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The Blue Letter Bible

Chuck Smith :: Sermon Notes for 1 John 5:6

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I. "THIS IS HE THAT CAME BY WATER AND BLOOD."
JOH 19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.
JOH 19:35 And he that saw [it] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.
A. John was near the cross when Jesus was crucified, near enough to see that when the soldier pierced the side of Jesus that not only blood flowed from His side, but water also. John seems to think that this is an important event to record, and to affirm that the record is true.
1. Doctors tell us that the water mixed with the blood when His heart was pierced is an indication that He died of a ruptured heart, or as we might say, a broken heart.
2. Some commentators believe that this had special significance to John though they are not certain as to the significance, and that mystically it is tied with this verse.
3. He emphasizes here, not by water only, but by water and the blood.
B. It is more likely that John has in mind the teaching of the Gnostics which had begun to infiltrate the church. They were an early sect that professed to have superior knowledge and revelation. The basic teaching declared that all material things were evil. That only spirit was good, thus God being Spirit could not have created the material universe. That there were emanations that went out from God and each emanation was further and further away, until there was an emanation that was so far from God it did not even know God, and that was the emanation that created the material universe. They taught that Jesus became the Christ at His baptism, and that He taught the things of God, but in the Garden of Gethsemene that the God part left Him and He died a man.
1. Thus John is emphasizing that it was not by water only, but by water and the blood. That is to say that His divinity did not leave Him before the cross.
a. It is interesting that at His baptism the voice of the Father spoke from heaven testifying of Him. "This is My beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased."
2. The scripture teaches that God was in Christ reconciling the the world to Himself. That His divinity did not leave Him before He died on the cross.
HEB 9:13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
HEB 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
II. "AND IT IS THE SPIRIT BEARETH WITNESS, BECAUSE THE SPIRIT IS TRUTH."
A. John is very careful to provide witnesses to verify the truth.
DEU 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.
JOH 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name [was] John.
JOH 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all [men] through him might believe.
JOH 1:8 He was not that Light, but [was sent] to bear witness of that Light.
JOH 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, you will say my witness is not true.
JOH 5:32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
JOH 5:33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
JOH 5:36 But I have greater witness than [that] of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
JOH 5:37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
JOH 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
JOH 8:18 I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.
JOH 10:25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.
JOH 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
B. John here affirms to the truth of the witness of the Spirit. "For the Spirit is truth."
JOH 14:17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
JOH 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, [even] the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
JOH 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
III. FOR THERE ARE THREE THAT BARE RECORD IN HEAVEN, THE FATHER, THE WORD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND THESE THREE ARE ONE.
A. This is a highly disputed scripture.
1. There have been many questions raised as to the authenticity. Questions as to whether it was in the original text, or added later by a copyist.
2. You can well understand why this verse would create great controversy, because it declares the triunity of the Godhead.
3. Many Bible Scholars are quick to point out that this verse does not appear in many of the oldest manuscripts, and is found in the Latin manuscripts but for the most part does not appear in the Greek manuscripts.
B. Jesus has already declared however that He and the Father are one.
JOH 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
JOH 5:23 That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
JOH 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
JOH 10:30 I and [my] Father are one.
JOH 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
JOH 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou [then], Shew us the Father?
C. It is a typical biblical style to repeat a statement twice with slight variations.
1. Three that bear witness in heaven.
2. Three that bear witness on earth.
3. In verse 6 John speaks of the witness of the Holy Spirit.
4. Now in verse 7 he speaks of the three that bear record in heaven
a. The Father.
b. The Word, who is Jesus.
c. And the Holy Spirit.
IV. THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR WITNESS ON EARTH.
A. The Spirit. God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.
B. The Water. Jesus speaking of the Holy Spirit said that it would be like a river of living water gushing forth from your life.
C. The Blood. That would be a reference to Jesus whose blood was shed for the remission of our sins.
D. These three agree in one.
E. Others see this as:
1. The Spirit in the word, cinfirmed in the miracles wrought by the Holy Spirit as He confirmed the word.
2. The water, in baptism, where we are identified with Jesus is His death and resurrection.
3. The blood, represented in the Lord's Supper as we take the cup.
F. So through the word, through the baptism, and the Lord's Supper the church bears witness.
V. JOHN WRITES:
1JO 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. Just what is it that they all bare witness of? That will have to wait till next week.
Sermon Notes for 1 John 5:4 ← Prior Section
Sermon Notes for 1 John 5:9 Next Section →
Sermon Notes for 2 Peter 1:2-4 ← Prior Book
Sermon Notes for 2 John 1:4 Next Book →
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