Jesus
preempts Nicodemus' attempt to sidestep the matter on which Jesus is
focusing. Nicodemus is not prepared to
acknowledge the reason for which he has sought out Jesus. He expands on his previous statement to head
off any initial objection by Nicodemus.
In
verse 3 Jesus states a new birth is a prerequisite to entering the kingdom of
God. Now he broadens the statement by
adding information that sheds light on how this new birth takes place. Jesus has already established that the answer
to the human fallen and broken condition is a new birth, his adding
"through water and through the Spirit" should sway Nicodemus to ask
for an explanation.
We
are left with little more than the words of Jesus to figure out what he means
by this somewhat cryptic information.
Jesus seems to be making a contrast between tangible water and the
unseen Spirit. Both are necessary for
new birth to take place. The Spirit
seems a logical and key entity to the new birth experience, since it is a
spiritual experience. The addition of water is a bit more complicated. Certainly it has been submitted by many that
this mention of water is a reference to baptism--and it certainly is a
compelling argument. On the other hand,
if water and the Spirit must both be present in order for new birth to take
place, what are we to do with those who do not have the opportunity to
experience water baptism? I submit that
this sentence is a reference to two types of births, the natural birth (through
water) and supernatural birth (through the Spirit). The second birth cannot take place without
the other birth preceding it. We do not
will the first, we cannot will the second.
The first one brings us into the human family; the second one delivers
us into the family of God. Neither one
takes place without God's will, but only the second one requires a choice by
both parties. God has already made His choice.
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