John 3:5

[Jim1999]

In John 3:5, the majority of reliable commentators have adopted one of three understandings of the word "water":
1. Purification. Looking back to John the Baptist's baptism. It was a baptism of repentance and it is being contrasted with the baptism of the Spirit, hence purification.

2.Procreation. This is a foreign thought to North Americans, but an array of passages from Rabbinic, Mandaean and Hermetic sources to show that the male semen is referenced with terms such as "water", "rain", "dew" and "drop". So we have natural birth contrasted with spiritual birth.

3. Christian Baptism. This may very well have been associated by the people of the time the gospe; was published.

Traditionally, we accepted as referring to natural birth.

Cheers,

Jim

 

[TCGreek]

These are the scriptures I cited, TC, so don't accuse me of focusing on John. I AM focusing on Jesus and I'm surprised that such an extremely literate person is having so much trouble reading plain English. My point is that immediately after Jesus finished His meeting with Nicodemus He, i.e., Jesus went to baptizing. This is a natural sequitur. It has NOTHING to do with John and you are demonstrating your ignorance, or just plain obstinance, by suggesting I am talking about John.

It seems like you're the only one on BB seeing that link.

Maybe you should read Marcia's point on going immediately to faith in Jesus to save one, not water baptism.

Rid yourself of the shackles of anachronism and let Scripture inform your conclusions.

The point about Jesus baptizing and so on, is to show the contrast between his ministry and that of John.

Not baptismal regeneration, or anything the sort.