Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 5 · Verse 6
1 JOHN 5.6.
This is he that came by water and blood: even Jeſus Chriſt, not by water onelyonly, but by water and blood: and it is the Spirit that beareth witneſſe, becauſe the Spirit is truth.
IN the former verſ. he had ſhewed, that faith overcoming the world, is faith in the divinity and Sonſhip of Chriſt. Now in theſe words he deſcribes Chriſt the object of our faith:
1 By his manner of coming: This is he that came by water and blood.
2 By the witneſſe that is born of him.
1 In generall, the Spirit, v. 6. Then, 2 In heaven, and 3 On earth, v. 7, 8.
1 For the furniture of his coming. He came fully addreſſed for the works of our redemption; he came by water and blood. By water is not meant their legal oblations, for he ſpeaks of ſuch a water as bears witneſſe that Chriſt is the Son of God to this day, which they do not. By this water therefore is meant the clear water of ſanctification, ſpoken of Ezek. 36.25, 26. wherewith our Saviour Chriſt came abundantly furniſhed, fit to be our redeemer. By blood is meant the blood of his ſufferings.
Doct. That Jeſus Chriſt came to execute his office by the water of ſanctification, and by the blood of redemption.
It is he that came to overcome the world, to redeem us. How, By water and blood. Why by water and blood both?
1 From the end of his coming, that he might fulfill the types of the Law. In the old Law no Prieſt might enter upon his office upon pain of death, but he muſt firſt waſh his hands and feet, Exod. 30.19, 20. Which ſhews how carefull we ſhould be, to come with clean hearts and hands to Gods ſervice; and it typed out, that when the Lord Chriſt ſhould take upon him his Prieſtly office, he ſhould come free and ſpotleſſe from all ſin, and he did ſo, ſo that … guile was found in his mouth. Pilate himſelfe teſtified of him, I finde no evill in him.
2 As they came by water, ſo they might dot enter into the holyeſt place, except they were firſt ſprinkled with blood. Which ſignified that it was needfull that Chriſt ſhould come by his own blood to exp…ate our ſins, Heb. 9.7, to 12. More particularly:
Q. 2. Why ſhoald he come by water; that is throughly watred from all ſin?
Anſw. 1. It was fit he ſhould be ſuch a one, that he might not expiate for his own ſins, Heb. 2.25, to 29. Had there been found the leaſt ſin in Chriſt, all the blood he ſpilt would have been little enough for himſelfe.
2 That his ſacrifice might be available for us. Had he been unjuſt himſelf, he could not have redeemed us, 1 Pet. 3.18. But being juſt himſelfe, there was no need he ſhould dye for himſelfe, but for us.
Q Why was it needfull he ſhould come by blood?
Anſw Had he come never ſo purely ſanctified, yet this would never have made attonement, for, without ſhedding of blood is no remiſſion, Heb. 9.22. He came by blood therefore.
1 That by his blood and ſufferings he might purchaſe out of his Fathers wrath, a Church unto himſelf, Acts 20 28. And by that blood, not onelyonly the elect, but all the creatures are purchaſed, at leaſt to be ſerviceable to the Church. Chriſt bath bought all things quick and dead, either for his Churches comfort or affliction, 2 Cor. 3.22, 23. All power in heaven and earth is given into his hand, Pſal. 2.8.
2 That he might make at onement for our ſouls. It was impoſſible that the blood of Buls and Goats ſhould expiate for our ſins, but as they look at Chriſt, his blood is given to be an atonement for our ſins, Heb. 9.12, 13. And it makes an atonement not only between God and us, but alſo between Jews and Gentiles, Eph. 2.17, 18, 19. Whereas before the Gentiles would not become Jews, by reaſon of their hard ordinances; now, Chriſt took away that wall of ſeparation.
3 That he might procure not only Gods favour, but this fruit of it, the remiſſion of our ſins, Mat. 26.28.
4 That by the price of his blood, he might purchaſe the inhabitation of his Spirit to us, that he might procure it for us, that our conſciences might be purified, Heb. 9.14. This blood purifieth our conſciences. The blood of Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin, 1 John 1.9. And that is done by putting in us a a Spirit of grace, which purgeth us from all uncleanneſſe and ſin, and adorning us with the contrary graces of piety, humility, patience. Chriſt by his curſed death for us, hath procured a Spirit of …race for us, which purifies our conſciences from the guilt and from the ſtain of ſin, Heb. 9.14.
