Nicodemus: Is His Life a Positive Example to Follow?

Is Nicodemus someone you should pattern your life after as an example of a firm believer in Jesus? Is His life a worthy example for you to emulate? Nicodemus has a warm place in many a believers heart because of his association with the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16. But do those warm feelings translate to a picture of a powerful man of God?

D.L. Moody wrote the following. “You know I have an idea that the Bible is like an album. I go into a man’s house, and while waiting for him, I take up an album and open it. I look at a picture. “Why, that looks like a man I know.” I turn over and look at another. “Well, I know that man.” By and by I come upon another. “Why, that man looks like my brother.” I am getting pretty near home. I keep turning over the leaves. “Well, I declare, there is a man who lives in the street I do—why, he is my next-door neighbor.” And then I come upon another, and I see myself. My friends, if you read your Bibles, you will find your pictures there. It will just describe you.”¹ Righteous examples are available for us to follow in the Bible. They are like the album that Moody describes. The focus of this week’s Light on Life is the album of Nicodemus’s life as the Word of God declares it. We are answering the question, is he a positive example to follow?

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Strive to become the believer in Jesus who can be a positive example to others in Christ.

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Question of the Day: Who was your role model for the things of God? How did he or she positively impact your life? Please leave your testimony in the comments section below.

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About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 42 years ago. He has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. Both he and his wife Sharon of 38 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is both the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

Paul: A Positive God Fearing Example to Follow

1 Corinthians 11:1 (ESV) — 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Paul put himself forward as an example worthy of emulation.
His album plasters the pages of the New Testament.
‘Imitate me as I imitate Jesus,’ Paul said.
That’s a pretty bold statement to make.
Shouldn’t we be following Jesus?
Well, the Greek language that the New Testament was written in helps us out here a bit.
The Greek word ‘imitators’ is the word ‘mimetes.’
You can see the word ‘mimic’ in the spelling of this Greek word.
The definition of ‘imitators’ is a person who copies the words or behavior of another.

Copy Those Who Copy Christ

So then Paul, by the Spirit of God, is saying that it’s right to copy those who copy Christ.
Well, what about cutting out the middle man?
Why not copy Jesus direct?
Well, you absolutely can, but godly men and women have navigated spiritual life in their generation.
Look at how different life is in the 21st century as opposed to the first century when Jesus walked the earth.
Now the principles that Jesus taught are eternal.
They work in any generation, but you have to learn to apply those principles in the age you live.
Men who successfully navigate their generation and receive a ‘well done’ from the Lord are living letters for you to read.
Their lives are examples of eternal spiritual realities lived out in real-world conditions.
Paul went on to say to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 3:2–3 (ESV) — 2 You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. 3 And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

The question that comes to mind and is the subject of today’s podcast is this question: Would Nicodemus be such an example?
Is the life of Nicodemus a worthy letter to read?
The only way to get to this answer is to drill down into the pictorial album the Word of God gives us of Nicodemus.
So, we need to know, just who was Nicodemus?

Introducing Nicodemus: Who Was He?

John 3:1–2 (ESV) — 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus Was a Pharisee

Do not let this fact get past you.
Pharisees were one of the chief critics of Jesus ministry.
A little history of this group of religious leaders may help us.

What’s A Pharisee?

Pharisees emerged about 170 years before Jesus was born.
They came into being during the inter-testament period.
You know the period between the end of the Old Testament and the beginning of the New Testament.
This period was approximately 400 years.
There was a Jewish family during this time, the Hasmoneans, who came to power in Israel for about seventy years, in between the Greeks and Romans ruling Israel.
This period came to be because of the Maccabean revolt.
This Jewish family was priests and kings in their lineage.
During this period, some of the Jews of the day were not very pleased with their ruling and their practices concerning the priesthood, so they began to establish sects or groups, that would in some way protest some of the things that these Hasmoneans did.
Pharisees, for example, at times were in a good relationship with the Hasmoneans and other times weren’t.
In fact, at one point, about 800 of the Pharisees were crucified by one of the Hasmonean kings.².
So things were pretty dicey between the Hasmoneans ruling Israel and the Pharisees.
Pharisees had little political clout.
In Jesus day, it was the Sadducee’s that held sway in that area.
Pharisees were strict adherents of the law of Moses and had significant influence with the ordinary people.
Saul of Tarsus, known later as the Apostle Paul, was of this class.

