THE THREE THAT TESTIFY - 1 JOHN 5:6-8

Verses 6-8: This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.

In the previous installment, the theological meaning of the water and the blood was defined as they pertain to the earthly mission of Jesus Christ. Ryrie asserts that they are the “verification of Christ’s credentials”1 as the Son of God (v. 5).

The One Who Came

 Now John clarifies the influential means by which Our Lord came to fulfill His earthly ministry by emphasizing that it was “not with water only.” But, in contrast to the belief that His baptism could stand alone to validate that the Father sent Him, John maintains that it is the water and the blood that substantiate Jesus Christ’s divine mission. But this cannot be understood as truth unless the theological meaning of the water and the blood is accurately interpreted.    

·        The water refers to His baptism: the inaugural event of His earthly ministry, by which He fulfilled the Jewish Law prescribed by Moses for the ordination of priests (Leviticus 8:6).

•  The blood refers to His violent death: the completion of His earthly ministry by crucifixion as the substitutionary sacrifice on behalf of the sins of the entire world (1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2).

  These inseparable events substantiate the entire earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. He came having been divinely sent by the Father by His incarnation, thus becoming the unique person of the universe, the God-Man: He “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). It was in human flesh that Our Lord accomplished His divine mission. Again, John is confronting the widespread Gnostic heresy advocated by Cerinthus, who was mentioned in the introduction to this epistle. Cerinthus taught that Our Lord was not human but a phantom, an apparition. He denied the conception and physical birth of Jesus Christ, claiming that Our Lord had what only seemed or appeared to be a real body, yet able “to converse, to eat, to suffer, and to die.”2 These Gnostic adherents rejected Our Lord’s hypostatic union of “two distinct and dissimilar natures.”3 Instead they regarded Him as two unconnected entities: Jesus, the man and Christ, as deity/God. Lightfoot explained that they “supposed that the Christ entered Jesus at the time of His baptism and left him at the moment of His crucifixion. Thus the Christ was neither born as a man nor suffered as a man.”4

The Spirit of Truth

John’s opposition to the Gnostic heresy is centered on two particular points: first, their erroneous teachings of Our Lord’s Incarnation, claiming that Jesus was the “natural son of Joseph and Mary.”5 Secondly, their dismissal of the divine nature of His earthly ministry; encompassing His baptism to His crucifixion and everything in between, including His miraculous signs and teachings, even denying the actuality of Our Lord’s bodily resurrection from the dead and ascension into heaven.

John maintains that his truth claims are not based upon human viewpoint, as something that he personally fabricated. Instead he wisely gives proper credit to the testimony of the Holy Spirit: “It is the Spirit who testifies.” This word testify comes from the Greek word meaning “to bear witness.”6 Here the Holy Spirit is the irrefutable witness to the person and earthly works of Jesus Christ. For the Holy Spirit was instrumental in His incarnation (Luke 1:35); was at His baptism (Mark 1:10); empowered Our Lord in His works and miracles (Matthew 12:31–32) and raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).

John attests to the truthfulness of the Holy Spirit’s testimony having been told by Jesus that the promised Helper “is the Spirit of truth” (John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13). And now John amplifies Our Lord statement by declaring that “the Spirit is the truth” meaning that the Holy Spirit is the undeniable possessor and propagator of absolute truth. John believes this, and so can we.

The Three Witnesses

In verses 7 and 8, John declares that in fact there are three consistent and reliable witnesses that corroborate the authenticity of the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the One having been sent by the Father. This is John’s objective in all of his writings, to provide the definitive foundation that others may believe in Christ for eternal life:

But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31)

John enumerates these three witnesses: the Spirit, the water and the blood. It should be noted that the Holy Spirit is a genuine person, but the water and the blood are not, yet John personifies them as equal witnesses with the Spirit. The identification of three witnesses recalls the requirement from the Law handed down to Moses, at first instructed in Numbers 35:30 that “no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness” (cf. Deuteronomy 17:6). It was expanded upon in Deuteronomy 19:15 as a general guideline for resolving disputes, ruling that “on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.” This directive is emphasizes throughout the New Testament: Matthew 18:16; John 8:17-18; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28. Thus, John supplies us with the prescribed three witnesses required to disprove the Gnostic heresy, stating adamantly in verse 8 that these three witnesses are in absolute “agreement.” The Greek states that literally they are indivisibly united as one, making them legitimate witnesses.

