentative understanding of who he actually is. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. By raising these issues to the surface, you will hopefully encourage your youth to feel safe expressing their difficulties with Scripture (instead of never talking about them until they get older and then deconstructing). Add to this Elder McConkies speculation about the possible location of Nicodemuss dialogue with Jesus: We are left to assume the meeting took place in a house owned or occupied by John in Jerusalem. In the sequence of events, John puts the rendezvous after the cleansing of the temple and connects it to the signs which Jesus demonstrated in Jerusalem during the Passover feast. But the Bible never gives us her name. John said this discussion happened at night, probably because Nicodemus had his reputation to protect since Jesus was a controversial figure . A digest of Jewish traditions as well as a compendium of the ritualistic performances of the law, it was made up of formalistic minutae.[16]. Unfortunately, Apple's iOS doesn't support home screen shortcuts in the Chrome browser. . This led the scholars to believe that Nicodemus was likely a wealthy man. "Meet Nicodemus: Seeker of God."