THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Let us return again to the continuation of what was said before. Let us see how Christ reveals more clearly the manner of this birth to Nicodemus. Nicodemus had fallen down to earthly thoughts, applying Christ's words to earthly birth and saying that it was impossible for an aged man to be born again.
Even this explanation still presents certain difficulties for one who reasons in a human way. Yet it is already sufficient to raise the hearer from a low manner of thought.
What then does Christ say? "Amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God." By this He gives him to understand: you think this impossible. I say that it is entirely possible, and even necessary. Otherwise salvation is impossible.
What is necessary, God has also made easy for us. Earthly birth is birth according to the flesh, from dust. For this reason all heavenly things are closed to it. What fellowship has earth with Heaven?
But the other birth, being birth from the Spirit, easily opens the heavenly gates to us.
Hear this, all you who are strangers to illumination, that is, to the mystery of Holy Baptism. Tremble and weep. This threat is fearful. This decree is fearful. Christ says that one who is not born of water and the Spirit cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Such a man still wears the garment of death, the garment of the curse, the garment of corruption. He has not yet received the Lord's seal. He is not yet His own, but a stranger. He does not possess the appointed sign in the Kingdom.
"Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven." But Nicodemus did not understand even this. Nothing is worse than subjecting spiritual things to reasonings. This prevented Nicodemus from conceiving anything great and exalted.
We are called faithful precisely so that, leaving the weakness of earthly thoughts, we may ascend to the height of faith. In its teaching we must place our highest good. If Nicodemus had acted in this way, the matter would not have seemed impossible to him.
What then does Christ do? Wishing to turn him away from this creeping earthly way of thinking, and showing that He is not speaking about fleshly birth, Christ says: "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
He said this because He wished to draw Nicodemus to faith by a threat. He wished to persuade him not to regard this work as impossible. He also sought to draw him away from supposing that fleshly birth was involved.
Nicodemus, He says, I am speaking of another birth. Why do you drag the discourse down to the earth? Why do you subject this matter to natural laws? This birth is higher than natural birth and has nothing in common with yours.
Both are called birth, but though the name is common, the realities differ. Depart from common notions. I introduce another birth into the world. I wish men to be born in another manner. I have come with an extraordinary mode of creation.
In the beginning I created man from earth and water. But that creation proved unfit, and that vessel was broken. Therefore I no longer wish to fashion from earth and water, but from water and the Spirit.
If someone asks, how from water, I too will ask: how from earth? How was clay transformed into various forms? How did diverse and manifold creatures arise from homogeneous matter, for earth is one?
Whence came bones, nerves, blood vessels, and dry sinews? Whence membranes, veins, cartilage, coverings, liver, spleen, and heart? Whence skin, blood, mucus, and bile? Whence so many functions? Whence such variety of colors? These things are not from earth or clay.
How does the earth receive seeds and make them grow, while flesh, which is also earth, receives seeds and subjects them to decay? How does the earth nourish seeds cast into it, while flesh is nourished by them but does not nourish them?
For example, the earth receives water and produces wine. Flesh, often receiving wine, turns it into water. How, then, is it clear that the body comes from earth, when earth, as I have said, has properties contrary to the body?
I cannot comprehend this by reason. I accept it by faith alone. If matters that occur daily and can be handled require faith, how much more do ineffable and spiritual matters require it?
As lifeless and motionless earth, by God's will, received such power, and from it such wondrous works proceed, so also, when the Spirit acts upon water, those astonishing works that surpass reason are easily accomplished.
Therefore do not remain in unbelief simply because you do not see this. You do not see the soul either, yet you believe that you have a soul and that it is something other than the body.
Christ instructs Nicodemus not by this example, but by another. Though the soul is bodiless, He did not point to it because Nicodemus still had very crude notions about it. Instead, Christ gives another example, something with nothing in common with the grossness of bodies, yet not raised to the nature of bodiless beings. This is the movement of the wind.
First of all, He begins with water, which is finer than earth but grosser than wind. As in the beginning earth was laid as the foundation of creation, while the whole work belonged to the Creator, so now water is laid as the foundation. Yet the whole work of regeneration belongs to the grace of the Spirit.
Then, "man became a living soul." Now, He became a life-giving Spirit (1 Cor 15:45). But the difference between the two is great. The soul does not give life to another being. The Spirit not only lives in Himself, but also gives life to other beings. Thus the Apostles even raised the dead.
Then man was finally created after the completion of creation. Now, on the contrary, the new man is fashioned before the new creation. First he is born, and only afterward is the world transformed.
As in the beginning God created man whole, so now He forms him wholly. But then He said: "Let us make him a helper" (Gen 2:18). Here there is nothing like this. Can one who has received the grace of the Spirit need any other helper?
