served a favorable impression of him, for
afterward he defended Jesus against the prejudices of his
colleagues,[3] and, at the death of Jesus, we shall find him tending
with pious care the corpse of the master.[4] Nicodemus did not become
a Christian; he had too much regard for his position to take part in a
revolutionary movement which as yet counted no men of note amongst its
adherents. But he evidently felt great friendship for Jesus, and
rendered him service, though unable to rescue him from a death which
even at this period was all but decreed.

[Footnote 1: It seems that he is referred to in the Talmud. Talm. of
Bab., _Taanith_, 20 _a_; _Gittin_, 56 _a_; _Ketuboth_, 66 _b_;
treatise _Aboth Nathan_, vii.; Midrash Rabba, _Eka_, 64 _a_. The
passage _Taanith_ identifies him with Bounai, who, according to
_Sanhedrim_ (see ante, p. 212, note 2), was a disciple of Jesus. But
if Bounai is the Banou of Josephus, this identification will not hold
good.]

[Footnote 2: John iii. 1, and following, vii. 50. We are certainly
free to believe that the exact text of the conversation is but a
creation of John's.]

[Footnote 3: John vii. 50, and following.]

[Footnote 4: John xix. 39.]

As to the celebrated doctors of the time, Jesus does not appear to
have had any connection with them. Hillel and Shammai were dead; the
greatest authority of the time was Gamaliel, grandson of Hillel. He
was of a liberal spirit, and a man of the world, not opposed to
secular studies, and inclined to tolerance by his intercourse with
good society.[1] Unlike the very strict Pharisees, who walked veiled
or with closed eyes, he did not scruple to gaze even upon Pagan
women.[2] This, as well as his knowledge of Greek, was tolerated
because he had access to the court.[3] After the death of Jesus, he
expressed very moderate views respecting the new sect.[4] St. Paul sat
at his feet,[5] but it is not probable that Jesus ever entered his
school.

[Footnote 1: Mishnah, _Baba Metsia_, v. 8; Talm. of Bab., _Sota_, 49
_b_.]

[Footnote 2: Talm. of Jerus., _Berakoth_, ix. 2.]

[Footnote 3: Passage _Sota_, before cited, and _Baba Kama_, 83 _a_.]

[Footnote 4: _Acts_ v. 34, and following.]

[Footnote 5: _Acts_ xxii. 3.]

One idea, at least, which Jesus brought from Jerusalem, and which
henceforth appears rooted in his mind, was that there was no union
possible between him and the ancient Jewish religion. The abolition of
the sacrifices which had caused