Nicodemus in the Bible: The Seeker Who Came by Night

Key Takeaways

Nicodemus in the Bible appears three times in the Gospel of John, evolving from a cautious night-time inquirer to a public defender and finally to a devoted follower who helped bury Jesus with expensive spices.
As a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (Jewish ruling council), Nicodemus took significant political and social risks by associating with Jesus, especially when he publicly participated in Jesus’ burial.
The famous ‘born again’ conversation with Jesus introduced foundational Christian concepts including spiritual rebirth, salvation through faith, and the well-known verse John 3:16.
Nicodemus represents a gradual faith journey that many believers identify with—moving from intellectual curiosity to cautious defense to costly commitment—rather than an immediate conversion.
Though Scripture doesn’t record Nicodemus’s ultimate fate after Jesus’ burial, his story serves as a powerful example of how faith can develop incrementally despite social position or religious standing.

Who Was Nicodemus in the Bible and Why His Story Still Resonates

The Hebrew name Nicodemus (נִיקוֹדִימוֹס, from Greek Νικόδημος) likely derives from two elements meaning “victory” and “people”, perhaps hinting at his elevated social position. The Gospel of John introduces him with remarkable precision: “Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews” (John 3:1). This terse introduction carries significant weight in its original context.

Gospel of John’s Portrayal of Nicodemus

The Fourth Gospel, the only biblical text that mentions Nicodemus, presents him as a complex figure who appears at three critical junctures in Jesus’ ministry:

The nighttime theological dialogue (John 3:1-21) where Jesus speaks the famous words about being “born again” and God giving his “only Son” that “whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
A cautious defense of Jesus before the Sanhedrin: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (John 7:50-51), where he faces immediate rebuke from his colleagues.
The burial preparation where Nicodemus brings an extravagant offering of “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds” (John 19:39) to assist Joseph of Arimathea with Jesus’ burial, a public declaration of allegiance at great personal risk.

What makes Nicodemus fascinating is his liminality, he exists at thresholds, between opposing worlds. As a Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council), he represented established religious authority. Yet John portrays him drawn to Jesus, a controversial figure his colleagues increasingly opposed.

What Makes Jesus and Nicodemus’s Night Encounter Significant?

Here’s what’s significant about that nighttime meeting: The evangelist John, master of symbolism, deliberately sets this encounter in darkness. “This man came to Jesus at night” (John 3:2), a detail that operates on multiple levels:

Literal darkness: Practically speaking, night provided privacy and protection from public scrutiny, understandable given the political tensions between Jesus and the religious authorities.
Metaphorical darkness: John’s Gospel employs light/darkness imagery throughout (“The light shines in the darkness…” John 1:5). Nicodemus approaches from spiritual darkness, seeking illumination.
Theological darkness: The conversation immediately turns to spiritual rebirth, Nicodemus cannot “see” (perceive) God’s kingdom without being born again (John 3:3).

Nicodemus begins with cautious respect: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2). The “we” suggests he might represent others among the Pharisees who recognized Jesus’ divine authorization.

Jesus responds not with pleasantries but with a bewildering statement: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). The Greek term anothen (ἄνωθεν) carries dual meaning: both “again” and “from above”, a wordplay Nicodemus misses entirely when he asks how someone could enter their “mother’s womb” a second time.

This conversation resonates because it captures the universal human experience of encountering truth that transcends our existing frameworks, and the confusion that initially results. Nicodemus, even though his religious expertise, stands bewildered before spiritual reality that exceeds his categories.

Historical Role of Nicodemus in First-Century Judaism

To understand Nicodemus fully, we must situate him within the complex political and religious landscape of first-century Jerusalem. The text identifies him through two crucial markers: Pharisee (Pharisaios, Φαρισαῖος) and ruler of the Jews (archōn tōn Ioudaiōn, ἄρχων τῶν Ἰουδαίων).