5 That he might confirm his new covenant, the New Teſtament to us, Mat. 26.28. This is the blood of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for many for the remiſſion of ſins. Now, without the death of the Teſtator no Teſtament is in force. Heb. 9.1…, to 21. It's accounted a ſacrilegious thing to violate the Teſtament of the dead. So it is with Chriſt; for a man to call any of his promiſes into queſtion, is a ſacrilegious violation of his Teſtament.
6 That he might keep in us everlaſting nouriſhment to feed on in our hearts, John 6.56. So that his blood may be his wine to chear us, that by the comfort of his blood, and mediation applyed to our ſouls, we might have wherewith to ſuſtain our ſelves in the worſt times. This is meat indeed, and drink indeed, no nouriſhment our ſouls can feed on, but this; our ſouls cannot feed on pleaſures and profits, ſpirits muſt feed upon ſpiritual things. Thoſe are beggerly naked ſouls that have nothing but lands and riches to feed on, the ſouls food is holy ſpirituall things; and if the ordinances yeeld you any good or comfort, whence comes this, but only from the blood of Chriſt that hath beſprinkled all theſe ordinances, and made them effectuall, Heb. 9.19. It's the blood of ſprinkling that makes every ordinance effectuall to us.
7 He came by blood to us, that ſo he might open a way to us into the moſt holy place.
Ʋſe 1. Teacheth us, that a poor Chriſtian that believes in Chriſt, may thereby overcome the world, becauſe he believes on ſuch a one as came both by water and blood, by the water of ſanctification to purifie and cleanſe us and by the blood of his redemption, whereby he hath procured for us pardon, and happineſſe; therefore whoſoever believes on Chriſt, is ſo ſprinkled with the blood of Chriſt, that he is redeemed from the world, to become the ſervant of God, he hath all the promiſes of God, which make him overcome all the promiſes of the world, and encourageth him againſt all difficulties, and ſo aſſureth him of heavenly glory; ſo that he looks at the world as a thing little to be regarded.
Ʋſe 2. To ſtir up all thoſe that deſire to get victory over the world, to labour to get faith in Chriſt Jeſus, who is ſo abundantly furniſhed with helps and means for our redemption, fit to ſanctifie us by the water of ſanctification, fit to ſprinkle us with the blood of redemption; whereas, if we do not believe on Chriſt, we ſhall be continually ſlaves to the world. Hence it is, that worldlings take ſuch content and comfort in the things of this life, and are ſo diſcouraged at the loſſe of them; a plain ſigne they want faith to overcome the world.
Ʋſe 3. Of tryall what portion we have in Chriſt. Why, what feedeſt thou on? If thou haſt a part in Chriſt, thou haſt a Spirit of God within thee to comfort thee, thou findeſt the ordinances ſprinkled with the bloud of Chriſt to feed on; thou canſt ſay to the flattering world, I have better meat and better comforts to feed on, then the world can yeeld, Pſal. 4.6. It's poor nouriſhment for ſpirits to feed on the husks of this world; but a Chriſtian findes the blood of Chriſt, the only food of his ſoul, and the world to be his Servant, and not his Maſter. But if we have no higher matters to feed on, then the profits and contents of the world, the Spirit of God and grace we reliſh not; why then truly Chriſtians we are not.
4 If thou wouldſt uſe the priviledges which come by Chriſt, why this is the way, Believe on the Lord Jeſus, and then he is come for thee by water and blood. Diſtruſt therefore thy owne righteouſneſſe, reſt upon Chriſt, live in ſuch places where Chriſt is diſpenſed in his ordinances, that ſo being brought on to believe, thou mayſt finde Chriſt to thy ſalvation.
5 Of conſolation to ſuch as renounce the world, and eſteem Chriſt to be better worth then all the world; why, thy hope is not fruſtrate, thou believeſt on ſuch a one as came by water and blood; ſo that though thou be unclean, and thy works defiled, yet he came by water to purge and cleanſe thee, Exod. 28.37, 38. And what though thy heart be full of many ſinful luſts, yet thou truſteſt on one that can by blood make attonement for thee to procure his Spirit, and when thou dyeſt, to give thee an open entrance into the moſt holy place.