Their Agreement

The Holy Spirit bears witness of Christ throughout this age concerning His divine works and righteousness and He will ever glorify Him (John 15:26; 16:8-14). He is the Helper and power source for the believer today (Acts 1:8; Romans 15:13). The water refers to the beginning of Our Lord’s earthly ministry—His baptism, attended by His Father and the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22). The blood indicates the culmination of His divine mission—His crucifixion, the accomplishment of salvation for all mankind (John 17:4; 19:30).

Collectively, the Spirit, the water and the blood eternally testify to the reality that Jesus Christ was indeed the beloved Son of God. As God, having been sent by the Father to earth in the form of man, He fulfilled the divine will of His Father (John 6:38; Luke 22:42).

---

[1] Ryrie, C. C. (1995). Ryrie Study Bible: New American Standard Bible, 1995 update. Chicago: Moody Press, p.1997.

[2] Barnes, Albert (2005). Notes on the New Testament (R. Frew, Ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, XIII.2.276.

[3] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press, 1.382.

[4] Lightfoot, J.B. (1999). St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians and Philemon, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, p.264.

[5] Lenski, R.C.H. (2001). Commentary on the New Testament, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 11.524.

[6] Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G3140.

 

© 2025 David M. Rossi 

 

JESUS CHRIST, THE ONE WHO CAME - 1 JOHN 5:6

Verse 6: This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

John begins with an emphatic declarative statement of undeniable truth: that this Son of God (v. 5), Jesus Christ, is the One who came. Who came refers specifically to the factual historic event of His Incarnation when the preexistent Son of God was sent from His heavenly dwelling to do God’s will (John 6:38); and that the effectual agency of water and blood was the means that authenticated His coming. The quality of the water and blood in the opening phrase is not regarding merely these physical elements but is designed to accentuate significant spiritual truths.

The Water

The water indicates His baptism by John the baptizer, inaugurating His earthly ministry and certifying that He was the One sent by the Father (John 5:37–38). The explanation that follows may come as a surprise revelation for some. For Jesus was not sent to earth for the Church, but for the Jewish nation as their long awaited Messiah, their priest (Hebrews 3:1), prophet (Luke 13:33; Deuteronomy 18:15; cf. Acts 3:22) and king of their restored kingdom (Matthew 2:2; John 1:49).

The baptism that John administered was for repentance in preparing the nation for their Messiah, as he had proclaimed: “Repent, for the “kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2, 11). Chafer clarifies that “This is not a gospel call, but one leading to restoration of a covenant people into its right and original relationship to God (cf. Matthew 4:12-17).”1 There was nothing mystical or magical in the physical water used in this baptism, it was a symbolic ritual for the cleansing of their sin.

It is the view of many scholars that believe Our Lord was baptized by John “in order to be identified (the real meaning of the word ‘baptized’) with sinners”2 or to demonstrate “His solidarity with sinners.”3 However, His baptism was not to identify with sinners, nor did He need cleansing from sin, for He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 John 3:5). Instead, as He told John, His baptism was “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15), meaning that in order for Our Lord to commence His earthly ministry, He needed to be anointed according to the customary practice of the Jewish Law. Since Jesus is our great High Priest (Hebrews 3:1; 4:14) it was necessary for Him to submit to the ordination of priests prescribed by Moses in Leviticus 8, which included a ceremonial washing (v. 6); this was satisfied by His baptism.

