After a day in which two ascetics battled it out in the wilderness, John Chrysostom emerged victorious over Margaret of Cortona 53% to 47% — despite a late push by Margaret — to advance to the Saintly Sixteen. He’ll face the winner of Mellitus vs. Ephrem of Nisibis.
Today we return to the Biblical quadrant of the bracket as James the Greater faces Nicodemus. For those who followed the Supreme Executive Committee‘s shenanigans at last summer’s Lent Madness Day at General Convention in Austin, Texas, you’ll recall this included a play-in match between James the Great and James the Less. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Greater lived up to his name, leaving the Lesser to wallow in saintly ignominy.
Finally, in case you missed yesterday’s edition of Monday Madness, for which you should do some serious penance, you can still catch it here.
James the Greater
James the Greater is the portrait of an imperfect saint. He is often known as “the Greater” to distinguish him from the other Jameses in the Bible. The moniker denotes his prominence in the early tradition, not his superiority over other like-named disciples and saints Jameses.
James is the older brother of John. They are fishermen with their father Zebedee until Jesus calls them to follow him. James is given a special place in the gospels as an early follower of Jesus and as one who is given special access. He, along with Peter and John, is one of the few witnesses to the raising of Jairus’s daughter (Mark 5:35-43), the Transfiguration (Mark 9:2-9), and Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:32-42).
In spite of this privileged place, James often exhibits weakness and lack of insight. His all-too-human responses give us hope. He and his brother are called “Sons of Thunder,” presumably because of their impetuousness. (Later hagiographers, that is, those who write about the lives of the saints, say the brothers were given the name for their thunderous—and effective—preaching.) In the Gospel of Luke, when a Samaritan village does not welcome Jesus, James and John ask if they should call fire from heaven to consume the village (Luke 9:51-56). James, with Peter and John, doesn’t understand the Transfiguration. He falls asleep while Jesus agonizes in the Garden. When Jesus tells his followers he must be rejected, condemned to death, mocked, and crucified, James and John reply by asking if they can be seated at his right and left hand in power (see Mark 10:32-40). According to Mark, James flees the crucifixion scene.
In the gospel tradition, James’s name always precedes John’s. Curiously, once Luke begins to tell his tale in Acts, James disappears while Peter and John act as the most prominent leaders of the nascent movement. This is perhaps because James, as one of the first martyrs for the Jesus movement, was killed by Herod in the early 40s (see Acts 12:2). In a story recounted by Clement of Alexandria, James’s defense before Herod was so effective that the guard who was charged with watching him was converted and the two were killed together.
Collect for James the Greater
O Gracious God, we remember before you today your servant and apostle James, first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Nicodemus
Canonical material from which to pull a full biography of Nicodemus is limited. Nicodemus only appears in the Gospel of John and even then, only three times. The first time ol’ Nick appears in the gospel is when he comes to Jesus to ask him about his teachings. John describes Nicodemus as “a Pharisee…a leader of the Jews.” Nicodemus seems stumped by Jesus’ idea that one must be “born again” in order to inherit the kingdom of God. Through this exchange, which lasts for twenty-one verses, Jesus and Nicodemus exchange maxims, teachings, and the occasional sass before Jesus offers a more fulsome exploration of his work in the world. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” We aren’t told whether or not Nicodemus is persuaded.
Nicodemus appears again several chapters later when the Sanhedrin discuss how to arrest Jesus for blasphemy and disturbing the peace. Nicodemus chimes in, advocating that Jewish law does not permit judgment before one is given a trial. His defense of Jesus prompts some on the council to suggest that Nicodemus might be one of Jesus’ followers. Again, Nicodemus’ response is not recorded.
The final time Nicodemus appears in John is during our Lord’s crucifixion. After Jesus has died, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus come to remove the body of Jesus, prepare it for burial, and place it in Joseph’s tomb. Nicodemus brings “a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds” and with Joseph, wraps the body of Jesus “with the spices in linen cloths” (John 19:39-40). Again, Nicodemus never makes a verbal confession of belief but what can be deduced from his actions, particularly his care and attention to the body of Jesus, is that Nicodemus was convinced of and converted by the message of Jesus. He uses his incredible wealth to bury Jesus in royal fashion. Although Nicodemus follows Jesus as a clandestine disciple, his life is changed by a chance encounter.
Collect for Nicodemus
Almighty God, you gave to your servant Nicodemus special gifts of grace to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant that by this teaching we may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-Marcus Halley
James the Greater vs. Nicodemus
- Nicodemus (51%, 4,888 Votes)
- James the Greater (49%, 4,641 Votes)
Total Voters: 9,529
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As the Pharisees plot to collect Him
Nicodemus speaks up to protect Him
“Rule of law holds for all:
Both the great and the small.”
