SEV Biblia, Chapter 3:1
¶ Y había un hombre de los fariseos que se llamaba Nicodemo, príncipe de los judíos.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 3:1
Verse 1. Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.] One of the members of the grand Sanhedrin; for such were ordinarily styled rulers among the Jews. A person of the name of Nicodemus, the son of Gorion, is mentioned in the Jewish writings, who lived in the time of Vespasian, and was reputed to be so rich that he could support all the inhabitants of Jerusalem for ten years. But this is said in their usual extravagant mode of talking.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 1. There was a man of the Pharisees , etc.] The Syriac version adds, there; that is, at Jerusalem; and who was among those that believed in the name of Christ, upon seeing the miracles he did at the feast of the passover, in that place. This man was not a common and ordinary man, but a man of note and eminence, of dignity and figure; and who was of the sect of the Pharisees, which was the strictest sect for religion and holiness, among the Jews; and which, as corrupt as it was, was also the soundest; as having not only a regard to a Messiah, and to all the writings of the Old Testament, but also believed the doctrines of angels and spirits, and the resurrection of the dead, which the Sadducees denied; but yet they were implacable enemies of Christ; and therefore it is the more to be wondered at, that such an one should come to him, and desire a conversation with him: named Nicodemus ; frequent mention is made of wyrwg b wmydqn , Nicodemon ben Gorion, the brother of Josephus ben Gorion f109 , the writer of the Wars and Antiquities of the Jews; and there are some things which make it probable, that he was the same with this Nicodemus; for the Nicodemon the Jews speak so much of, lived in this age; as appears, not only from his being the brother of Josephus, but also from his being contemporary with R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, who lived in this time, and until the destruction of the temple; since these two are said to be together at a feast, made for the circumcision of a child. Moreover, he is represented as very rich, and is said to be one of the three rich men in Jerusalem f111 , and who was able to have maintained hnydm , a city ten years f112 ; and they speak of his daughter, as exceeding rich: they say, that she had for her dowry a thousand thousand golden denarii, or pence; and that her bed was strewed with (i.e. the furniture of it cost) twelve thousand golden denarii; and that a Tyrian golden denarius was spent upon her every week, for a certain kind of soup f113 ; and the wise men decreed her four hundred golden denarii, for a box of spices every day f114 ; and it is elsewhere said, five hundred: and this our Nicodemus was very rich, as appears from his liberality at the funeral of our Lord, ( John 19:39).
Moreover, the Nicodemon of the Jews, is said to be a counsellor in Jerusalem; and so was this, as seems evident from ( John 7:32,50,51) and it may be further observed f117 , that the right name of Nicodemon, was Boni f118 ; now Boni elsewhere f119 , is said to be one of the disciples of Jesus, as Nicodemus was secretly, and perhaps at, and after his death openly, as his associate Joseph of Arimathea was; to which may be added, the extreme poverty that his daughter is by them said to be reduced unto; for they report, that R. Jochanan ben Zaccai saw her gathering barley corns from under the horses hoofs in Aco f120 ; or as it is elsewhere said, out of the dung of the beasts of the Arabians; when she asked alms of him, and he inquired of her, what was become of her fathers substance. Now to this low estate, the family of our Nicodemus might be reduced, through the persecution of the Christians by the Jews. The name is Greek, as at this time many Greek names were in use among the Jews, and signifies the same as Nicolas; but the Jews give an etymology of it, agreeably to the Hebrew language; and say, that he was so called, because the sun, hdqn , shone out for his sake: the occasion and reason of it, they tell us, were this f121 ; Nicodemon, upon want of water at one of the feasts, agreed with a certain man for twelve wells of water, to be returned on such a day, or pay twelve talents of silver; the day being come, the man demanded the water, or the money; Nicodemon went and prayed, and a plentiful rain fell, and filled the wells with water; but meeting the man, he insisted on it that the day was past, the sun being set, and therefore required the money; Nicodemon went and prayed again, and the sun shone out; and they add, that there are three persons for whom the sun hmdqn , was prevented, detained, or hindered in its course, (a word nearer his name than the former,) Moses, and Joshua, and Nicodemon ben Gorion; for the two former they produce Scripture, and for the latter tradition: hence it is elsewhere said f122 , that as the sun stood still for Joshua, so it stood still for Moses, and for Nicodemon ben Gorion: but to proceed with the account of our Nicodemus, he was a ruler of the Jews ; not a civil magistrate; for the civil government was now in the hands of the Romans; but an ecclesiastical ruler; he was a member of the sanhedrim, which consisted of the doctors, or wise men, and priests, Levites, and elders of the people; and so was a dignified person, and as afterwards called, a master in Israel.