The Burden of Ambiguity: Nicodemus and the Social Identity of the Johannine Christians

摘要: Nicodemus is an enigmatic literary character who wavering in no man's land John's narrative between Jesus' opponents and his true disciples. Some scholars have taken as example of someone inadequate faith remains outsider throughout the narrative, while others traced development from initial tentative to open public commitment Jesus. The present article, however, agrees with those acknowledged that single trait determines Nicodemus's portrait, but, end, this portrait ambiguous. In a text-centered approach complemented by asking how ambiguous may functioned symbol for shared dualistic tendencies. article draws upon social identity order explain ambiguity helped Johannine Christians accept uncertainties their environment without abandoning stereotyped fixed thrust symbolic world.