Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration,
and renewing of the Holy Ghost. (Titus 3:5)
Commenting
on the phrase "by the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy
Spirit" (διὰ λουτροῦ παλιγγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος ἁγίου),
Catholic apologist Robert Sungenis wrote the following, showing that Paul was
teaching baptismal regeneration (and not a purely symbolic meaning of
bath/laver of regeneration):
. . . in which Paul makes clear there are two
inseparable actions: 1) the laver of regeneration; and 2) a renovation, both of
the Holy Spirit. The word λουτρου:, used only here and Ep 5:26, stands for
water, from the verbal form, λουω, used 6× in the NT (Jn 13:10; Ac 9:37; 16:33;
Hb 10:22-23; 2Pt 2:22; Ap 1:5). In classical Greek a λουτρον or λουτρων was a
bath, bathing place, or water for bathing (LAS). Paul cannot be speaking
symbolically since the grammar specifies: εσωσεν ημας δια λουτρου: (“he saved
us through washing”) and not: εσωσεν ημας δια συμβολον λουτρου (“he saved us
through the symbol of washing”). Παλιγγενεσιας (“regeneration”) is only used 2×
in the NT, the other in Mt 19:28 referring to the final regeneration of the
body at the end of time, thus showing the force of the word to likewise refer
to a complete spiritual regeneration. (Robert A. Sungenis, The Epistles to Timothy and Titus: Exegetical Commentary [Catholic
Apologetics Study Bible X; State Line, Pa.: Catholic Apologetics International
Publishing, Inc., 2020], 91-92 n. 211)
