TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 John 5:6–9. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
The faith of the Christian believer (or the believer in Christ) being thus mighty and victorious, it had need to be well founded, to be furnished with unquestionable celestial evidence concerning the divine mission, authority, and office of the Lord Jesus; and it is so; he brings his credentials along with him, and he brings them in a way by which he came and in the witness that attends him.
I.In the way and manner by which he came; not barely by which he came into the world, but by and with which he came, and appeared, and acted, as a Saviour in the world: This is he that came by water and blood. He came to save us from our sins, to give us eternal life, and bring us to God; and, that he might the more assuredly do this, he came by, or with, water and blood. Even Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ, I say, did so; and none but he. And I say it again, not by or with water only, but by and with water and blood, Jo1 5:6. Jesus Christ came with water and blood, as the notes and signatures of the true effectual Saviour of the world; and he came by water and blood as the means by which he would heal and save us. That he must and did thus come in his saving office may appear by our remembering these things: -
1.We are inwardly and outwardly defiled.
(1.)Inwardly, by the power and pollution off sin and in our nature. For our cleansing from this we need spiritual water; such as can reach the soul and the powers of it. Accordingly, there is in and by Christ Jesus the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. And this was intimated to the apostles by our Lord, when he washed their feet, and said to Peter, who refused to be washed, Except I wash thee, thou hast no part in me.
(2.)We are defiled outwardly, by the guilt and condemning power of sin upon our persons. By this we are separated from God, and banished from his favourable, gracious, beatific presence for ever. From this we must be purged by atoning blood. It is the law or determination in the court of heaven that without shedding of blood there shall be no remission, Heb 9:22. The Saviour from sin therefore must come with blood.
2.Both these ways of cleansing were represented in the old ceremonial institutions of God. Persons and things must be purified by water and blood. There were divers washings and carnal ordinances imposed till the time of reformation, Heb 9:10. The ashes of a heifer, mixed with water, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, Heb 9:13; Num 19:9. And likewise almost all things are, by the law, purged with blood, Heb 9:22. As those show us our double defilement, so they indicate the Saviour's two-fold purgation.
3.At and upon the death of Jesus Christ, his side being pierced with a soldier's spear, out of the wound there immediately issued water and blood. This the beloved apostle saw, and he seems to have been affected with the sight; he alone records it, and seems to reckon himself obliged to record it, and seems to reckon himself obliged to record it, as containing something mysterious in it: And he that saw it bore record, and his record is true. And he knoweth, being an eye-witness, that he saith true, that you might believe, and that you might believe this particularly, that out of his pierced side forthwith there came water and blood, Joh 19:34, Joh 19:35. Now this water and blood are comprehensive of all that is necessary and effectual to our salvation. By the water our souls are washed and purified for heaven and the region of saints in light. By the blood God is glorified, his law is honoured, and his vindictive excellences are illustrated and displayed. Whom God hath set forth, or purposed, or proposed, a propitiation through faith in his blood, or a propitiation in or by his blood through faith, to declare his righteousness, that he may be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus, Rom 3:25, Rom 3:26. By the blood we are justified, reconciled, and presented righteous to God. By the blood, the curse of the law being satisfied, and purifying Spirit is obtained for the internal ablution of our natures. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit, the promised Spirit, through faith, Gal 3:13, etc. The water, as well as the blood, issued out of the side of the sacrificed Redeemer. The water and the blood then comprehend all things that can be requisite to our salvation. They will consecrate and sanctify to that purpose all that God shall appoint or make use of in order to that great end. He loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, Eph 5:25-27. He who comes by water and blood is an accurate perfect Saviour. And this is he who comes by water and blood, even Jesus Christ! Thus we see in what way and manner, or, if you please, with what utensils, he comes. But we see his credentials also,
