“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5)

What does it mean to be “born of water and of the Spirit”? Some see this text as support for the doctrine of baptismal regeneration. Accordingly, they claim that the sacrament of baptism is necessary to enter the kingdom of God. However, such a reading is tenuous and unbiblical. We will first demonstrate that “water” here refers to the inward cleansing of the Holy Spirit. And secondly, we will give five reasons why “water and the Spirit” does not refer to the sacrament of baptism.

Hendiadys

John 3:5 employs a figure of speech frequently used in Scripture called hendiadys. Although common in Scripture, it is more rare in English literature. Hendiadys is when two words are used, but only one thing, or idea, is intended and thereby emphasized. Hendiadys is literally “one by means of two,” έν (one) διά (by or through) δίς (two).

“Consider, for instance, the statement ‘this room is nice and warm’ or ‘it’s nice and warm in here’. The meaning is clear: the room is nice because it’s warm, and a comment is being made on the room’s (nice) temperature. The niceness of the room, separate from its temperature, is unknown: it might be ugly, decorated with gaudy drapes or horrible curtains, so in every other respect it isn’t ‘nice’ at all. But the speaker doesn’t mean ‘this room is nice [i.e. all round, in terms of its appearance and general comforts] and [by the way, as a separate issue] warm’: instead, they mean it’s nice because it’s warm. So ‘nice and warm’ is an example of hendiadys in an everyday English phrase.” (Interesting Literature, What is Hendiadys?)

More specifically, hendiadys is when “one of the two words expresses the thing, and the other (of synonymous, or even different, signification, not a second thing or idea) intensifies it by being changed (if a noun) into an adjective of the superlative degree, which is, by this means, made especially emphatic.” (E.W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, p. 657).

Other examples of hendiadys in Scripture are, Genesis 3:16, “Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception;” that is, “thy sorrow, yes—and thy conceiving sorrow too” (ibid., p. 659) or simply, “your pain in childbirth” (MEV; cf. Poole’s com.). Zephaniah 1:16, “A day of the trumpet and alarm;” i.e. “of the trumpet, yes—and an alarming trumpet too” (ibid., p. 661). Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit;” i.e. “a vain, deceitful philosophy” (ibid., p. 667), or as the NIV dynamically translates it, “hollow and deceptive philosophy.”

The Inward Cleansing and Regeneration of the Holy Ghost.

“Water” here does not refer to the outward ordinance of baptism, but rather the inward cleansing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. And this inward cleansing or regeneration is not caused by water baptism, nor “so inseparably annexed unto it, as that no person can be regenerated or saved without it, or that all that are baptized are undoubtedly regenerated.” (WCF 38.5). As Bullinger notes, our Savior is using an hendiadys here in John 3:5, and concludes, “Hence only one thing is meant: ‘Except a man be begotten of water, yes—and spiritual water too, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.'” (ibid., p. 664). Likewise, Francis Turretin wrote:

“Thus by ‘water and spirit’ is meant ‘the spiritual laver’ or ‘spiritual water’ or the spirit washing and cleansing the heart, so that the cause of that regeneration is denoted (to wit, the Spirit) and the manner of the effect (viz., by spiritual renovation or washing) by a figure frequently employed by profane and sacred writers. This is called by the Greeks hen dia dyoin [hendiadys]: when of two substantives one is explained adjectively.” (IET XIX.xiii.19, vol. 3, p. 390).

In addition to signifying the spiritual cleansing of regeneration, here in John 3:5, “water and spirit” can also have the sense of qualifying in another way. Turretin continues, “the particle kai [i.e. and] is not taken discretively, but declaratively;” that is, not referring to two things, but one thing emphatically, “so that the sense is ‘water, which is the Spirit.’” Scripture often explains obscure things by clearer things “and a tropical and figurative by a proper. The foundation of this is that the Holy Spirit is constantly designated by water, especially as he was about to be dispensed under the New Testament (Isa. 43:19; Ezek. 36:25, 27; Zech. 13:1; John. 4:14).” (ibid., p. 391).

