Template:Nicodemus

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Nicodemus

While Joseph of Arimathea appears in all the Gospels Nicodemus only appears in John.[1]

Some say Simon the Leper and Simon the Pharisee was identical to the Talmudical Nicodemus ben Gorion who was reported to have miraculous powers and two daughters Mary[2] and Martha[3]. This is also said to be the same Nicodemus in John and had access to very expensive oil which would have almost been a kings ransom in value at a hundred Roman pounds.

Simon the Leper does not appear in John or Luke although their is a Simon who is also a pharisee in Luke.

We know there is an event of a woman at the feet of Jesus anointing him at the house of Mary[2] and Martha,[3] and Lazarus[4].

There is no mention of the head of the house as Simon in John. So the gospel of John seems to make no mention of either Simon the Leper and Simon the Pharisee but is the only Gospel that mentions this Nicodemus.

Are all these people the same?

Early Nicodemus

"Nicodemus" was not a normal Jewish name and its popularity varied over time. There had been a man years before who called himself Nicodemus but was one of the ambassadors sent by Aristobulus to request help from Pompey to oppose Hyrcanus and brought Rome to Judea.[5] With the coming of Rome there was the coming of the ideas of Rome at that time. Rome at that time was already degenerating from a free Republic into an indirect democracy and eventually the Imperial Cult of Rome.

Nakedimon

"The Talmud mentions a Nakedimon, so called from a miracle performed by him, who was the son of Gorion, and whose real name was Bonai.[6] It also gives the name Bonai as one of the disciples of Jesus. He was one of the three richest Jews when Titus besieged Jerusalem, but his family was reduced to the most abject poverty. So far the Talmud. The inference is that this change of fortune is connected with his becoming a Christian and with the persecution which followed, and he is himself identified with the Nicodemus of the Gospel. We can only say this may be so. The reader who cares for more on the subject will find full references in Lampe, and the extracts from the Talmud translated in Lightfoot. Others may be content to accept this latter writer’s conclusion. “It is not worth while to take great pains in a question which is very involved, if we may not also call it useless.”" Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

Traditions and the Talmud suggests that Nicodemus and his family, including a Mary and a Martha were arrested because of their involvement with a false Messiah. They were exiled to Gaul a few years after the crucifixion but Nicodemus had to remain because of his wealth. While the Pharisees wanted to murder him and confiscated his wealth the Romans seemed to show him favor.

Nick name

Why would the Gospel of John not mention Simon the Leper nor Simon the Pharisee but be the only one of the Gospels that mentions Nicodemus?

Is there a clue in the name?

There could be several reasons someone would be given such a name such as Nicodemus or Nicodemos.[7] It is said according to the Holman Bible Dictionary that Nicodemus means "innocent of blood"[8] while others translate it from the Greek components as “victory of the people.”

The author of the Gospel may have called this member of the Sanhedrin "innocent of blood" because he was innocent of the blood of Christ.

With a Greek origin the name Nikodemos, may be translated into “victory of the people.” But the name Nicolaitan can mean "conquered people" or "victory over the people" like the term "Balaam".

If we consider the Doctrine of Jesus which sets the captive free and is in opposition to the doctrines of men and their tables of welfare which are a snare and a trap entangling the people as merchandise in the cities of blood and the bondage of Egypt then the meaning of "innocent of blood" makes more sense. Those engaged in covetous practices are not innocent of blood which is why they become merchandise becoming entangled again in the yoke of bondage.

He is also mentioned by Josephus in The Jewish War. 2.17.10. and others[9]

  1. ↑ John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
    John 3:4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
    John 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?
    John 7:50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
    John 19:39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound [weight].
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 3137 Μαρία Maria [mar-ee’-ah] or Μαριάμ Mariam [mar-ee-am’] of Hebrew origin 04813 מִרְיָם‎; n pr f; AV-Mary the mother of Jesus 19, Mary Magdalene 13, Mary the sister of Martha 11, Mary the mother of James 9, Mary the mother of John Mark 1, Mary of Rome 1; 54
    • Mary or Miriam  = "their rebellion"
    1) Mary the mother of Jesus
    2) Mary Magdalene, a women from Magdala
    3) Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha
    4) Mary of Cleophas the mother of James the less
    5) Mary the mother of John Mark, a sister of Barnabas
    6) Mary, a Roman Christian who is greeted by Paul in #Ro 16:6
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3136 Μάρθα Martha [mar’-thah] probably of Chaldean origin (meaning mistress) מָרְתָא‎; n pr f; AV-Martha 13; 13
    • Martha  = "she was rebellious"
    1) was the sister of Lazarus and Mary of Bethany
  4. ↑ 2976 Λάζαρος Lazaros [lad’-zar-os] probably of Hebrew origin 0499 אֶלעָזָר‎; n pr m; AV-Lazarus 11, Lazarus (the poor man) 4; 15
    • Lazarus  = "whom God helps" (a form of the Hebrew name Eleazar)
    1) an inhabitant of Bethany, beloved by Christ and raised from the dead by him
    2) a very poor and wretched person to whom Jesus referred to in #Luke 16:20-25
  5. ↑ Josephus (Ant. of the Jews, XIV, iii, 2)
  6. ↑ "The Nicodemus of the Talmud was also called Bunai, must have survived the destruction of Jerusalem, and was known under this latter name as a disciple of Jesus." Meyer's NT Commentary
    • "Nicodemus" He is mentioned only by S. John. It is impossible to say whether he is identical with the Nicodemus of the Talmud, also called Bunai, who survived the destruction of Jerusalem." Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
  7. ↑ 3530 Νικόδημος Nikodemos [nik-od’-ay-mos] from 3534 nikos victory or to utterly vanquish and 1218 demos people; n pr m; AV-Nicodemus 5; 5
    1) a member of the Sanhedrin who took the part of Jesus
    as a personal name it may mean "innocent of blood".
  8. ↑ Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
  9. ↑ Lamentations Rabbah, i. 5; Ecclesiastes Rabbah, vii. 11;
    Babylonian Talmud,
    Talmud - Mas. Ta'anith 19b pdf; Ktubot 65a-b, 66b, 67a; Gittin 56a (cf. Josephus, Jewish War, v. 1, § 4)
    "NAKDIMON BEN GURYON". Encyclopedia Judaica.
    Avot of Rabbi Natan, vi. 3.
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