II.In the witness that attends him, and that is, the divine Spirit, that Spirit to whom the perfecting of the works of God is usually attributed: And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, Jo1 5:6. It was meet that the commissioned Saviour of the world should have a constant agent to support his work, and testify of him to the world. It was meet that a divine power should attend him, his gospel, and servants; and notify to the world upon what errand and office they came, and by what authority they were sent: this was done in and by the Spirit of God, according to the Saviour's own prediction, "He shall glorify me, even when I shall be rejected and crucified by men, for he shall receive or take of mine. He shall not receive my immediate office; he shall not die and rise again for you; but he shall receive of mine, shall proceed on the foundation I have laid, shall take up my institution, and truth, and cause, and shall further show it unto you, and by you to the world," Joh 16:14. And then the apostle adds the commendation or the acceptableness of this witness: Because the Spirit is truth, Jo1 5:6. He is the Spirit of God, and cannot lie. There is a copy that would afford us a very suitable reading thus: because, or that, Christ is the truth. And so it indicates the matter of the Spirit's testimony, the thing which he attests, and that is, the truth of Christ: And it is the Spirit that beareth witness that Christ is the truth; and consequently that Christianity, or the Christian religion, is the truth of the day, the truth of God. But it is meet that one or two copies should alter the text; and our present reading is very agreeable, and so we retain it. The Spirit is truth. He is indeed the Spirit of truth, Joh 14:17. And that the Spirit is truth, and a witness worthy of all acceptation, appears in that he is a heavenly witness, or one of the witnesses that in and from heaven bore testimony concerning the truth and authority of Christ. Because (or for) there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And so Jo1 5:7 most appositely occurs, as a proof of the authenticity of the Spirit's testimony; he must needs be true, or even truth itself, if he be not only a witness in heaven, but even one (not in testimony only, for so an angel may be, but in being and essence) with the Father and the Word. But here,
1.We are stopped in our course by the contest there is about the genuineness of Jo1 5:7. It is alleged that many old Greek manuscripts have it not. We shall not here enter into the controversy. It should seem that the critics are not agreed what manuscripts have it and what not; nor do they sufficiently inform us of the integrity and value of the manuscripts they peruse. Some may be so faulty, as I have an old printed Greek Testament so full of errata, that one would think no critic would establish a various lection thereupon. But let the judicious collators of copies manage that business. There are some rational surmises that seem to support the present text and reading. As,
(1.)If we admit Jo1 5:8, in the room of Jo1 5:7, it looks too like a tautology and repetition of what was included in Jo1 5:6, This is he that came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and blood; and it is the Spirit that beareth witness. For there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, the water, and the blood. This does not assign near so noble an introduction of these three witnesses as our present reading does.
(2.)It is observed that many copies read that distinctive clause, upon the earth: There are three that bear record upon the earth. Now this bears a visible opposition to some witness or witnesses elsewhere, and therefore we are told, by the adversaries of the text, that this clause must be supposed to be omitted in most books that want Jo1 5:7. But it should for the same reason be so in all. Take we Jo1 5:6, This is he that came by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. It would not now naturally and properly be added, For there are three that bear record on earth, unless we should suppose that the apostle would tell us that all the witnesses are such as are on earth, when yet he would assure us that one is infallibly true, or even truth itself.
(3.)It is observed that there is a variety of reading even in the Greek text, as in Jo1 5:7. Some copies read hen eisi - are one; others (at least the Complutensian) eis to hen eisin - are to one, or agree in one; and in Jo1 5:8 (in that part that it is supposed should be admitted), instead of the common en tē gē - in earth, the Complutensian reads epi tēs gēs - upon earth, which seems to show that that edition depended upon some Greek authority, and not merely, as some would have us believe, upon the authority either of the vulgar Latin or of Thomas Aquinas, though his testimony may be added thereto.
