5:6-9 How can water and blood bear witness to Jesus?
5:6-9 How can water and blood bear witness to Jesus?
In V6 John names three witnesses - water, blood and the Spirit - that testify to the deity of Jesus which the false teachers were denying (cp 1Jn 5:2, 22-24; 4:2-3, 14-15; 5:1-5, 10-13, 20).
Water refers to Christ's baptism.
It was at His baptism that the Holy Spirit identified Jesus as Messiah - God's anointed one - and God spoke from heaven declaring Him to be His Son (cp Mt 3:13-17). Blood refers to Christ's blood which He shed in His atoning death on the cross for mankind's sins (cp Mt 26:26-28 with Mt 27:24-25; Ac 20:28; Ro 5:8-9; Eph 2:13; Col 1:20-22; He 9:11-14; 1Pe 1:18-19; 1Jn 1:7).
The Spirit refers to the Holy Spirit who testified to the deity of Jesus at His baptism, throughout His earthly ministry, His death and resurrection, and then to all who believe on Him (cp Mt 12:18-21; Lk 4:14-21; Jn 1:29-34; 14:16-17, 26; 15:26-27; 16:13-15; Ac 10:38; Ro 8:16; 1 Pe 3:18-19).
Christ's resurrection from the dead also testified to His deity (cp Psa 2:7 with Ac 13:33).
When Paul quoted Psa 2:7 in Ac 13:33 he was simply illustrating that, by Christ's resurrection, God was formally showing Him to be His Son.
The resurrection fulfilled King David's Old Testament prophecy (cp Ac 13:34-37; 2:22-28 with Psa 16:8-11).
See also comments on Mt 1:18-21, 3:16-17, Lk 1:35(B), Jn 1:1, 5:16-23, 12:41, Ac 13:33, 20:28, Php 2:5-8, Col 2:9, 1Ti 3:16, He 1:5, 5:5, Rev 1:8.