4. Dicit ad eum Nicodemus: 4. Nicodemus saith to him: How Quomodo potest homo nasci, cum can a man be born when he is sit senex? numquid potest in old? can he enter a second ventrem matris suae iterato time into his mother’s womb, introire, et renasci? and be born again? 4. Nicodemus either understood our Lord to speak of a second carnal birth; or perhaps, not understanding the words at all, he may have pretended to misunderstand, in order to get Christ to explain. His motive, at all events, was good—to obtain light and instruction. 5. Respondit Iesus: Amen, amen 5. Jesus answered: Amen amen, dico tibi, nisi quis renatus I say to thee, unless a man be fuerit ex aqua et Spiritu born again of water and the sancto, non potest intriore in Holy Ghost, he cannot enter regnum Dei. into the kingdom of God. 5. Hence Christ goes on to give a more precise statement of the truth contained in verse 3, with an additional explanation regarding the means of regeneration under the new dispensation. *Amen, Amen.* This formula indicates the importance of the pronouncement. It has been defined by the Council of Trent—(_a_) that there is question in this fifth verse of natural water, and (_b_) of that natural water as necessary for Baptism. “Si quis dixerit aquam veram et naturalem non esse de necessitate baptismi, atque ideo verba illa D. N. J. C.: ‘Nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua, et Spiritu Sancto,’ ad metaphoram aliquam detorserit, anathema sit” (Sess. vii. Can. 2. De bapt.). This solemn declaration of the infallible Church settles, for Catholics, the question as to whether there is reference here to Christian Baptism. But even against heretics, for whom the Council of Trent speaks in vain, it is not difficult to show that there must be reference here to _Christian Baptism_. For (1) it cannot be denied that Christ inaugurated some external rite of baptism (John iii. 25, 26; iv. 11). (2) Christ and His disciples are represented (verse 22) as beginning to baptize after this discourse with Nicodemus. (3) Every circumstance of this second birth spoken of to Nicodemus is found in Christian Baptism. (_a_) Here we are said to be born again; so, too, are we in Baptism:—“According to His mercy He saved us by the laver of _regeneration_ and renovation of the Holy Ghost” (Tit. iii. 5). (_b_) This second birth is necessary that we may be saved and enter the kingdom of God; so is Christian Baptism (Mark xvi. 16; Acts iii. 37, 38), (_c_) This second birth is through water and the Holy Ghost; so is Baptism. See Acts viii. 36‐47; Tit. iii. 5.