1 John 5:6-8 (The Witness)

Chapter 5

Verses 6-8:

"This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one."

For this first line, there are actually quite a few interpretations of the phrase: "by water and blood." Some suggest that the water signifying baptism and the blood to the cruxifixion, though John in his gospel does not make any reference to that. Others believe that it refers to the two sacraments (baptism and the Lord's supper), but this is probably unlikely as well since John does not talk of those in his gospel (John 19:34). The most likely meaning is that Jesus was the real substance of those shadows of the Old Testament. That "water and blood" alludes to the ancient rites of the law. So that we may know the old ceremonial laws of Moses were abolished and now fulfilled by the death of Christ.

The "water" signifying the washing away of filth, so that we are approach God pure and clean. And the "blood" signifying the atonement and reconciliation with God through the blood of Christ.

"No only by water, but by water and blood..." not that only half of our salvation or some of it is found in Christ, but that all of it is found Him.

"It is the Spirit who bears witness..." The Spirit testifies and makes certain Christ within the believer, by the knowing and feeling the indwelling power of Christ. "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you" (John 14:16-17). A real and firm stability of assurance is produced by the Spirit who "is truth." "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God"(Romans 8:16).

In verse 7, some manuscripts omit the passage "For there are three that bear witness." If left in though it helps to point out that there are three that testify to our faith in Christ, "The Father, the Word (or Jesus, John 1:1), and the Holy Spirit."

And now a very important thing is acknowledged next, "and these three are one." I'll go ahead and use the Westminster Confession here:

In the unity of the Godhead there be three Persons of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father; the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son" (Westminster Confession of Faith, Ch. II).

Simply put three in person, one in essence. God is one (Deut. 6:4), no mistake about it, and He has chosen to reveal Himself in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And while this much is known, one cannot try to explain it (while some like to use an egg, or a pretzel, or water), it would be impossible for our finite minds to comprehend the Trinity in its fullness.

Verse 8, "there are three who bear witness on earth..." To all mankind, these three bear witness to all men. These being "the Spirit, the water, and the blood..." As John had pointed out earlier it is testified by the Spirit that Jesus "came by water and blood." To the believer these things bear witness to his faith in Christ, the Trinity "in heaven bear witness" and these three things "bear witness on earth." The Spirit is the placed first in this list for without the Spirit the blood and water would have no benefit to the souls of men. It is the Spirit that seals the on our hearts the testimony of the "water and blood." In Romans Paul makes it clear that without the seal of the Holy Spirit the benefits of Christ's death would have no benefit, "Jesus Christ our Lord...declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness" (Romans 1:3b, 4). The Spirit is the one who effects the cleansing of our spirits by the blood and water of Jesus. "These three agree as one..." that the water and the blood concur with the Spirit.