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We’ve seen the bumper sticker: “COEXIST.” Like “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” it’s hard to argue with the aspiration. But the slogans are purposely ambiguous and blur the distinction between good and evil. The proponents expect believers to surrender to their Godless secular religion. The survival tactics of Nicodemus help us navigate a politically correct hostile environment.
Nicodemus appears several times in the Gospel of St. John.
Nicodemus is a holy subversive.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee in good standing. “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night.” (Jn. 3:1) He was a company man, a team player, and a cog in the wheel of the Pharisee ruling class. He refused to call attention to himself and approached Jesus in secret and retained his membership in the elite club.
Nicodemus is a model of respectful inquiry.
Nicodemus approaches Jesus with honesty. He does not put Him to the test. “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.” (Jn. 3:2) Jesus rewards his forthright truthfulness with a memorable revelation:
The Pharisees sent their officers to arrest Jesus, but they came back empty-handed. “The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this man!’ The Pharisees answered them, ‘Are you led astray, you also?” (Jn. 7:45-48)
Nicodemus defends Jesus—and the officers—invoking Mosaic Law: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (Jn. 7:50-51) The hatred for Jesus by this group of Pharisees was so intense, they even circumvented the Law of Moses. They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” (Jn. 7:52) Exactly. The Messiah would come from Bethlehem. The Apostles were “deplorable” Galileans, except for Judas, the lone Judean sophisticate among the Twelve.
Nicodemus is a man of courage.
Although Nicodemus conducted his consultation with Jesus in secret, he manifested his discipleship at the worst possible time, at the foot of the Cross. “Nicodemus …came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. [Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea] took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (Jn. 19:39-40) His love for the words of Jesus concludes with reverence for His battered body.
The leaders are intransigent in wickedness.
Continued below.
www.catholicculture.org
Nicodemus appears several times in the Gospel of St. John.
Nicodemus is a holy subversive.
Nicodemus was a Pharisee in good standing. “Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night.” (Jn. 3:1) He was a company man, a team player, and a cog in the wheel of the Pharisee ruling class. He refused to call attention to himself and approached Jesus in secret and retained his membership in the elite club.
Nicodemus is a model of respectful inquiry.
Nicodemus approaches Jesus with honesty. He does not put Him to the test. “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.” (Jn. 3:2) Jesus rewards his forthright truthfulness with a memorable revelation:
Nicodemus is a man of God’s law.
The Pharisees sent their officers to arrest Jesus, but they came back empty-handed. “The officers then went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, ‘Why did you not bring him?’ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this man!’ The Pharisees answered them, ‘Are you led astray, you also?” (Jn. 7:45-48)
Nicodemus defends Jesus—and the officers—invoking Mosaic Law: “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” (Jn. 7:50-51) The hatred for Jesus by this group of Pharisees was so intense, they even circumvented the Law of Moses. They replied, “Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.” (Jn. 7:52) Exactly. The Messiah would come from Bethlehem. The Apostles were “deplorable” Galileans, except for Judas, the lone Judean sophisticate among the Twelve.
Nicodemus is a man of courage.
Although Nicodemus conducted his consultation with Jesus in secret, he manifested his discipleship at the worst possible time, at the foot of the Cross. “Nicodemus …came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds’ weight. [Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea] took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” (Jn. 19:39-40) His love for the words of Jesus concludes with reverence for His battered body.
The leaders are intransigent in wickedness.
Continued below.
Nicodemus Survival Tactics
The tactics of Nicodemus provide lessons for today
www.catholicculture.org