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-8 - Nicodemus was afraid, or ashamed to be seen with Christ, therefore cam in the night. When religion is out of fashion, there are man Nicodemites. But though he came by night, Jesus bid him welcome, an hereby taught us to encourage good beginnings, although weak. An though now he came by night, yet afterward he owned Christ publicly. He did not talk with Christ about state affairs, though he was a ruler but about the concerns of his own soul and its salvation, and went a once to them. Our Saviour spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration or the new birth, and at once directed Nicodemus to the source of holiness of the heart. Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again, is to begin to live anew, as those who have lived muc amiss, or to little purpose. We must have a new nature, new principles new affections, new aims. By our first birth we were corrupt, shapen i sin; therefore we must be made new creatures. No stronger expressio could have been chosen to signify a great and most remarkable change of state and character. We must be entirely different from what we wer before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before. This new birth is from heaven, ch 1:13, and its tendency is to heaven. It is a great change made in the heart of a sinner, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means tha something is done in us, and for us, which we cannot do for ourselves Something is wrong, whereby such a life begins as shall last for ever We cannot otherwise expect any benefit by Christ; it is necessary to our happiness here and hereafter. What Christ speak, Nicodemu misunderstood, as if there had been no other way of regenerating an new-moulding an immortal soul, than by new-framing the body. But he acknowledged his ignorance, which shows a desire to be better informed It is then further explained by the Lord Jesus. He shows the Author of this blessed change. It is not wrought by any wisdom or power of ou own, but by the power of the blessed Spirit. We are shapen in iniquity which makes it necessary that our nature be changed. We are not to marvel at this; for, when we consider the holiness of God, the depravity of our nature, and the happiness set before us, we shall no think it strange that so much stress is laid upon this. The regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is compared to water. It is als probable that Christ had reference to the ordinance of baptism. No that all those, and those only, that are baptized, are saved; but without that new birth which is wrought by the Spirit, and signified by baptism, none shall be subjects of the kingdom of heaven. The same wor signifies both the wind and the Spirit. The wind bloweth where i listeth for us; God directs it. The Spirit sends his influences where and when, on whom, and in what measure and degree, he pleases. Thoug the causes are hidden, the effects are plain, when the soul is brough to mourn for sin, and to breathe after Christ. Christ's stating of the doctrine and the necessity of regeneration, it should seem, made it no clearer to Nicodemus. Thus the things of the Spirit of God ar foolishness to the natural man. Many think that cannot be proved, whic they cannot believe. Christ's discourse of gospel truths, very #(11-13), shows the folly of those who make these things strange unt them; and it recommends us to search them out. Jesus Christ is ever way able to reveal the will of God to us; for he came down from heaven and yet is in heaven. We have here a notice of Christ's two distinc natures in one person, so that while he is the Son of man, yet he is in heaven. God is the "HE THAT IS," and heaven is the dwelling-place of his holiness. The knowledge of this must be from above, and can be received by faith alone. Jesus Christ came to save us by healing us, a the children of Israel, stung with fiery serpents, were cured and live by looking up to the brazen serpent, Nu 21:6-9. In this observe the deadly and destructive nature of sin. Ask awakened consciences, as damned sinners, they will tell you, that how charming soever