THE KING’S BUSINESS
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two births, the birth of the flesh and birth of the Spirit (see v. 6), but‘it is not clear that water is ever used in any other passage in the Bible as a symbol of the flesh, and this interpretation seems to be very , far ‘fetched. But with all these differences of opinion the teaching of the verse is per fectly plain, and that is that unless a man is born by the quickening power of the Spirit of God in his heart, no matter who the man is, no matter what his ancestry, no matter what his advantages in culture, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. v. 6. “That which is born of the flesh, is flesh, (;) and that which is born of the spirit, (Spirit) is spirit. ” These words explain why it is that a man, no matter. what his position or his culture or his conduct or his character or his orthodoxy or his ancestry may be, “cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” or even “see the kirigdom if God,” except he first be “born anew,” “be born out of water and Spirit.” Everything produces after its kind, “flesh” produces after its kind, and the “Spirit” produces after His kind. Even the heathen philosopher Aristotle taught that “every nature generates its own substance.” So it is clear that spiritual life (which alone fits one to “see” and-“enter into" the king dom of God) cannot be transmitted by natural generation. All we can get from our fathers and mothers, no matter how good and godly they are, is “flesh.” It may be very cultured and refined and even pious “flesh,” but after all it is “flesh.” “The flesh” does not merely mean the body, but - all that we get by natural generation, all that we inherit from our human ancestors (Rom. 1:3). “The flesh” does not of itself necessarily imply sinfulness (ch. 1:14; 1 John 4:2), but it does “describe (our) human personality on the side which tends to sin.” The thought of the inherent depravity and sinfulness of the flesh as it became through the fall of our first par ents, and as we consequently know it in universal human experience, is more fully developed by Paul (Rom. 8:2, 5-8; Gal. 5:16-21), It is hinted at here, but that is
this interpretation ask if Jesus meant the Word why did He not say so right out (without using a figure) just as He said “the Spirit?” The all-sufficient reply to this question is that the words “the Spirit are themselves a figure. The word translated “Spirit” means ’ literally “wind,” and the passage literally translated - would be, “Except any one be born out of water and wind, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” and as “the wind” by universal con sent refers to the one factor in regenera tion, i.e., the Spirit, so “the water” mani festly refers to the other element in regeneration, “the Word.” Others urge that in both “water” and “wind” we have a symbol of the Spirit’s work: in the water His cleansing work, and in the wind His quickening work, and in defense of this ' interpretation reference is made, to a some what analogous case where it is said Jesus will baptize “with wind and fire” (Matt. 3:11 literally translated). It really matters little which interpretation we accept, for if the Word as the instrument of regeneration is not mentioned here, it certainly is else where (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18). The Word is beyond a question the instrument that God- uses in regeneration, but the Word alone will not result in regeneration. Unless the Word^ is quickened in the indi vidual heart by'the power of the Holy Ghost, it does not bring new life, it kills by bringing condemnation, but when quick ened in the heart in which it is sown, and thus written no longer jnerely in the book, but on tables which are hearts of flesh, by the Spirit of the living God, then it brings life (2 Cor. 3:3-6). So we must put emphasis upon the “and” and the words of Jesus teach that man must be born, not of water only, but also of the Spirit. A great many take the water in this passage tQ refer to baptism. Even if we so take it, the verse itself shows that water bap tism alone is not enough, that a man must be born of water “and the Spirit. Still another interpretation of “water” is that “the water” means “the flesh,” and the thought of, the verse is that a man needs
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