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Answer
As with any single verse or passage, we discern what it teaches by first filtering it through what we know the Bible teaches on the subject at hand. In the case of baptism and salvation, the Bible is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of any kind, including baptism (Ephesians 2:8-9). Therefore, any interpretation that concludes baptism, or any other act, is necessary for salvation, is a flawed interpretation. For more information, please visit our webpage on “Is salvation by faith alone, or by faith plus works?”
John 3:3-7, “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘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?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.'”
When first considering this passage, it is important to note that nowhere in the context of the passage is baptism even mentioned. While baptism is mentioned later in this chapter (John 3:22-30), it is in a completely different setting (Judea instead of Jerusalem) and at a different time from the discussion with Nicodemus. This is not to say Nicodemus was unfamiliar with baptism, either from the Jewish practice of baptizing Gentile converts to Judaism, or from John the Baptist’s ministry. However, simply reading these verses in context would give one no reason to assume Jesus was speaking of baptism, unless one was looking to read into the passage.
Having a preconceived idea or theology can lead to misinterpretation. Automatically assuming that baptism is implied in this verse just because it mentions “water” is unjustified.
Those who believe that baptism is essential for salvation often cite “born of water” as supporting evidence. As one individual has expressed, “Jesus explains it clearly by stating that one must be born of water and the Spirit. This perfectly describes baptism! Jesus could not have provided a more detailed and accurate explanation of baptism.” However, if Jesus had intended to convey that baptism is necessary for salvation, He could have straightforwardly said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is baptized and born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” Moreover, such a statement by Jesus would have contradicted numerous other Bible verses emphasizing that salvation is through faith (John 3:16;John 3:36;Ephesians 2:8-9;Titus 3:5).
It is crucial to remember that Christian baptism was not yet established when Jesus spoke to Nicodemus. This inconsistency in interpreting Scripture becomes evident when questioning those who assert that baptism is mandatory for salvation why the thief on the cross was not required to be baptized for his salvation. A common response to this inquiry is: “The thief on the cross was still under the Old Covenant and therefore exempt from this baptism. He was saved in the same way as anyone else under the Old Covenant.” Therefore, those who argue that the thief did not require baptism because he was “under the Old Covenant” will use John 3:5 as evidence that baptism is indispensable for salvation. They maintain that Jesus instructed Nicodemus to be baptized for salvation, even though Nicodemus, like the thief, was under the Old Covenant. If the thief on the cross was saved without baptism (due to being under the Old Covenant), why would Jesus instruct Nicodemus (also under the Old Covenant) to undergo baptism for salvatio
Does he need to be baptized?
If the phrase “being born of water and the Spirit” does not refer to baptism, then what does it signify? Traditionally, there have been two interpretations of this expression. The first suggests that “born of water” is used by Jesus to allude to natural birth (with water symbolizing the amniotic fluid surrounding the baby in the womb) and that being born of the “Spirit” signifies spiritual birth. While this is a plausible interpretation of “born of water” and appears to align with Nicodemus’ inquiry about how a man can be born “when he is old,” it may not be the most accurate interpretation considering the context of this passage. Jesus was not discussing the contrast between natural birth and spiritual birth. Instead, He was clarifying to Nicodemus the necessity of being “born from above” or “born again.”
The second prevalent interpretation of this passage, which aligns best with the overall context not only of this passage but of the Bible as a whole, views the phrase “born of water and the Spirit” as describing different facets of the same spiritual birth, or what it means to be “born again” or “born from above.” Therefore, when Jesus instructed Nicodemus to “be born of water and the Spirit,” He was not speaking of literal water (such as baptism or amniotic fluid in the womb) but was emphasizing the requirement for spiritual purification or renewal. In both the Old Testament (Psalm 51:2,7;Ezekiel 36:25) and the New Testament (John 13:10;John 15:3;1 Corinthians 6:11;Hebrews 10:22), water is often symbolically used to represent spiritual cleansing or regeneration brought about by the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, at the moment of salvation Ephesians 5:26.
The Barclay Daily Study Bible explains this concept as follows: “Two ideas are presented here. Water symbolizes cleansing. When Jesus enters our lives and we love Him wholeheartedly, our past sins are forgiven and forgotten. The Spirit symbolizes empowerment. When Jesus takes control of our lives, it’s not just about forgiveness and forgetting the past; otherwise, we might repeat the same mistakes. Instead, a new power enters our lives, enabling us to become more than we could ever be on our own and do things we could never do. Water and the Spirit represent Christ’s cleansing and empowering influence, erasing the past and granting victory in the future.”
Therefore, the “water” referred to in this verse is not physical water but the “living water” Jesus spoke of to the woman at the well in John 4:10 and to the people in Jerusalem in John 7:37-39. It signifies the internal purification and renewal brought about by the Holy Spirit, leading a spiritually dead sinner to life (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Titus 3:5). Jesus reaffirms this in John 3:7, emphasizing the necessity of being born again and how this transformation can only be achieved through the Holy Spirit «The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. », (John 3:8).
There are several reasons supporting this interpretation of being born of water and the Spirit. Firstly, Nicodemus struggled to grasp the literal meaning of being born again. He couldn’t comprehend how a grown man could re-enter his mother’s womb and be physically “born again” «Nicode
Jesus saith unto him, “How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”, (John 3:4). Jesus restates what He had just told Nicodemus, this time making a distinction between flesh and spirit (verse 6). Interestingly, the Greek word translated “again” or “anew” in John 3:3 and 7 has two possible meanings: the first one is “again,” and the second one is “from above.” “Born again,” “born from above,” and “born of water and Spirit” are three ways of expressing the same concept.
Secondly, the grammar in John 3:5 would seem to indicate that “being born of water” and “being born of the Spirit” are considered as a single action, not two separate ones. Therefore, it is not referring to two distinct births, as Nicodemus mistakenly assumed, but to one birth, that of being “born from above” or the spiritual birth that is essential for anyone to “see the kingdom of God.” The necessity for one to be “born again,” or to undergo spiritual birth, is so crucial that Jesus informs Nicodemus of its importance three times in this passage of Scripture “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”, (John 3:3, 3:5, 3:7).
Thirdly, water is frequently used symbolically in the Bible to represent the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctifying a believer, where God cleanses and purifies the believer’s heart or soul. In numerous instances in both the Old and New Testaments, the work of the Holy Spirit is likened to water (Isaiah 44:3; John 7:38-39).
Jesus rebukes Nicodemus in John 3:10 by asking him: “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not understand these things?” This suggests that what Jesus had just explained to him was something Nicodemus should have known and understood.From the Old Testament. What is it that Nicodemus, as a teacher of the Old Testament, should have known and understood? It is that God had promised in the Old Testament a time was coming in which He would: “sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27). Jesus rebuked Nicodemus because he failed to recall and understand one of the key Old Testament passages pertaining to the New Covenant «but this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. », (Jeremiah 31:33). Nicodemus should have been expecting this. Why would Jesus have rebuked Nicodemus for not understanding baptism considering the fact that baptism is nowhere mentioned in the Old Testament?
While this verse does not teach baptism is required for salvation, we should be careful not to neglect baptism’s importance. Baptism is the sign or the symbol for what takes place when one is born again. Baptism’s importance should not be downplayed or minimized. However, baptism does not save us. What saves us is the cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, when we are born again and regenerated by the Holy Spirit «not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; », (Titus 3:5)
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