He asked for a meeting and the Lord Jesus Christ granted it under the conditions Nicodemus requested. Deep in darkness, they met on a private rooftop. Most commentators speculate that the reason for this clandestine request assured Nicodemus would not be seen fraternizing with the controversial teacher, healer, prophet, and miracle worker—who was the sworn enemy of the Pharisees (Nicodemus was their leader).
John 3:1-2—Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
“We know that you have come from God…” Nicodemus knows Jesus came from God, but note the contradiction immediately following that lowers the Son of Man to mere ‘teacher’. Then Nicodemus contradicts his statement again, by claiming that only the God-ordained can perform miracles. Obviously, Nicodemus is highly conflicted.
It gets more interesting, because Nicodemus was also a high ranking member of the Jerusalem Sanhedrin—the Hebrew judicial group that petitioned Pilot crucify Jesus. Nicodemus was a learned Chief Rabbi who could recite scripture from memory. He knew the importance of linking prophecies, teachings, and the repeated patterns of Israel’s woeful history. He fully recognized Jesus’ teachings in the temple as scriptural, but he could not rectify that the teacher also performed miracles. He could not put together all the OT references to the Messiah—teacher, healer, prophet, miracles—and come up with the correct identity.
Nicodemus was unable to comprehend Jesus’ next statement, which sent the Rabbi’s head spinning:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Followed by v5—“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Isaiah 56 and Psalm 87 are clear on this topic. They explain that a personal (God gives believers a new name) and permanent residence in Zion (the New Jerusalem) can be obtained by any man, regardless of the location of their physical birth, simply by being born again into the Spirit. This second birth, (symbolized by immersion baptism) is a spiritual decision that is accomplished in the physical body of the seeker while they are alive on earth.
Nicodemus taught OT scripture. He knew John the Baptist. He knew John baptized Jesus, and yet Nicodemus could not fathom Jesus’ statement regarding the requirement of a spiritual second birth. He could not comprehend that the prophetic Jewish Messiah was standing right in front of him. Nicodemus was standing on Holy ground!
So Jesus attempted to explain. V6-8—“That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” All men are physically born, but Old and New Testament scripture clearly states the difference between first birth and chosen birth—the decision to accept the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Messiah—as Savior.
Seeing Nicodemus’ confusion, Jesus assists again, “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Uncomprehending, Nicodemus flounders. So Jesus asked, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?”
Then Jesus straight out tells Nicodemus who He is: ““No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.“
And He goes on to explain who the Son of Man is by reminding Nicodemus of Balaam’s treachery in Numbers 22-24 and 31, when God commanded Moses to make a brass serpent and hang the symbol on a pole to save the Israelites who were bitten by the plague of serpents. “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.”
A sure and complete description of the Son of Man = the Messiah!
But Nicodemus’ mind was made up. That night he departed from Messiah without choosing Him. He walked away from an amazing personal, face-to-face opportunity.
Did Nicodemus later come to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior? Scripture doesn’t say. We do know that he brought the 75 pounds of myrrh to Joseph the Arimathean, who helped prepare Jesus’ body before laying Him in his tomb.