Baptism

The Rabbianic tradition and teaching supports this contention. Nicodemos as
a teacher of the Jews – as a Rabbi – certainly knew of this "being born of
water" as birth from the watery womb as his reply clearly indicates. So when
Jesus refers to Pneuma (fluid – as the Greek word for Spirit implies) he
assumes it as a second birth from the mother’s womb.
Jesus could not have been referring to Christian baptism because it was not
instituted yet. Jesus began to baptize in the traditional manner of John of
repentance soon after, delivering the same message of impending Kingdom of
God. This was not the Christian baptism of salvation, because Jesus was not
crucified, nor did he ascend to heaven and the Holy Spirit was not given to
those who were baptized by the disciples of Jesus. Apostles themselves did
not receive the Holy Spirit until they were sent on the mission and that only
for the period. How could Jesus expect anyone to understand him if he was
referring to something which was to come a full three years later?
If "born of water,” meant water baptism, then verse 5 would contradict verse
6. Verse 6 requires being "born of the Spirit," as the only condition for
salvation. Whereas verse 5 would require both being baptized in water and
being born of the Spirit for salvation. In any argument you can increase the
condition, but if we decrease the condition only the latter is valid.
There are people who would like to consider as being "born of water" as a
figurative way of saying "born of the Spirit," then verse 5 does not contradict
verse 6. Spirit is often compared to water in the scripture.
There is good reason to believe that "born of water" could be simply a
figurative way of saying, "born of the Spirit." The word "water" in connection
with salvation, the covenant, regeneration, rebirth, is often used in Scripture
as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Jesus Himself used water this way when He
said:
John 7:37-39. If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He
who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will
flow rivers of living water ….But this He spoke concerning the Holy
Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive....
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