The Backbone of Nicodemus

John 7:50-52, CEB

Nicodemus, who was one of them and had come to Jesus earlier, said,  “Our Law doesn’t judge someone without first hearing him and learning what he is doing, does it?”

They answered him, “You are not from Galilee too, are you? Look it up and you will see that the prophet doesn’t come from Galilee.”

                We haven’t heard from Nicodemus since chapter 3 when he and Jesus conversely under the cover of night about being born from above.  It seems John wants us to know that Nicodemus has at least kept an open mind about Jesus since that time.  This is significant given that virtually all of Nicodemus’s colleagues now condemn Jesus.   There is evidence that Jesus had other sympathizers among the Hebrew establishment, but Nicodemus is the one most “on record.”  In this passage, John makes it clear that he is a dismissed dissenter among the Pharisees. 

                I am thankful that this small exchange is recorded in scripture, because it highlights the value for standing up for the value of the truth even when it is regarded as a lie by everyone else.  It also points out the hypocrisy of judging a matter without even properly investigating the facts.  These are excellent reminders to people of faith living in any time where subjective “truth” and unsupported allegations become more the norm than the exception. 

Questions:  Are there current popular ideas that you are aware of that are labeled “Christian” that are unsupported by facts or seem more agenda-driven than truth-driven?  How are people of faith supposed to respond to such things?

Prayer:  Lord, help us to hear your truth clearly in all the noise around us in our culture.  Amen.

Prayer Focus:  Pray for innocent people who are in prisons today.

Song:  Little Lies – Fleetwood Mac