Nicodemus

Drawing of Nicodemus by Lorenzo Ferri following the indications of Maria Valtorta. Source: documentary collection of the Maria Valtorta Heritage Foundation.

Member of the Sanhedrin, of the class of large landowners. He owns, among other things, lands near Emmaus on the Plain and a property in Ramah (Judea) north of Jerusalem, where the parents of Thomas the Apostle live. He is a friend of Lazarus and Joseph of Arimathea.

Member of high society, he holds its prejudices:

"I do not criticise the presence of unlearned people or of excisemen among the disciples of Christ. But I do not consider worthy of being one of His disciples, the man [Judas] who I do not know whether he is for Him or against Him, but is like a chameleon, which takes on the colour and the appearance of what is around it".

It is he who comes to find Jesus at night. Jesus answers him:

‘’yes, I tell you, it is the truth: no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit’’.

He is part of the group of the "powerful" (with Lazarus, Chuza and Joseph of Arimathea) whom Jesus envisions to evangelize the Judea of the powerful. Linked to his colleague Joseph of Arimathea, he informs Jesus of the plot against Him. His prudence does not hide a certain courage either. He defends, like Joseph of Arimathea and Eleazar the Sanhedrist, justice during the trial of Eleazar son of Anna, rapist and murderer.

Good master, he is generous with the poor:

"And he told us that this year the whole lot will be given to us, because this is a year of grace."

Later Jesus asks him:

"«[...] Which voice told you that this year, and not the next one, is a year of grace, for instance?» «… I do not know… And I know… I am not a prophet. But I am not a fool. And a light from Heaven was added to my intelligence. My Master… I wanted the poor to enjoy the gifts of God, while God is still among the poor… [...]»"

Character and Appearance

His prudence, undoubtedly linked to his office, gives way more and more to a certain courage. At the height of the hostility of the Temple towards Jesus, he is seen publicly (and skillfully) taking his side.

He is also seen evolving throughout the years of Public Life by abandoning his social prejudices and opening more and more to the faith in Jesus.

Apostolic Journey

Witness of the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension.

He evangelizes the surroundings of Jerusalem, notably Nob and Ramah (Judea), with the help of the other apostles and disciples.

He publicly marks his convictions by leaving the Sanhedrin during the trial of Jesus.

With his friend Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus asks Pilate for the body of the Crucified, helps to unfasten his limbs and take him down from the Cross.

He helps to carry him to the new tomb offered by Joseph, to clean his body and to wrap it in bands and the Shroud (anointing). He provides fifty kilos of spices (aloes and myrrh) for the burial.

He is present until the sealing of the tomb and the return to the Cenacle.

At the Ascension, Jesus publicly pays tribute to his courage by calling him to his side with some other friends of the same character:

"You, My friend Lazarus, you, Joseph, and you, Nicodemus, who took pity on the Christ when to do so might have been very dangerous."

His Name

Nicodemus (Naqdimôn in Hebrew) means "victory of the people" in Greek.

Where is he mentioned in the work?

GRM 85
GRM 113 GRM 114 GRM 116 GRM 135
GRM 281 GRM 282 GRM 283
GRM 334 GRM 364 GRM 365 GRM 376 GRM 378
GRM 404 GRM 407 GRM 489 GRM 491
GRM 505 GRM 509 GRM 511 GRM 538 GRM 541 GRM 542 GRM 545 GRM 546 GRM 548 GRM 549 GRM 550 GRM 560 GRM 566 GRM 581 GRM 584 GRM 585 GRM 588 GRM 589
GRM 604 GRM 609 GRM 610 GRM 611 GRM 623 GRM 631 GRM 635 GRM 638 GRM 641 GRM 644 GRM 645 GRM 646 GRM 648 GRM 649

Learn More About This Character

Excerpts from the Dictionary of Gospel Characters, According to Maria Valtorta (Msgr. René Laurentin, François-Michel Debroise, Jean-François Lavère, Salvator Editions, 2012):

Saint Nicodemus is celebrated on August 3.

In the Gospel of Saint John, he is called "Doctor of Israel", sometimes translated as "in charge of teaching". In Maria Valtorta, Joseph of Arimathea echoes this title by introducing Nicodemus to Jesus as "chief of the Jews".

He is attributed an apocryphal gospel known as the Acts of Pilate. It notably recounts the descent of Christ into Hell. According to Msgr. Gaume, this gospel had a great influence in the Middle ages: it was credited not as a canonical work, but as an edifying book.

According to the Babylonian Talmud, Nicodemus was one of the three richest people in Jerusalem: "He could have fed all the people of Israel for ten days". Nicodemus (Naqdimon in Hebrew) was a nickname. His name was Bonaï (or Nakkaï) ben Gorion and his illustrious family originated from Jericho.

According to Flavius Josephus, Joseph ben Gurion, his son, was chosen as one of the leaders of Jerusalem during the siege of the city by the Romans..

In Lucca, Tuscany, in Saint Martin's Cathedral (the Duomo), the Holy face (Volto Santo) is venerated; a relic different from the veil of Veronica (Nike),. This relic takes the form of a crucifix that would have been sculpted from memory by Nicodemus. The relic has been venerated for over 1,000 years, but it is thought that the current representation is a copy from the 11th century.

This tradition echoes a detail reported by Maria Valtorta: Nicodemus, breaking with the Old covenant prohibitions on human representation, had a statue of the crucified Christ made in which he enclosed the shroud (face veil). He thus created the first crucifix in history. On this occasion, he gave the Virgin Mary the shroud (cloth wrapping the body) that he had collected with Joseph of Arimathea..

Nicodemus, dying, is said to have been hosted by Gamaliel who buried him at Kaphar-Gamala (Beit Jimal) with Stephen, the first martyr. Their relics were discovered in 415.

Place located in Jerusalem where Jesus celebrated Passover with his apostles and instituted the Eucharist on the eve of his death (from Latin cenaculum: dining room). This place became the first Church at the request of the Virgin Mary.