nto his
circumstances before we can judge intelligently and fairly of his
conduct. Very few persons believed in Jesus when Nicodemus first
sought him by night. Besides, may not night have been the best time
for a public and prominent man to see Jesus? His days were
filled--throngs were always about him, and there was little opportunity
then for earnest and satisfactory conversation. In the evening
Nicodemus could sit down with Jesus for a long, quiet talk without fear
of interruption.

Then Nicodemus came first only as an inquirer. He was not then ready
to be a disciple. "Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from
God," was all he could say that first night. He did not concede Jesus'
Messiahship. He knew him then only by what he had heard of his
miracles. He was not ready yet to declare that the son of the
carpenter was the Christ, the Son of God. When we remember the common
Jewish expectations regarding the Messiah, and then the lowliness of
Jesus and the high rank of Nicodemus, we may understand that it
required courage and deep earnestness of soul for this "master in
Israel" to come at all to the peasant rabbi from Galilee as a seeker
after truth and light. It is scarcely surprising, therefore, that he
came by night.

Then, at that time the teaching and work of Jesus were only beginning.
There had been some miracles, and it is written that because of these
many had believed in the name of Jesus. Already, however, there had
been a sharp conflict with the priests and rulers. Jesus had driven
out those who were profaning the temple by using it for purposes of
trade. This act had aroused intense bitterness against Jesus among the
ruling classes to which Nicodemus belonged. This made it specially
hard for any one of the rulers to come among the friends of Jesus, or
to show even the least sympathy with him.

No doubt Nicodemus in some degree lacked the heroic quality. He was
not a John Knox or a Martin Luther. Each time his name is mentioned he
shows timidity, and a disposition to remain hidden. Even in the noble
deed of the day Jesus died, it is almost certain that Nicodemus was
inspired to his part by the greater courage of Joseph.

Yet we must mark that Jesus said not one word to chide or blame
Nicodemus when he came by night. He accepted him as a disciple, and at
once began to teach him the great truths of his kingdom. We are not
told that the ruler came more than once; but we may suppose