Introduction
Sitting on my mustard and grey sofa, the Holy Spirit prompts a question in my heart. The words of John 3:5 echo in my mind:
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”
For years, theologians have debated the meaning of “born of water and the Spirit.” The most common interpretations suggest either baptismal regeneration, where water baptism is seen as necessary for salvation, or physical birth, where “water” refers to amniotic fluid and natural birth. However, what if Jesus was making an even more profound argument—one that challenges the very foundation of these assumptions?
What if water was never the means of transformation, but always a sign pointing to the Spirit’s greater work? What if Jesus was contrasting the default human condition of being born of water with the ultimate necessity of being born of the Spirit?
I make no claim that my exegesis is the definitive answer, but I offer this as a serious biblical case study, inviting deeper reflection on Jesus’ words. If Jesus was calling Nicodemus to look beyond the surface of his religious understanding, then we, too, must examine this passage with fresh eyes and an open heart.
Jesus and Nicodemus: The Context of John 3
To fully grasp Jesus’ words in John 3:5, we must first consider His audience. Nicodemus was not just an ordinary Jew; he was a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews, and a teacher of Israel (John 3:1, 10). As an expert in Jewish law, traditions, and the Old Testament, Nicodemus came to Jesus by night, seeking understanding.
Jesus’ statement about being “born of water and the Spirit” confounded Nicodemus. His response reveals his confusion:
“How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” (John 3:4).
Jesus’ reply was sharp:
“Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” (John 3:10).
This rebuke indicates that Jesus expected Nicodemus to already grasp what He meant. If Jesus was referring to Christian baptism, Nicodemus could not have possibly understood it, since Christian baptism had not yet been instituted. Likewise, if Jesus was speaking of natural birth, why would He reprimand Nicodemus for failing to comprehend something so obvious? Instead, Jesus was referencing something deeply rooted in the Old Testament—something Nicodemus, as a scholar, should have recognised.
Greek Exegesis: What Does “Water” Mean in John 3:5?
A crucial aspect of this discussion is how the original Greek words clarify Jesus’ statement. The phrase “born of water and the Spirit” contains two key terms that need deeper examination.
1. Water (ὕδωρ, hydōr) – In the Old Testament, water is consistently associated with purification, cleansing, and renewal. It does not inherently mean baptism in the New Testament unless the context specifically states so.
2. Spirit (πνεῦμα, pneuma) – This word conveys wind, breath, and divine life, showing that true transformation comes from God’s Spirit, not from any external ritual.
The strongest biblical connection for Jesus’ words is found in Ezekiel 36:25-27, where God declares:
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleanness… and I will put My Spirit within you.”
This passage closely parallels John 3:5, as it speaks of spiritual cleansing through both water and Spirit. If Jesus was referencing Ezekiel here, then being born of water does not refer to baptism, but rather to the cleansing work of the Spirit foreshadowed in the Old Testament.
The Spirit Informed, Then Water Responded: The Pattern in Creation
The first and most foundational reference to water and Spirit appears in Genesis 1:2:
“The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
This verse establishes a pattern that echoes throughout Scripture. Before physical creation could take place, the Spirit of God moved over the waters. The water was already present, but it was chaotic and unformed until the Spirit initiated the process of creation.
The Hebrew word for “hovering” (rachaph) conveys the idea of brooding, moving, directing—implying that the Spirit was the active force bringing life and order, while water was the passive element responding to His command.
This mirrors spiritual rebirth. Just as the Spirit moved over the waters before creation, He must move upon the human heart before spiritual rebirth can occur. Water was present, but the Spirit was the one who gave life.
The Spirit Informed, Then Water Cleansed: The Pattern in Noah’s Flood
The same sequence appears in Genesis 6-9, where the floodwaters cleanse the earth, yet the Spirit was at work before the waters came.
Before the floodwaters arrived, God had already spoken through Noah, calling people to repentance (2 Peter 2:5). The Spirit’s conviction came first, yet the people rejected His call, leading to judgment through the flood. However, it was not the water that saved Noah—it was his faith in God (Hebrews 11:7).