In this season, I vote to elect him.
Well done!
#VoteNicodemus
So glad we are on the same team this time! Go Nicodemus!
I’m a fan, John, as I said yesterday and have a terrific crush on your syntax but don’t agree and voted for James. I’d probably have been napping in the garden and hiding my face at the crucifixion. But you write great.
What Nancy Hause said.
Well done, big nance!
i agree with you
Nancy is so wise (and lots of fun)!
love it
One of your best yet, and I’m with you. I love that Nicodemus first comes to Jesus “by night.” As Br. Geoffrey Tristam, SSJE writes in today’s “Brother, Give us a Word” sermon https://www.ssje.org/2014/03/16/walk-by-faith-not-sight-br-geoffrey-tristram/ Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the darkness that faith and trust that life with God often require.
I was confounded that they would set James against Nicodemus. What a difficult choice!
I went with James because James gave it all-his life. And in the midst of being executed, if his faith is grounded enough to convert the guard who was willing to lose his life, well you can’t get much more in depth than this. Of course, we have no record of Nicodemus’ later life, except for allowing Jesus to be laid in his tomb. It is likely that Nicodemus didn’t understand Jesus any more than James did, or any of us would have.
To alleviate some of the stress of today’s match-up, we honor Big Jim and Nic with a song sung to the tune of “Summer Lovin'” from the musical “Grease”. Enjoy, daddy-os, and vote!
James: Summer fishin’ with Zebedee.
Nicodemis: Summer scribin’. I’m Pharisee.
James: I follow him with my bro John.
Nicodemis: I spar with him. He talks on and on.
Both: It’s so neat when Jesus I meet but oh oh the Judea nights.
Apostles: Tell me more! Tell me more!
Nicodemis: “Born again” is his scene.
Apostles: Tell me more! Tell me more!
Nicodemis: Just read John 3:16
James: Raised Jairus’ daughter up from the dead.
Nicodemis: His teaching fodder gets in my head.
James: I’m “Son of Thunder”: My preaching style.
Nicodemis: Their legal blunder – can’t judge him ‘til trial.
Both: Nic shuts his trap and Jim takes a nap on the Lord’s Gethsemane night.
Apostles: Tell me more! Tell me more!
James: Look, his robe has turned white.
Apostles: Tell me more! Tell me more!
James: Want to sit to his right.
Nicodemis: Things got darker. He’s crucified.
James: I’m not proud that I ran to hide
Nicodemis: So I brought aloe and myrrh…
James: Herod makes me a martyr…
Both: All our dreams, ripped at the seams, but, oh, those Jerusalem ni-ights!
Apostles: Tell me more! Tell me more!
This is a great start to my day
Fabulous.
Absolutely brilliant! Thank you!
Brilliant…. but I want to HEAR it sung other than in my head! Tim and Scott?
Come to our office. Someone will be singing it. 🙂
Me, too! I would love to hear someone sing it!
This is hysterical! I look forward to reading your songs as much as I do voting for the saint.
I also love the songs. Wish they would provide actual singing.
Another fantastic morning of Broadway hits with new lyrics. Well done, Michael!
Classic! Thanks for bringing joy to us today!
I think I’ve now got the devotion for today’s church staff meeting….
I couldn’t decide whether to give James or Nicodemus the higher voice. Fun way to start the day again, my friend.
What an added blessing to Lent Madness your songs are!
This is truly excellent!
(SEC: We really, really need a LIKE button!)
You took the time and made the effort to state your thought. Thank you! Why oh why would you want to push a button that says absolutely NOTHING about your why’s and wherefores?
Love the song! You just need to get someone to actually be singing it to start my day!!
Brilliant!
Brilliant! Voted for Nic
Me too.
Brilliant.
This song is far better than the original, and only solidifies my vote for Big Nic today!
Bravo!
GROAN. I am a music teacher. Now this will be in my head all day. 😉
The votes are closer than any I’ve seen so far. I went with James because he was the “first martyr.” Also, I probably would have fled the crucifixion as well.
@Robyn, actually I believe Stephen was the first martyr…see 2017’s bracket with write-ups for Stephen, who made the Faithful 4 before losing to Franz Jaggerstatter.
and agreed, fleeing the crucifixion seems like a smart move for self-preservation.
James was the first of the 12 Apostles to be martyred.
These alone are worth voting for!
you are a wizard! Also one of my favorite musicals.
