Jesus was acquainted with the soil into which he cast the seeds of truth. For three years there was little apparent fruit. Nicodemus was never an enemy to Jesus, but he did not publicly acknowledge him. He was weighing matters with an exactitude that accorded with his nature. He watched the life-work of Jesus with intense interest. He pondered over his teachings and beheld his mighty works. The raising of Lazarus from the dead was an evidence of his Messiahship that could not be disputed in the mind of the learned Jew. {2SP 134.1}

Jesus kendte den jordbund, som han plantede sandhedens sæd i. Tre år gik, uden der viste sig nogen frugt. Nikodemus var aldrig fjentlig stemt mod Jesus, men han bekendte ham ikke offentlig. Han overvejdede sagen med en omhyggelighed, der var ham ejendommelig. Han gav nøje agt på Jesu liv og gerning. Han grundede på hans undervisning og iagttog hans mægtige gerninger. Da Jesus oprejste Lazarus fra de døde, aflagde han et sådant bevis for, at han var Messias, som den jødiske lærde anså for uimodsigeligt.