The Blood

The Levitical requirement for the ordination of priest also included the offering of a blood sacrifice (Leviticus 8:15ff). Our Lord satisfied this requirement by personally being the blood offering (Hebrews 10). Here, John reference of the blood relates to Our Lord’s violent death of crucifixion as the completion of His earthly ministry. This was confirmed on the cross when He declared: “‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit” (John 19:30).

The accurate meaning of the blood of Christ was discussed in 1 John 1:7, but it is worth repeating for clarification. Carson, among other biblical scholars, agrees that for decades speculations regarding the literal blood of Christ have been “irresponsibly mystical and theologically misleading.”4 The truth is that the Greek word for ‘blood’ does not always refer to the literal liquid that is “indispensable for the maintenance of life in both human beings and animals.”5 But instead, as defined by the highly regarded Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, it is variously denoted in Greek literature as a “‘violently destroyed life’, ‘death’ or ‘murder’” It is “also used for ‘to kill,’ though with no specific reference to the actual shedding of blood.”6 The article goes on to explain that “The interest of the New Testament is not in the material blood of Christ, but in His shed blood as the life violently taken from Him.”7

The blood of Christ represents His atoning work of bearing our sins and the sins of the world on the cross (1 John 2:2; 1 Peter 2:24). Since all mankind are considered spiritually “dead in our transgressions [sins]” (Ephesians 2:5), this makes us enemies of God. Thus sin spiritually separates mankind from God and dooms man to eternal death—“The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20a ESV). This is spiritual death, eternal separation from God. The Apostle Paul concludes that even though we were enemies, God the Father resolved our predicament “through the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10):

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

It is beyond our ability to comprehend how the Son of God as the sin bearer could experience spiritual separation from God, but that is exactly what His atoning work entailed. He suffered that same spiritual death we deserved—separation from God. And while He was still alive on the cross, He suffered that awful penalty for our sins, crying out: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:54). Then when it was concluded He declared, while He was still alive: “It is finished” (John 19:30).

Mission Accomplished

The water and blood signifies the events of the earthly mission of Jesus Christ, the unique God-man, the One Who came, sent by the Father. At Our Lord’s baptism of water, the Father certified the onset of His mission when “a voice out of heaven said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased’” (Matthew 3:17). And the blood indicated the completion of His earthly mission; a finale being as equally dramatic as His baptism:

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. (Luke 23:44–46)

“It is finished!” (John 19:30)

---

[1] Chafer, Lewis Sperry (1976). Systematic Theology, Dallas, TX: Dallas Seminary Press,  7.266.

[2] Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds.). Victor Books, 2.25.

[3] Beetham, Christopher A. (Ed.) (2021). The Concise New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Academic, p.134

[4] Carson, D.A. (2004). Exegetical Fallacies. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, p. 34.

[5] Beetham, p. 32.

[6] Behm, Johannes (1964–). αἷμα. In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich, Eds.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1.173.

[7] Behm, 1.174.

 

© 2025 David M. Rossi 

 

OUR VICTORY OVER THE WORLD - 1 JOHN 5:4-5

Verses 4-5: For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (ESV)

The opening word for indicates that John is continuing his thought from verse 3 by supplying the reason that God’s commandments are not burdensome. Briefly, the reason is that everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world; this is the resultant status of their faith—having believed in Christ for salvation. The world, as Smith aptly declares, refers to “the sum of all the forces antagonistic to the spiritual life.”1 For the believers to have overcome the world means they have overcome the ruler and influencer of the world, the evil one (2:13–14), whose chief aim is to dissuade mankind from believing in Christ, causing them to perish eternally. Therefore, John is able to assert that everyone who believes in Christ exists as a permanent victor over the evil one; having thwarted the evil one’s intent upon distracting us from fulfilling the plan of God for our life.

However, he points out that there is a dual aspect of our faith victory of having overcome the world: it is procured at the moment we are born of God, when we believed in Jesus Christ as or Savior; and our faith is the provision for our empowerment over the forces of the world that continue to oppress us throughout our Christian life.

