A Scholar in the Dark
The name Nicodemus means "victory of the people."
It is a name of strength, suited to a man of reputation and authority.
And yet, his first recorded words in Scripture are not proclamations of strength, but questions spoken in the dark.
Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Not because he was afraid, though he may have been, but because that was when scholars did their best thinking.
The day belonged to laborers. The night belonged to rabbis.
Nicodemus was one of the best.
A Pharisee.
A member of the Sanhedrin.
A teacher of Israel.
His credentials were impeccable.
He was not coming to Jesus for a miracle; he had already seen those.
He was coming for clarity.
“Rabbi,” he says to Jesus, which is an astounding word.
Here, in Nicodemus, we have a rabbi of rabbis, an authority among the people.
And yet he comes calling Jesus "Rabbi.”
Jesus lived during a period of time when the word Rabbi was evolving in meaning.
Yes, it was used by students who recognized the wisdom and understanding of their Rabbi, so a Rabbi was a “teacher”. But it meant even more than that.
Rabbi means “my great one” if translated literally, which is how and why the word began to be used by students in the first place.
Nicodemus, a man of great honor and stature himself, has humbled himself in the presence of Jesus.
It’s always a good place to start for all of us.
The conversation that follows is not hostile, but it is elusive.
Jesus speaks of being born again, or born from above (the word can mean either).
He speaks of the Spirit’s movement, unseen and unpredictable.
He speaks of heavenly things in earthly language, and Nicodemus struggles to keep up.
But what is important is this: Nicodemus does not leave.
He does not understand, but he stays in the dialogue.
He does not run away, even when Jesus gently rebukes his slowness to grasp.
Faith through Wrestling
Some people come to faith like the lights flipping on. The Apostle Paul comes to mind.
For others, faith ramps up more slowly… like a dimmer switch.
For Nicodemus, it was more like a fog gradually lifting.
We see him again later, in John 7. This time, he is defending Jesus to his peers in the Sanhedrin.
It is a subtle defense, cautious and measured, but it is a defense nonetheless.
The light of the Son has burned away some of the fog.
And then, in John 19, after the crucifixion, Nicodemus comes with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus.
He brings 75 pounds of spices.
It’s a burial fit for a king.
Nicodemus is no longer a scholar sneaking around at night. This is a believer honoring his Lord.
What We Learn from Nicodemus
Faith does not require instant understanding.
Sometimes, the questions are themselves a form of belief.
Nicodemus came at night. But he came.
He asked questions, and he stayed in the conversation.
He teaches us that questions are not the opposite of faith.
Sometimes they are the doorway.
In the end, the man whose name meant "victory of the people" found true victory in following the crucified Christ to the tomb... and beyond.
It’s a true victory for all people.
Today we are thankful that, in Christ Jesus, God continues to meet our questions with grace and truth.
He helps us to seek Him honestly, and to walk with Him even when understanding comes slowly.
Takeaway: Faith can begin with questions. What matters is that we bring those questions to Jesus and stay with Him long enough to hear His answers.