Pharisees Believed in Ritual Purity for Everyone

The Pharisees had one particular characteristic that is important for us to mention.
They believed that the standard of ritual purity in the temple for the priesthood should also be the standard of virtue in the everyday world of regular Jews.
Pharisees preached a gospel of separatism.
Their name means just that.
The Semitic word for Pharisee means ‘the separated ones, separatists.’³
For example, in Mark’s gospel note the following interchange between the Pharisees and Jesus.

Mark 2:16 (ESV) — 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Pharisees separatist religious views did not allow them to eat with tax collectors and sinners.
That’s why we see in John’s gospel confrontations over ceremonial washings.

John 3:25 (ESV) — 25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification.

The KJV says a ‘question arose.’
The ESV says a ‘discussion arose.’
But, the Greek says ‘a dispute arose.’
The Greek word ‘discussion’ means a dispute or a disagreement or argument about something important.
Ritual Purity is what the Pharisees believed and Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
Separatism is what he believed.
Ritual purification was his doctrine.

Differences and Similarities between Pharisees and Scribes

A Pharisee was usually a layman without official formal education.
Scribes possessed the ‘seminary’ type credentials meaning they had the formal education.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee, not a scribe.
Both Pharisees and scribes were religious salesmen of the oral tradition of laws handed down from generation to generation until its contents were finally committed to writing following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE.
Pharisees and scribes put this oral law on the same plane, as God’s Word to Moses written on tables of stone.

What Jesus Said about the Pharisees

Matthew 3:7 (ESV) — 7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Jesus said Pharisees were vipers.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee.

Matthew 5:20 (ESV) — 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus said that there standard of righteousness was not enough to get them into the kingdom.

Matthew 23:2–7 (ESV) — 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.

Pharisees Were Talkers and Hogged the SpotLight

Pharisees were talkers, not doers.
Whatever they did do, like pray, they did to be seen or to put on a display that they thought showcased their supposed spirituality.
These are all things that you should not copy.
These are examples that you should not follow.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
Pharisees loved places of honor.
They loved titles and social status.
These religious hypocrites were unwilling to work for God in the quietness of the background.
They wanted to be out front.
And, they desired to have their name in lights.
They preached, but they did not practice what they preached.
Nicodemus was of this caliber.
Do not forget that as you read John chapter three.

More of What Jesus Said about Pharisees

Matthew 15:1–9 (NKJV) — 1 Then the scribes and Pharisees who were from Jerusalem came to Jesus, saying, 2 “Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”—6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.

Jesus Called Pharisees Hypocrites

7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ ”

Pharisees Were Transgressors of God’s Word

Jesus said Pharisees were transgressors of the commandments of God.
They were people who used religious loopholes to get around the law of Moses which said you need to honor your father and mother.
They instead declared their money Corban which means a gift to God.
So they said to their parents we can’t take care of you because we don’t have any money.
We have dedicated our funds to God, so you are on your own.
Jesus response to that was that they were hypocrites.
He went on to say that living this way would cause their worship of God to be void, vain, that is no better than if they had never offered it in the first place.
Wow, that’s bad.
You can’t emulate that.
You should be trying to do the Word not trying to get around doing it.
So, from this, you should be getting the message on this.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee.
Pharisees are not people who projected the right image of who God is by the lives that they lived.

An Enlighting Clue into Who Nicodemus Was

So, let’s reread John 3:1–2.

Most everyone begins the story of Nicodemus by reading right here with the first verse of John three.
But the story of Nicodemus doesn’t start with John chapter three verse one.
If you want to know the real Nicodemus as Jesus knew him, you have to back up two verses.
That is you need to back out of chapter three and into the tail end of John two.

John 2:23–25 (ESV) — 23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

So these passage is in the context of John three.
You need these two verses at the end of John two to get a proper gauge on Nicodemus.

