The dignitaries of the temple consulted together in regard to the conduct of Jesus, and what course was best for them to pursue. One of their number, Nicodemus, advised moderation both in their feelings and acts. He argued that, if Jesus was really invested with authority from God, it would be perilous to reject his warnings, and the manifestations of his power. He could not look upon him as an impostor, nor join the rest of the Pharisees in their derision of him. He himself had seen and heard Jesus, and his mind was much disturbed in consequence. He anxiously perused the scrolls containing the prophecies relating to the coming of the Messiah. He sought earnestly for clear light upon the subject, and the more he searched the stronger was his conviction that this man was the one described by the prophets. If he was indeed the Christ, then this was an eventful epoch in the history of the world and especially of the Jewish nation. {2SP 125.1}

Templets øvester rådslog med hverandre om Jesu opførsel, og hvilke planer det var bedst for dem at følge. En af dem, Nikodemus, rådede dem at være forsigtig med hensyn til både følelser og handlinger. Han fremhævede, at dersom Jesus virkelig havde myndighed fra Gud, så ville det være farligt at forkaste hans advarsler og ringeagte hans guddommelige krafts åbenbarelse. Han kunne ikke betragte Kristus som en bedrager eller deltage med de øvrige farisæerne i at bespotte ham. Han havde selv set og hørt Jesus, og hans sind var meget foruroliget som en følge heraf. Han læste med længsel de pergaments-ruller, som indeholdt profetierne angående Messias' komme. Han søgte ivrig efter klarere lys om denne genstand, og jo mere han ransagede, desto stærkere blev hans overbevisning, at Jesus var den, som profetierne havde skrevet om. Dersom han virkelig var Kristus, så var dette et betydningsfuldt tidspunkt i verdens historie og især af de jødiske folks.