John 19:39 tells us that Nicodemus, a Jewish leader who had first visited Jesus secretly at night, came to help bury him by bringing a large quantity of myrrh and aloes. The verse shows a man whose courage had grown from quiet curiosity into open, generous devotion. John, the author of the Gospel, is the one telling this story to his readers, who were early Christians and people hearing about Jesus for the first time.
Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred Roman pounds.
John 19:39 (WEB)
What John 19:39 Means
The verse begins by naming Nicodemus and reminding us of his earlier visit. In John 3 he came to Jesus at night, probably to avoid being seen by others on the council. Now he is no longer hiding his allegiance. He comes in daylight, alongside Joseph of Arimathea, to care for a body that most people would have wanted to leave untouched.
The gift he brings is a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred Roman pounds. That is an enormous amount, far more than a simple funeral would need. The scale of the gift says something about how much Nicodemus valued Jesus, even though Jesus was executed as a criminal. It was an act of honor offered at the moment when honor seemed least likely to be returned.
The verse does not explain Nicodemus’s inner thoughts, and it does not promise that every hidden believer will be brought into the open. It simply records what he did. What it does show is that faith can grow over time, and that a person who began cautiously can end by acting in the open, even at cost.
The Context of John 19:39
The Gospel of John was written, in its traditional attribution, by the apostle John, and it was likely directed to Christians who needed to understand who Jesus was and what his death and resurrection meant. The book moves through a series of signs and conversations that show Jesus as the Son of God. Chapter 19 brings this to the cross, where the story reaches its painful climax.
The verses just before this one describe Joseph of Arimathea asking Pilate for Jesus’ body, and the verses that follow describe the garden tomb where they laid him. Read in that setting, Nicodemus’s gift is part of a small group of people who step forward when the crowds have scattered. Their care for the body points toward the burial and the hope that comes after it.
Key Phrases in John 19:39
John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
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This verse, which Jesus speaks to Nicodemus in their earlier night conversation, shows the love of God that Nicodemus was beginning to grasp. Reading it alongside John 19:39 helps us see how that first conversation prepared the way for his later devotion.
Romans 5:8
But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
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Paul writes here about God’s love shown in Christ’s death for people who were not yet righteous. It connects with John 19:39 by reminding us that the cross was the moment when love was displayed most fully, and when faithful people like Nicodemus were drawn to honor the one who died.
A Short Prayer From John 19:39
Lord, thank you for the example of Nicodemus, who came to you first in the dark and later brought his devotion into the open. Some of us have kept our faith quiet for fear of what others might think. Help us to step toward you with more courage each day, and to honor you in ways that cost us something. When we feel that our efforts are wasted, remind us that love offered to you is never lost. Amen.
