This is he that came by water and blood, [even] Jesus
Christ,
&c.] By "water" is not meant the ablutions or washings of the
ceremonial law; Christ came not by these, but to make an end of
them; his blood, which cleanseth from all sin, being the
antitype, and so the fulfilling end of them: nor the purity of
his nature, life, and conversation; though he came into the world
that holy thing which is called the Son of God; and was holy in
his nature, and harmless in his life, and did no sin, and so was
fit to be a sacrifice for the sins of others: nor does it intend
the washing and cleansing of his people from their sins; this is
what he came to do, and has done, and not what he came by: but
the ordinance of water baptism is designed; and though Christ did
not come baptizing with water, he having a greater baptism to
administer, yet that he might be made manifest, John came
baptizing in that way; and Christ, as the Son of God, came, or
was made manifest by John as such, at the waters of Jordan, and
at his baptism; there he was declared to be the Son of God by his
Father's voice from heaven:
not by water only;
he did not come by water only, as Moses did, who was drawn out of
it, and therefore so called; or as John, who came administering
water baptism externally only:
but by water and blood;
by "blood" as well as water; by which is meant, not the blood of
bulls and goats; Christ came to put an end unto, and lay aside
the shedding of that blood; but his own blood is intended, and
not reconciliation and atonement for the sins of his people,
which was what he came to do, and has done, and not what he came
by: but the sense is, that as at baptism, so at his sufferings
and death, he was made manifest to be the Son of God; as he was
to the centurion and others, that were with him, when they
observed the earthquake, and the things that were done; and at
his from the dead he was declared to be the Son of God with
power: and this might be seen in the cleansing and atoning virtue
of his blood, which is owing to his being the Son of God. There
may be here an allusion to the water and blood which came out of
his side, when pierced on the cross, which this Apostle John was
an eyewitness of. Some copies add here, and in the former clause,
"and by the Spirit"; as the Alexandrian copy, three of Beza's
copies, and the Ethiopic version: but it seems unnecessary, since
it follows,
and it is the Spirit that beareth witness;
by which may be meant, either the Gospel, which is the Spirit
that gives life, and is so called, because by it the Spirit of
God, in his gifts and graces, is received, and which is a
testimony of the person, as well as of the offices, and grace of
Christ; or rather those miraculous works which Christ did by the
Spirit, to which he often appeals, as witnesses of his divine
sonship, and equality with the Father, as well as of his being
the true Messiah; or else the Holy Spirit, who bore testimony to
Christ, by his descent on him at his baptism, and upon his
apostles at the day of Pentecost, and by attending, succeeding,
and confirming the Gospel, which is the testimony of him; and he
is elsewhere, as well as here, and in the context, spoken of as a
witness of Christ, ( Acts 5:32 ) ;
because the Spirit is truth;
he is the Spirit of truth, and truth itself; he is essentially
truth; his testimony is most true, and firmly to be believed. The
Vulgate Latin version reads, "because Christ is the truth".