Chapter 16
1 John 5:6-12
1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.
John calls all believers conquerors who have overcome the world through their faith in Jesus as the Christ. “Our faith is what wins the victory over the world” (1 John 5:4b, GW). In verse five John asked a question, “Who is it that overcomes the world, except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” He is saying that it is not sufficient enough to have ‘faith’ but that we need to have faith in Jesus, the Son of God and believe in His promise of salvation. As we discussed in the introduction to this epistle, many people and groups had already started to teach alternate interpretations of the Gospel and began to seriously corrupt the truth. John throughout this epistle has pointed out that there is only one way to obtain salvation and that is by believing in Jesus. In this epistle John has clearly identified Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, and that He was also a man sent by God (see 1 John 4:2; 5:5). John now calls our attention to three things that stand as evidence of these claims.
Referring to Jesus, John says that He came by both water and blood. He further clarifies that Jesus came not by just the water alone, but by both the water and the blood, and that He is the only One that the Spirit will testify to. The meaning of this verse is highly debated by believers and non-believers alike. So what exactly does John mean here since the text is not exactly perfectly clear? There are a number of locations in the Bible where the text expects its reader to understand not only context but also how words, terms, figures of speech, and names were used previously in the Bible (not unlike reading a novel, since the author expects you to start reading from the beginning). This is one of those locations, we need to look how the Bible treats the subjects of water, blood, and the Spirit. Only then can we begin to see what John is talking about.
Some readers think that since water and blood are mentioned it must be a reference to the time after Jesus died on the cross when He was pierced by a soldier’s sword and blood and water came out of Him (see John 19:34). However, this only points to Jesus’ humanity and not His divine nature (since all humans would bleed in the same way). Others say that the water in this verse is a reference to His human nature since all humans are born surrounded by water (amniotic fluid) this again does not testify to anything special. Some of the debate circles around whether or not this verse is in the Aorist tense or not. The Greek language has five primary tenses (in the English language we usually only have to contend with three). An Aorist tense generally refers to past events that occurred once and are now done. In the case of the water most believe that this is a reference to Jesus’ baptism. John’s statement about Jesus, “not by the water only” helps us see that all three need to bear witness, which then knocks down the gnostic idea that Jesus received the Spirit at the time of His baptism.
Jesus’ ministry essentially started with His baptism of water (see John 1:32-34) which aligns nicely with the Old Testament requirement of cleansing prior to participating in any sacred activity (although Jesus had no need to be purified as He was without sin). Regarding blood, we see that throughout the Bible, “that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (see Hebrews 9:22 and Leviticus 17:11), and not just any blood, the blood of an innocent person (someone who lived a sinless life, without blemish) is necessary for salvation. The blood that John is referring to would then be Jesus’ death. So how does Jesus’ baptism and death testify to Jesus being our Savior? Paul once asked the question, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:3-5, ESV) Note how baptism and death are connected. On the subject of faith, Paul also wrote, “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:23-28, ESV) Paul is making an unmistakable case that we simply cannot separate baptism (the water) from death (the blood).
Since we are permanently ‘linked’ to Jesus at the time we accept Him as our Savior, Paul would remind us, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:8-15, ESV) The author of Hebrews further clarifies by saying, “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 19:19-22, ESV) We were washed and justified by Jesus and by the Holy Spirit (read 1 Corinthians 6:11 and Titus 3:5). One incredibly important role of the Holy Spirit is to testify (to affirm the truth), He does this by teaching us all things, reminding us everything that Jesus said (read John 14:26), and to help us bear witness of Him (see John 15:26-27).
Between verses seven and eight we run into what is known as a manuscript variant. It appears that several words were added that were not part of the original text. Since these words are only found in eight manuscripts (seen in most of those manuscripts as added notes) and plus the fact that there is no commentator or manuscript that dates earlier than the fourth century that refers to them, they are considered spurious and fake. Sadly, the added words were added to the Textus Receptus and the Latin Vulgate and then on to other versions as they can be seen in the KJV, Luther’s German Bible, Tyndale’s New Testament, the Geneva Bible, and many other translations and versions. Believed to be added in a 4th Century treatise known as the, “Liber Apologeticus,” undoubtedly promoting a stronger case for a Trinitarian viewpoint. Let’s look at the KJV to compare, verse seven reads: “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” This verse attempts to set up a comparison between things that testify to the truth in heaven and those things that testify to the truth on earth. However, the actual text has none of these words nor is there any reference to a location (heaven or earth as found in verse eight of the KJV) making verse seven appear short and somewhat abrupt. In verse eight John says that the testimony of the Spirit, the water and the blood all agree.
1 John 5:9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
John then points out that the testimony of God is greater than the testimony of man. We see that early in the Bible that the agreement of multiple witnesses is required before being accepted (see Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:15-17; John 5:34; 8:17-18). This certainly says a lot about the testimony of man! Even if the truth is known, humans can, and often do, lie for their own benefit or we simply may have our ‘facts’ wrong (like a rumor). That is why John is telling us that if you are going to believe anyone, it should be God!
The ESV uses the word, ‘borne’, which in the English can mean, to hold up and support as well as to remain firm. The Greek word that is translated as borne is actually ‘martyreō’ which is most often translated as ‘witness’, since variations of that word are already used several times in these verses (translated here as testify and testimony), perhaps the translators chose ‘borne’ to appear a little less redundant. In either case it is God who testifies concerning His Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has that testimony in him (see Romans 8:16 and Revelation 19:10). John amplifies this truth by adding that if someone does not believe in the testimony of God they are calling God a liar (similar to 1 John 1:10) and we know God cannot lie (read Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18).
1 John 5:11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
The testimony of God concerning His Son is that God gave us eternal life! The purpose of God’s testimony through the water, the blood, and the Holy Spirit is so that we might receive eternal life (see 1 John 2:25; 4:9), as eternal life can only be found in Jesus. Those that do not have or know the Son of God will not have eternal life with Jesus. The Bible does teach that there will be eternal shame and contempt (read Daniel 12:2) and eternal punishment (read Matthew 25:46) for those who do not believe and accept this testimony. Where will they go? The book of Revelation calls it the “lake of fire” (see Revelation 20:15, also known as hell), where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (see Matthew 13:42, 50). Only in Jesus will you find true life (read John 1:1-5).