In some accounts he is buried with his wife and two children next to the tomb of Jesus - the ultimate martyr's sepulchre. What follow is a summary of what the Bible states and what is available from sources outside the Bible. The entirety of the apocryphal account was, at some point, attributed to Nicodemus and later incorporated into a more elaborate work, known as the Gospel of Nicodemus. By this point, it seems like Nicodemus is participating in the Jesus movement. If you want to avoid the ads (there's a lot!) On both sides of the east Temple gate, stalls had for generations been permitted for changing foreign money. According to the Bible, Jesus was strongly opposed by the Pharisees, a group of Jewish scribes who followed the letter of the law. In that case, when Nicodemus suggests that the Sanhedrin should investigate Jesus' actions and words, it may reflect his own genuine desire to look more deeply into what Jesus is saying. Some laws in the Old Testament might sound unfair to women - and they might not be as fair as some standards we have today. Throughout the Gospel, we're frequently shown examples of figures who have the seeds of faith in Jesus but who don't allow these seeds to come to fruition in a gospel witness because they know that the consequences could be socially or even physically disastrous. An adaptation like The Chosen isn't meant to replace the Bible; it's meant to drive us deeper into the Bible and spiritual reflection. This letter is placed in the keeping of his synagogue administrator, Jairus, to give Yussif time to reconsider his words before sending it. [9] The Revised Standard Version (RSV), the New English Bible (NEB), the Jerusalem Bible (JB), and the New International Version (NIV) all translate pisteuo as trust. The New American Standard Bible (NAS) translates pisteuo as entrusting (Strong, Key-Word Comparison, 157). According to the Bible, Jesus was strongly opposed by the Pharisees, a group of Jewish scribes who followed the letter of the law. Protecting The Most Valuable Treasure On Earth. He seems to show genuine respect for Jesus' miracles and he has real interest in what Jesus has to say. Hopefully these questions will prove helpful as you watch episode 8 of The Chosen with your youth group. to entrust, . Jeremiah 9:23-24. He may have been present but remained silent. The show does a great job of showing us real tension in Nicodemus' heart. Either the wife believes or the husband believes but not both. Nicodemus, whose name means "innocent of blood," stood up for Jesus when the Pharisees were conspiring against him: Nicodemus was intelligent and inquiring. Because of his apparent stature among the Pharisees, it was supposed that he was a member of the Great Sanhedrin, the supreme Jewish legislative and judicial court in Jerusalem under Roman rule. For a more detailed analysis of the Josephus and Babylonian Talmud source materials, as well as a number of arguments for and against the thesis that the two are one and the same person, see Robinson, Priority of John, 28487. John describes two distinctly different reactions that Jesus had on this occasion to those who claimed belief based on His miracles. Typically the Bible only mentions figures who play a role in the narrative or who were well-known among the followers of Jesus. Moreover, by bringing these concerns to the surface as a context for watching Episode 8 of The Chosen, you highlight the radical difference between how Jesus treated women and how women were treated by biblical figures like Abraham and David. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem. Miriam, daughter of Naqdimon ben Gurion of distinguished parentage, whose marriage contract providing 1,000,000 gold denars for her widowhood. This enormous sum Baron presents in contrast to poor fathers [who] were expected to supply a minimum dowry of 50 denarii (Salo Wittmayer Baron, A Social and Religious History of the Jews, 18 vols., 2nd ed., [Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society of America, 1952], 2:11314, 221). You may want to supplement with your own knowledge of first century Jewish and Roman culture, but keep in mind that the episode itself will provide plenty of concrete snapshots of the life of women in Jesus' day. God doesn't use them because they're good people; God uses them because they trusted his promises. While other Pharisees remained skeptical, Nicodemus faith in Jesus grew. Eden (Peter's wife) and Zohara (Nicodemus' wife) both have husbands who have been called to follow Jesus. Strong suggests some alternative translations such as: to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing) . If you liked this post, you might want to check out some of my other posts on The Chosen and Bible adaptation. However, despite his public challenges, other Pharisees openly disagreed with him and rejected his claims. At Passover time great numbers of Jews camped outside the city proper, but within the limits of a Sabbath days journey.