What need of another's assistance has one who belongs to the body of Christ? Then man was made in the image of God. Now he is united with God Himself. Then God commanded him to rule over fish and beasts. Now He has raised our firstfruits above the heavens.
Then He gave Paradise as a dwelling place. Now He has opened Heaven for us. Then man was created on the sixth day, because creation had to end at that time. Now he is created on the first day, at the very beginning, like the light.
From all this it is clear that what now takes place belongs to another and better life, and to a condition that has no end.
The first creation, that of Adam, was a creation from earth. After it came the making of the woman from the rib, and then the origin of Abel from seed. We cannot comprehend or describe these creations in words, though they are all most material.
How then can we give an account of spiritual birth through Baptism, a birth far higher than those? What sort of arguments may be demanded from us concerning this wonderful and extraordinary birth?
Angels also stand present when it is accomplished. Yet not one of them can explain the manner of this wondrous birth through Baptism. They stand present without doing anything themselves, only beholding what is done. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit do everything.
Let us therefore believe the word of God. It is more trustworthy than our sight. Sight is often deceived, but this word cannot err. Let us believe it. Having brought what exists out of what did not exist, it is surely trustworthy when it speaks of its nature.
What does it say? It says that in Baptism a birth takes place. If someone should say to you, how is this so, stop his mouth with the word of Christ. It is the greatest and clearest proof.
If someone asks why water is used, we shall ask in return: why did earth enter into the creation of man in the beginning? It is clear to everyone that God could have created man without earth. Therefore do not inquire curiously.
That water is needed and necessary you may learn from this. Once, when the Spirit came down before the use of water (Acts 10:44), the Apostle did not stop there. See what he said about water, as about a necessary substance and not a superfluous one: "Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" (Acts 10:47).
Why then is water necessary? I will finally speak of this also and reveal to you the hidden mystery. There are several hidden reasons for this, but from the many I will tell you one for now.
What is this reason? In water are symbolically depicted the tomb and death, resurrection and life, and all these take place together. When we immerse our heads in water as in a tomb, the old man is buried at the same time. Having been plunged below, he is wholly hidden.
Then, when we rise up, the new man comes forth. As it is easy for us to be immersed and to rise, so it is easy for God to bury the old man and reveal the new.
This is done three times, so that you may know that all this is accomplished by the power of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
That what I have said is not conjecture, hear what Paul says: "We were buried with Him by Baptism into death" (Rom 6:4). Again: "Our old man was crucified with Him" (Rom 6:6). Or: "We were united in the likeness of His death" (Rom 6:5).
Not only is Baptism called a cross, but the cross is also called Baptism. "With the Baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized," Christ says (Mk 10:39). Elsewhere He says: "I have a Baptism to be baptized with" (Lk 12:50).
As easily as we are immersed and rise, so easily did He rise after death when He willed. Rather, He did so much more easily, though for the sake of arranging a certain mystery He remained in the tomb for three days.
Therefore, we who have been counted worthy of such great mysteries should show a life worthy of this gift, and the best conduct. And you who have not yet been counted worthy of them, act in all things so that you may be counted worthy. Then we may all be one body and all be brothers.
So long as this separates us, father, son, brother, or anyone else is not yet truly our kinsman. He is separated from the kinship above. What benefit is it to be joined by perishable kinship when we are not joined by spiritual kinship?
What profit is there from nearness on earth when we are strangers to one another in Heaven? The catechumen is a stranger to the faithful. He does not have the same Head, nor the same Father, nor the same city, nor food, nor clothing, nor house. Everything is divided between them.
For one, everything is on earth. For the other, everything is in Heaven. For this one, the King is Christ. For that one, sin and the devil. For this one, the food is Christ. For that one, rot and corruption.
So too, the clothing of this one is the Master of the angels. The clothing of that one is the work of worms. This one's city is Heaven. That one's city is earth.
If we have nothing in common with unbelievers, tell me, in what can we have communion with them? We passed through the same birth pains and came from one womb? But even this is not enough for the closest kinship.
Let us therefore strive to become citizens of the city above. How long shall we remain in a foreign land, when we ought to receive again our ancient homeland?
Here the danger does not concern trivial things. If it happens, which may God forbid, that sudden death overtakes us, and we depart from here without illumination, meaning Baptism, then even if we have thousands of blessings here, nothing awaits us but Gehenna, the venomous worm, unquenchable fire, and indissoluble bonds.
May God not permit any of the hearers to experience this punishment. It will not overtake us if, having been counted worthy of the holy mysteries, we lay gold, silver, and precious stones as the foundation of our building (1 Cor 3:12).