Sanhedrin Power and Pharisee Influence During Jesus’s Era

The Sanhedrin, where Nicodemus held membership, functioned as both supreme court and legislature for Jews under Roman occupation. This ruling body of 70 (or 71) members represented Jewish autonomy in religious matters while operating within the constraints of Roman imperial power. As a Sanhedrin member, Nicodemus occupied a position of substantial influence.

The Pharisees, unlike the aristocratic Sadducees who controlled the Temple priesthood, derived their authority from popular respect rather than institutional power. They were known for several distinctive theological positions that, interestingly, Jesus himself often shared:

Belief in resurrection (which Sadducees rejected)
Recognition of oral tradition alongside written Torah
Concern for ritual purity in daily life
Expectation of a coming Messiah

The Pharisaic movement was far more complex than the caricature of legalism that developed in later Christian interpretation. They saw themselves as democratizing Judaism, bringing temple-like holiness into everyday life through ritual and practice. The Mishnah (later rabbinic texts) records vigorous debates between the schools of Hillel and Shammai, showing Pharisaism was internally diverse and intellectually vibrant.

Nicodemus likely belonged to this educated Pharisaic elite, people devoted to Scripture (especially Torah), deeply committed to Jewish law and practice, and concerned with how faith should be lived amid Roman occupation.

The Political Risks of Approaching Jesus at Night

The political stakes of Nicodemus’s approach to Jesus cannot be overstated. By the time of their encounter, tensions between Jesus and the religious establishment were escalating:

Jesus had already challenged Temple commerce (John 2:13-22)
His popularity with the masses threatened established authority
His teachings often critiqued religious leaders
Roman authorities were suspicious of any movement that attracted crowds

For a member of the Sanhedrin to seek Jesus privately carried significant risk, professionally, religiously, and politically. The Gospel explicitly acknowledges this danger later when it notes: “Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42).

This context explains Nicodemus’s nighttime visit. Coming by night offered protection from public scrutiny while allowing him to explore Jesus’s teachings directly. The Gospel of John, with its emphasis on witnessing and testimony, presents Nicodemus’s caution sympathetically, he represents those whose journey to faith moves gradually from shadow to light.

Nicodemus’s question to his Sanhedrin colleagues later in John 7, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing?”, reveals his commitment to justice and proper legal procedure, even when it meant defending someone increasingly viewed as dangerous. This intervention, though procedural rather than a full endorsement, still drew immediate rebuke: “Are you from Galilee too?” (John 7:52), showing the political risk even of suggesting procedural fairness toward Jesus.

By the time Nicodemus appears at Jesus’s burial, the stakes had reached their zenith. To publicly associate with a crucified man, executed for sedition against Rome, constituted a profound statement. The Roman death penalty, particularly crucifixion, carried extreme shame and public warning. For a member of the ruling council to handle the body of someone executed for challenging religious and political authority represented an extraordinary act of courage and commitment.

Theological Lessons from the Conversation Between Jesus and Nicodemus

The nocturnal dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus contains some of Christianity’s most foundational theological concepts. Let’s examine what the text actually says, and what might be lost in our familiar translations.

The Born Again Concept in Christian Doctrine

When Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Unless one is born again (γεννηθῇ ἄνωθεν, gennēthē anōthen), he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), he employs a Greek term (anōthen) that carries dual meaning:

Temporally: “again” or “a second time”
Spatially: “from above” or “from a higher place”

This linguistic ambiguity is crucial to the exchange. Nicodemus responds literally to the temporal meaning: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb?” (John 3:4). But Jesus intends both meanings simultaneously, rebirth that originates from the divine realm.

The concept revolutionizes how one enters God’s kingdom. Nicodemus, representing traditional Jewish understanding, would have expected kingdom membership through:

Birth as a descendant of Abraham
Covenant faithfulness through observance of Torah
Anticipation of God’s redemptive action for Israel

Jesus shifts the paradigm entirely. Divine lineage, not human ancestry, becomes the determining factor. The conversation establishes several theological principles that became central to Christian doctrine:

Divine initiative in salvation: “That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6).
Universal accessibility: “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16), not just Israel or the religiously observant.
Faith as the human response: “…whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Present reality of God’s kingdom: Not merely future hope but current possibility through spiritual transformation.