(4.)The seventh verse is very agreeable to the style and the theology of our apostle; as,
[1.]He delights in the title the Father, whether he indicates thereby God only, or a divine person distinguished from the Son. I and the Father are one. And Yet I am not alone; because the Father is with me. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Grace be with you, and peace from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, Jo2 1:3. Then,
[2.]The name the Word is known to be almost (if not quite) peculiar to this apostle. Had the text been devised by another, it had been more easy and obvious, from the form of baptism, and the common language of the church, to have used the name Son instead of that of the Word. As it is observed that Tertullian and Cyprian use that name, even when they refer to this verse; or it is made an objection against their referring to this verse, because they speak of the Son, not the Word; and yet Cyprian's expression seems to be very clear by the citation of Facundus himself. Quod Johannis apostoli testimonium beatus Cyprianus, Carthaginensis antistes et martyr, in epistol sive libro, quem de Trinitate scripsit, de Patre, Filio, et Spiritu sancto dictum intelligit; ait enim, Dicit Dominus, Ego et Pater unum sumus; et iterum de Patre, Filio, et Spiritu sancto scriptum est, Et hi tres unum sunt. - Blessed Cyprian, the Carthaginian bishop and martyr, in the epistle or book he wrote concerning the Trinity, considered the testimony of the apostle John as relating to the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit; for he says, the Lord says, I and the Father are one; and again, of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit it is written, And these three are one. Now it is nowhere written that these are one, but in Jo1 5:7. It is probable than that St. Cyprian, either depending on his memory, or rather intending things more than words, persons more than names, or calling persons by their names more usual in the church (both in popular and polemic discourses), called the second by the name of the Son rather than of the Word. If any man can admit Facundus's fancy, that Cyprian meant that the Spirit, the water, and the blood, were indeed the Father, Word, and Spirit, that John said were one, he may enjoy his opinion to himself. For, First, He must suppose that Cyprian not only changed all the names, but the apostle's order too. For the blood (the Son), which Cyprian puts second, the apostle puts last. And, Secondly, He must suppose that Cyprian thought that by the blood which issued out of the side of the Son the apostle intended the Son himself, who might as well have been denoted by the water, - that by the water, which also issued from the side of the Son, the apostle intended the person of the Holy Ghost, - that by the Spirit, which in v. 6 is said to be truth, and in the gospel is called the Spirit of truth, the apostle meant the person of the Father, though he is nowhere else so called when joined with the Son and the Holy Ghost. We require good proof that the Carthaginian father could so understand the apostle. He who so understands him must believe too that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, are said to be three witnesses on earth. Thirdly, Facundus acknowledges that Cyprian says that of his three it is written, Et hi tres unum sunt - and these three are one. Now these are the words, not of Jo1 5:8, but of Jo1 5:7. They are not used concerning the three on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; but the three in heaven, the Father, and the Word, and the Holy Ghost. So we are told that the author of the book De baptismo haereticorum, allowed to be contemporary with Cyprian, cites John's words, agreeably to the Greek manuscripts and the ancient versions, thus: Ait enim Johannes de Domino nostro in epistol nos docens, Hic es qui venit per aquam et sanguinem, Jesus Christus, non in aqu tantum, sed in aqu et sanguine; et Spiritus est qui testimonium perhibet, quia Spiritus est veritas; quia tres testimonium perhibent, Spiritus et aqua et sanguis, et isti tres in unum sunt - For John, in his epistle, says concerning our Lord, This is he, Jesus Christ, who came by water and blood, not in water only, but in water and blood; and it is the Spirit that bears witness, because the Spirit is truth; for there are three that bear witness, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and these three agree in one. If all the Greek manuscripts and ancient versions say concerning the Spirit, the water, and the blood, that in unum sunt - they agree in one, then it was not of them that Cyprian spoke, whatever variety there might be in the copies in his time, when he said it is written, unum sunt - they are one. And therefore Cyprian's words seem still to be a firm testimony to v. 7, and an intimation likewise that a forger of the text would have scarcely so exactly hit upon the apostolical name for the second witness in heaven, the Word. Them,
[3.]As only this apostle records the history of the water and blood flowing out of the Saviour's side, so it is he only, or he principally, who registers to us the Saviour's promise and prediction of the Holy spirit's coming to glorify him, and to testify of him, and to convince the world of its own unbelief and of his righteousness, as in his gospel, Joh 14:16, Joh 14:17, Joh 14:26; Joh 15:26; Joh 16:7-15. It is most suitable then to the diction and to the gospel of this apostle thus to mention the Holy Ghost as a witness for Jesus Christ. Then,