Again, the Spirit led, and water followed. The flood was not an instrument of salvation but a means of cleansing, making way for new life directed by the Spirit.
The Spirit Informed, Then Water Obeyed: The Pattern in the Red Sea
A similar sequence appears in Exodus 14, where Israel crosses the Red Sea.
Before the waters moved, God gave a command to Moses (Exodus 14:16). Moses, acting under the Spirit’s direction, stretched out his staff, and only then did the waters obey and part.
This pattern reinforces that water is always a secondary element, responding to the Spirit’s leading.
John the Baptist Recognising Jesus in the Womb
In Luke 1:41, John the Baptist, still in the womb, leapt for joy at the presence of Jesus in Mary’s womb. This moment is significant because John was in amniotic water, yet he responded to Jesus by the Spirit.
Even before birth, John exemplified that the Spirit takes precedence over water.
Jesus’ Baptism and the Holy Spirit
The baptism of Jesus provides another significant instance where water is present, yet it is the Spirit that truly matters. In Matthew 3:16, we read:
“And when Jesus was baptized, immediately He went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on Him.”
At His baptism, Jesus entered the water, but the water itself did not change Him. The transformation occurred when the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. This further confirms the pattern seen throughout Scripture:
1. Water is present, but passive.
2. The Spirit is active, directing and empowering.
If baptism were the agent of transformation, then Jesus, being sinless, would not have needed it at all. Instead, His baptism was a symbolic act that pointed forward to the true baptism of the Spirit, which He would later impart to believers (Matthew 3:11).
Thus, even in the case of Jesus Himself, it is not the water that matters, but the work of the Spirit.
The Spirit Informed, Then Water Transformed: Water into Wine
Jesus’ first miracle at Cana (John 2:1-11) provides yet another example of water being present but requiring transformation to serve a divine purpose.
At the wedding, six stone jars filled with water for Jewish purification were available. However, water alone was not enough—it needed to be transformed by Jesus.
1. The water was already there, just as humanity is already born of water.
2. Jesus commanded the servants to draw from it, much like how the Spirit draws people to new life.
3. Only when Jesus acted did the water become something greater—wine, a symbol of joy, celebration, and the new covenant.
Here, as in all previous examples, water was a passive element that could only fulfill its purpose when transformed by Christ’s power.
This miracle foreshadowed the true transformation that Jesus would bring—not through ritual purification but through the Spirit’s renewal.
The River of Life and the Tree of Life
The theme of water being secondary to spiritual transformation finds its ultimate fulfillment in Revelation 22:1-2:
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
This passage describes the new creation, where water is no longer for cleansing or ritual purification, but is instead a source of eternal life flowing from God Himself.
The Spirit is the true living water, and this river is not tied to human effort—it is a gift from God’s throne. This is the culmination of Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman in John 4:14:
“Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.”
If Jesus is the true living water, then all previous symbolic uses of water—including the flood, the Red Sea, ritual washings, and even baptism—were merely foreshadows of the greater reality: the Spirit’s life-giving work in Christ.
The Washing of Robes Given by Jesus
This final vision in Revelation 22:14 reinforces the superiority of the Spirit over ritual purification:
“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates.”
This is not a reference to literal water. Nowhere in Revelation do we see believers being baptized in water to enter the kingdom. Instead, this washing refers to the cleansing power of Christ’s blood (Revelation 7:14).
Those who wash their robes in Christ’s atoning work gain access to eternal life—not those who merely undergo external purification rites.
Once again, the true cleansing is spiritual, not physical. The emphasis is on faith in Christ, not on an outward washing of the body.
Addressing the Counterarguments: Does John 3:5 Teach Baptismal Regeneration?
Many theologians argue that John 3:5 supports the doctrine of baptismal regeneration, the belief that water baptism is necessary for salvation. This position is based on several passages:
1. John the Baptist’s call for repentance through water baptism (Matthew 3:11).
2. Titus 3:5, which speaks of “the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.”
3. Acts 2:38, where Peter says, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”
However, these arguments are not as strong as they appear when examined in context.
