Spiritual birth is something one undergoes, not something one produces. As our efforts and activities had nothing to do with our natural conception and birth, so in an analogous way but on a far higher plane, regeneration is not a work of ours.
As soon as Jesus said, “unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God,†Nicodemus knew there was a metaphor in what Jesus was saying to him about being born again.
Metaphorical language was common among Jewish rabbis like Nicodemus. Therefore, Nicodemus probed into the meaning of Jesus’ metaphor seeking its application to himself. “How can I do this?”
Jesus was talking in spiritual terms. The Master Teacher allows this tension to linger in order to draw him toward a correct understanding of regeneration as he ponders what it means to be born again.
In verse 4, the physical analogy of natural birth is stated by Nicodemus. He says, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?†He’s asking for clarity.
Jesus doesn’t even answer his question about entering a second time into his mother’s womb. He continues to draw Nicodemus closer and closer to the truth.
He makes no attempt to simplify the matter, but He adds an allusion to the OT in verse 5.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.â€
In verse 3, Jesus said spiritual birth was necessary to “see†the kingdom of God; now verse 5 adds that spiritual birth is necessary to “enter†the kingdom of God.
Jesus is saying the same thing He said in verse 3 in a different way. Being “born again†and being “born of water and the Spirit†are talking about the same reality.
As a Pharisee, Nicodemus was responsible for interpreting the OT Scriptures with authority. He was considered a master teacher! That’s why it was expected that he would catch Jesus’ reference to Ezekiel 36:25-27.
Now, if you think that reference sounds obscure, then you’re underestimating the knowledge that even an average Pharisee had of the OT. But Nicodemus was no average Pharisee; he was considered the teacher of Israel… and he knew the OT.
Water and the Spirit were symbolic of what happens spiritually at conversion. It’s about cleansing from sin by the Spirit. He wasn’t referring to literal water or to baptism.
Baptism doesn’t save anyone – it is, rather, the external sign of inner conversion by the Holy Spirit. In Mark 16:16, Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.â€
We’ll think more about the meaning of “born of water” in our next post.
Until then,
Pastor Kevin
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