(5.)It was far more easy for a transcriber, by turning away his eye, or by the obscurity of the copy, it being obliterated or defaced on the top or bottom of a page, or worn away in such materials as the ancients had to write upon, to lose and omit the passage, than for an interpolator to devise and insert it. He must be very bold and impudent who could hope to escape detection and shame; and profane too, who durst venture to make an addition to a supposed sacred book. And,
(6.)It can scarcely be supposed that, when the apostle is representing the Christian's faith in overcoming the world, and the foundation it relies upon in adhering to Jesus Christ, and the various testimony that was attended him, especially when we consider that he meant to infer, as he does (Jo1 5:9), If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this (which he had rehearsed before) is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. Now in the three witnesses on earth there is neither all the witness of God, nor indeed any witness who is truly and immediately God. The antitrinitarian opposers of the text will deny that either the Spirit, or the water, or the blood, is God himself; but, upon our present reading, here is a noble enumeration of the several witnesses and testimonies supporting the truth of the Lord Jesus and the divinity of his institution. Here is the most excellent abridgment or breviate of the motives to faith in Christ, of the credentials the Saviour brings with him, and of the evidences of our Christianity, that is to be found, I think, in the book of God, upon which single account, even waiving the doctrine of the divine Trinity, the text is worthy of all acceptation.
2.Having these rational grounds on out side, we proceed. The apostle, having told us that the Spirit that bears witness to Christ is truth, shows us that he is so, by assuring us that he is in heaven, and that there are others also who cannot but be true, or truth itself, concurring in testimony with him: For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one, Jo1 5:7.
(1.)Here is a trinity of heavenly witnesses, such as have testified and vouched to the world the veracity and authority of the Lord Jesus in his office and claims, where,
[1.]The first that occurs in order is the Father; he set his seal to the commission of the Lord Christ all the while he was here; more especially, First, In proclaiming him at his baptism, Mat 3:17. Secondly, In confirming his character at the transfiguration, Mat 17:5. Thirdly, In accompanying him with miraculous power and works: If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in him, Joh 10:37, Joh 10:38. Fourthly, In avouching at his death, Mat 27:54. Fifthly, In raising him from the dead, and receiving him up to his glory: He shall convince the world - of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and you see me no more, Joh 16:10, and Rom 1:4.
[2.]The second witness in the Word, a mysterious name, importing the highest nature that belongs to the Saviour of Jesus Christ, wherein he existed before the world was, whereby he made the world, and whereby he was truly God with the Father. He must bear witness to the human nature, or to the man Christ Jesus, in and by whom he redeemed and saved us; and he bore witness, First, By the mighty works that he wrought. Joh 5:17, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Secondly, In conferring a glory upon him at his transfiguration. And we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father, Joh 1:14. Thirdly, In raising him from the dead. Joh 2:19, Destroy this temple, and in three days will I raise it up.
[3.]The third witness is the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit, and august, venerable name, the possessor, proprietor, and author of holiness. True and faithful must he be to whom the Spirit of holiness sets his seal and solemn testimony. So he did to the Lord Jesus, the head of the Christian world; and that in such instances as these: - First, In the miraculous production of his immaculate human nature in the virgin's womb. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, Luk 1:35, etc. Secondly, In the visible descent upon him at his baptism. The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape, Luk 3:22, etc. Thirdly, In an effectual conquest of the spirits of hell and darkness. If I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come unto you, Mat 12:28. Fourthly, In the visible potent descent upon the apostles, to furnish them with gifts and powers to preach him and his gospel to the world after he himself had gone to heaven, Act 1:4, Act 1:5; Act 2:2-4, etc. Fifthly, In supporting the name, gospel, and interest of Christ, by miraculous gifts and operations by and upon the disciples, and in the churches, for two hundred years (Co1 12:7), concerning which see Dr. Whitby's excellent discourse in the preface to the second volume of his Commentary on the New Testament. These are witnesses in heaven; and they bear record from heaven; and they are one, it should seem, not only in testimony (for that is implied in their being three witnesses to one and the same thing), but upon a higher account, as they are in heaven; they are one in their heavenly being and essence; and, if one with the Father, they must be one God.
