Note: The following Christian writers quote or
allude to this passage (John 3:3-5) as implying a spiritual change wrought in
Baptism—a new birth in that Sacrament.
Hermas, Pastor. lib. 3, simil. 9, cap. 16 (Migne):
That seal is water, into which persons
do down liable to death, but comes out of it assigned to life. For which reason
this seal was preached to these also, and they made use of it that they might
enter into the kingdom of God.
Justin Martyr, AD 148, Apol. 1.61. Quoted in Blunt on
“Right Use of Early Fathers,” p. 533:
They that are led by us to the water,
and are regenerated by the same process of regeneration by which we were
ourselves regenerated; for they then receive the laver in the water in the name
of God the Father and Master of the universe, and of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
and of the Holy Ghost. For Christ says, “Unless ye be born again, ye cannot
enter into the kingdom of heaven.”
Clement of
Alexandria, AD 192, Paedag. 1, chap. 12 (Blunt’s
“Right Use of Early Fathers,” p. 536):
He seems t me to form man of the dust,
to regenerate him by water, to make him grow by His Spirit, to instruct him by
His Word.
Tertullian, AD 200, De Baptismo, 13. (“Library of
Fathers,” p. 272):
When with this law is compared that
limitation, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he shall not
enter into the kingdom of God,” this hath bound down faith to the necessity of
Baptism.
Origen, AD 210, Homil. 14. in Lucam, tom. 3, p. 948,
Benedictine edition in Gibson’s “Testimonies,” p. 103:
And because, through the Sacrament of
Baptism of pollutions of our earthly origin are removed, so it is, also, that
infants are baptized; for, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Hippolytus, AD 230, Homilia, in Theophania, §8. (Blunt,
p. 545):
How shall we come? it is said. By
water and the Holy Spirit. This is the water, in communion with the Holy
Spirit, by which Paradise is watered, the earth enriched, the plants are
nourished, animals are generated, and, in a word, man is born again and quickened,
in which Christ was baptized, etc.
Cyprian, Epist. 71. 1, p. 240 in Oxford Translation:
For then may they at length be fully
sanctified, and become sons of God, if they be born of each Sacrament, since it
is written, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter
into the kingdom of God.”
All of these are ante-Nicene
testimonies. They are, i.e., the testimonies of men, every one of whom lived in
continual danger of his life from his profession of Christ. From what remains
of the writings of these men they all appear to have been men of a true,
realizing faith, and also men of the great intellectual power.
Athanasius, Epist. 4. ad Serapion, tom. 2, p. 705,
Benedictine edition. Quoted in Gibson, p 125:
He who is baptized puts off the old
man, and is made a new man, being born again by the grace of the Spirit.
Ambrose, AD 397, De Myst. 3. 20, tom. p. 330. Quoted
in Gibson, p. 185:
Now, again, does the mystery of
regeneration take place without water; for, “Unless a man be born of water and
of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
Chrysostom, AD 407, Homilies, on St. John 3:5:
The first creation, then—that of
Adam—was from earth; the next, that of the woman, from his rib; the next, that
of Abel, from seed: yet one cannot arrive at the comprehension of any one f
these, nor prove the circumstances by argument, though they are of a most
earthly nature. How, then, shall we be able to give account of the unseen
generation by Baptism, which is far more exalted than these, or to require
argument for that strange and marvelous birth?
Augustine, AD 430, De Fide et Operibus (26) 48:
Let us rather hold the sound doctrine
of God our Master in both things; that there be a Christian life in harmony
with Holy Baptism, and that eternal life be promised to no man, if either be
wanting. For He who said, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he
shall not enter into the kingdom of God,” Himself also said, “Except your
righteousness shall exceed the righteousness, etc.”
Luther, in Joelem 3.28. Quoted in Abp. Lawrence, on
“Doctrine of Church of England on Efficacy of Baptism,” p. 88:
Christ says, “Unless a man be born
again by water and the Spirit.” This view is manifest that the Holy Ghost
wills, by means of Baptism, to exert His influence with efficacy on the soul.
Melancthon, Loci Theologici. See Appendix B at
the end of this work:
The command respecting Baptism is of
universal application, and belongs to the whole Church. “Except a man be born
of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” It
belongs, therefore, to infants that they may become a part of the Church.
