We hear of Nicodemus three times in the gospel of John.
1. When Nicodemus speaks to Jesus at night. John 3:1-21
There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. He came to Jesus during the night.
Nicodemus: Master, we know that you are a teacher come from God, because no man can do these miracles that you do unless God is with him.
Jesus: Truly, unless a man is born again, he can’t see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus: How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter again into his mother’s womb and be born a second time?
Jesus: Unless a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he can’t enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed when I say you must be born again. The wind blows where it wants. You hear the sound of it but can’t tell from where it comes or where it goes. That’s how it is with every one that is born of the Spirit.
Nicodemus; How can these things be?
Jesus: Are you a master of Israel and do not know these things? We speak of things we know and testify of things we have seen, and you do not accept our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe them, how then will you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
John 3:1-12
Jesus (still speaking to Nicodemus): If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe them, how will you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
(Then Jesus tells Nicodemus about heavenly things.)
No man has ascended up to heaven except the Son of man, who came down from heaven.
Just like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness (Numbers 21:5-9), the Son of man must be lifted up, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
Because God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have everlasting life.
Because God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world. He sent His Son into the world so the world through him could be saved.
Anyone who believes in him is not condemned. Anyone who does not believe in him is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is the condemnation: Light (refers to Jesus, see John 1:4-9) has come into the world, but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light and will not come to the light, because his evil deeds will be reproved.
But anyone who does truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be revealed as the works of God.
John 3:12-21
2. Nicodemus defended Jesus among the chief priests and Pharisees. (John 7:31-53)
The Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Jesus, because many of the people believed he was the Christ.
The officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees without Jesus.
The officers: No man has ever spoke like this man.
The Pharisees: Are you deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? But the people who don’t know the law are cursed.
Nicodemus (who came to Jesus by night, being one of Pharisees): Does our law judge any man before it hears him and knows what he does?
The Pharisees: Search the Scriptures and see, no prophet will rise out of Galilee.
They all left, and each one went to his own house.
3. Nicodemus had a part in the burial of Jesus. (John 19:38-42)
With Pilate’s permission, Joseph of Arimathaea came to take the body of Jesus down from the cross after the crucifixion.
Joseph had bought fine linen. Nicodemus came also and brought a hundred pounds of a mixture of myrrh and aloes for the burial of Jesus.
They wrapped Jesus in the linen with the spices, as was the custom among the Jews.
There was a garden where Jesus was crucified. In the garden was a new tomb, where no man was yet laid. The tomb was hewn out of a rock.
They laid Jesus in this tomb because the Jews’ preparation day started at evening and this tomb was nearby.
Then they rolled a stone over the door of the tomb.
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where Jesus was laid.
(See Mark 15:45-47 also)