This teaching confronted Nicodemus’s framework so dramatically that he asked, “How can these things be?” Jesus responded with gentle rebuke: “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10), suggesting that Israel’s Scriptures already contained seeds of this understanding.

How the Holy Spirit is Central to Spiritual Rebirth

Jesus elaborates that this rebirth must be “of water and the Spirit” (John 3:5), a phrase scholars interpret variously:

As referring to physical birth (water/amniotic fluid) and subsequent spiritual birth
As alluding to Jewish ritual purification (mikveh) and spiritual transformation
As anticipating Christian baptism and the Spirit’s work
As echoing Ezekiel 36:25-27, which promised cleansing water and a new spirit

Whichever interpretation we favor, Jesus clearly emphasizes the Spirit’s mysterious yet essential role in spiritual transformation. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).

Here Jesus employs wordplay that doesn’t translate well into English. The Greek word pneuma (πνεῦμα) means both “spirit” and “wind”, a dual meaning that also exists in Hebrew (ruach, רוּחַ). Jesus describes the Spirit’s work as being:

Sovereign: Moving according to divine rather than human initiative
Perceptible: Its effects can be experienced even when its operations remain mysterious
Transformative: Creating new birth that changes one’s entire nature

Jesus then connects this spiritual rebirth to his own messianic mission through the striking bronze serpent analogy: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

This reference to Numbers 21:4-9, where Israelites bitten by serpents were healed by looking at a bronze serpent Moses raised on a pole, prefigures Jesus’s crucifixion. The analogy suggests:

Spiritual rebirth comes through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death
Eternal life results from believing in this divine provision
Looking/believing is the human response to God’s saving initiative

The dialogue culminates in what many consider Scripture’s most famous verse: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16), a summary statement of the gospel that emerged from this nighttime conversation with a seeking Pharisee.

Evolution of Nicodemus’s Faith Across the Gospel of John

One of the most fascinating aspects of Nicodemus’s portrayal in John’s Gospel is his gradual transformation. Unlike dramatic conversions like Paul’s, Nicodemus demonstrates how faith often develops incrementally, moving from intellectual curiosity to cautious defense to costly commitment.

From Seeker to Silent Supporter: John 3 to John 19

Nicodemus’s journey unfolds across three carefully placed appearances in John’s narrative:

First Appearance (John 3:1-21): Nicodemus approaches Jesus at night, suggesting both caution and genuine seeking. His opening statement acknowledges Jesus’s divine authorization but falls short of personal commitment: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these miraculous signs that you do unless God is with him” (John 3:2).

This initial encounter reveals several aspects of Nicodemus’s character:

Intellectual honesty: Unlike some Pharisees who dismissed Jesus entirely, Nicodemus recognizes divine activity in Jesus’s ministry.
Cautious curiosity: His nighttime approach indicates both interest and reluctance to be publicly associated with Jesus.
Religious expertise that proves insufficient: Even though being “the teacher of Israel” (John 3:10), he struggles with Jesus’s spiritual teaching.

Second Appearance (John 7:50-52): When the Sanhedrin discusses arresting Jesus, Nicodemus interjects: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (John 7:51). This procedural objection stops short of outright defense yet represents a significant step toward public association with Jesus.

His colleagues’ dismissive response, “Are you from Galilee too?” (John 7:52), shows the social pressure Nicodemus faced within the religious establishment. Their reaction confirms the risk in his gradual alignment with Jesus.

Third Appearance (John 19:39-42): Following Jesus’s crucifixion, Nicodemus joins Joseph of Arimathea in preparing Jesus’s body for burial. John notes he brought an extravagant quantity of burial spices, “about seventy-five pounds” of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39), a detail that suggests both wealth and profound respect.