Cranmer, Works on “Lord’s Supper,” (Parker Society,
p. 304):
As in our spiritual regeneration,
there can be no Sacrament of Baptism if there be no water. For as Baptism is no
perfect Sacrament of spiritual regeneration without there be, as well, the
element of water, as the Holy Ghost spiritually regenerating the person
baptized, which is signified by the said water.
Ridley, “Works,” (Parker Society, p. 238):
Baptism is ordained in water to our
spiritual regeneration.
Jewel, “Treatise on Sacraments,” (Parker Society,
p. 1104):
For this cause are infants baptized,
because they are both in sin, and cannot become spiritual, but by this new
birth of the water and the Spirit.
Hooker, Ecclesiastical Polity, bk. 5, chap.
9, sec. 8:
Unless as the Spirit is a necessary
inward cause, so water were a necessary outward means to our regeneration, what
construction should we give unto these words wherein we are said to be born
again, and that εξ υδατος even of water?
Bishop Hall, “Paraphrase on Hard Texts,” John 3:5. “Works,” vol. 4, p.
225:
Except a man be born again by the
effectual working of God’s Spirit, as by the author of this new birth, and in
the ordinary course of God’s proceedings in His Church by the water of Baptism,
as the sign appointed by God in the Sacrament of our regeneration, he cannot
enter into the kingdom of God.
Mede. See quotation from him in Appendix B.
Jeremy Taylor, “Liberty of Prophesying,” vol. 5, p. 572,
Eden’s edition:
This birth is expressed here (John
3:5) by water and the Spirit, i.e., by the Spirit in baptismal water; for that
is, in Scripture, called the laver of the new birth or regeneration.
Beveridge, Sermon 35, vol. 2 (“Lib. of Anglo-Cath.
Theol.”):
There is no other way of being born
again of water as well as of the Spirit, but only in the Sacrament of Baptism. (M.
F. Sadler, The Second Adam and the New Birth, or, The Doctrine of Baptism as
Contained in Holy Scripture [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1860, repr.,
Monroe, Louis.: Athanasius Press, 2004], 39-42)
The
Mede reference in appendix B reads thusly:
“Not by works of righteousness which
we have one, but by His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and
renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).
These words, as it is easy to conceive
upon the first hearing, are spoken of Baptism; of which I intend not by this
choice to make any full or accurate tractation, but only to acquaint you (as I
am wont) with my thoughts concerning two particulars therein, both of them
mentioned in the words of the text. One, form what propriety, analogy, or use
of water the washing therewith was instituted for a sign of new birth,
according as it is here called (λουτον
παλιγγενεσιας) the washing of regeneration. The other, what
is the proper countertype, or thing which the water figureth in this Sacrament.
I will begin with the last first
because the knowledge thereof must be supposed for the explication and more
distinct understanding of the other. In every Sacrament, as ye well know, there
is the outward symbol or sing, Res terrena, and the signation figured
and represented thereby, Res coelestis In this of Baptism, the sign or Res
terrena, is washing with water. The question is, What is the signation, the
invisible and celestial thing which answers thereunto? In our catechetical
explication of this mystery, it was wont to be affirmed of the blood of Christ,
namely, that a water washeth away the filth of the body, so too the blood of
Christ cleanseth us from the guilt and pollution of sin. And there is no question
but that the blood of Christ is the fountain of all the grace and good communicated
to us in this or in any other Sacrament or mystery of the gospel. But that this
should be the antistoichon, the counterpart or thing figured by the water in
Baptism, I believe not; because the Scripture, which must be our guide and direction in this case, makes it
another thing—to wit, the Spirit or Holy Ghost; this to be that whereby the
soul is cleansed and renewed within, as the body with water is without. So
saith our Saviour to Nicodemus (John 3:5), “Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” And the Apostle, in the
words I have read, parallels the washing of regeneration and the renewing of
the Holy Ghost, where none, I trow, will deny that he speaks of Baptism.
The same was represented by that vision
at our Saviour’s Baptism of the Holy Ghost descending upon Him as He came out
of the water in the similitude of a dove: for, I suppose, that in that Baptism
of His the mystery of all our Baptisms was visibly acted; and that God says to
every one truly baptized, as He said to Him, in a proportionable sense: “Thou
art my son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Discourse 17). (Ibid., 254-55)
