NICODEMUS, a disciple of Jesus Christ, a Jew
by nation, and by sect a Pharisee (John iii. 1. &c.)
The scripture calls him a ruler of the Jews, and our
Saviour gives him the name of a master of Israel.
When our Saviour began to manifest himself by his
miracles at Jerusalem, at the first passover that he ce-
lebrated there after his baptism, Nicodemus made no
doubt but that he was the Messiah, and came to him
by night, that he might learn of him the way of sal-
vation. Jesus told him that no one could see the
kingdom of heaven except he should be born again.
Nicodemus taking this in the literal sense, made an-
swer, “How can a man that is old be born again? Can
he enter a second time into his mother's womb?” To Nicodemus,
which Jesus replied, “If a man be not born of water Nicodemus,
and of the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and
that which is born of the spirit is spirit.” Nicodemus
asks him, “How can these things be?” Jesus an-
swered, “Are you a master of Israel, and are you ig-
norant of these things? We tell you what we know,
and you receive not our testimony. If you believe
not common things, and which may be called earthly,
how will you believe me if I speak to you of heavenly
things? Nobody has ascended into heaven but the son
of God, who came down from thence. And just as
Moses lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilder-
ness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up on high.
For God so loved the world that he has given his only
son, so that no man who believes in him shall perish,
but shall have eternal life.”
After this conversation Nicodemus became a dis-
ciple of Jesus Christ; and there is no doubt to be made,
but he came to hear him as often as our Saviour came
to Jerusalem. It happened on a time, that the priests
and Pharisees had sent officers to seize Jesus (John vii.
45, &c.), who returning to them, made their report,
that never man spoke as he did; to which the Phari-
sees replied, “Are you also of his disciples? Is there
any one of the elders or Pharisees that have believed
in him?” Then Nicodemus thought himself obliged
to make answer, saying, “Does the law permit us
to condemn any one before he is heard?” To which
they replied, “Are you also a Galilean? Read the
scriptures, and you will find that never any prophet
came out of Galilee.” After this the council was dis-
missed. At last Nicodemus declared himself openly a
disciple of Jesus Christ (id. xix. 39. 40.), when he
came with Joseph of Arimathea to pay the last duties
to the body of Christ, which they took down from the
cross, embalmed, and laid in a sepulchre.
We are told, that Nicodemus received baptism from
the disciples of Christ; but it is not mentioned wher-
ever before or after the passion of our Lord. It is
added, that the Jews being informed of this, deposed
him from his dignity of senator, excommunicated him,
and drove him from Jerusalem; but that Gamaliel,
who was his cousin-german, took him to his country
house, and maintained him there till his death, when
he had him buried honourably near St Stephen. There
is still extant an apocryphal gospel under the name of
Nicodemus, which in some manuscripts bears the title
of the Acts of Pilate.