[QUOTE=Adino;771613]Aquila wrote:I take issue with your automatic assumption that two elements are implied. There is but one article in the phrase "born of water and of the Spirit." This single article connects only to the word "Spirit" and indicates that the preceding word, 'water,' has a close connection to the articled word 'Spirit.'
If we also recognize the word "KAI" has more than one meaning, such as is shown in
1Corinthians 15:24 which states, "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom
to God, KAI (even) the Father," we can see that
John 3:5 is not offering two separate and distinct elements of a single birth but simply an emphasis on
the single birth of the Spirit.
John 3:5 can be understood this way, "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water KAI (even) of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
When we allow the author to define his own terms and allow his consistent use of 'water' as a spiritual metaphor we can see that John is placing double emphasis on THE spiritual rebirth. [QUOTE]
I actually agree that
John 3:5 is talking globally about a spirit birth and being "born again." Neither does that discount water baptism.
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