(2.)To these there is opposed, though with them joined, a trinity of witnesses on earth, such as continue here below: And there are three that bear witness on earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one, Jo1 5:8.
[1.]Of these witnesses the first is the spirit. This must be distinguished from the person of the Holy Ghost, who is in heaven. We must say then, with the Saviour (according to what is reported by this apostle), that which is born of the Spirit is spirit, Joh 3:6. The disciples of the Saviour are, as well as others, born after the flesh. They come into the world endued with a corrupt carnal disposition, which is enmity to God. This disposition must be mortified and abolished. A new nature must be communicated. Old lusts and corruptions must be eradicated, and the true disciple become a new creature. The regeneration or renovation of souls is a testimony to the Saviour. It is his actual though initial salvation. It is a testimony on earth, because it continues with the church here, and is not performed in that conspicuous astonishing manner in which signs from heaven are accomplished. To this Spirit belong not only the regeneration and conversion of the church, but its progressive sanctification, victory over the world, her peace, and love, and joy, and all that grace by which she is made meet for the inheritance of the saints in light.
[2.]The second is the water. This was before considered as a means of salvation, now as a testimony to the Saviour himself, and intimates his purity and purifying power. And so it seems to comprehend, First, The purity of his own nature and conduct in the world. He was holy, harmless, and undefiled. Secondly, The testimony of John's baptism, who bore witness of him, prepared a people for him, and referred them to him, Mar 1:4, Mar 1:7, Mar 1:8. Thirdly, The purity of his own doctrine, by which souls are purified and washed. Now you are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you, Joh 15:3. Fourthly, The actual and active purity and holiness of his disciples. His body is the holy catholic church. Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, Pe1 1:22. And this signed and sealed by, Fifthly, The baptism that he has appointed for the initiation or introduction of his disciples, in which he signally (or by that sign) says, Except I wash thee, thou hast no part in me. Not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, Pe1 3:21.
[3.]The third witness is the blood; this he shed, and this was our ransom. This testifies for Jesus Christ, First, In that it sealed up and finished the sacrifices of the Old Testament, Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Secondly, In that it confirmed his own predictions, and the truth of all his ministry and doctrine, Joh 18:37. Thirdly, In that it showed unparalleled love to God, in that he would die a sacrifice to his honour and glory, in making atonement for the sins of the world, Joh 14:30, Joh 14:31. Fourthly, In that it demonstrated unspeakable love to us; and none will deceive those whom they entirely love, Joh 14:13-15. Fifthly, In that it demonstrated the disinterestedness of the Lord Jesus as to any secular interest and advantage. No impostor and deceiver ever proposes to himself contempt and a violent cruel death, Joh 18:36. Sixthly, In that it lays obligation on his disciple to suffer and die for him. No deceiver would invite proselytes to his side and interest at the rate that the Lord Jesus did. You shall be hated of all men for my sake. They shall put you out of their synagogues; and the time comes that whosoever kills you will think that he doeth God service, Joh 16:2. He frequently calls his servants to a conformity with him in sufferings: Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach, Heb 13:13. This shows that neither he nor his kingdom is of this world. Seventhly, The benefits accruing and procured by his blood (well understood) must immediately demonstrate that he is indeed the Saviour of the world. And then, Eighthly, These are signified and sealed in the institution of his own supper: This is my blood of the New Testament (which ratifies the New Testament), which is shed for many, for the remission of sins, Mat 26:28. Such are the witnesses on earth. Such is the various testimony given to the author of our religion. No wonder if the rejector of all this evidence he judged as a blasphemer of the Spirit of God, and be left to perish without remedy in his sins. These three witnesses (being more different than the three former) are not so properly said to be one as to be for one, to be for one and the same purpose and cause, or to agree in one, in one and the same thing among themselves, and in the same testimony with those who bear record from heaven.
