1 John 5:7-8 7For there are three who witness: 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and the three are one.
The obscurity of what John means continues as he joins the Spirit, water, and blood together. If he is referring to the key moments of Jesus’ life of baptism and crucifixion, then these events bear testimony to Jesus being the Son of God. It was at Jesus’ baptism that the voice from heaven confirmed, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). There are three key thoughts in this statement: the special relationship of Jesus with God as Son and Father, the love shared between Father and Son, and the good favor of Jesus before God because of Jesus’ faithfulness and obedience as the Incarnated Word. Jesus’ shedding of innocent and sinless blood for the sins of the whole world confirmed this voice in fulfillment of Isaiah 53 and other Old Testament passages. Jesus’ death on the cross reveals the depth of God’s love for sinful humanity (Romans 5:8).
It is significant that the Spirit is mentioned first since the Spirit is the primary witness to the truth about Jesus. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and subsequently to everyone who believes confirms the love of the Father to Son and Son to Father. The Holy Spirit is the one by whom we experience the Triune love. The blessing of this witness is available to those who follow the course John has laid out in this letter: confessing one’s sins, believing in Jesus, and walking in obedience to his command to love. Following this path will lead us to a deeper experience of God’s love. Crucial aspects of Christian theology are joined together in this short book.