Aspects II: Noteworthy Olive Tree
- Lisa Livezey
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 13
And Nicodemus also came, (he who at the first came to Jesus by night,) bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
—John 19:39 DRB
Nicodemus was in a group of Jewish religious leaders called the Pharisees. They hated Jesus.
But Nicodemus was different from his colleagues. Instead of being threatened by Jesus, he sought Him out to ask further questions. He later defended the Lord, receiving sarcastic pushback from the other Pharisees. And when Joseph of Arimathea went to bury Jesus, Nicodemus accompanied him and provided 100 pounds of myrrh and aloes, helping to wrap and prepare the Lord's body for burial.
Nicodemus set himself apart from the Pharisees and was grafted into the body of Christ — almost literally.
Prayer
Lord, let us be like Nicodemus — seeking You out to ask questions, defending You when others disdain You, and standing by You to the very end.
Quote
For ye were cut off from the wild olive-tree, and grafted into the good one, and were made to share the fatness of the true olive-tree.
// St. Cyril of Jerusalem: On the Mysteries, II: Of Baptism (Lecture XX)
Thought
"Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?" Nicodemus was.
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Today's devotion is second in a five-part series entitled Aspects of the Olive Tree culminating in an opportunity to join The Olive Grove, a fuller version of Olive Tree Blog. Those in The Grove will experience each devotion using P.R.I.S.M., a form of Visio Divina. This allows for more depth and personal application. (A free version of Olive Tree Blog will remain available through my Substack page.)
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I love how you highlighted the interactions of Nicodemus with Jesus. My heart resonates with your prayer.