I love a good filk! And I agree, we need audio files. ‘cos I can’t sing to save my life. Lol
Such talent can only come from the Holy Spirit. Seriously, I thoroughly enjoyed this and yes, sang it in true “Grease” style.
I sang it, but wavered on the tune at places so would also love to hear someone else sing it. So good. Lent Madness, the Musical . . . please.
vote Nicodemus !!!!!
NO NO NO
Nicodemus is my confident choice for the day. It he didn’t even need a dog to win me over.
james was meant to be greater its in his name
Nicodemus gets my vote because I actually think he did NOT convert. I see him as a model of disagreeing with someone and still recognizing their humanity and treating them with dignity and respect. I think that’s a model from which we could all learn.
Ooh–I like it!I haven’t voted yet –this could push me over -I’m leaning.
I can’t state the case better than Jenny does.
But isn’t this the competition for who is the most saintly and if he wasn’t even a christian in your eyes, then that means that he shouldn’t even be on this list. This is why I voted James the Greater
Well no one was a Christian for the first 200 years or so. I don’t think that’s a great way to divide people since the line between being a Jew who found Jesus’ teaching compelling to a Jew who believed Jesus to be divine to finally a Christian is imperfect, porous, and historically murky. If one had to be a Christian then James wasn’t one either. He was Jewish.
And Jesus wasn’t a Christian either!
In previous Lent Madnesses (is that even a word??), there have been a few “contestants” who were definitely not Christian: Sarah, the wife of Abraham (2017), Esther (2018), who bested Michael the Archangel in the Faithful Four. Would an angel be considered Christian?
Excellent point!
I voted for James but admire your insight.
Well said! Nicodemus gets my vote too.
Wow! What a great statement. I haven’t voted yet – was leaning toward James but now I am thinking it over. Thank you!
I think that gets into the “Jesus was just a really nice guy” camp… which I don’t think is one of the options
Voting for James who expected to be with Jesus when He came into His kingdom and had no idea what he was asking (the Cross) but ended as one of the earliest martyrs. I also attend St. James Episcopal Church, Millcreek, Delaware, so I have to vote for the homeboy.
Nicodemus gets my vote. (Even is spellcheck wants it to be Nicole!)
Hahaha!
Yes, and poor Barbara Ehrenreich’s spell check is giving her: Nickel and Dime Us.
I voted James. Nic not being able understand born again is the killer for me.
good
My dad was a non observant Jewish agnostic. He served as his unit’s Lutheran chaplain’s assistant during his service in the Vietnam conflict. He married my RC mom, raised us as RC, knew all the Vatican II Novus Ordo mass responses, and loved Christmas carols. Never converted, but I tried to get him to come on my Alpha Courses. For my dad, I voted for Nic.
I’m going for Nicodemus. It took courage and conviction to stand up for Jesus in two of the three times we read about him. Also my sister is vicar at St James the Less so family loyalties put me against the james who vanquished him in the play-in match.
Oh! it’s Nicodemus even without deliverance,
‘Cause he buried our Lord with the greatest reverence
James in an Apostle! No Apostles, no Church! It’s that simple.
I walked part of the Camino de Santiago in Spain last Summer so it has to be James. He walked with me I’m sure.
This Episco-paw-lian chooses James.
Having trouble with website on my computer this morning and can’t see comments on my phone. 🙁
I voted for James because I just didn’t see anything in Nicodemus’ write up that convinced me he should even be a saint. James certainly wasn’t perfect but his very imperfections give me hope.
I went with James. Nicodemus didn’t seem to have much skin in the game.
Today I vote for James, who was chosen by Jesus as one of the three closest friends from among the disciples. His pride led him to request being with Jesus “when he came into his kingdom”, and he actually got what he asked for, not in earthly glory but in martyrdom. By that time he apparently realized the true meaning of the Kingdom of God.
Nicodemus all the way. He was played with such devotion by Laurence Olivier. I believe he played him well as his portrayal showed how he came to realize that he really was talking to the Son of God.
That’s who I’ve been picturing as well! “Jesus of Nazareth,” right? Loved that back in the day!
If Laurence Olivier were in the running I’d vote for him in a heartbeat!
The willingness to ask genuine, as opposed to argumentative, questions, the courage the speak up against both the angry and determined powers that were and to risk accusations and humiliation in the midst of his influential, status loving peer group (not to mention potential charges of heresy), and his grieving, tender faithfulness in providing a tomb for Jesus, gain my vote for Nicodemus.
Beautifully put, thank you.
