John 7:50-52, Nicodemus Returns

50 Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, 51 "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" 52 They replied," Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee."

Nicodemus returns to the story, rising to the occasion and standing up for Jesus. He tells his fellow priest and experts on the law that they themselves are not following the law! The accused should have due representation, the opportunity to provide his own evidence, and the right to answer to the charges. Nicodemus is summarily dismissed and accused of being like Jesus—misinformed.

The irony is that the prophet Jonah came from Galilee. The leaders are uninformed. They are trying to deceive others about Jesus. They do not respect the opinion of the very law they seek to support. They stand accused of the very things they hold against Jesus.

Nicodemus, who I have argued is perhaps the greatest teacher in his day on the law, is completely disregarded and suspected of being a follower of Jesus. Jesus has a friend in the highest of places, but as we see, Nicodemus can do little to soften the hardened hearts of the chief priests and Pharisees. They are blind to the fact that The Prophet and The Messiah is in their midst for they do not understand the very words of God they claim to uphold.

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lords. Amen. (BCP, p. 99)