Christ meets Nicodemus (John 3:1-21)

In his gospel, St John shares a story of how a powerful Jewish leader, secretly sympathetic to Christ, went on a journey of faith. The man himself must have been the source of the story, because the gospel includes various details of what happened in private.

Pope Benedict XVI explained: “The Gospel presents to us a person by the name of Nicodemus, a member of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem who sought out Jesus by night. He was a well-to-do man, attracted by the Lord’s words and example, but one who hesitated to take the leap of faith because he was fearful of others. He felt the fascination of this Rabbi, so different from the others, but could not manage to rid himself of the conditioning of his environment that was hostile to Jesus, and stood irresolute on the threshold of faith.”

In this secret conversation, Christ told Nicodemus that anyone wanting to enter the Kingdom of God needed to be reborn through the waters of baptism. He also gave him a clue that that one day he would be crucified, by saying: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” (John 3:14-15)

As time went on, Nicodemus decided to speak up for his new-found friend, although he still kept his faith secret. When the temple police wanted to arrest Christ due to his preaching, Nicodemus defended him before the other leaders, saying: “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” (John 7:50-51)

However, it was during the crucifixion of Christ that Nicodemus showed where his loyalty really lay. After Christ had died, he arrived on the scene to help with the burial, bringing with him “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.” (John 19:38-40) This very expensive and generous gift shows us both how rich he was, but also how much Christ really meant to him.

This stained glass scene of Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus is found within St Barnabas’ Cathedral, Nottingham. It is part of a wider series of windows that feature biblical scenes related to the seven sacraments. The set was made by Joseph E. Nuttgens, around 1948.

This scene, which relates to the Sacrament of Baptism, pictures the pair meeting at night, with stars shining in the background. They are surrounded by the words of John 3:5, in which Christ spoke of spiritual rebirth through water. Nicodemus wears the clothes of a rabbi, and his upturned palms indicate that he is questioning Jesus. The flowing river also suggests the waters of baptism.

See the full image:

Detail of Christ and Nicodemus:

Where to find this work of art
St Barnabas’ Cathedral, Nottingham

Read the relevant passage
John 3:1-21

On a similar theme

• In the Old Testament: Speaking to Nicodemus, Christ referred to the story of Moses raising the bronze serpent as a symbol of his crucifixion.
• In the New Testament: Nicodemus was also present at the Deposition of Christ, bringing expensive spices to use at his burial.