This was a tough choice. I ended up with Nicodemus because I like the quietness of his coming to Jesus. There is a sense of reflection and growth, and the tenderness with the burial is very moving. Nicodemus models for me that following Christ isn’t always about dramatic life changes but the slow working of the Holy Spirit transforming us over time, leaving us to make our witness in our daily context where it is surely most needed.
I agree. Spiritual growth is a process. Not everyone has an epiphany. The stories of Nicodemus, although brief, show, thoughtfulness, courage, and compassion.
Dirk Reinken, you make some very good points about quietness, reflection, and gradual transformation.
Thank you; I’m voting for Nicodemus.
All good thoughtful comments from Laura, Diana and Dirk supporting Nicodemus. He is probably the disciple (yes, to me he was one, no doubt) with whom I can identify the most strongly. The anecdotes show him in touch with Jesus throughout His ministry, from beginning to end. It was Nicodemus who elicited the famous 3:16 from Jesus’ lips.
Had to vote for James for my brother Jim, who is the older brother of John
I can’t decide, I go back and forth. I’ll vote for Nicodemus because I like his hat.
Tough choice (again!) but I had to go with James.
Tough one, but David Creech’s bio blurb of James the Greater had me at “imperfect saint.” Plus, I’ve walked the Camino twice and the Camino is all about James. That said, James is the Great Sycophant, as well as a man apparently without the barest of manners. He’s terribly flawed … as are we. I was tempted to vote for Nico but his silence/unrecorded responses at key moments gave me pause. Better to be loud and proud (like James), than to hold back (like Nico) and wait to see which way the wind blows.
Much as I love James, having served at St. James’s in Clayton, Georgia (I was the Vicar of Warwoman Road!), my vote today goes to Nicodemus. Whether or not he was able to get past the intellectual hurdles Jesus set for him, his actions bespoke a faith that God surely honors.
James left all (dad, fishing, safe non-political life) and gave all ( his life) for Christ. Sure he was imperfect,self-seeking, a bit dense, cowardly, but he openly followed Jesus and did his best to stay with him. Nicodemus questioned, sought, stood for a fair trial, used his wealth to bury Jesus. He may have gained much by a secret conversion, but retained his place in society and didn’t really lose a thing. What did it cost him but a hundred pounds of spice? James is greater for me.
Thanks, Jane. Your comments swayed me back to James. So human, with faults and failings, but so stalwart – he gave his life to Christ at first calling and so grew in faith and fervor that he inspired another even as he faced death courageously.
Since my son is a James had to go with this one in voting. So far I’m 1 for 4 in my picks. And I am loving the musical interludes.
Having walked the Camino de Santiago, I vote for James!
I voted for James because, when Jesus called him to follow him, he left everything for Jesus not knowing where it would lead.
Come to think of it, maybe we should have a pilgrimage trail named for each of the apostles. Hmm… which one would I walk?
The path of St Brigid, because it would be lined with pubs.
I voted for James, because I am pretty sure I would have fled the crucifixion scene, too.
I didn’t think either deserved a vote but Nick was was there at prime moments.
Neither? Why? I don’t understand.
Though I admire Nico for burying Jesus reverently, he didn’t follow him, unlike James who did and died for his beliefs.
Even though we aren’t told if Nicodemus converted, we do know that he sought and continued in conversation with Jesus, so it seems to me that he was a seeker. His placing himself in the company of Jesus and later, in his reverence and care in the burial of Jesus speaks to me of unspoken (maybe unrealized) belief that he was in the presence of the holy. So, Nicodemus gets my vote.
Gotta be James, because despite the facts of his rough edges, he showed up. Nicodemus, on the other hand, played on the edges and stayed on the edges. James edges this one out.
A good matchup for sure. I leaned toward and voted for J the G. He is better known, did not quietly work in the background, and lived and died in the faith. Tho I like Nic, and respect those who vote for him, I believe the match up goes to James.
Suppose Nicodemus had not come ‘to Jesus by night’? We’d be missing all of that discourse, recorded because John thought it was important. And suppose he had not helped Joseph with the burial–what more gracious act, than to defile yourself for a man killed as a criminal, that Jesus’s body might be treated with respect? And none of the other disciples jumped in? Though we do not hear of Nicodemus later, I suspect John knew him, and mentioned him by name because the Church knew him, later. Not to downplay James, but I do have to choose!
On balance, the gospels say that the women disciples were the ones who prepared Jesus’ body for burial. Nicodemus and Joseph may have paid for it, but my money is on it being the women who did the actual work.
Add my money to your bet, Susan – I am sure you are correct!
