#nicodemus — Public Fediverse posts

@JoeCool @multilingualchurch @royal

Hmm, it's hard to not allow #TheChosen to color my opinion of #Nicodemus, as Eric Avari's portrayal was so incredibly alive to me. The scene where he kissed Jesus' hand had me weeping openly, it was so powerful. I'm getting a little misty-eyed just thinking about it. "Kiss the Son, lest He be angry" ... "Blessed are those who put their trust in Him"

*phew* *exhale*

If we believe that version of Nicodemus as being canonical (which is admittedly quite a leap), then Nicodemus truly believed, but lacked the will to sell all and follow Jesus. We know from the #GospelOfJohn that he asked earnest questions of Jesus, and contributed expensive embalming spices to Jesus' followers, so it's not a stretch to say that he likely was a follower of Jesus, and died in faith.

BUT Mary did not have as much to surrender. If she had the devotion to surrender her time, I think she might have been "closer to the Kingdom of God" than Nicodemus, but I can't quite make that claim. The accounts in Mark and John don't quite agree on who's house Jesus was at, but since the woman with the spikenard wasn't named in Mark's gospel, it's reasonable to say that it was Mary, Martha's sister, like John says.

But first of all, we must define what being close to the kingdom of God really is. I'm not sure I have a good answer, except I can surmise that it entails having a value system and a lifestyle that is molded by and in hot pursuit of God's kingdom.

In that light, is the faith of a wizened teacher of the law who is engrossed by the person of Jesus but not yet mature enough (in faith, that is) to "sell all and follow" less "close to the Kingdom of God" than the child-like faith of a teenage girl who wants nothing more than to sit by the Master and hear His words (but has much less, at least socially, to give up for His kingdom)?

I'm not sure I have an answer to that. The comparison is made difficult by no only the relative paucity of details of the lives of both individuals (as is usual in biblical accounts, journalistic depth not generally being a goal), but also the great difference between the two individuals and their station.

I'd like to think that both had a vital role to play in His kingdom, and that both died in faith, ready to receive a Martyr's crown (understanding a Martyr to be a witness, and not necessarily someone who was murdered for their faith).