Trivia:
Question: How many disciples were named James?
Answer: Two: James the Elder, the son of Zebedee and James the Lesser or
Younger, the son of Alpheus [and Mary – JESUS brother]
Terminology: Sola Fide
Sola Fide – [One of the five Solas] means salvation
by faith alone. This is the clear understanding that those that are saved are
saved by faith in the finished works of CHRIST and nothing else. No personal
works - mere belief in CHRIST is enough to be saved from the Hell all sinners
deserve and will receive otherwise
Tough Question: Did Nicodemus accept Christ?
Answer: It appears so.
We are familiar with JESUS’s dialogue with Nicodemus
in John 3:
John 3:1-21 There was a man of the Pharisees, named
Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (2) The same
came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except
God be with him. (3) Jesus answered and said
unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot
see the kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus
saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb, and be born?
(5)
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God. (6) That which
is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit. (7) Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be
born again. (8) The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it
goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (9) Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can
these things be? (10) Jesus answered and
said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? (11) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak
that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our
witness. (12) If I have told you earthly things, and ye
believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of
heavenly things? (13) And no man hath
ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
(15)
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal
life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life. (17) For God
sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world
through him might be saved. (18) He that
believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned
already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God. (19) And this is the condemnation, that light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their
deeds were evil. (20) For every one that
doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should
be reproved. (21) But he that doeth truth cometh to the light,
that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Nicodemus seemed to have an affinity with JESUS after that encounter.
He seems to attempt to defend JESUS before the Pharisees in John 7:
John 7:50-51
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of
them,) (51) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
Finally, he was as it seems closely involved with CHRSIT’s burial in
John 19:
John 19:39-42 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the
first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about
an hundred pound weight. (40) Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound
it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. (41) Now in the place where he was crucified there
was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet
laid. (42) There laid they Jesus therefore because of
the Jews' preparation day; for the
sepulchre was nigh at hand.
There are also some stories in early Christianity that Nicodemus was
baptized and left the Sanhedrin and baptized by Paul and John as so was
Gameliel secretly***. It is worth further investigation J
I love YOU and I love you
Brother Jeremy A. Maynard
***Stephen: Paul and the
Hellenist Israelites by John J. Pilch
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