I agree Ruth – Nicodemus was there after Jesus died, when so many fled. I think that speaks of some commitment.
I voted for James, because he shows us that even well-meaning stumble bunnies can do remarkable things for God. However, I’ve always liked the accessibility of Nicodemus’s storyline.
James , everything about him speaks to my faith walk.
Have to go with James here, one of the Twelve and part of Jesus’ inner circle, as well as an early martyr. But kudos to Celebrity Blogger Marcus Halley for his line about Jesus and Nicodemus exchanging “maxims, teachings, and the occasional sass”. That made me smile.
I went with James too, Linda, even though I always find it hard to resist any of Marcus Halley’s saints. He is my favorite blogger!!!
Amen! Great to see Marcus here again this year.
Check out his sermons:
https://anchor.fm/wordmadefresh/episodes/S2E20—Sermon-So-Much-More-than-a-Teacher-e3bum8
We voted for James, because of our James the organist extraordinaire. We can’t wait for the return of our church’s organ repair and expansion so that he can be a Son of Thunder and make beautiful music on the instrument!
And, SEC, can you do something so that the comments of the day run consecutively timewise, as they previously have? They jumped all over yesterday. Thanks!
I voted for James because of the Way of St. James (Camino de Santiago de Compostela), which was life-changing for me (and I can’t wait to walk again) . . . Buen Camino!
I agree with Jenny (above): he is a model of disagreeing with someone and still recognizing their humanity and treating them with dignity and respect—a model from which we could all learn.
Nicodemus, that is!
And furthermore, why are only Christians good people and excellent role models and worthy of emulation?
Since I agree with John Shelby Spong that Nicodemus was probably a literary figure invented by the writer of the Gospel of John. Hence, I voted for James who was a real person.
Kudos to Nicodemus for picking up the tab for Jesus’s funeral, but James’s apostleship, however fallible, gets my vote. James earns brownie points for his association with the Camino, which path I hope someday to tread.
Having dozed off during church last Sunday due to the “leap forward” to daylight savings time, I must vote for snoozy James.
Nicodemus is compelling: I can identify with his questioning (what a coup! To be able to ask the Man himself the meaning of life—!); he stepped way outside his comfort zone to learn more; he was extremely generous and compassionate; and (as discussed above) he looked a lot like Laurence Olivier.
And yet. James was one of Jesus’s closest friends. Time and again Jesus chose him to be with him at crucial moments in his ministry. Yes, he fell short. Yes, he was obtuse. But he was passionate and he was “all in” in ways that few were, and we owe much to him for his work in early days to keep the Faith going. James is my choice today.
Nicodemus may not have worn his faith on his sleeve. He didn’t need to. As the Ash Wednesday reading from Matthew reminds us, “… your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Not sure what happened,BUT, I didn’t get to vote for James the Great, as the first to be marterd he gets my vote!
I feel very sympathetic toward both these figures. I voted for James, because he seems so human. What is more relatable than two brothers quarreling over who would get the bigger slice of cake? I read once that the “falling asleep” in the Garden of Gethsemane was not mere “fatigue” but mortal dread falling over the disciples. They became lethargic, catatonic with terror. I can relate to that. I too would probably run away. The spirit is willing but the flesh is so very weak. I voted for James though I doubt he will make it to the next round. He’d be OK with that; John won’t be there either.
Having walked on the Camino de Santiago (the Way of St. James) for two weeks last summer with my daughter, I have to vote for James. According to tradition, it was James’s very human (sometimes frustrating, sometimes endearing) tendency to take everything Jesus said literally that led to him travelling to Finisterre, Spain, during the years he was absent from Acts. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus told his disciples to “preach the gospel to the ends of the earth.” So, James went all the way to Finisterre–or, “The End of Earth.” After his martyrdom in Jerusalem, it was believed that his bones were returned to Spain and interred in nearby Santiago de Compostela, the site of the present day Cathedral, and one of the three main pilgrimages in the Christian world, along with Rome and Jerusalem. Whether it’s true or not, it sounds like something he would do.
Poor literal James. He should have stayed alive. There’s a Land’s End in Nova Scotia. He was a fisherman after all and would have fit right in.
Having hiked the Camino to Santiago two years ago, I have to vote for James, whose sobriquet “the greater” also refers to his height.
I’m one of thousands of pilgrims to the tomb of Santiago, our Jimmy, as a pilgrim friend calls him. What is historical and what is legend or folklore is. hard to determine, but walking with St. James Peregrino has changed my life and that of many others. He is usually depicted with scalllop shell and staff. St. Jimmy has my vote!