III.The apostle justly concludes, If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God, that he hath testified of his Son, Jo1 5:9. Here we have,
1.A supposition well founded upon the premises. Here is the witness of God, the witness whereby God hath testified of his Son, which surely must intimate some immediate irrefragable testimony, and that of the Father concerning his Son; he has by himself proclaimed and avouched him to the world.
2.The authority and acceptableness of his testimony; and that argued from the less to the greater: If we receive the witness of men (and such testimony is and must be admitted in all judicatories and in all nations), the witness of God is greater. It is truth itself, of highest authority and most unquestionable infallibility. And then there is,
3.The application of the rule to the present case: For this is the witness, and here is the witness of God even of the Father, as well as of the Word and Spirit, which he hath testified of, and wherein he hath attested, his Son. God, that cannot lie, hath given sufficient assurance to the world that Jesus Christ is his Son, the Son of his love, and Son by office, to reconcile and recover the world unto himself; he testified therefore the truth and divine origin of the Christian religion, and that it is the sure appointed way and means of bringing us to God.
Historical interpretation
Five Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
The testimony of men refers to the testimony of people like Moses and the prophets, who were all men of God.
If we accept the testimony of man, the testimony of God is greater, etc. Great is the testimony of man that he gives concerning the Son of God, saying: "The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand" (Psalm 109). And from the person of the Son himself: "The Lord said to me: You are my Son" (Psalm 2). And likewise from the person of the Father speaking about the Son: "He will call upon me, 'You are my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation'" (Psalm 88). "My Father," because I am the Son of God. "My God," because I am man. "The rock of my salvation," because I will suffer and be saved from death. "And I (he says) will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth" (Ibid.). This is a great and true testimony, worthy of all acceptance. The testimony of man concerning the Son of God is great, but much greater is the testimony of God, who has testified himself about his Son when, speaking from heaven, he said: "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Luke 3). Great is the testimony of the forerunner, who, bearing testimony about the Son of God, said: "I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 3). Greater is the testimony of the Father, who sent the Holy Spirit upon him, whom he was always full of, even visibly.
If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater: for this is the testimony of God, which he has testified of his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he does not believe the testimony that God has given of his Son. And this is the testimony, that God has given us eternal life: and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Having said these things, he adds a persuasion of the things that are said, by a lesser argument, saying: If we receive the testimony of men about any common matter, ought we not to receive the testimony from God who is greater? Indeed, is not this testimony about His Son or Christ from God? Therefore, whoever believes in the Son of God, that He is God as the Son of God, has testimony in himself, that is, in himself, believing that he too has been adopted by God through Jesus, the adopted one. Whoever does not believe the truth is subject to two evils, namely disbelief, making God a liar: and furthermore depriving himself of adoption, and thus also of eternal life, which Christ has promised to those who would be adopted by Him: which he also has in himself as it is written in the Gospel: "In Him was life." (Jn. 1:4)
Therefore, whoever has the Son through holy baptism has life. For as many as we have been baptized into Christ, we have also, according to His command, put on Christ. But whoever does not have the Son of God through baptism does not have life, but is dead. For indeed, receiving the dead through sins, He awakens them through holy baptism. (Rom. 6:4) How? As it has often been said, that having been buried with Christ through the immersion that takes place in baptism, he is dead to the world (Gal. 6:14; Col. 2:20), or to worldly desires, and now lives not for himself, but for Christ (Gal. 2:20), walking according to His commandments in newness of life (Rom. 6:4), and no longer giving sin an opportunity to enter covertly.
