Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews who first came to Jesus by night, later spoke in Jesus' defense, and brought a large quantity of myrrh and aloes for Jesus' burial.
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Nicodemus appears in the Gospel of John, described as a member of the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews. This dual identity placed him in a position of both religious authority and civic influence within Jewish society. When Jesus was teaching and performing signs in Jerusalem, Nicodemus sought out a personal encounter with him. Rather than approaching openly in daylight, he chose to come to Jesus by night—a detail the Gospel of John preserves as a defining mark of this first meeting. In that conversation, Jesus spoke of being born again, of spiritual realities, and of the well-known message that God so loved the world. Nicodemus reappears during a later festival, and this time his stance is more visible. When the chief priests and Pharisees sought to challenge and arrest Jesus, Nicodemus raised a question before the council, invoking the principle of their own law that a person should not be judged without first hearing what he has to say. This moment shows his faith advancing beyond a private inquiry; he was now willing to speak up for Jesus in the presence of his peers. Nicodemus's final appearance comes at the burial of Jesus after the crucifixion. He brought about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes and joined another follower of Jesus in wrapping the body in linen cloths, preparing it according to Jewish burial custom and laying it in a new tomb. The lavish quantity of spices far exceeded what was typically used, suggesting a deliberate and costly tribute. From a visitor who came by night, to a defender who spoke in council, to a mourner who offered a king's burial, Nicodemus's journey traced in the Gospel of John portrays a man who moved from secrecy toward bold confession, becoming a quiet but enduring portrait of faith working its way into the light.