My vote goes to Nicodemus in this worthy two. I give thanks for all seeking answers to their questions, and all who come to faith in roundabout ways.
Though James’ occasional impetuousness and cluelessness is a comfort to me personally, the stark poetry of the nighttime conversation between Nicodemus and Jesus is priceless; Nicodemus so earnest and seeking and plaintive. Convert or not, he proved to be a true mensch and good neighbor. And I’d much rather have him at our Pub Theology table than James!
Thought it would be Nicodemus (my spell check knew how to spell it!) but it was still neck in neck until the end of the comments. I went with James simply because my grandson is James and I can relate to the impetuous, self promoting son of thunder. Besides I am 0 for 4, why go with the flow, eh!
“They also serve whose brackets are broken.” Milton
Nick for the win
I think Nicodemus may have been the first Episcopalian! While he doesn’t say much (at least it isn’t recorded, if he did), he just keeps on keeping on, displaying his faith in “outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual grace.”
Nicademus is sounding better and better.
LIKE!!!!
I would just encourage people to follow El Camino de Santiago and vote for St James the Greater.
Of course James was “imperfect” and “all too human”! All the saints were; it’s part of being a saint! And all the disciples seem to get a bad rap for not understanding what was going on at the time. How on earth COULD anyone!?? I mean, they were fishermen, without the benefit of a course in N.T. theology and history.
He put his money where his mouth was not. Nicodemus
Oh, come along, folks! James is the clear winner here. Ol’ Nic did some nice things, made some nice donations of gifts-in-kind and all that, but he fell far short of the marks required to make a grab for The Golden Halo.
He never even responded to his one on one with Jesus. C’mon! Give Jimmy his due!
I agree!
Nicodemus so reminds me of working in academia. It is a way of life defined by long debates in which one is never sure of victory. Then the well-placed comment by your sparring partner makes a difference with administration. Nicodemus was not flashy, but he showed that one can make change by working the system from the inside. That is worthy, and necessary.
Re James: No mention of Spanish tradition?
For me, Nicodemus embodies “principles before personalities”, where behavior is consistently driven by fundamental truths and not situational. The “born again” aspect of joining the Christian community has never appealed to me, and it is my hope that in the future, “saints” can be identified as such regardless of their religious identification.
YES!
Sorry Marcus. It was written well but James is more like me.
Wrong Nicodemus but I propose Tim Curry’s “Wake Nicodemus” as our guy’s rousing theme song. Let there be bagpipes, and justice. Nicodemus is not thunderous but he is careful and caring – and he does speak up to call out ‘illegal procedure’.
It’s gonna be a close one. James is Greater for me.
Wow, it’s close. I’m just letting everyone know here and now that regardless who the winner of this round is, I’m voting for Martha over him.
Don’t paint yourself into a corner like that, St. C. The wind bloweth where it listeth.
Ha! spoken like a man of wisdom. We will be voting for St. Davis one day.
I vote for Nicodemus, a secret believer who used his power in the Sanhedrin to block Jesus’s premature arrest. Jesus goes on to teach and heal perhaps because Nicodemus spoke up for the rule of law, as an earlier voter has noted. He collaborates with Joseph of Arimathea, another secret believer, to arrange a burial for Jesus. He used his worldly wealth and worldly power to protect Jesus during and after his life at a moment when being a known follower was a mortal risk. I agree with the voter whose comments moved me to this position — to us, now, it is very valuable to have a Biblical model of a leader who risks power and wealth to protect the truth.
I can ID with Nicodemus (not because of his wealth), because his conversation with Jesus gives us that ultimate verse: John 3:16 and because he is there at the tomb.
Give it up and vote for James! The fisherman turned disciple who was martyred!
Thinking that James needs his own limerick:
James the Greater was one Son of Thunder
Who saw many of Jesus’ wonders
While his preaching was fierce
His temper could pierce
Not to choose him would be a real blunder.
Again, El Camino de Santiago brings me to vote for St James the Greater. When I homeschooled my two children, we read a wonderful novel about pilgrims on the Way.
I’ve always found it interesting that John offers an editorial comment in Jn 2:23-24 that says Jesus did not trust himself to those who believed because of the signs he did. In Jn 3:2, Nicodemus says, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.” Did Jesus really trust Nic?
I voted for Nicodemus. It seemed that James was always asking for something. Regardless of his final martyrdom, he comes across as a “what’s in for me” follower. On the other hand, Nicodemus didn’t ask for anything except to understand Jesus’ teachings, and in the end, Nicodemus gave.