This final appearance represents several significant developments:

Public declaration: Unlike his previous nighttime encounter, this action occurs openly.
Sacrificial commitment: The burial preparation carried both financial cost (expensive spices) and potential social/political consequences.
Ritual impurity: Contact with a dead body would render him ritually impure for Passover observances, a significant sacrifice for a devout Pharisee.

John’s narrative technique traces a believable spiritual journey, from darkness to light, from secret inquiry to public witness. Nicodemus moves from addressing Jesus as “Rabbi” (teacher) to treating him with the honor due to the Son of God, even after crucifixion appeared to disprove Jesus’s messianic claims.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus: Partners in Jesus’s Burial

Nicodemus’s final appearance partners him with another secret disciple, Joseph of Arimathea, whom John describes as a “disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). This pairing of two wealthy, influential men who move from secrecy to public witness creates a powerful theological statement about faith’s transformative journey.

Joseph and Nicodemus share several characteristics:

Both held positions in Jewish leadership (Joseph as a “respected member of the council” [Mark 15:43] and Nicodemus as a “ruler of the Jews” [John 3:1]).
Both had previously concealed their interest in Jesus due to fear.
Both displayed extraordinary courage at the precise moment when following Jesus seemed most futile, after his execution.

Their partnership in burial preparation fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that the Suffering Servant would be “with a rich man in his death” (Isaiah 53:9). John records their actions with reverent detail:

“Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews” (John 19:39-40).

Several aspects of this account deserve attention:

The quantity of spices was extraordinary, fitting for royalty rather than a condemned criminal, suggesting their recognition of Jesus’s true identity.
The burial preparations were rushed due to the approaching Sabbath, yet they ensured Jesus received honorable treatment rather than the mass grave typical for executed criminals.
John explicitly reminds readers of Nicodemus’s earlier nighttime visit, highlighting the contrast between his former secrecy and current public action.
Their care for Jesus’s body represented significant risk, identifying themselves with a man executed for sedition could bring Roman scrutiny or Sanhedrin censure.

The partnership of these two men, wealthy, respected religious leaders, provides a powerful counterpoint to the disciples who fled. When even Jesus’s closest followers abandoned him, these “secret disciples” stepped forward with extraordinary courage.

Their actions also fulfill Jesus’s teaching that “whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). At the moment when following Jesus carried maximum risk and no apparent benefit, Joseph and Nicodemus chose public identification with him, suggesting their journey from intellectual interest to genuine faith was complete.

Interpretations That Often Get Overlooked

Beyond the standard readings of Nicodemus’s story lie several interpretative dimensions that enrich our understanding of this complex figure, perspectives that often get overlooked in conventional teaching.

How Other Religions View Nicodemus and His Actions

Nicodemus occupies an interesting position in interfaith dialogue, particularly in Jewish-Christian relations. Several perspectives deserve consideration:

Jewish Perspectives on Nicodemus:

In rabbinic literature, a figure named Nakdimon ben Gurion (נקדימון בן גוריון) appears in Talmudic stories, a wealthy Jerusalem aristocrat known for piety and miracle-working. While some scholars suggest possible connections between this figure and the New Testament Nicodemus, the identification remains speculative. The Talmudic Nakdimon is associated with stories about water and generous provision for pilgrims to Jerusalem.

Modern Jewish scholarship sometimes views the Gospel’s portrayal of Nicodemus more sympathetically than traditional Christian readings, seeing him as representing Jews who recognized value in Jesus’s teaching while maintaining Jewish identity and practice. His presence challenges supersessionist interpretations that pit Christianity against Judaism.

Islamic Perspectives:

While the Quran doesn’t mention Nicodemus directly, Islamic tradition preserves interest in Jesus’s followers and secret disciples. Some Sufi interpretations particularly value the night conversation as representing the journey from outward religious observance (shariah) to inner spiritual illumination (haqiqah), a theme resonant across mystical traditions.

