What does John 12:42 mean?

John uses the term "nevertheless" to note that his prior comments are not universal. The nation of Israel, on the whole, rejected Jesus as their Messiah (John 12:37–40). This was despite His many miracles, teachings, and the evidence of the Bible itself (John 5:31–47). That does not mean that every single person, without exception, chose to ignore the "signs" they were provided (John 20:30–31). Even among the religious leaders of Jerusalem, there were those who followed Christ's teachings to their logical conclusion.

Scripture indicates that there were at least two such followers: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19:38–39). Other passages indicate these men were willing to speak well of Jesus, or at least to be fair (John 7:50–51). Fear of losing their positions and the respect of their peers, however, kept them from speaking more boldly and honestly about their faith (John 9:22). This is a point made directly, and harshly, in the following verse (John 12:43).