What the Word Believe Means in John 2:23

So, let’s define some words now to help bring clarity to what we are reading here.
In the phrase, ‘many believed in His name,’ look at the word ‘believed.’
The word ‘believed’ in the Greek means to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, to believe.⁴
So, many believed in His Name, and that sounds good until you read the rest of the sentence.
They believed only when they saw the signs.
So this crowd didn’t believe His Words.
They believed the miracles.
Now, look at the word ‘entrust.’
Jesus did not entrust Himself to these kinds of believers.
Many believed in His name, but He did not entrust Himself to them…’
The word ‘entrust’ is the same word as the word ‘believe’ we just looked at.
So, you could this sentence this way.
Many believed in Jesus, but He did not believe in them.
Now put all of this together.

When they saw the miracles Jesus did, they believed. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to these people who only believed this way. And why was that? Because He knew what was in man.

Now read John 3:1, ‘now there was a man…’
‘Jesus knew what was in man; now there was a man.’
Do you see it?

Nicodemus: Not Worthy of Trust

Nicodemus was this kind of man that Jesus would not entrust Himself to.

John 3:2 (ESV) — 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Do you see it?
Who was Nicodemus?
He was an ambulance chasing ‘sign-believer’ not a ‘Word-believer.’
He believed the works of Jesus not the words of Jesus.
Jesus does not trust those who do not trust His Word.
So, now let me ask you something.
Do you still have warm fuzzy feelings about Nicodemus now that you know the inside story?
You have the inside scoop here.
What’s the application here?
You want God to trust you?
Then, trust His Word and quit chasing signs.
That’s the highest kind of faith.
You know people have this sign thing all backward.

Mark 16:17 (NKJV) — 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

Signs are supposed to be following you not you following them.
Man, walk with God and the signs will show up when God shows up in your life.
Signs will park themselves right at your doorstep.

Nicodemus Locater Question

Nicodemus asked Jesus a question, and it shows another aspect of where Nicodemus was in his earth walk.

John 3:3–4 (ESV) — 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus tells him, you must be born again and that throws old Nick at night for a loop.

John 3:9–10 (ESV) — 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?

Nicodemus: The Teacher of Israel

Notice the article ‘the’ in verse ten: “Are you THE teacher of Israel.”
‘The teacher’ is the correct translation.
The KJV does not use the article in its translation, but it is there in the Greek language.
The word ‘the’ implies preeminence.
What Jesus is saying is that He is surprised at Nicodemus answer since he is THE number one teacher in Israel.
“Are you the number one teacher of all Israel and you have no more spiritual sense than this?”
“How is it that you are the top teacher of all Israel and you while holding that position have no understanding of spiritual realities?”
Now you understand something else that Jesus said later on.

Nicodemus Lacked Understanding

Matthew 15:12–16 (NKJV) — 12 Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” 13 But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. 14 Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” 15 Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.” 16 So Jesus said, “Are you also still without understanding?

Nicodemus was blind.
He had no understanding.
You don’t want to copy that or follow that.
You want to be like the writer of Proverbs says.

Proverbs 2:1–5 (NKJV) — 1 My son, if you receive my words, And treasure my commands within you, 2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom, And apply your heart to understanding; 3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment, And lift up your voice for understanding, 4 If you seek her as silver, And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, And find the knowledge of God.

And so don’t be like Nicodemus but pray the Ephesian prayers.
Ask the Lord to give you today a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God.
You guys have a great God week and we’ll see you next for another edition of Light on Life.

#S4-041: Why Your ‘Want To’ Needs to Be Fierce to Receive Healing from God [Encore Podcast]

References:

D. L. Moody, D. L. Moody’s Child Stories Related by Him in His Revival Work, ed. J. B. McClure (Chicago: Rhodes & McClure, 1877), 136. ↩
Logos – NT323 Book Study: The Gospel of John – The Origin of the Pharisees ↩
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 1049. ↩
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 816. ↩

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Nicodemus: Is His Life a Positive Example to Follow?

Podcast: Light on Life Season 6 Episode 12

by Emery Horvath

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