Part of a daily devotional series at Words of Hope (https://woh.org/word/devotionals/2013/03/19) looking at how people in the Bible handled tough situations:

Commenting on Nicodemus’s visit to Jesus, Alfred Edersheim (The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah) wrote: “It must have been a mighty power of conviction, to break down prejudice so far as to lead this old Sanhedrist to acknowledge a Galilean, untrained in the Schools, as a Teacher come from God.” Pharisees considered themselves protectors of the Mosaic Law. They studied the Law carefully and were viewed as authorities in it. In addition to being a Pharisee, Nicodemus was also a member of the Sanhedrin, the supreme council of the land.

His position seems to have kept him from talking openly with Jesus. But his curiosity about Jesus’ teaching and miracles overcame his caution, and Nicodemus came to Jesus one night. Even though his conversation with Jesus trails off in the gospel account, we learn later that Nicodemus too became a disciple (John 7:50-52; 19:39-41).

Nicodemus represents those who feel they can’t talk openly about Jesus because of their position. I had been raised in a church and even been to seminary, but when my co-worker Dave started talking about Christ, I suddenly felt I could admit I had some questions. The honesty resulted in a values flip-flop for me. “I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8 NIV).