Nicodemus a Literary Creation?

Several scholars have suggested that Nicodemus, a character in the Gospel of John, is a literary creation rather than a historical figure. Some of these scholars include:

Rudolf Bultmann

Rudolf Bultmann, a prominent German theologian and New Testament scholar, argued that Nicodemus is a literary creation in his influential commentary on the Gospel of John, “The Gospel of John: A Commentary” (1971). Bultmann maintained that the character of Nicodemus is a representative figure rather than a historical person, intended to represent those Jews who were drawn to Jesus but could not fully comprehend his teachings. He argued that the Gospel of John is a theological rather than a historical work, and that the character of Nicodemus serves as a symbol of the struggle to understand and believe in Jesus as the Son of God.

Raymond Brown

Raymond Brown, an American Catholic priest and respected biblical scholar, did not argue explicitly that Nicodemus is a literary creation, but he did note the lack of historical evidence for the character's existence in his influential commentary on the Gospel of John, “The Gospel According to John I-XII" (1966). Brown acknowledged that the character of Nicodemus appears only in the Gospel of John and is not mentioned in any other historical sources, and he suggested that it is possible that the character was invented by the author of the Gospel as a literary device to illustrate the themes of belief and unbelief. However, Brown also noted that it is difficult to definitively conclude that Nicodemus is a purely fictional character, as there may be historical reasons why he is not mentioned in other sources, and there is no way to prove or disprove his existence.

D. Moody Smith

D. Moody Smith was a notable American scholar of the New Testament and early Christianity. In his book “John Among the Gospels: The Relationship and Contribution of the Fourth Gospel to the Synoptic Tradition,” he argues that Nicodemus is a literary creation by the author of the Gospel of John. Smith notes that Nicodemus only appears in the Gospel of John and is not mentioned in any of the other gospels or in any other ancient texts, and that the character is used primarily as a foil for Jesus to expound his teachings on being born again.

Smith also points out that Nicodemus is presented as a member of the Jewish ruling council, which is at odds with the portrayal of the Jewish authorities in the rest of the Gospel of John. Smith suggests that the character of Nicodemus was created as a way for the author of John to distance himself from Judaism and to portray the Jewish leaders as ignorant and hostile to Jesus' message.

Overall, Smith argues that Nicodemus is a literary device rather than a historical figure, created by the author of the Gospel of John to serve a specific theological purpose within the text.

C.K. Barrett

C.K. Barrett, a British biblical scholar and theologian, did not argue explicitly that Nicodemus is a literary creation, but he did suggest that the character may have been invented by the author of the Gospel of John as a literary device to explore the themes of faith and unbelief. In his commentary on the Gospel of John, Barrett noted that Nicodemus is a complex and ambiguous character who appears only in the Gospel of John and is not mentioned in any other historical sources. Barrett suggested that it is possible that the character was invented by the author of the Gospel as a way of exploring the contrast between those who believe in Jesus and those who do not, and that Nicodemus serves as an example of someone who is initially skeptical but eventually comes to faith. However, Barrett also acknowledged that it is difficult to definitively conclude that Nicodemus is a purely fictional character, as there may be historical reasons why he is not mentioned in other sources, and there is no way to prove or disprove his existence.

Urban C. von Wahlde

Urban C. von Wahlde, in his book “The Gospel and Letters of John: Interpreting Biblical Texts Series” argues that Nicodemus is a literary creation. He suggests that the Nicodemus story serves to present Jesus as the revealer of God to those who are searching for the truth, as Nicodemus himself is depicted as doing. Von Wahlde also notes the symbolic significance of Nicodemus' nocturnal visit to Jesus, which suggests a spiritual blindness or lack of understanding on the part of Nicodemus.

Craig Keener

Craig Keener discusses the possibility that Nicodemus is a literary creation in his commentary on the Gospel of John, “The Gospel of John: A Commentary” (2 volumes, 2003). Keener notes that the character of Nicodemus appears only in the Gospel of John, and that there is no independent historical evidence for his existence. Keener suggests that the character of Nicodemus may have been created by the author of the Gospel as a literary device to illustrate the themes of light and darkness, and to contrast Nicodemus's lack of understanding with the understanding of Jesus and other characters in the Gospel.

R. Alan Culpepper

R. Alan Culpepper has suggested that Nicodemus is a literary creation in his book “Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel: A Study in Literary Design” (1983). In the book, he argues that Nicodemus serves as a representative of those who are initially attracted to Jesus but have difficulty accepting his teachings. Culpepper notes that Nicodemus's nighttime visit to Jesus in John 3, his silence during the trial of Jesus in John 7, and his assistance in the burial of Jesus in John 19 all contribute to his role as a representative figure rather than a historical person.

Warren Carter

Warren Carter is another scholar who has argued that Nicodemus is a literary creation. In his book “The Gospel According to John and Its Literary Genius,” Carter suggests that Nicodemus is a composite character created by the author of the Gospel of John to represent the conflicted Jewish leadership. He notes that Nicodemus appears in only two episodes in the Gospel of John and serves to highlight the theme of belief and disbelief that runs throughout the Gospel. Carter argues that the author of John created Nicodemus to represent those who are open to Jesus but struggle to believe, and those who are closed-minded and resistant to Jesus' message.

James Dunn

James Dunn is a British New Testament scholar who has written extensively on the historical Jesus, the Apostle Paul, and the early Christian movement. In his commentary on the Gospel of John, Dunn suggests that Nicodemus may be a literary creation representing a particular type of Jewish believer in Jesus, rather than a historical figure. He notes that the name “Nicodemus” means “victory of the people,” which could be a symbolic name for a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin who comes to faith in Jesus. Dunn also highlights the fact that Nicodemus is referred to as a “ruler of the Jews” in John's Gospel, which may suggest that he is meant to represent the Jewish elite who were skeptical of Jesus. However, Dunn does not explicitly argue that the story of Nicodemus is a parable or fictional account.