Matthew Poole and continuators on John 3:1

THere was a man of the Pharisees , named Nicodemus , a ruler of the Jews :

The particle there, being put in onely to fit our Idiom to the Greek, where is nothing but the Verb, signifies nothing to prove, that what we read in this Chapter was done at Hierusalem; it is a dispute amongst some Interpreters, whether he was there or no, it should seem by ch. 7. v. 50. that Nicodemus his chief Residence was there; he was

one of the Pharisees, who were a sect (as we have shewed before) which had their name either from an Hebrew word, which signifieth to explain, (because they were expounders of the Law); or from another word, which signifieth to divide, because they were separate from others: the Opinions have both learned Patrons.

This mans name in Greek, signifies the Victory of the People:

he was either the head of a Family among the Iews, or a Ruler of the Synagogue, or one of the Sanhedrim; it seemeth most probable he is here called a Ruler upon the last account, if we consider chap. 7.50.