Nicodemus ben Gurion (Hebrew:נַקְדִּימוֹן בֶּן־גּוּרְיוֹן,romanized: Naqdīmōn ben-Gūriōn), also calledBuni (Hebrew:בּוּנִי,romanized: Būnī) was a wealthy Jewish man who lived in Jerusalem in the 1st century AD. He is believed by some scholars to be theNicodemus mentioned in theGospel of John.[1] Elsewhere he is discussed inJosephus' history,The Jewish War,[2] and later, rabbinic works:Lamentations Rabbah,[3]Ecclesiastes Rabbah,[4] theBabylonian Talmud,[5][6] andAvot of Rabbi Natan.[7]
Ben Gurion means "son of Gurion", theHebrew patronymic, his personal name was apparently eitherBuni orBunai.[8] He acquired the nicknameNicodemus, meaning "victory of the people" (fromνίκη andδῆμος), or alternate Semitic etymologyNaqdimon, signifying "to break through" (fromHebrew:קדר or נקד) because of a miraculous answer to a prayer he made ("the sun broke through for him").[9][1][10] or by some editions and later rabbis, came before or stood (קדם), in relation to the sun, And since it's closer to the name and appears in relation to the miracle directly after the previous explanation, and in another passage relating to this miracle, this is the one used the most.[10] Some argue the name Nicodemus in the Bible to be aHellenization of theHebrew andAramaic nameNaqdimon, while others consider the latter to be of a folk etymology.
Nicodemus appears to have been a wealthy and respected figure, known for his holiness and generosity. He was an opponent of theZealots and of theJewish rebellion against theRoman Empire.[11] WhenVespasian became emperor, Nicodemus sought peace with the emperor's sonTitus, who was conducting the war. He agitated against the prosecution of the war by the Zealots. In retaliation, they destroyed the stores of provisions that he and his friends had accumulated for the use of pilgrims.[11]
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