Interfaith Significance:

Nicodemus embodies several themes that promote interfaith understanding:

The recognition that spiritual truth may emerge from unexpected sources
The possibility of learning across religious boundaries
The journey from institutional religion to spiritual transformation
The value of questioning and dialogue in spiritual growth

Apocryphal and Early Church Writings on Nicodemus

Beyond canonical Scripture, Nicodemus appears in several early Christian writings that, while not historically reliable, demonstrate his significance in early Christian thought:

The Gospel of Nicodemus (also called the Acts of Pilate), a 4th-century apocryphal text, expands Nicodemus’s role significantly. This document:

Portrays Nicodemus as a full defender of Jesus before Pilate
Includes his testimony about Jesus’s miracles as evidence against accusations
Shows him experiencing persecution for supporting Jesus
Connects him to accounts of Jesus’s descent into Hades

While historically unreliable, this text demonstrates how early Christians recognized Nicodemus’s symbolic importance as a bridge figure between Jewish leadership and the Jesus movement.

Patristic Interpretations from Church Fathers often emphasize Nicodemus as representing:

The limitations of human wisdom when confronting divine mystery
The necessity of baptismal regeneration (based on “born of water and Spirit”)
The journey from law to grace, works to faith
The pattern of gradual conversion and spiritual growth

St. Augustine particularly emphasizes the night setting, writing: “Nicodemus came to the Lord by night, because he was in darkness and received the light that he might come out of darkness.”

Overlooked Symbolic Dimensions:

Several interpretative angles often get missed in conventional readings:

Nicodemus as representing the limited vision of Second Temple Judaism: His struggle to comprehend spiritual rebirth reflects the limitations of his theological framework, not personal deficiency.
The political dimensions of the exchange: Beyond personal salvation, Jesus’s teaching about rebirth and the kingdom challenged existing power structures that Nicodemus represented.
Nicodemus as narrative foil to other characters: John’s Gospel pairs him with the Samaritan woman (John 4), contrasting a respected male Jewish leader who struggles to understand with a marginalized foreign woman who quickly perceives Jesus’s identity.
The developmental model of faith: Nicodemus demonstrates that authentic faith can develop gradually through stages of questioning, partial understanding, and incremental commitment, contrasting with expectations of immediate, dramatic conversion.
Nicodemus as representing intellectual seekers: His approach to Jesus shows the value of critical questioning and engagement with doubts rather than blind acceptance.

These overlooked dimensions invite readers to see Nicodemus not merely as an individual historical figure but as a literary and theological archetype representing various aspects of the spiritual journey, particularly for those whose social position, education, or religious standing potentially hinders their recognition of truth that transcends existing categories.

Questions People Have About Nicodemus in the Bible

The enigmatic nature of Nicodemus’s story generates numerous questions about his identity, actions, and ultimate fate. Let’s address the most common inquiries with textual evidence and scholarly insights.

Why is Nicodemus important in the Bible verse?

Nicodemus holds theological and narrative significance for several reasons:

Theological Vehicle: His conversation with Jesus introduces pivotal Christian concepts including spiritual rebirth, the Trinity’s role in salvation, and justification by faith. The discourse contains John 3:16, perhaps Christianity’s most frequently cited verse, encapsulating the gospel message of God’s love, Christ’s sacrifice, and salvation through faith.
Narrative Bridge: As a Pharisee who shows openness to Jesus, Nicodemus bridges the often-antagonistic relationship portrayed between Jesus and religious authorities. He demonstrates that some within the established religious system recognized Jesus’s divine authorization.
Discipleship Model: His three appearances trace an archetypal faith journey from questioning seeker (John 3) to cautious defender (John 7) to committed follower (John 19), offering a pattern of gradual spiritual growth many believers identify with.
Social Witness: As a wealthy, educated religious leader drawn to Jesus, Nicodemus illustrates that Christ’s appeal transcended socioeconomic and educational boundaries, challenging assumptions about who belongs in God’s kingdom.
Literary Technique: John uses Nicodemus as a literary foil whose misunderstandings allow Jesus to clarify spiritual truths, particularly the contrast between fleshly and spiritual understanding (a major Johannine theme).

