3:1 Nicodemus, a ruler. Nicodemus (meaning “innocent blood”) was a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish governing council. It was this body that had sent a delegation out to the Jordan to hear and evaluate John the Baptist (John 1:19,24). As the leading teacher of Israel (John 3:10), and as a sincere and godly man, he was intensely interested in John’s message, especially in the prophetic context of Isaiah 40:3-4 and Malachi 3:1-2; 4:5. Then John had introduced Jesus, and Nicodemus had made a close study of Jesus’ miracles and His teachings.