And there are three that bear witness on earth To the same important doctrine concerning Christ, the Son of God, and salvation through him; the Spirit, the water, and the blood The Spirit here, distinguished from the Holy Ghost in the preceding verse, seems to mean, 1st, That influence of the Spirit, which, in a peculiar manner, attended the preaching of the gospel by the apostles and first ministers of the Word, in that early age of Christianity: together with the extraordinary gifts of the Spirit, which remained with the church for a considerable time. 2d, The inspired writers of the apostles and the evangelists, bearing witness to the doctrine of Christ, when they were deceased; including the predictions uttered by holy men of old, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, concerning the coming and character of the Messiah, which had been punctually fulfilled in him; and including also the predictions uttered by Christ concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, and the calamities coming on the Jewish nation, with divers other predictions, particularly those concerning the coming of false Christs and false prophets, which were already in part accomplished when St. John wrote this epistle and the rest, he knew, soon would be accomplished. Certainly, the inspired Scriptures, including the predictions of the prophets, and of Christ and his apostles, sealed by their accomplishment, are one grand proof on earth of the truth of Christianity, and of the doctrine of salvation contained therein. And the water Of baptism, emblematical of the washing of regeneration, and of that purity of life consequent thereon, to which we are obliged, and which we in effect promise when we devote ourselves to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost in that ordinance: and which, when evidenced in our conduct, is a convincing proof of the truth of Christianity, and of our title to that eternal life which is revealed in it. And the blood The Lord's supper, appointed as a memorial of, and testimony to, the sacrifice of the death of Christ, till his second coming; and which exhibits the atoning blood of Christ, from age to age, as the procuring cause of the pardon of sin, and all the spiritual blessings consequent thereon, bestowed on true believers. It may be proper to observe here, that there is also another respect in which these two ordinances of baptism and the Lord's supper may be considered as evidences of the truth of Christianity. It is certain that such ordinances are in use among Christians: now, how came this to be the case? When, and how were they introduced? What was their origin? The gospels inform us. If we admit the account they give, we must of necessity admit the truth of Christianity, with which that account is closely connected. If any do not admit that account, let them give another: but this they cannot do. That account therefore is just; and, of consequence, Christianity is not a forgery, but a divine institution. As the blood here implies the testimony which Christ bore to the truth of the gospel, especially of that most essential article of it, his being the Son of God, so it may also represent that testimony which is borne to the truth by the sufferings of those who, in different ages and nations, have sealed it with their blood; which is a strong proof of the conviction they had of its truth and importance, and of the virtue and excellence of that religion which enabled them so to do. And these three agree in one In bearing one and the same testimony, namely, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah, the only Saviour of sinners; in and through whom alone the guilty, depraved, weak, and miserable children of men can obtain spiritual and eternal life; the testimony specified 1 John 5:11-12.
Bengelius thinks there has been a transposition of these two verses, and that this latter, concerning the three that bear witness on earth, was placed by St. John before that which respects the witnesses in heaven; and that it must appear to every reasonable man how absolutely necessary the contested verse is. “St. John,” says he, “could not think of the testimony of the Spirit, and water, and blood, and subjoin, the testimony of God is greater, without thinking also of the testimony of the Son and Holy Ghost; yea, and mentioning it in so solemn an enumeration. Nor can any possible reason be devised why, without three testifying in heaven, he should enumerate three, and no more, who testify on earth. The testimony of all is given on earth, and not in heaven; but they who testify are part on earth, part in heaven. The witnesses who are on earth, testify chiefly concerning his abode on earth, though not excluding his state of exaltation. the witnesses who are in heaven testify chiefly concerning his glory at God's right hand, though not excluding his state of humiliation. The former, therefore, concerning the witnesses on earth, with the 6th verse, contains a recapitulation of the whole economy of Christ, from his baptism to pentecost: that concerning the witnesses in heaven, contains the sum of the divine economy, from the time of his exaltation. Hence it further appears, that the position of the two verses, which places those who testify on earth before those who testify in heaven, is abundantly preferable to the other, and affords a gradation admirably suited to the subject.”