What does John 3:2 mean?
Nicodemus was an important person. He was a respected Pharisee, a knowledgeable teacher, and a member of the Sanhedrin court. By the time of Jesus' death, Nicodemus seems to be one of His supporters (John 19:39–42). For now, though, he approaches Christ under cover of night. This might have been out of fear that he would be seen asking questions of Jesus. It's also possible that Nicodemus wanted to speak to Jesus without the distraction of a large crowd.Addressing Jesus as "Rabbi" was a gesture of respect, but Nicodemus would have been called "Rabbi" by others, as well. To some extent, this suggests that Nicodemus sees himself and Jesus as equals, at least at first. Jesus will humble Nicodemus during the conversation, showing him that he doesn't understand spirituality as well as he thinks he does (John 3:10). The gospel of John presents Jesus' miracles as proof that He has divine power. Nicodemus recognizes this, and interprets Jesus' abilities as a sign that He was sent by God. However, he still has questions about Jesus' teachings.