Faith

A vitally important note needs to be made about John’s use of this word faith, since this is the only time he uses it in his epistles or gospel account. The word does appear 4 times in the Revelation, so understanding how John uses it there can clarify its meaning here. First it should be pointed out that the believers’ faith always has an object: faith in Jesus Christ for salvation as John conveys in Revelation 14:12: Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

But John appears to employ a broader significance to the word faith by indicating “that which is believed, body of faith or belief, doctrine,”2 meaning the content of God’s Word which the Christian has learned, believes and practices. This is the impression John gives in the other times he uses faith in Revelation (2:13, 19; 13:10). It is also how the apostle Paul views the word faith (Romans 1:5; 12:6; Galatians 1:23; 3:23–5). Yet, in our passage John seems to merge both concepts of faith that enables the believer to overcome the world: by the content of what we believe, and in verse 5, by believing “that Jesus is the Son of God” as the object of our faith.

Therefore, our faith in Jesus secures our victory over the world, but also, as John described in 2:14, because “you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” This is the identical concept Our Lord conveyed to the believing Jews in John 8:31–32:

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

The truth He is referring to is the content of His Word, the doctrine that embodies the beliefs of our faith. Thus, as a result of our knowledge and proper application of His truth in our lives we are free, victorious over the slavery of sin which the world and the evil one advocates and entices. Yet, our faith is not intended to be idle or motionless; it is to be a dynamic faith in Christ that should actively motivate us to know and abide in His word, aspiring to reach spiritual maturity and to consistently reside in the sphere of His love relationship.

Overcoming the World

The Greek word for overcome is nike, from which the American athletic footwear and apparel corporation ‘Nike’ derives its name. It simply means victory as demonstrated by an action that overthrows an opposing force and is manifest for all to see.3 This concept of overcoming is unique to John’s writings, as he employs this word 25 out of the 34 times it appears in the New Testament. What must have reverberated in John’s mind was what he heard Our Lord proclaim just prior to His crucifixion:

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We might correctly ask: How had Our Lord overcome the world? Clearly, from the very beginning of His Incarnation He had been under attack by the demonic opposition of the evil one, Satan: King Herod’s attempt to kill Him (Matthew 2:16); the temptations of the devil while in the wilderness (Luke 4:1-13); the planned stoning by the Jews (John 8:59; 10:31); the conspiracy of the Pharisees and scribes to destroy and kill Him (Matthew 12:14; Mark 14:1), and their attributing that His power to cast out demons came from “the ruler of demons” (Matthew 9:34; Mark 3:22); the disputation of His deity by the Jews (John 5:18; 10:33; 19:7). This was the onslaught of Satan, the evil one (2:13) who Christ vanquished. But Our Lord’s resurrection from the dead was His ultimate triumph—the victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:12ff).

The Question

The question in verse 5 is one that each of us should contemplate: are we able to say that we have overcome the world? Here John is stating that we can only affirm this if we have believed that “Jesus is the Son of God.” This belief is interconnected with what John expressed in 4:2 of those who confess “that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.” These are the ones who believe that He is the unique person of the universe—both God and man in hypostatic union. Paul proclaimed this precisely: “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). Therefore, upon the certainty of this truth exists the relevancy of our faith; not only our belief in Christ for salvation, but also the basis of the content of the doctrines we believe and hold to steadfastly (Philippians 2:16). To believe otherwise violates the doctrines of Scripture and is the deceptive heresy of the Gnostics.

---

[1] Smith, David (1990). In The Expositor’s Greek Testament (Nicoll, W. Robertson, Ed.), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 5.194.

[2] Arndt, W., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (1979). In A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, p. 664.

[3] Bauernfeind, Otto. 1964–. Νίκη, In Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich, Eds.), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 4:942.

 

© 2025 David M. Rossi