While James the Greater is an inspiring figure, I admire the man who argued theology with Jesus and eventually stood up with the Christians by going with Joseph of Arimathea to bury Jesus’s body. Showing one’s allegiance so boldly was no small move for the member of the Sanhedrin. I’m voting for Nicodemus.
I knew for certain James the Greater was going to get my vote. There is a reason he is with Jesus at such momentous events. But it had slipped my mind that Nicodemus with Joseph of A took Jesus’s body down from the cross. He was a pharisee and he risked being unclean at sundown, which meant he could not partake in the Sabbath. He also loved Jesus too much to leave him hanging overnight on the cross. (22 “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, 23 his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God;) Though Jesus obviously would not fall under this, it could well have been an argument used by the Sanhedrin. It is obvious from his action that Nicodemus had taken Jesus’s message to heart. Love and the spirit of the Law are more important than the letter of the Law.
Voting for James, because his feast day is the only day we get to sing “For Thy Blest Saints, A Nobel Throng,” which is the only hymn in the Hymnal 1982 set to the tune Dunlap’s Creek. It’s such a beautiful melody, and most people never hear or sing it in church.
I have wondered if Jesus’s giving nicknames was rather tongue-in-cheek. Simon was never particularly rocklike during Jesus’s lifetime, and, according to Matthew, it was their mother who pushed the advancement of the so-called “Thunder Boys.” If James did become a “thunderous preacher,” perhaps it was as great a change for him as Peter’s was for Peter.
I’m liking my late arrival to the voting more and more – the things over which I get to pontificate and theorize! I went with Nicodemus and man is it close at 1:50 PM! While reading Dottie Hoopingarner’s comment – after I’d voted – regarding John Shelby Spong’s assertion Nic was probably a literary figure gave me definite pause, and despite having always loved the descriptive “Sons of Thunder”, caring for the body of Jesus post crucifixion won my heart – and my vote.
My childhood church had a huge stained glass window of the sleeping disciples in the garden. Since preparing my first Seder for our Episcopal congregation, I have imagined those guys had over-eaten and were dead drunk. Even though I understand they “needed a drink”.
Two males prepared the body for burial. Surely not the first members of a Chevra Kadisha. I wonder if the ancient prayers were spoken. Seems he was buried in a tachrichim and maybe a tallit, or maybe not. When my cousin’s father-in-law, a holocaust survivor, passed, I learned a lot about Jewish funeral rituals. Last year I read Rabbi Jeffrey Myers description of the Holy Society’s clean up of the remains and every drop of blood, after the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg. I have long pondered why we have dropped so many Jewish practices. I know some of them are coming back. I’m thinking Nicodemus was following the practices of the time–to the letter–and his contribution in scripture is essential to the Gospel–even though it’s John’s Gospel.
Nick at Night
Oh, that is perfect, Catherine!
I’m voting for Nicodemus because I have pity on him. He reminds me of the members of a certain party who want to be true to their roots, but at the same time know in their hearts that their group has gone very very far astray. These brave members speak up in protest and do whatever they can to restore their group to sanity, but they do not abandon their group I think it shows strength of character to be open to the new yet loyal to one’s roots.
in a Michelangelo statue in Florence…. Jesus being brought down from the cross..
Michelangelo puts his own face on the face of Nicodemus. Nic sure gets my vote!
apparently.. folk who were secret fans of the reformation where it was dangerous to be a fan were called Nicodemites.
I was tempted to vote for Nicodemus because I expect the next round will get into thenon-canonical material, in which we learn the origin of “Jerusalem,” the Blake poem set to music by Sir Charles Hubert H. Parry, now one of the best-loved hymns in the A. C. But James the Great’s story is common to us all and must take precedence here on earth no matter what the seating arrangements are in the Kingdom of God.
James lost his life for Jesus. Nicodemus did not lose anything. We go with James.
Two guys who didn’t get it but stayed in the game because they knew Jesus. Both are used by their respective Evangelists as foils for Jesus; through their incomprehension we gain a deeper understanding of who Jesus was and why he came to us. Their stories also remind us, in quite different ways, of how deep is the divine mystery and how very hard it is to fathom even a tiny bit of it. Another impossible choice.
So I voted for Nico because his portraitist had such a cool name, and for the Flemish light that dances in each man’s eyes in Volmarijn’s depiction of their encounter. Also for his frankness and tenacity, expressed first in his encounter with the living Christ and then in his devotion to the care of the disfigured body of a convicted criminal whose divinity he seems to have sensed, though he may never have understood or proclaimed it.
Well said Davis! Thank you.