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Summary
First John 5:9 presents a profound theological truth: if humanity accepts the testimony of other human beings as valid, then the testimony of God Himself, particularly concerning His Son, Jesus Christ, is immeasurably more reliable and authoritative. This verse serves as a cornerstone for Christian faith, asserting that belief in Jesus is not founded on mere human opinion or tradition, but on the unwavering and superior declaration of the Almighty God.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within the concluding section of 1 John, where the apostle is reinforcing the core tenets of Christian faith and assurance. Immediately preceding 1 John 5:9, John has discussed the "three witnesses" on earth—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—which collectively testify to the reality and identity of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who came by water and blood (1 John 5:6-8). Verse 9 then elevates the discussion from these earthly witnesses to the ultimate, divine witness, contrasting it with human testimony and emphasizing its supreme authority. The subsequent verses continue to build on this theme, linking God's witness to the gift of eternal life found in His Son (1 John 5:10-12). The entire epistle aims to provide assurance to believers regarding their salvation and to counter Gnostic-like heresies that denied the true Incarnation of Christ.
Historical & Cultural Context
In the Greco-Roman world of the first century, the concept of "witness" (Greek: martyria) was deeply rooted in legal proceedings. Testimony was crucial for establishing truth and guilt or innocence in a court of law. People relied on credible witnesses to make judgments. John's audience would have understood the weight and importance of testimony. Furthermore, the early church was grappling with various false teachings, particularly proto-Gnostic doctrines that denied the full humanity or deity of Jesus. These false teachers often presented their own "witness" or interpretations, which contradicted apostolic teaching. John's emphasis on God's witness directly counters these human-derived, fallible claims, establishing an objective, divine standard of truth concerning Jesus' identity and saving work.
Key Themes
The central themes woven into 1 John 5:9 include the Superiority of God's Witness, which asserts that divine testimony far surpasses any human declaration in truthfulness and authority. This highlights God's perfect veracity and infallibility, providing an unshakeable foundation for faith, unlike fallible human opinions. Another crucial theme is the Centrality of God's Testimony about His Son. The core of God's witness is His declaration concerning Jesus Christ, establishing Jesus' unique identity as the Son of God and validating His mission and atoning work. This divine affirmation is not merely theoretical but has been powerfully demonstrated, as seen in God's own voice at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17) and transfiguration (Matthew 17:5). Finally, the verse underscores the Foundation for Faith and Assurance. For believers, this divine witness provides a solid basis for conviction. Our faith in Jesus is not built on human speculation but on the unwavering testimony of God Himself, which brings profound assurance of salvation and eternal life, knowing that God's declaration about His Son is absolutely trustworthy (1 John 5:13).
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb signifies "to take," "to get hold of," or "to accept." In the context of "receiving the witness of men," it implies an act of acknowledging, believing, or giving credence to human testimony. The use of this word sets up the comparison: if we are willing to accept human witness, how much more should we embrace God's witness.
Derived from martys (witness), this noun refers to "evidence given," "testimony," or "proof." It carries a strong legal connotation, emphasizing a verifiable declaration. Its repeated use throughout the verse and surrounding passage underscores the foundational importance of reliable evidence for faith.
This is the irregular comparative form of megas (great). It denotes not merely a quantitative difference but a qualitative superiority. God's witness is not just "more" witness, but witness of an entirely different, higher order in terms of authority, reliability, and significance. It is supreme in every regard, providing absolute certainty where human testimony might falter or deceive.
Verse Breakdown
"If we receive the witness of men,"
This opening clause establishes a common ground for argument. It acknowledges the human practice of accepting testimony from other people in daily life, whether in legal matters, historical accounts, or personal relationships. The conditional "If" (Greek: ei) sets up a logical premise that leads to the subsequent, more profound conclusion.
"the witness of God is greater:"
Here, the direct comparison is made. Given that human testimony is accepted, God's testimony is declared to be of a superior nature. The term "greater" (Greek: meízōn) signifies not just a quantitative difference but a qualitative supremacy in truth, authority, and reliability. God, by His very nature, cannot lie or be mistaken, making His witness perfectly trustworthy and ultimate.
