I John 5:4-21
Sorry for the late post, folks, but pageant practice took precedence…!
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. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. (vv. 6-8) My understanding… Here, John is confronting the Gnostics who say that Jesus was only man while He walked the earth, that He was born a man and died a man. (Maybe John can shed more light on Gnostic thinking.) But my understanding is that the “water” is Jesus’ Baptism, where the Spirit descended upon Him and the Father spoke. The “blood” is Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection – His Resurrection proving His divinity. And the Spirit was given at Pentecost as Jesus had promised (John 14:16, John 16:7) at the Last Supper. So these three – the water (Baptism), the blood (Crucifixion and Resurrection) and the Spirit (Pentecost) all testify to Jesus’ divinity while here on earth. Yes, it’s confusing, but that’s how I put it together.
Today’s “one word” is “know”, appearing seven times in today’s reading:
We know that we have eternal life. (v. 13)
We know that He hears us and that He honors our requests. (v. 15)
We know that everyone born of God does not keep sinning. (v. 18)
We know that we are from God and that the world is in the power of the devil. (v. 19)
Finally, we know that Jesus has come and given us understanding; that we know Him and are in Him; and that He is the True God and Eternal Life.
If we know these things, all our “necessary” questions should be answered!!
Blessings!
Fred