Who is Nicodemus?

During his earthly life, Jesus attracted the attention of many important people. One of the most remembered people was Nicodemus. He was a member of the High Council, a group of leading scholars who had Jesus crucified with the participation of the Romans. Nicodemus had a very different relationship with our Savior-a relationship that completely changed him. When he met Jesus for the first time, he insisted that it should be at night. Why? Because he would have had much to lose if seen with a man whose teachings were so diametrically opposed to the teachings of his council colleagues. He was ashamed to be seen with him.

A short time later we see a Nicodemus who was very different from the nocturnal visitor. The Bible tells us that not only did he defend Jesus from his fellow councilors, but that he was one of the two men who personally asked Pilate to hand over the body after Jesus' death. The difference between Nicodemus before and Nicodemus after meeting Christ is literally a difference between day and night. What had changed? Well, it's the same transformation that happens in all of us after we meet Jesus and have a relationship with him

Like Nicodemus, many of us relied solely on ourselves when it came to our spiritual well-being. Unfortunately, as Nicodemus had realized, we are not very successful with this approach. As fallen human beings, we lack the capacity to save ourselves. But there is hope. Jesus explained to him, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned.” (Joh 3,17-18).
After Nicodemus had personally encountered the Son of God and trusted in him to receive eternal life, he also knew that he now stood spotless and pure before God with Christ. There was nothing he had to be ashamed of. He had experienced what Jesus had promised him: “Whoever lives according to the truth comes into the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been done in God.” (Joh 3,21).

After entering into a relationship with Jesus, we exchange the trust in ourselves for the trust in Jesus, which frees us to live a life of grace. As with Nicodemus, the difference can be as great as between day and night.

by Joseph Tkach