"for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son."
This final clause clarifies the specific content and object of God's supreme witness. The "this" refers directly to God's testimony concerning Jesus Christ. The verb "testified" (Greek: martyréō) reiterates the act of giving witness, emphasizing that God Himself has authoritatively declared the truth about His Son. This divine declaration concerning Jesus' identity, mission, and saving work is the ultimate foundation for Christian faith.
Literary Devices
The verse prominently employs Comparison and Contrast, setting the "witness of men" against the "witness of God" to highlight the latter's immeasurable superiority. This is further emphasized by the use of the comparative adjective "greater." Another key device is Repetition, with the word "witness" (or its verbal form "testified") appearing four times in this short verse. This repetition serves to underscore the central theme of testimony and its crucial role in establishing truth, particularly divine truth. The verse also functions as a powerful Assertion or Declaration, making a definitive statement about the nature and object of God's testimony, thereby providing an unshakeable foundation for the reader's faith.
Theological and Thematic Connections
First John 5:9 encapsulates a foundational principle of Christian theology: the ultimate source of truth is God Himself. It underscores the concept of divine revelation, asserting that God has not left humanity to grope in the dark but has actively and authoritatively testified concerning the most crucial reality—the identity and work of His Son, Jesus Christ. This divine witness serves as the bedrock for all Christian doctrine, establishing the objective truth of who Jesus is and what He accomplished. It means our faith is not based on subjective feelings or human philosophies, but on the infallible declaration of the Creator of the universe. This truth provides profound assurance and stability for believers, knowing that their hope is grounded in God's own word.
Reflection and Application
In a world saturated with conflicting narratives, subjective truths, and a pervasive skepticism towards absolute claims, 1 John 5:9 offers a vital anchor. It calls us to critically evaluate the sources of our beliefs and to recognize the supreme authority of God's witness. For believers, this means intentionally grounding our faith not in fleeting human opinions, cultural trends, or even our own shifting emotions, but in the steadfast, unchangeable testimony of God concerning His Son. This truth should cultivate a deep sense of assurance and peace, knowing that our salvation and eternal hope are built upon the most reliable foundation imaginable. It also challenges us to share this divine truth with conviction, understanding that we are proclaiming not merely a human philosophy, but God's own declaration about the Savior of the world.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean that "the witness of God is greater"?
This phrase emphasizes the absolute superiority and reliability of God's testimony compared to any human testimony. While human witnesses can be fallible, mistaken, or even deceptive, God is perfectly truthful and infallible. His witness carries ultimate authority because He is the source of all truth, and His declarations are unchangeable and perfectly accurate. Therefore, when God testifies, especially concerning His Son, it is the most trustworthy and foundational truth available.
How has God "testified of his Son"?
God has testified of His Son in multiple ways throughout history. This includes direct audible declarations, such as at Jesus' baptism (Matthew 3:17) and Transfiguration (Matthew 17:5), where He proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." God also testified through the miraculous works Jesus performed, which were empowered by the Father (John 5:36). Furthermore, the Old Testament Scriptures bear witness to Christ, as they point forward to His coming and work (Luke 24:27). Ultimately, the entire life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are God's profound testimony to His Son's identity and saving mission.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
First John 5:9 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the very embodiment and object of God's supreme witness. Jesus is not merely the subject of God's testimony; He is God's testimony made flesh. The Incarnation itself is God's profound declaration to humanity, revealing His nature and His plan of salvation in the most tangible way possible (John 1:14). Jesus is presented as the "faithful and true witness" (Revelation 1:5), perfectly reflecting the Father's character and will. His life, teachings, miracles, and especially His atoning death and glorious resurrection, are the irrefutable evidence of God's love and power, validating His identity as the Son of God (Romans 1:4). The Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son, continues to bear witness to Christ in the hearts of believers, confirming the truth of God's testimony and empowering them to live in light of it (John 15:26). Thus, in Christ, God's witness is not just spoken, but lived, demonstrated, and eternally secured.