Matthew Henry Gets John 3:5 Wrong

John 3:3-7, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) is a famous minister and author. He was born in Wales, but spent much of his life in England. Henry is best known for the six-volume biblical commentary Exposition of the Old and New Testaments. Nearly every Bible student has often come across Matthew Henry's commentaries on the Holy Bible. 

What saith the Scripture? John 3:5b, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Matthew Henry interprets this passage as follows:

It is probable that Christ had an eye to the ordinance of baptism, which John had used and he himself had begun to use, "You must be born again of the Spirit," which regeneration by the Spirit should be signified by washing with water, as the visible sign of that spiritual grace: not that all they, and they only, that are baptized, are saved; but without that new birth which is wrought by the Spirit, and signified by baptism, none shall be looked upon as the protected privileged subjects of the kingdom of heaven. [emphasis added]

SOURCE: John 3 Bible Commentary

Matthew Henry promotes the corrupt Lutheran view of salvation, seeing baptism by water as being inseparable from the miracle of the new birth. The Lord plainly tells us exactly what he meant by water in John 3:5-7, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” The Lord contrasts being born “OF THE FLESH” versus being born “OF THE SPIRIT.” When Jesus speaks of being “BORN OF WATER,” He is referring to the flesh. For 9 months a baby is carried in its mother's water bag in her womb. This is what the Bible means by “water” in John 3:5, not religious baptism.