whence Eng. prefix, "hydro-," is used (a) of the natural element, frequently in the Gospels; in the plural especially in the Apocalypse; elsewhere, e.g., Hebrews 9:19; James 3:12; in 1 John 5:6 , that Christ "came by water and blood," may refer either (1) to the elements that flowed from His side on the Cross after His Death, or, in view of the order of the words and the prepositions here used, (2) to His baptism in Jordan and His Death on the Cross. As to (1), the "water" would symbolize the moral and practical cleansing effected by the removal of defilement by our taking heed to the Word of God in heart, life and habit; cp. Leviticus 14 , as to the cleansing of the leper. As to (2), Jesus the Son of God came on His mission by, or through, "water" and blood, namely, at His baptism, when He publicly entered upon His mission and was declared to be the Son of God by the witness of the Father, and at the Cross, when He publicly closed His witness; the Apostle's statement thus counteracts the doctrine of the Gnostics that the Divine Logos united Himself with the Man Jesus at His baptism, and left him at Gethsemane. On the contrary, He who was baptized and He who was crucified was the Son of God throughout in His combined Deity and humanity.
The word "water" is used symbolically in John 3:5 , either (1) of the Word of God, as in 1 Peter 1:23 (cp. the symbolic use in Ephesians 5:26 ), or, in view of the preposition ek, "out of," (2) of the truth conveyed by baptism, this being the expression, not the medium, the symbol, not the cause, of the believer's identification with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. So the New Birth is, in one sense, the setting aside of all that the believer was according to the flesh, for it is evident that there must be an entirely new beginning. Some regard the kai, "and," in John 3:5 , as epexegetic, == "even," in which case the "water" would be emblematic of the Spirit, as in John 7:38 (cp. John 4:10,14 ), but not in 1 John 5:8 , where the Spirit and the "water" are distinguished. "The water of life," Revelation 21:6; 22:1,17 , is emblematic of the maintenance of spiritual life in perpetuity. In Revelation 17:1 the "waters" are symbolic of nations, peoples, etc. Note: For potamos, rendered "waters" in 2 Corinthians 11:26 , see RIVER."to give to drink," is used (a) naturally in Luke 13:15 , "watering," with reference to animals; (b) figuratively, with reference to spiritual ministry to converts, 1 Corinthians 3:6-8 . See DRINK , B, No. 3.
Notes: (1) For hudropoteo, "to drink water," 1 Timothy 5:23 , see DRINK , B, No. 5. (2) For the adjective anudros, "waterless" (RV), "without water," see DRY , No 2.