The ABC's of the Bible- Nicodemus

Nicodemus

(nik-oh-deeʹmuhs) a Pharisee, a teacher of Israel, and a ruler of the Jews as described in the Gospel of John. Nicodemus questions Jesus (John 3), later defends him (7:50-52), and finally appears with Joseph of Arimathea to prepare his body for burial (19:39).
Mentioned only in the Fourth Gospel, Nicodemus plays a significant role in that he apparently personifies a learned Jewish constituency that was well disposed toward Jesus but did not understand him adequately (John 3) and had not reached the point of confessing him publicly as the Christ. Perhaps Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, who is said to be a disciple of Jesus secretly ‘for fear of the Jews’ (19:38), represent exactly the kind of timid disciple the author of John wished to persuade to come out openly for Jesus. Yet, the initial confusion of Nicodemus, who could not comprehend Jesus’ talk about being born anew or from above (3:4, 9), was never explicitly overcome. At most, the Evangelist allowed for the possibility that it would be. -Harper's Bible Dictionary, 704