the allurements of sin may be, at the last it bites like a serpent. See the powerful remedy against this fatal malady. Christ is plainly set fort to us in the gospel. He whom we offended is our Peace, and the way of applying for a cure is by believing. If any so far slight either their disease by sin, or the method of cure by Christ, as not to receiv Christ upon his own terms, their ruin is upon their own heads. He ha said, Look and be saved, look and live; lift up the eyes of your fait to Christ crucified. And until we have grace to do this, we shall no be cured, but still are wounded with the stings of Satan, and in dying state. Jesus Christ came to save us by pardoning us, that we might not die by the sentence of the law. Here is gospel, good new indeed. Here is God's love in giving his Son for the world. God s loved the world; so really, so richly. Behold and wonder, that the great God should love such a worthless world! Here, also, is the grea gospel duty, to believe in Jesus Christ. God having given him to be ou Prophet, Priest, and King, we must give up ourselves to be ruled, an taught, and saved by him. And here is the great gospel benefit, tha whoever believes in Christ, shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and so saving it. It could not be saved, but through him; there is n salvation in any other. From all this is shown the happiness of tru believers; he that believeth in Christ is not condemned. Though he ha been a great sinner, yet he is not dealt with according to what his sins deserve. How great is the sin of unbelievers! God sent One to sav us, that was dearest to himself; and shall he not be dearest to us? Ho great is the misery of unbelievers! they are condemned already; whic speaks a certain condemnation; a present condemnation. The wrath of God now fastens upon them; and their own hearts condemn them. There is als a condemnation grounded on their former guilt; they are open to the la for all their sins; because they are not by faith interested in the gospel pardon. Unbelief is a sin against the remedy. It springs from the enmity of the heart of man to God, from love of sin in some form Read also the doom of those that would not know Christ. Sinful work are works of darkness. The wicked world keep as far from this light a they can, lest their deeds should be reproved. Christ is hated, becaus sin is loved. If they had not hated saving knowledge, they would no sit down contentedly in condemning ignorance. On the other hand renewed hearts bid this light welcome. A good man acts truly an sincerely in all he does. He desires to know what the will of God is and to do it, though against his own worldly interest. A change in his whole character and conduct has taken place. The love of God is she abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost, and is become the commandin principle of his actions. So long as he continues under a load of unforgiven guilt, there can be little else than slavish fear of God but when his doubts are done away, when he sees the righteous groun whereon this forgiveness is built, he rests on it as his own, and i united to God by unfeigned love. Our works are good when the will of God is the rule of them, and the glory of God the end of them; when they are done in his strength, and for his sake; to him, and not to men. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a subject to which the world i very averse; it is, however, the grand concern, in comparison with which every thing else is but trifling. What does it signify though we have food to eat in plenty, and variety of raiment to put on, if we ar not born again? if after a few mornings and evenings spent i unthinking mirth, carnal pleasure, and riot, we die in our sins, an lie down in sorrow? What does it signify though we are well able to ac our parts in life, in every other respect, if at last we hear from the Supreme Judge, "Depart from me, I know you not, ye workers of iniquity?"
Greek Textus Receptus
ην 2258 5713 V-IXI-3S δε 1161 CONJ ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPM φαρισαιων 5330 N-GPM νικοδημος 3530 N-NSM ονομα 3686 N-NSN αυτω 846 P-DSM αρχων 758 N-NSM των 3588 T-GPM ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
1. A man. With a reference to the last word of the previous chapter. The interview with Nicodemus is, apart from the important truth which it embodies, an illustration of Christ's knowledge of what was in man. Godet truthfully observes that John reminds us by the word anqrwpov (man), that Nicodemus was a specimen of the race which Jesus knew so well.Named Nicodemus. Literally, Nicodemus, the name unto him. The name means conqueror of the people (nikh, victory, and dhmov, people), though some give it a Hebrew derivation meaning innocent blood.
A ruler. A member of the Sanhedrim.
