"Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."
In this verse, Jesus told Nicodemus not to be puzzled by His statement, "Ye must be born again". As was determined in yesterday's quote, the rebirth Jesus was referring to was a rebirth of the spirit, not the physical, or water rebirth.
Sadly, there are too many who sincerely believe that by using the phrase "born of water", as it was applied in yesterday's lesson, and which clearly refers to the physical or "water" birth, Jesus was implying that being immersed in water, or having water sprinkled on one's body constitutes being reborn.
The context of this entire series of lessons and the common sense Jesus applied as He explained it to Nicodemus, simply disallows that possibility.
As was discussed in yesterday's lesson, Jesus spoke of only two births, a natural birth and a rebirth. In order to allow for a separate "water" birth, one would necessarily be required to have a third birth. As was also stated yesterday, the phrase "born of the flesh" is clearly in reference to the physical, or first birth. The phrase "born of the spirit" was clearly in reference to the rebirth of renewal of the spirit. There was no mention of a third birth.
There will be further clarification of this misunderstanding as the study of John 3 continues.~
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