John 7:50
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
Original Language Analysis
λέγει
saith
G3004
λέγει
saith
Strong's:
G3004
Word #:
1 of 13
properly, to "lay" forth, i.e., (figuratively) relate (in words (usually of systematic or set discourse; whereas g2036 and g5346 generally refer to an
Νικόδημος
Nicodemus
G3530
Νικόδημος
Nicodemus
Strong's:
G3530
Word #:
2 of 13
victorious among his people; nicodemus, an israelite
πρὸς
by
G4314
πρὸς
by
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
3 of 13
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
αὐτῶν
them
G846
αὐτῶν
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
4 of 13
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
ὁ
G3588
ὁ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 13
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
ἐλθὼν
(he that came
G2064
ἐλθὼν
(he that came
Strong's:
G2064
Word #:
6 of 13
to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively)
πρὸς
by
G4314
πρὸς
by
Strong's:
G4314
Word #:
8 of 13
a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e., toward (with the genitive case, the side of, i.e., pertaining to; with the dative case, by the side of,
αὐτῶν
them
G846
αὐτῶν
them
Strong's:
G846
Word #:
9 of 13
the reflexive pronoun self, used (alone or in the comparative g1438) of the third person, and (with the proper personal pronoun) of the other persons
Historical Context
Nicodemus appears three times in John: the night conversation (3:1-21), this defense (7:50-51), and bringing burial spices after crucifixion (19:39-40). His trajectory shows gradual movement toward open faith, though John never explicitly states he believed. Church tradition holds he became a Christian. His timid defense here contrasts with Joseph of Arimathea's later boldness (19:38). Some rulers believed but feared confession (John 12:42-43), valuing human approval over God's.
Questions for Reflection
- How does Nicodemus demonstrate gradual movement toward faith?
- What prevents people from openly confessing Christ despite private belief?
- How do we encourage timid believers toward open confession?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Nicodemus, the Pharisee who met Jesus in John 3, cautiously defends Him. The parenthetical 'came to Jesus by night' reminds readers of chapter 3's dialogue while highlighting Nicodemus's timidity—he came secretly. 'Being one of them' shows Nicodemus was a Sanhedrin member, thus his voice carried weight. His intervention demonstrates that not all Pharisees rejected Jesus, though most did.