John 3:4,5 - Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Nicodemus Exceedingly surprised at Christ's declaration; saith, How can a man be born when he is old As I now am? Can he enter, &c. As if he had said, It would be perfectly absurd to think that thou intendest thy words to be taken in a literal sense, and yet, I confess, I am at a loss to know what figurative interpretation to put upon them. Jesus answered, Except a man be born He meant likewise begotten, as previous thereto, for the original word signifies both, see James 1:18; of water That is, baptized; and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God Or, in plain terms, Whosoever would become a regular member of it, he must not only be baptized, but, if he would share its spiritual and eternal blessings, he must experience the renewing and sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit on his soul, to deliver it from the power of corruption, and to animate it to a divine and spiritual life. “To be born of water and of the Spirit,” says Bishop Hopkins, “may admit of a double interpretation: for either by water is meant baptism,” or it “may denote to us the manner of the Spirit's proceedings in the work of regeneration. Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit That is, except he be renewed by the Holy Ghost, working as water, leaving the same effect upon the soul in cleansing and purifying it from sinful defilements, as water doth upon the body in washing off contracted filth. Nor, indeed, is this manner of expression strange to the Holy Scripture: for John Baptist, speaking of Christ, tells them, that he should baptize them with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: that is, he should baptize them with the Holy Ghost, working as fire, which eats out and consumes the rust and dross of metals,” &c. Or, as Dr. Macknight interprets the clause, “Unless a man has a new nature given him by the Spirit, which is being born of the Spirit, and publicly receive the Christian religion, when offered to him, (Matthew 10:33,) which is being born of water, he cannot be a subject of God's kingdom here, nor have a share in his glory hereafter.” And he justly observes, in a note, “Our Lord did not mean that baptism is in all cases necessary to salvation; for in the apostle's commission, (Mark 16:16,) notwithstanding faith and baptism are equally enjoined upon all nations, not the want of baptism, but of faith, is declared to be damning. Besides, it should be considered, that this is a mere ceremony, which in itself has no efficacy to change men's natures, or to fit them for heaven, and that in some circumstances it may be absolutely impracticable. Nevertheless, as the washing of the body with water in baptism fitly represents the purification of the soul necessary to its enjoyment of heaven, this ceremony is very properly made the rite by which we publicly take upon ourselves the profession of the Christian religion, the dispensation preparatory to heaven. Wherefore the receiving of this rite is necessary in all cases where it may be had; the confessing of Christ being oftentimes as necessary as believing on him. If so, persons who undervalue water baptism, on pretence of exalting the baptism of the Spirit, do greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the commandment of Christ.”