When they heard these words, some in the crowd said, “This is really the prophet.” Others said, “This is the Messiah.” But some asked, “Surely the Messiah does not come from Galilee, does he? Has not the scripture said that the Messiah is descended from David and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So there was a division in the crowd because of him. Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not arrest him?” The police answered, “Never has anyone spoken like this!” Then the Pharisees replied, “Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.” Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” They replied, “Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.” (John 7:40-52, NRSV)
This passage includes one of my favorite characters in the Bible…
He appears only 3 times in the gospel according to John…
His first appearance is in chapter 3 and he comes to Jesus under the cover of darkness and asks Jesus questions. He gives us the verse about a person being born again, and the great verse of God so loving the world! And the verse that follows about why the Son came, so that the world could be saved…
Nicodemus is the man, who gives us a clear picture of what it means to grow in the life of a disciple.
His first appearance to Jesus is under the cover of darkness because he doesn’t want the other Pharisees to know what he is doing…
But in our reading here he is openly speaking before the leadership in defence of Jesus…
And his final appearance is when he helps Joseph of Arimathea take Jesus’ body down from the cross and lay it in the tomb. From darkness, to semi public, to public profession…
That is what God calls for in each of us as disciples!
aSacredRebel 