The Meaning of the Name Nicodemus
The name Nicodemus means “victor of the people” or “conqueror of the people.” He first appears in the Bible in the Gospel of John, chapter 3.
Who Was Nicodemus?
There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. (John 3:1, NKJV)
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish council, making him one of the most prominent religious leaders in Israel.
The Secret Nighttime Meeting
Drawn by the reports of Jesus’ miracles, Nicodemus sought Him out. To avoid the judgment of his colleagues, he came at night and in secret.
This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “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.” (John 3:2, NKJV)
Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus’ miracles proved He had been sent by God.
The Great Revelation: You Must Be Born Again
Jesus went straight to the heart of the matter:
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3, NKJV)
Confused, Nicodemus asked:
Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4, NKJV)
Jesus clarified:
Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter 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 marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:5-8, NKJV)
Still puzzled, Nicodemus asked, “How can these things be?” Jesus gently rebuked him:
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” (John 3:10, NKJV)
Nicodemus’ difficulty was not intellectual; it was spiritual. He understood earthly things but struggled to grasp heavenly truths.
The Bronze Serpent and the Cross
Jesus then revealed the way of salvation:
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:14-15, NKJV)
Just as the Israelites bitten by snakes needed only to look at the bronze serpent raised on a pole to live (Numbers 21), we need only to look to Jesus lifted on the cross in faith to receive eternal life.
Did Nicodemus Believe?
Scripture does not explicitly say Nicodemus was converted that night, but later events strongly suggest he was:
- He defended Jesus in the Sanhedrin
Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?” (John 7:50-51, NKJV)
- After the crucifixion, he helped bury Jesus
And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. (John 19:39-40, NKJV)
Nicodemus went from a curious nighttime visitor to someone who risked his reputation and spent a fortune on costly spices to honor the body of the Lord — clear evidence of genuine faith.
Conclusion
The story of Nicodemus teaches us that religious knowledge alone is not enough. Without being born again by the Holy Spirit, no one can enter the kingdom of God. Jesus still asks each of us today: “Have you been born again?”
May the Lord open our spiritual eyes as He did for Nicodemus, so that we look to the cross and live!
May God richly bless you and cause you to grow daily in faith, grace, and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ!
