the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him.
One of those shallow believers from chapter two, Nicodemus craves deeper satisfaction and comes by night, unable to repress his convictions yet afraid to commit himself too far. He recognizes Jesus as sent from God, but only as a teacher; in the miracles he sees merely that God is with Him, not that God is in Him.
AI summary
Nicodemus confesses that Jesus is sent from God to teach, basing his claim on the miracles no mere man could perform. But if he had truly known Christ, he would not have said only that God was with Him, he would have said, as Paul does, that God dwells in Him.
AI summary
His coming by night shows how excessive was his timidity, his own greatness and reputation dazzled his eyes. Ambitious men believe their honor is utterly ruined if they descend from teacher to scholar, and he was puffed up with foolish conceit of his knowledge. Yet there is a seed of piety in him: he does not despise doctrine from heaven but is moved by fear and reverence for God to seek deeper knowledge.
AI summary