Jesus’s dialogue with Nicodemus essentially provides a theological foundation for the entire Gospel of John, introducing themes of light/darkness, flesh/spirit, earthly/heavenly, and belief/unbelief that recur throughout the narrative.

What happened to Nicodemus of the Bible?

Scripture doesn’t record Nicodemus’s ultimate fate, his biblical story concludes with Jesus’s burial in John 19. But, several traditions and historical possibilities exist:

Biblical Evidence: The canonical record shows his gradual movement toward public identification with Jesus, culminating in his participation in the burial, an act suggesting significant commitment given the circumstances.
Early Christian Traditions: Various extra-biblical traditions suggest Nicodemus eventually became a full disciple, was baptized by Peter and John, and later faced persecution from other Jewish leaders. Some traditions claim he was removed from the Sanhedrin and from his teaching position.
The Gospel of Nicodemus (4th-5th century) expands his role significantly, portraying him as a defender of Jesus during the trial and a witness to post-resurrection events, though scholars consider this text historically unreliable.
Historical Possibilities: As a member of the Jerusalem elite, Nicodemus would have faced increasing tension as Christianity spread and divisions between synagogue and church hardened. His options likely included:

Full identification with the Christian community
Maintaining a secret faith while retaining his Jewish position
Retreating from his interest in Jesus due to growing persecution

Archaeological Note: A 4th-century tradition associates Nicodemus with a tomb discovered in 1885 near Jerusalem, which contained a first-century ossuary with the inscription “Naqdimon” (the Hebrew form of Nicodemus), though this identification remains speculative.

The silence about his ultimate fate actually serves John’s narrative purpose, Nicodemus represents all seekers whose stories remain unfinished, inviting readers to complete their own journeys of faith.

Why did Nicodemus not follow Jesus?

This question assumes Nicodemus never followed Jesus, but the biblical evidence suggests a more nuanced reality:

Textual Evidence of Growth: John’s Gospel shows Nicodemus moving from night questioning (John 3) to public defense (John 7) to the ultimate public identification in burial preparation (John 19), suggesting progressive commitment rather than rejection.
Different Forms of Discipleship: The Gospels recognize various types of followers beyond the Twelve, including secret disciples, financial supporters, and occasional companions. Nicodemus appears to fit the category John describes as those who “believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42).
Legitimate Constraints: Several factors might have limited Nicodemus’s public identification during Jesus’s ministry:

Professional responsibilities as a Sanhedrin member
Family obligations that would be jeopardized by excommunication
Potential value of maintaining his position to protect Jesus’s followers
Gradual rather than immediate conviction about Jesus’s identity

Post-Resurrection Possibilities: John’s Gospel doesn’t indicate whether Nicodemus joined the early church after the resurrection. His burial participation represents his last appearance in Scripture, leaving his final status ambiguous.

What did Jesus say about Nicodemus?

Jesus’s direct statements to and about Nicodemus provide important insights into both men:

Spiritual Rebirth: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3), challenging Nicodemus’s assumption that religious knowledge and heritage were sufficient.
Gentle Rebuke: “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10), suggesting Nicodemus should have recognized these concepts from Hebrew Scriptures like Ezekiel 36:25-27 and Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Contrast of Realms: “If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?” (John 3:12), highlighting the gap between human and divine perspective that only faith can bridge.
Self-Revelation: Jesus shares with Nicodemus some of his most profound self-disclosures, including:

His heavenly origin: “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man” (John 3:13)
His sacrificial purpose: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14)
His salvific mission: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17)

Notably, Jesus treats Nicodemus with respect even though his limited understanding, engaging his questions seriously and revealing profound truths rather than dismissing him. The content Jesus shares with him suggests Jesus recognized genuine seeking beneath Nicodemus’s cautious approach.

Jesus’s most significant statement about Nicodemus might be implicit rather than explicit, by accepting the burial assistance of Nicodemus and Joseph, Jesus’s body itself “receives” their ministry, symbolically accepting them as disciples even after his death.

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