[4]. Nicodemus does not appear in The Chosen Season 3. . Sellers shouted the merits of their beasts, sheep bleated, and oxen lowed. The theoretical goal of such side stories is to provide non-Christian viewers with an ideal model of what it looks like to wrestle with Jesus and embrace the faith. Taking these cues from the Gospel of John, The Chosen uses Nicodemus' story to explore the tension between faith and fear. He is using plain, simple, and forceful language. 2, appendix I. During the conversation, Jesus explains the nature of the kingdom of God and teaches Nicodemus how to enter it through water and spirit. The truth is that these carvings were created at least a thousand years after Nicodemus life. Then, about six months before the crucifixion, the Chief Priests and Pharisees attempted to have Jesus arrested for deception. After your youth list a few examples, I would point out: When we read the Bible and see women being mistreated by men it's good to keep in mind that the Bible is not endorsing these behaviors, it's simply describing events as they happened. John does tell us that he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews (John 19:38). However, Yussif, a Pharisee that is interested in Jesus, writes a letter to Nicodemus about Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. [24], The Anchor Bible Dictionary concludes: Though Nicodemus is often portrayed as timid, [John A. T.] Robinson is probably correct in seeing him as quite courageous. And he certainly showed more courage at the Cross than did the absent Disciples of Jesus.[25]. It is hard to imagine that someone in Nicodemuss position could have been ignorant of what was afoot. In the crowded Passover confusion, and following a very public clearing of the temple, Nicodemus would have been faced with the problem of arranging a meeting with this Galilean at a time and place favorable for his purposes. Episode 8 Guide: The Woman at the Well, Eden, & Zohara, Christmas with The Chosen: The Messengers, The Chosen Season 2 Controversy (Jesus, the Bible, & the Process of Inspiration), Should Nicodemus Kneel? Nicodemus is a model of faith and courage for all Christians to follow. An opportunity to have that personal conversation with Jesus in or around Jerusalem during Passover would likely have been available only at night especially after the very public cleansing of the temple. 4. Elliott was a subpar student who would never find his career in studies. . But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all [men], and needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man (John 2:2325). [26] The question arises as to whether the biblical and Talmudic figures could be the same individual. Nicodemus is mentioned only three times in the Gospel According to John (and nowhere in the Synoptic Gospels). Unfortunately, Apple's iOS doesn't support home screen shortcuts in the Chrome browser. As a result, we're left to wonder whether the teacher will accept Jesus' claims or reject them. Yet rather than discount the faith of Nicodemus as he had done with the many others who believed, Jesus entertained that faith and patiently taught and bore strong personal witness of Himself as the Son of God and of His atoning mission. (Plots & Theme), Episode 2 Guide: Philip, Nathanael, & Matthew, Episode 3 Guide: Life Among the Disciples of Jesus, Episode 4 Guide: Simon the Zealot & the Man at the Bethesda Pool, Episode 5 Guide: Mary's Demons & the Destiny of John the Baptist, Episode 8 Guide: Judas, Matthew, & the Sermon on the Mount, Episode 1 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Lilith, and the Redeemer, Episode 2 Guide: Mary Magdalene, Nicodemus, and Shabbat, Episode 3 Guide: Depicting Jesus in Art, Film, and TV, Episode 4 Guide: When Jesus Met Simon (Peter), Episode 6 Guide: Jesus, Shmuel, & the Pharisees. He did this despite the fact that embalming was more or less not allowed in Judaism. This episode brings a conclusion to Season One of The Chosen. But we cannot be sure it is true since scripture speaks truth but we cannot be confident about other sources of antiquity. The amount that we know about Nicodemus based on these three episodes is pretty limited, although that actually may serve the purpose of adaptation well, since it leaves plenty of white space for The Chosen to fill in. After all, there are plenty of other minor characters in the biblical accounts that are arguably more significant in the story of Jesus. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Nicodemus. It is important to note the Gospel of Nicodemus is the earliest source that refers to Claudia Procula. Your email address will not be published. He brings along a mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint him for the entombment. [11], Considering the standing of Nicodemus, and the standing of the people with whom he associated, such as the revered Gamaliel, we expect that Nicodemus was not haphazard in addressing Jesus as Rabbi. Your youth might not have a good sense of history and context, in which case they won't fully appreciate the uniqueness of Jesus. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. So the following information may not be true. Season 2 Reflection P2: What was The Chosen Season 2 about? https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/nicodemus-38964.php. However, it's important to keep in mind that the Bible does not give us a complete description of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus (, In the Bible, it isn't completely clear when Nicodemus began to follow Jesus, if he did at all. Nicodemus speaks to Jesus in the first-person plural (we know). The scriptures are silent about Joseph until the Crucifixion of Christ. . 8. p. 426. His reaction to the councils desire to arrest Jesus was boldly calculated to bring out the irony of their lawless act at the very moment in which they were ridiculing the lawless behavior of the crowd (7:4951). Nicodemus makes three appearances in Scripture, all in the Gospel of John: in the Born Again conversation with Jesus (John 3:1-21), in a debate among the Jewish leaders (John 7:45-52), and at the burial of Jesus (John 19:38-42). . Corrections? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In these conversations, he expresses his theological questions and worries, but his wife squashes them. Come, follow me." One will recall that some of the early disciples (later Apostles) were somewhat skeptical on their first meeting with Jesus, yet they are not faulted. [7] For a good illustration of the temple complex, see David B. Galbraith, D. Kelly Ogden, and Andrew C. Skinner, Jerusalem: The Eternal City (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1996), 189. Because John was known unto the high priest, he seemed to have little trouble gaining access to the palace (see John 18:1516). It's unlikely Nicodemus ever physically followed Jesus in his travels. p. 417. During Jesus trial and crucifixion, Nicodemus was one of the leaders of the Jewish religious leaders. It is believed that he was somewhat elderly, based on the first question he posed to Jesus: How can anyone be born after having grown old? (John 3:4). For more information about how to have eternal life visit Searching For God. Because evangelicals tend value art primarily as an instrument of evangelism, skeptic conversion side-plots are ubiquitous. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/nicodemus-seeker-of-god-701080. Nicodemus is clearly the perfect candidate for the role of the Heal-Face skeptic in The Chosen. There is no indication in the Bible that Nicodemus left money for Jesus. In his 1544 Excuse messieurs les Nicodemites, theologian John Calvin wrote that Nicodemus veneration did not excuse him of his duplicity. or the need to stream it, you can find it on Amazon. In the Bible, Nicodemus died at a very young age, which makes the story even more intriguing. Known for: Nicodemus was a leading Pharisee and well-recognized religious leader of the Jewish people. 3. No parables are involved; nothing is hidden with imagery or in similitudes. It seems like no accident, then, that the kinds of Jesus stories that The Chosen takes interest in are personal encounters. Religious Educator9, no. [20] Faulring, Jackson, and Matthews, Joseph Smiths New Translation of the Bible: Original Manuscripts, 176. He had insights into the law and was willing to take risks in public. He chose to have been thrown out of the synagogue after it was revealed that he believed in the Savior Jesus Christ. To begin your discussion, ask your youth: What did you think of the episode? While Johns Gospel leaves many questions unanswered about Nicodemus, the main points of the story are clear: Nicodemus was a disciple of Jesus but was not publicly declaring his faith. Begin your discussion, ask your youth group is mentioned only three times in the Bible that left! 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