Nicodemus' Easter

You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

John 3:7 NKJV

There was an “Easter” that would go down in world history for the resurrection of Christ. But some of the Jews of that time could not celebrate it for religious reasons. According to Mosaic law, anyone who touched a dead body was considered unclean (Numbers 19:11-16). Therefore, Nicodemus, like Joseph of Arimathea, having touched the body of Jesus, could not celebrate Passover. In fact, the period of impurity for touching a corpse was seven days, during which the impure person could not participate in religious ceremonies, could not enter the Temple, could not eat consecrated food, could not have physical contact with other people, but could interact with them verbally. After seven days, they had to undergo a purification rite and only then could they be considered pure and resume their normal life. This was a high price to pay for a doctor of the Law, even more so for a Pharisee, a strict observer of the Law, but Nicodemus did not hesitate to pay it, adding about thirty kilos of myrrh and aloe in order to offer the Rabbi's body a royal burial.

We could call him “a Pharisee in search of the Truth.” We find mention of him only in the Gospel of John, beginning with a nighttime encounter with Jesus (3:1-21). Attracted by his teachings and miracles, he decided to meet him in the darkness of night to avoid being seen in public. During the meeting, he expresses his admiration for Jesus and recognizes that he is a teacher who has come from God. However, he has to come to terms with unexpected words: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Be born again? Jesus' answer left him perplexed; he couldn't grasp the connection. But it wasn't about physical birth, but spiritual rebirth. Nicodemus had to think in spiritual and transcendent terms. In fact, Jesus uses the metaphor of wind to represent the freedom and spontaneity of the Holy Spirit. Those who are born again are free to follow the guidance of the Spirit, unbound by human conventions and expectations. Nicodemus probably left with more questions than answers. However, as the Gospel continues, we discover that he began a journey of search and discovery that would lead him to become a disciple of Jesus.

In the second of the three mentions, Nicodemus attempts to speak in favor of Jesus in the council that plans his arrest and death (John 7:50-52). It still seems like a timid attempt, but it testifies to a gradual emergence from the shadows. In the darkest hour on earth, when Jesus gives up his spirit on the cross and darkness envelops the sky, while the self-proclaimed disciples hide, Nicodemus goes up to Golgotha together with Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38-40). One provided the tomb and the linen cloth, the other brought the mixture of spices. This was no ordinary treatment. The uncertain doctor, the hesitant witness, had been swept away by the wind that gave him new life and freedom. No Sabbath can hold him back, no Law can imprison him. He has now come out of the darkness and broken the silence. From this moment on, there is no feast to be observed and honored by performing a ritual or following a liturgy. He is “taking” the body of the Lord with his own hands. Her faith is becoming real; she is a witness to Christ, an ambassador of the kingdom of God. With Joseph, she will be the last to see him before his glorious resurrection. And you, who remember Easter, are you willing to be born again? To become a new creature? The answer to this question is bound to going to the Cross first, not to sitting at a table.

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Weekly Bible reading plan #17

April 21, 2 Samuel 12-13; Luke 16

April 22, 2 Samuel 14-15; Luke 17:1-19

April 23, 2 Samuel 16-18; Luke 17:20-37

April 24, 2 Samuel 19-20; Luke 18:1-23

April 25, 2 Samuel 21-22; Luke 18:24-43

April 26, 2 Samuel 23-24; Luke 19:1-27

April 27, 1 Kings 1-2; Luke 19:28-48