Here, one might object, This text does not say, “Except a man be born of the Spirit and of the Spirit…” However, this is a misunderstanding of what an hendiadys is. One term is the substance (Spirit) and the other functions as an adjective emphasizing it (water). Turretin replies:

“Nor can it on that account be called a tautological locution in which one and the same thing is said twice. Although it is one and the same as to thing, still not as to the mode of the thing, because either the Spirit is there designated by his operation or an obscure word is explained by a clearer (as in Mat. 3:11). Augustine says, ‘Not always where the Scripture names water, does it mean that this visible sacrament of baptism should be understood, but sometimes it, sometimes another thing’ (Ad Catholicas Epistola Contra Donastistas: De Unitate Ecclesiae 1.23*.65 [PL 43.439]).” (ibid., p. 391).

Now that we have given a positive explanation of what the text does mean, we will now explain why “water and the Spirit” is not a reference to water baptism.

First, from the purpose and scope of Christ’s teaching to Nicodemus.

Turretin explains,

“The design of Christ, which was to take away from Nicodemus (who as a Pharisee was puffed up with an opinion of his own righteousness and measured the worship of God by carnal ceremonies and washings) the pride and superstition with which he was fascinated by teaching him that he could not be saved, unless he was made entirely new, and declaring that the true means of obtaining salvation was no other than spiritual or supernatural grace. This comes not from the external element (from which he rather wished to turn Nicodemus away), but from the Holy Spirit alone.” (ibid., p. 391).

Secondly, this is clear from the circumstances of the text.

In verse 3, Christ says “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” One being “born of water and of the Spirit” is an explanation of one being “born again.” Also, in verses 6 and 7, Christ only mentions the operation of the Holy Spirit, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” Again, in verse 8, the “new birth is compared to the blowing of the wind. This simile is not fitted for expressing corporal ablution, because it refers to a secret operation and is not tied to the external element. But it is most suitable for expressing the secret power of the Holy Spirit breathing upon the heart.” (Turretin, ibid., p. 391). Water is not mentioned again, but the Spirit and his operation is continually mentioned and expounded upon by various other analogies.

Further, in verse 12, Christ makes it clear that he is condescending to Nicodemus’s carnal understanding by using physical examples as analogies for spiritual realities, “If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?” Hence, it is clear that we should not terminate our thoughts on the physical examples (e.g. water, wind, birth), but rather our thoughts should ascend to the things signified by them, namely regeneration.

Third, from the referenced texts.

Christ also reproves Nicodemus for his ignorance, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?” (John 3:10). The Lord knew that Nicodemus should be familiar with this spiritual imagery from texts like Ezekiel 36:25-27, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.”

And Isaiah 43:19, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 44:3, “For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.”

Zechariah 13:1, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.”

These and similar Old Testament prophecies are most likely what Christ is referencing.

Fourth, from related texts.

Later in John, Christ again speaks of water in connection with salvation, and the text explicitly identifies it as the Holy Spirit. John 7:38, “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” Then in verse 39, the inspired author parenthetically notes what kind of water this is: “(But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” Bullinger notes, “That spiritual water [in John 3:5] stands, by another figure (Metonymy), for the Holy Spirit Himself: as is clear from John 6:38-39.” (ibid., p. 664).

In Matthew 3:11 the same hendiadys figure of speech is used, and even for the same purpose. John the Baptist says that Christ “shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,” that is, as Turretin says, “with a fiery spirit or inflaming the heart” (ibid., p. 390), or Bullinger, “with Holy Spirit, yes—and burning purifying spirit too.” (ibid., p. 662).

Ephesians 5:25-26, “Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” Not an hendiadys, but once again, the washing of water is clearly spoken of as a spiritual act on God’s part.

Fifth, from the nature of a sacrament.

Although this text is not speaking directly of the sacrament of baptism, it is still the case that baptism signifies the true inward cleansing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. But we must be careful not to conflate the sign (signum) with the thing signified (res significata). One must be born again or regenerated, but that is accomplished by the operation of the Holy Ghost, and not the mere outward washing of water, as 1 Peter 3:21 says, “not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God.” For more on this point, see Does Baptism Remit Sins?, and Spiritual vs. Water Baptism: A Reformed Distinction?, and Baptism Now Saves You.

Conclusion

Therefore, to be born of water and of the Spirit is to be washed and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, and not merely to be an outward partaker of the sacrament of baptism.