The tone of the encounter between Nicodemus and Jesus is set in the conclusion of chapter 2. There, in verses 23-25, the gospel writer discloses that, while in Jerusalem, Jesus begins to attract a lot of attention and admiring followers. But the "faith" manifested by these crowds is based on the signs Jesus performed, not the content of his words. Jesus knows how tenuous the faith of these witnesses really is, and as such, trusts none of these newcomers.

Next, Nicodemus appears on the scene. He remains a strangely enigmatic figure, despite all the details we are given about him. At first, he appears to be exactly the kind of believer Jesus needs to help his ministry gain acceptance and recognition among the established religious community. Nicodemus is described as "a Pharisee" and a "lead…