Nicodemus and Jesus: Breaking Bread with the Enemy

My uncle was on the battleship USS Tennessee in Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked on December 7, 1941. My mother and aunt rushed home from the local theatre when the matinee was abruptly halted and found my grandmother sobbing as she leaned over the large radio. My grandfather came home from his job at the B&O Railroad only long enough to pack a bag to leave for two weeks of non-stop work. It was the first time my mother ever saw him cry.

They would not hear from my uncle for three worrisome weeks, and while he was not killed, he was injured and carried the horrendous, heinous images of that day in his mind for the rest of his life. He would never buy a Japanese car and forbade his children to do so as well. He would never forgive nor speak with anyone of Japanese descent for the remainder of his life.

Similarly, the first boy I ever dated in high school was Jewish, and his father’s family had been in the Holocaust. He was told that the Volkswagen was Hitler’s car and should never be purchased by any good Jew.

Jesus and His Enemies

We have a choice in dealing with people who have hurt us, disagree with us, or even whom we find to be despicable. We can continue to carry that hurt and despise them, treat them as unworthy of our time, or mock them at every turn.

Or, we can follow the example of Jesus and break bread with them.

“On a Sabbath, [Jesus] went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees …” (Luke 14:1).

The Pharisees despised Jesus.

“… and the people there were carefully watching Him.” (Ibid.)

The Pharisees wanted Jesus to screw up so that they could call Him out. They were hoping that He would violate Mosaic laws by working on the Sabbath or commit blasphemy by saying that He was the Messiah. Jesus, on the other hand, sought them out and talked with them. He welcomed the opportunity to dine with them. Often He confounded the Pharisees and Sadducees by His authoritative wisdom or stood up to their abusive language, but He always treated them with respect and was never afraid to break bread with them.

Nicodemus Meets Jesus

Jesus’ relationship with Nicodemus was especially telling. From John’s Gospel, we learn that Nicodemus, a leader of the Pharisees and member of the Sanhedrin, sought to meet with Him. Jesus had performed the miracle at Cana, and the news of that spread throughout the area. Then He cleansed the Temple of moneychangers and sellers, most of whom were only too happy to take advantage of the far-away visitors to Jerusalem. John stated that Jesus knew not to trust even those who claimed to believe in Him, because “He knew them all, and did not need anyone to testify about human nature. He himself understood it well” (John 2:24-25).

After the way He had been treated by the Pharisees, it would have been understandable for Jesus to refuse to meet with Nicodemus. But He accepted, and arrangements were made for them to meet at night, not only for the safety of Jesus but for the protection of Nicodemus as well.

In His meeting with Nicodemus, Jesus spoke with him as an equal. Nicodemus recognized Jesus as one who “has come from God, for no one can do these signs that you are doing unless God is with him” (John 3:2). Jesus, in turn, explained to Nicodemus that, in order to enter the kingdom of God, he must be “born of water and Spirit” (John 3:5).

Unlike His teachings to the crowds, Jesus did not speak in parables or use natural analogies. He talked to Nicodemus as a learned man whom He respected, even though Nicodemus was the leader of the group of people who most hated our Lord. When Nicodemus became confused, Jesus explained again, and in more depth, using language that Nicodemus would understand. He concluded with this reassurance: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17). Nicodemus understood.

This was the Messiah, but Nicodemus was torn: he was a respected leader of the Pharisees with a great status.

The Pharisee Changes

Later, however, when the Pharisees wished to arrest Jesus, Nicodemus came to His defense: “Does our law condemn a person before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” (John 7:51) We see a change is coming over Nicodemus.

Finally, after Jesus died on the cross, Nicodemus publicly assisted Joseph of Arimathea in taking down His body from the cross and bringing 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes for His burial. In his book, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week, Pope Benedict XVI notes that “The quantity of the balm is extraordinary and exceeds all normal proportions. This is a royal burial.”

It is clear that the approach Jesus used with Nicodemus bore great fruit. Here was a man who was a member of the Sanhedrin, the group that ultimately sentenced Jesus to die. Yet Jesus took the time to meet with Nicodemus as an equal, face to face, with honesty and love. Because of this, Nicodemus was changed forever.

Conclusion

Today, we are faced with many opportunities to break bread with enemies. Whether they are on the opposite side of the political spectrum or members of our family for whom we carry long-held grudges, we can choose our course with them. We can proudly continue to antagonize the situation. We can choose to shut them out completely. We can justify our actions by past injustices or perceived offenses.

Or, following the example of our Savior, we can meet privately, perhaps at night when no one else sees us, and break bread, human to human, child of God to child of God, with the other.

I think this is what Christ wants us to do. From each humble outreach, done with love, miraculous rebirths can occur.