1 John 5:8-21
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7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood—and these three are in agreement.
Witness
In these words there is a obvious allusion to the stipulation of the Mosaic law requiring the corroborative evidence of two or three witnesses.
6 The one condemned to die is to be executed on the testimony of two or three witnesses. No one is to be executed on the testimony of a single witness.
16 But if he won’t listen, take one or two others with you, so that by the testimony of two or three witnesses every fact may be established.
17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.
The effect here is to underscore the trustworthiness of the witness to Jesus Christ.
We also have a continuing witness. The Spirit, the water, and the blood “bear witness” present tense.
The water and the blood are references to particular events by which Christ fulfilled His messianic mission.
9 If we accept human testimony, God’s testimony is greater, because it is God’s testimony that he has given about his Son. 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
5:9
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 5
Both Jewish and Roman law depended on witnesses who bore clear testimony to establish the facts of a legal case.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 5
A sin that doesn’t lead to death (cp. v. 17) is a sin for which forgiveness is possible (1:9). Sin that leads to death may be the flagrant offenses against God that so much of 1 John warns against. John may have been speaking about apostasy (falling away from Jesus; denying the apostolic truth). John called on his readers to leave these offenses and offenders in God’s hands rather than agonizing in prayer about them. “Death” means spiritual death and eternal separation from God.
13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have before him: If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears whatever we ask, we know that we have what we have asked of him. 16 If anyone sees a fellow believer committing a sin that doesn’t lead to death, he should ask, and God will give life to him—to those who commit sin that doesn’t lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin that doesn’t lead to death. 18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not sin, but the one who is born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world is under the sway of the evil one. 20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.