Today I want to focus on interpreting two verses in this chapter. Jesus told Nicodemus in verses 5-6 that “unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” What did Jesus refer to when He spoke of being born of water and the Spirit?
Many commentators believe the “water” refers to water baptism. It’s important to know that almost all of those commentators belong to denominations which practice infant baptism. The problem I have with the idea that “water” refers to baptism in this passage is that it makes baptism necessary for salvation. In the New Testament salvation is a work God does in us through the Holy Spirit as we exercise faith in Jesus. Baptism does not save anyone.
Some commentators deal with this problem by saying the “water” and “Spirit” go together, meaning that the “water” is a symbolic way of referring to the same work done by the “Spirit” at the time a person is saved. It is similar to the way “fire” is associated with the “Spirit” in Matthew 3:11. Thus water is not referring to baptism as such, but instead to the actual work of the Holy Spirit. That was the opinion of John Calvin: “By water, therefore, is meant nothing more than the inward purification and invigoration which is produced by the Holy Spirit.”
Still others think it is referring to water baptism, but that the work of the Spirit is also necessary for a person to be saved. In other words, one cannot be saved simply by being baptized. He or she must also have the Holy Spirit birth them into God’s family. Yet they would say if you are truly born into God’s family by the Spirit, you will be also be baptized because baptism is also necessary.
I think all of those interpretations are mistaken and make the text too complicated. In short “water” is referring to physical birth and “spirit” is referring to spiritual birth – our second birth. Notice the context. In verse 4 Nicodemus asks Jesus how a man can be born a second time. He asked this because in verse 3 Jesus had told him that a person had to be “born again” (a second time) to see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus doesn’t understand how this is possible. He says in verse 4: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Nicodemus is clearly referring to physical birth.
Jesus explains that everyone who makes it to heaven will have been born twice. The first time is a physical birth. The “water” is referring to this physical birth – referring to the amniotic fluid that breaks as one is born.
The second time is referring to when a person chooses to become a follower of Jesus and is born again by the Holy Spirit. That is what is meant when Jesus speaks of being born by the “Spirit.”
This is made clear by comparing verse five with verse six. There is a parallelism here. The “water” in verse 5 parallels the “flesh” in verse six, just as the “Spirit” in verse five parallels “Spirit” in verse six.
Additionally Jesus does not mention baptism here. The Greek word for baptism is “baptisma.” That word is not used here. Instead Jesus used the word “hudwr”, the common word for water. If He was intending to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, why did He not use the word for baptism? It is clear that Jesus’ disciples did baptize converts in John 3:26 and John 4:1-2. The correct word for baptism is used in these passages. But in John 3:4-5 the word for baptism is not used. Jesus would have been very clear, not vague, if baptism was necessary for salvation.
While I do not believe Jesus is referring to water baptism in this passage, I do believe the New Testament teaches that each Christian should be baptized as a way of publicly identifying with Jesus and giving witness to their faith in Him. Jesus commanded us to baptize those who become His disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). But baptism does not save us and the “water” in John 3:5-6 does not refer to baptism.
Pastor Steve Hogg
Will Beaty says
Mark 3:1-6 – Jesus heals a man with a paralyzed hand. Scripture says that the Pharisees were “watching Him closely” not to be more like him but to find something to accuse Him of. Jesus looks at them with “anger and sorrow” because of their hard-hearts. I want to watch Jesus closely for the right reasons – I don’t want Him to look on me in anger because of a hard-heart.
Steve Hogg says
Great thought, Will. Praying that God keeps our hearts soft toward Him.