Nicodemus

Nicodemus
Nicodemus (left) talking to Jesus, by Alexander Ivanov, 1850.

Saint Nicodemus (Greek: Νικόδημος) was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, who, according to the Gospel of John, showed favour to Jesus. He appears three times: the first is when he visits Jesus one night to listen to his teachings (John 3:1–21); the second is when he states the law concerning the arrest of Jesus during the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:45–51); and the last follows the Crucifixion, when he assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the corpse of Jesus for burial (John 19:39–42).

The discussion with Jesus is the source of several common expressions of contemporary Christianity, specifically, the descriptive phrase born again used to describe the experience of believing in Jesus as Saviour, and John 3:16, a commonly quoted verse used to describe God's plan of salvation.

An apocryphal work under his name — the Gospel of Nicodemus — was produced at some point in the medieval era, and is mostly a reworking of the earlier Acts of Pilate, which recounts the harrowing of Hell.

Though there is no clear source of information about this Nicodemus outside the Gospel of John, the Jewish Encyclopedia and many Biblical historians have theorized that he is identical to Nicodemus ben Gurion, mentioned in the Talmud as a wealthy and popular holy man reputed to have had miraculous powers. Christian tradition asserts that Nicodemus was martyred sometime in the first century. Nicodemus is venerated as a Saint by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Roman Catholics celebrate his memorial on August 3. The Franciscan Order erected a Church carrying his name and the name of St. Joseph of Arimathea in Ramla. The Orthodox Church celebrates him on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers, a variable date falling always on the third Sunday of Easter and also on August 2, the date when tradition states that his relics were found, along with those of the Apostle and Protomartyr Stephen and Gamaliel (another member of the Sanhedrin who, according to a disputed Christian tradition, converted to Christianity).

Contents

Nicodemus in art

Jesus and Nicodemus, Crijn Hendricksz, 1616–1645.

Nicodemus figures prominently in medieval depictions of the Deposition in which he and Joseph of Arimathea are always shown removing the dead Christ from the cross, often with the aid of a ladder. Like Joseph, Nicodemus became the object of various pious legends during the Middle Ages, particularly in connection with monumental crosses. He was reputed to have carved both the Holy Face of Lucca and the Batlló Crucifix, receiving angelic assistance with the face in particular and thus rendering the works instances of acheiropoieta.[1] Both of these sculptures date from at least a millennium after Nicodemus's life, but the ascriptions attest to the contemporary interest in Nicodemus as a character in medieval Europe.

Popular culture

Nicodemus was portrayed by Laurence Olivier in the Franco Zeffirelli television miniseries Jesus of Nazareth (1977). In the miniseries, Nicodemus tries to warn Jesus that he might be arrested, and is there to watch the Crucifixion. He speaks the famous words "And with His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5).

Nichole Nordeman's song To Know You includes the lyrics: "Nicodemus could not understand how You could truly free us. He struggled with the image of a grown man born again. We might have been good friends, 'cause sometimes I still question too how easily we come to You."

In the Dresden Files series of novels, by Jim Butcher, Nicodemus betrays his faith by teaming up with Anduriel, a fallen Angel, who is also the captain of Lucifer's armies of Hell. Unlike the other humans who are possessed and enslaved by the Fallen, Nicodemus chooses his fate. In the series he wears "The Rope of Judas" (the piece of rope Judas used to hang himself) as a sort of macabre necktie.

The name Nicodemus is given to the leader of the rats in Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.

Other references include songs from the Christian band For Today, in which one song entitled "Nicodemus (The Seeker)" contains lyrics hinting at his biblical legacy.

Also, in many books are there names used as Nicodemus to represent him.

In the Biblical, historical fiction, "Nicodemus" by Keith Ballard Farris, the life of Jesus is told from the point of view of Nicodemus. The story begins in Bethlehem, where the life of a young Nicodemus first collides with the changes and challenges that will tear apart his family.

See also

References

  • Cornel Heinsdorff: Christus, Nikodemus und die Samaritanerin bei Juvencus. Mit einem Anhang zur lateinischen Evangelienvorlage (= Untersuchungen zur antiken Literatur und Geschichte, Bd.67), Berlin/New York 2003

References

  1. ^ Gertrud Schiller, Iconography of Christian Art. Volume 2. The Passion of Jesus Christ. Janet Seligman (tr.), Greenwich, CT: New York Graphic Society, 1972: 144–5, 472–3.

External links

Jesus meets with Nicodemus
Life of Jesus: Ministry Events
Preceded by
Temple Cleansing
   New Testament   
Events
Followed by
Samaritan Woman
at the Well


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nicodemus — • A prominent Jew of the time of Christ, mentioned in the Gospel of John Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Nicodemus     Nicodemus      …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Nicodemus — Nikodemus ist ein männlicher Vorname, kommt aber auch als Familienname vor. Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Herkunft und Bedeutung 2 Namenstag 3 Varianten 4 Bekannte Namensträger 4.1 Mit Nachnamen …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • NICODEMUS — I. NICODEMUS Atheniensis, una cum Hieronymo classi, a Conone, qui ad Artaxerxem compellandum proficisci parabat, praepositus, Diodor. Sic. l. 14. II. NICODEMUS Centurapensium, in Italia, tyrannus, a Timoleonte, eiectus, Olymp 110. ann. 2. Diodor …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Nicodemus — (first century)    Disciple.    Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish Council who came to visit Jesus in secret. According to Chapter 3 of the Fourth Gospel, this encounter prompted Jesus’s famous discourse on spiritual rebirth. Later Nicodemus… …   Who’s Who in Christianity

  • Nicodemus, S. (2) — 2S. Nicodemus (25. Dec. al. 3., 4. Aug.). Die Auffindung der Reliquien des hl. Nicodemus ist im Mart. Rom. am 3., in andern Kirchenbüchern am 4. Aug. zugleich mit jener der hhl. Stephanus, Gamaliel und Abibon verzeichnet. Er war bekanntlich… …   Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon

  • Nicodemus — A Pharisee [[➝ Pharisees]] well disposed towards Jesus, mentioned only in the gospel of John (7:50–2). He seems to typify a kind of puzzled half belief which the evangelist would like to convert by a new birth (3:4, 9); but Nicodemus is perhaps… …   Dictionary of the Bible

  • Nicodemus, S. (1) — 1S. Nicodemus (6. Nov.), ein Martyrer im Orient, welchem zu Ehren unter dem Kaiser Justinian zu Constantinopel eine Kirche erbaut wurde. Mit ihm wird auch ein hl. Priscus (s.d.) genannt. (Mg.) …   Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon

  • Nicodemus, S. (3) — 3S. Nicodemus (23. Aug.), ein Mönch aus dem Orden des hl. Basilius zu Gerace in Calabrien, welcher bei Migne mit der Bezeichnung »heilig« steht. S. S. Antonius23 …   Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon

  • Nicodemus National Historic Site — Nicodemus National Historic Site …   Wikipedia

  • Nicodemus (disambiguation) — Nicodemus was a Pharisee who showed favor to Jesus. The name derives from Greek (Greek: Νικόδημος) and it means victory of the people. Nicodemus may refer to one of the following: People Nicodemus (musician) (1957–1996), Jamiacan danchall deejay… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”