Agnus_Dei said:
Exactly, why would Jesus tell a grown man that he needed to be physically born. Obviously Nicodemus already past that test...
Furthermore, Darron's study bible authors should keep in mind that Jesus was a first century Jew speaking to first century Jews and therefore, we need to interpret these passages in a first century Jewish context. With that said, Jesus and the Jews didn't call 'amniotic fluid' "water", the Jews had no colloquial expression for amniotic fluid, that we have calling it "water". Be careful not to read some kind of Americanism into a first century context!
Darron said that the fluid or water referred to amniotic water; I did not. That is a popular view; possible view, but not my view. The view that we know that is definitely wrong is that baptism refers to water. It doesn't. Nicodemus, a Jew, wouldn't even be thinking about baptism. Baptism was not in the discussion. It does not fit into the context, the discussion, or anywhere.
Water is symbolic, but of what? To answer that question we must use Scripture. Scripture interprets Scripture.
However, first the context.
Nicodemus came to Jesus wanting to know about spiritual things.
Jesus answered him, "Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." Thus it is important to be born again. Jesus repeats this statement twiice more, making a total of three times stating that "you must be born again." It is important that you understand this fact.
Nicodemus didn't. He was confused. He said: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb and be born"
This sounds like reincarnation. Perhaps that is what he was thinking about.
But this time Jesus answered: "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Note that there are only two agents by which a man is born again: water and the Holy Spirit. We will see through Scripture what the water represents. It must represent something. The Scripture tells us what it means. Keep in mind there are only two agents by which a man can be born again: "water" and the Holy Spirit.
Now Jesus gives a key verse:
John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
--You see he does refer to a physical birth--"born of the flesh." Every one of us are born of the flesh. That is how we got into this world. But not every one is born of the Spirit. Thus the necessity of the new birth or of being born again. Jesus reiterates this a third time in verse 7:
John 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
--It can't be any plainer: You must be born again. So we go back to verse five. We must find out what the "water" means. It does not mean baptism. That doesn't not fit the context or the conversation. So what does it mean.
First what is the purpose of water? What is it used for? One of the most common uses of water is "cleansing." We wash with it.
John 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
--It appears that John is saying that "water" refers to the "Word," after all one cannot be saved without the Word of God, without the Gospel. One must have the gospel in order to be saved. We are cleansed by the Word. Is there other evidence for this?
James 1:18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
--Notice the words here: It was His will (God's will) that we were born again (begat) with the word of truth (the Word of God). Again the "water" seems to represent the Word of God. We are born again through the Word of God. There are only two agents by which a person is born again. One is the Holy Spirit. The other is the Word of God. Water represents the Word of God. Is there other evidence?
1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
--Clear irrefutable proof that we are born again by the Word of God. It is through the Word of God and by the Spirit of God that one is born of God. There are only two agents involved in the new birth: the Word of God and the Spirit of God. Thus "water" must refer to the Word of God. The teaching is very plain here. Is there yet more evidence?
John 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but
of God.
--Verse 12 tells us that we are saved by receiving Christ. That is how we become the children of God. Verse 13 goes on to clarify it even further. It is not by blood (a so-called Christian family or geneology), or the will of the flesh (reformation), or of the will of man (other men's doing such as baptism), but rather is being born of God. It is the new birth.
The new birth consists of being born again through the Word of God and the Spirit of God. There are no other possibilities. The Word is absolutely necessary and so is the Holy Spirit. There are only two agents involved: water and the Spirit. Thus "water" must of a necessity refer to the Word of God. The Bible interprets itself. There is no other logical conclusion to arrive at.