There are three distinct events recorded in the Bible about Nicodemus.

John 3:1-21 – Here we are introduced to Nicodemus, and we learn that he was a Pharisee and a “master of Israel”, or a teacher.  He is often criticized for coming to the Lord by night, but I like to point out that at least he came…and the Lord did not turn him away.  He was a man full of questions for the Lord.  As the Lord conversed with this man, we see that, as a teacher, he should have had more truth than he did.  The Lord spoke to Nicodemus of being born again, of being born of water and of blood.  He spoke to Nicodemus the most famous words in all of scripture when He said to him, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).  He also gave him a grave warning in verse 18, “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”  How did Nicodemus respond to the words of the Lord Jesus?  We are not really told how he reacted, but if we read the other two incidents given of the life of Nicodemus, I think we can make a safe assumption. 

John 7:45-53, “Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own house.”  The Pharisees and chief priests had heard of the Lord Jesus doing miracles and of many believing on Him, so they sent officers to bring Him to them. (Verses 31-32).  The officers returned without the Lord Jesus for they, too, were astounded by His words.  They said, “Never man spake like this man.” (Verse 46).  The Pharisees responded by saying that none of the Pharisees believed on Him.  Then, although weakly, Nicodemus made a plea against injustice and spoke of how, according to the Law, they were not to judge anyone before it heard from the accused and had evidence of his actions.  Nicodemus’ plea was feeble in the face of the fierceness of the other Pharisees, yet it could indicate that he was impacted by his visit with the Lord Jesus.  However, we need more evidence before we can conclude if he was a saved man or not.  Let’s move on to the next event where Nicodemus was mentioned.

John 19:38-40, “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.”  After the Lord’s crucifixion, Joseph, a secret disciple stepped up, took the body of Jesus, and laid it in his own tomb.  Obviously, the Lord’s crucifixion emboldened him to come forward and publicly assume the responsibility for the burial of the Lord’s body.  Another one, seemingly another secret disciple, also stepped up to help with the burial.  He brought a mixture for the embalming of the Lord’s body.  Nicodemus here made a bold proclamation of faith in the Lord. 

As we know, it was the time of the Passover when the Lord was crucified.  By touching the dead body of the Lord, both Joseph and Nicodemus would have disqualified themselves from partaking of the Passover.  We read in Numbers 9:5-6, “And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel. And there were certain men, who were defiled by the dead body of a man, that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day.”  By putting the Lord Jesus above the Passover, that surely shows that Nicodemus was a believer on the Lord Jesus. I believe this is an example of the words of the Lord Jesus when He said in Matthew 7:20, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”  (CC)  (498.4)