First, Jesus does not explicitly mention baptism in John 3. Instead, He rebukes Nicodemus for not already understanding His point (John 3:10). If baptism were necessary for salvation, then it would make no sense for Jesus to expect Nicodemus to already grasp this concept—baptism had not yet been instituted in the way Christians practice it today.
Second, Titus 3:5 speaks of the washing of the Holy Spirit, not of physical water. If water baptism was required for salvation, then Paul would have explicitly stated this—but he does not.
Third, the thief on the cross directly contradicts the idea that baptism is essential for salvation, which brings us to our next point.
The Ultimate Proof: The Thief on the Cross
If baptism were required for salvation, then how did the thief on the cross enter paradise?
This man had no opportunity for baptism, no purification ritual, no chance to perform any religious act. Yet, Jesus declared:
“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
The thief’s only qualification for salvation was his faith in Christ. He had not been baptized, but he had been born of the Spirit.
If baptism were conclusive, then Jesus would have made an exception for him. But He did not. The thief was granted salvation immediately, apart from water baptism.
This aligns perfectly with Jesus’ argument in John 3:5:
• Water alone is not enough.
• Only the Spirit brings true life.
Enduring Word citing Spurgeon suggests so.
Final Thoughts: Have We Missed Jesus’ Point?
From creation to the flood, from the Red Sea to the wedding at Cana, from the woman at the well to the river in Revelation, water has always pointed beyond itself to the work of Jesus through the Spirit.
• The thief on the cross entered paradise without baptism—only the Spirit saved him.
• The Israelites passed through the Red Sea, but without the Spirit’s renewal, they perished in the wilderness.
• Even Jesus’ baptism was incomplete until the Spirit descended upon Him.
If water was always a pointer to the Spirit, and the Spirit was always pointing to Jesus, then being born again is ultimately about being born in Him.
A Final Question to Consider
Has the Church placed too much emphasis on the water and too little on Christ?
Because if we are already born of water, but not born of Jesus, the true living water, then we have nothing. Right?
David Guzik, Enduring Word, makes profound statements about the laws of a land requiring birthrights, which beg us to ensure we are born of Christ to ensure legal birthright for God’s Kingdom.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Before the world was formed, Your Spirit hovered over the waters, bringing order to chaos, light to darkness, and life to the void. You are the God of creation, the One who speaks and transforms. Just as Your Spirit moved over the deep, move over our hearts today.
Let the winds of Your presence stir within us, awakening what has been dormant, restoring what has been broken, and renewing what has been lost. Hover over us, Lord, and breathe Your life into our souls, so that we may walk in the fullness of Your purpose.
May we not resist Your presence but embrace the new creation You desire to bring forth in us. Just as the waters responded to Your Spirit in the beginning, let our lives respond in faith and obedience to Your divine call.
In Jesus’ Mighty name,
Amen.
References
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001.
Carson, D.A. The Gospel According to John. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1991.
The Gospel Coalition. “What Does ‘Born of Water and the Spirit’ Mean in John 3:5?” The Gospel Coalition. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/born-water-spirit-mean.
The Master’s University. “What Jesus Meant by ‘Water and the Spirit’?” The Master’s University Blog. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://www.masters.edu/thinking_blog/what-jesus-meant-by-water-and-the-spirit.
Genesis 1:2, English Standard Version.
Exodus 14, English Standard Version.
Luke 1:41, English Standard Version.
Matthew 3:16, English Standard Version.
John 2:1-11, English Standard Version.
Revelation 22:1-2, English Standard Version.
Revelation 22:14, English Standard Version.
The Master’s Seminary. “Of Water and the Spirit.” TMS Blog. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://blog.tms.edu/of-water-and-the-spirit.
Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. “John 3:5 and the Life-Giving Work of the Spirit.” DBTS Blog. Accessed February 15, 2025. https://dbts.edu/2012/03/19/john-35-and-the-life-giving-work-of-the-spirit.
Luke 23:43, English Standard Version.
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