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Nicodemus (; ) is a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin mentioned in the Gospel of John, most notable for assisting in the burial of Jesus. He is venerated as a Christian saint. Nicodemus appears three times in the Gospel of John. He first visits Jesus one night to discuss his teachings. The second time Nicodemus is mentioned, he reminds his colleagues in the Sanhedrin that the law requires that a person be heard before being judged. Finally, Nicodemus appears after the Crucifixion to provide the customary embalming spices, and assists Joseph of Arimathea in preparing the body of Jesus for burial. An apocryphal work under his name — the ''Gospel of Nicodemus'' — was produced in the mid-4th century, and is mostly a reworking of the earlier ''Acts of Pilate'', which recounts the harrowing of Hell. Though there is no clear source of information about Nicodemus outside the Gospel of John, the Jewish Encyclopedia and many Biblical historians have theorized that he is identical to Nicodemus ben Gurion, mentioned in the Talmud as a wealthy and popular holy man reputed to have had miraculous powers. Others point out that the biblical Nicodemus is likely an older man at the time of his conversation with Jesus, while Nicodemus ben Gurion was on the scene forty years later, at the time of the Jewish War.〔Carson, D.A. ''The Gospel according to John.'' Leicester: InterVarsity, 1991. 186.〕 ==Nicodemus in the Bible== As is the case with Lazarus, Nicodemus does not belong to the tradition of the Synoptic Gospels and is only mentioned by John,〔Driscoll, James F. (''"Nicodemus." The Catholic Encyclopedia.'' Vol. 11. ) New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 13 Dec. 2014.〕 who devotes more than half of Chapter 3 of his gospel, a few verses of Chapter 7 and lastly mentions him in Chapter 19. The first time Nicodemus is mentioned, he is identified as a Pharisee who comes to see Jesus "at night". John places this meeting shortly after the Cleansing of the Temple. "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Then follows a conversation with Nicodemus about the meaning of being "born again"/"born from above" and mention of the "kingdom of heaven". Jesus expresses surprise, perhaps ironically, that "a teacher of Israel" does not understand the concept of spiritual rebirth. James F. Driscoll describes Nicodemus as a learned and intelligent believer, but somewhat timid and not easily initiated into the mysteries of the new faith.〔 In John Chapter 7, Nicodemus advises his colleagues among "the chief priests and the Pharisees", to hear and investigate before making a judgment concerning Jesus. Their mocking response argues that no prophet comes from Galilee. Nonetheless, it is probable that he wielded a certain influence in the Sanhedrin.〔 Finally, when Jesus is buried, Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about 100 pounds, for embalming Jesus' body according to Jewish custom. Nicodemus must have been a man of means. In his book ''Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week'', Pope Benedict XVI observes that, "The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This is a royal burial."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Nicodemus」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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