I appreciate how Nicodemus “walked the walk” rather than needing to talk about how great was his faith. I especially appreciate the possibility of hearing Jesus say, “there are no stupid questions.”
Help! There’s no VOTE button today, at least not in Bar Harbor, Maine at 4.40 PM, which is when I started trying to vote. I used my e-mail connection to no avail. Then I tried calling up the website directly: still no way to vote. If you get this message before 8 PM, please cast my vote for Nicodemus
I believe it stays open all night, until 8 am. Not certain. However, by secret, devious means, I have cast your vote for Nicodemus for you. You don’t get another one. Pretty sure I might have cancelled out my vote for James. Sigh. However, your donkey seems to be in a ditch, and I’m pretty sure it’s gospel to pull it out for you. Your vote is cast.
St Celia, I hail your willingness to listen to and to aid another with who you may disagree, and whose goals you may or may not share. I don’t know if it’s gospel, but it is righteous — in my book.
“I do not share your belief, but I will defend unto death your right to express it.” — Voltaire
No doubt Nicodemus was a seeker and was brave when it counted; but James was there for Jesus’ whole ministry, paid the ultimate price, and was effective right to the end. I got for James the Greater.
gotta go with the fisherman…cause FISHING.
James gets my vote for several reasons. He was one of Jesus’ first picks as a disciple, and I figure He knew a thing or two about folks! I admire Nic’s ability to ask such searching questions, but he may indeed be a literary figure. Following Jesus is not for the faint of heart, but even the faint of heart may be given grace to persevere despite the occasional failings. Nic may have been given credit for the expensive embalming herbs, but wasn’t that a gift of the Magi? Since I, too, have failed at times, I will vote for James, as giving the eample that we can take advantage of forgiveness and try again.
I think interrogators from outside our faith makes us better. My brother is an Orthodox rabbi (a convert, albeit never very religious as a Christian) and I LOVE our Nicodemus-Jesus banter (it goes without saying that I’m no Jesus!) In appreciation for him, I voted for Nicodemus.
Last line about Nicodemus: “Although Nicodemus follows Jesus as a clandestine disciple, his life is changed by a chance encounter.” I beg to differ. Nicodemus made a conscious, active, deliberate, intentional effort to go and meet with Jesus. How can you describe this as “a chance encounter?” An actual “chance encounter” would have been somewhat unremarkable. The fact that Nicodemus sought out an opportunity to talk with Jesus is quite remarkable and speaks to the power of Jesus to reach into the hearts and minds of individuals. And the example proves true today: Any time we seek out Jesus for a discussion (though today we would call it a prayer), our lives are changed by that encounter.
Had to go with Nicodemus. This is what we strive to become by hearing the word and defenders of Jesus and the Teacher of his words.
I can so identify with the very “humanness” of James — his impetuousness, his speaking without thinking first, puttingbhis foot in his mouth — but perhaps most of all, for leading with his heart and putting his love for Jesus right out there.
I voted for Nicodemus because he asks questions and is a little bit obtuse about Jesus’ answers but follows him anyway.
I love James because he’s imperfect.
Like us he tries to avert it.
He sleeps by Christ’s side,
Runs when he’s crucified.
But finally for Christ, he’s kicked it.
Good one, Carol – I agree with you!
Wow, this was really close!!
Nicodemus, because I see him as one who comes to Christ gradually, rather than all at once. I have always had a problem with being asked, “When were you saved?” Some can point to a particular time when they came to faith, but others come gradually. There’s room for everyone.
Nic-o-demus, Nic-o-demus, Nic-o-demus … !
i liked that Nicodemus waited until all the crowds, etc. were gone and approached Jesus for the first time at night in order to talk with him one on one which would take a huge amount of courage. Unlike the sons of Thunder, he followed quietly, and let his actions speak volumns. At Christ’s death despite his keeping in the background, he also thought to bring the spices to anoint with showing how much deep down he believed that Christ was the son of God and worthy of being treated with reverence, and honor.
I’ll vote for Nicodemus. Although James has followed Jesus through his ministry, Nicodemu has come late to know Jesus, yet he is clearly transformed by his encounters. Given the volatile political situation of the times, it took a lot of courage to clain Jesus’ body and prepare it so lavishly for burial. . Additionally, even Paul denied Jesus at the Sanhedrin questioning, so Nicodemus is not to be judged too harshly. He spoke up for the laws and then finally took care of all that was left to him of the holiness he had encountered by honoring Jesus earthly remains.
I voted for Nicodemus. I agree with what Jenny said. I also admire his courage in standing up for Jesus and also that he prepared Jesus’ body for burial.