SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:8
Tambin son tres los que dan testimonio en la tierra, el Espíritu, y el agua, y la sangre; y estos tres concuerdan en uno.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 John 5:8
Verse 8. The Spirit, and the water, and the blood] This verse is supposed to mean "the Spirit - in the word confirmed by miracles; the water - in baptism, wherein we are dedicated to the Son, (with the Father and the Holy Spirit,) typifying his spotless purity, and the inward purifying of our nature; and the blood - represented in the Lord's Supper, and applied to the consciences of believers: and all these harmoniously agree in the same testimony, that Jesus Christ is the Divine, the complete, the only saviour of the world." - Mr. Wesley's notes. By the written word, which proceeded from the Holy Spirit, that Spirit is continually witnessing upon earth, that God hath given unto us eternal life.
By baptism, which points out our regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, and which is still maintained as an initiatory rite in the Christian Church, we have another witness on earth of the truth, certainty, importance, and efficacy of the Christian religion. The same may be said of the blood, represented by the holy eucharist, which continues to show forth the death and atoning sacrifice of the Son of God till he comes. See the note on ver. 6.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 8. And there are three that bear witness on earth , &c.] To the same truth of the sonship of Christ: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood ; by the Spirit is not meant the human Spirit or soul of Christ; for however that may be a witness of the truth of his human nature, yet not of his divine sonship: and moreover cannot be said to be a witness in earth; rather the Gospel, called the Spirit, which is a testimony of Christ's person, office, and graces and is preached by men on earth; or else the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on men on earth, both in an extraordinary and ordinary way, by which they have been qualified to bear witness to this truth; or it may be the Holy Spirit itself is intended, as he is in the hearts of his people here on earth, where he not only witnesses to the truth of their sonship, but also of the sonship of Christ, and is that witness a believer has within himself of it, mentioned in ( 1 John 5:10). By water is designed, not internal sanctification, which though an evidence of regeneration and adoption, yet not of Christ's sonship; but water baptism, as administered on earth in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; and which is a noble and standing testimony to the proper, natural, and eternal sonship of Christ: and by blood is intended, not justification by the blood of Christ, but rather the blood of the saints, the martyrs of Jesus, who have shed it on earth, in testimony of their faith in the Son of God, and thereby sealing the truth of it; or rather the ordinance of the Lord's supper, which is the communion of the blood of Christ; and represents that blood which was shed for the remission of sins, and has a continual virtue to cleanse from all sin, which is owing to his being the Son of God. The three witnesses on earth seem therefore to be the Gospel, attended with the Spirit and power of God, and the two ordinances of baptism, and the Lord's supper: and these agree in one ; in their testimony of Christ, the word and ordinances agree together; and the sum and substance of them is Christ; they come from him, and centre in him; they are like the cherubim over the mercy seat, that looked to one another, and to that; and the two ordinances are the church's two breasts, which are equal, and like to one another; there is a great agreement between them, they are like to two young roes that are twins.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-8 - We are inwardly and outwardly defiled; inwardly, by the power an pollution of sin in our nature. For our cleansing there is in and by Christ Jesus, the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost. Some think that the two sacraments are here meant: baptism with water, as the outward sign of regeneration, and purifying from the pollution of sin by the Holy Spirit; and the Lord's supper, as the outward sign of the shedding Christ's blood, and the receiving him by faith for pardon and justification. Both these ways of cleansing wer represented in the old ceremonial sacrifices and cleansings. This wate and blood include all that is necessary to our salvation. By the water our souls are washed and purified for heaven and the habitation of saints in light. By the blood, we are justified, reconciled, an presented righteous to God. By the blood, the curse of the law being satisfied, the purifying Spirit is obtained for the internal cleansin of our natures. The water, as well as the blood, came out of the sid of the sacrificed Redeemer. He loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, Ep 5:25-27. This was done in and by the Spirit of God, according to the Saviour's declaration. He is the Spirit of God, and cannot lie. Thre had borne witness to these doctrines concerning the person and the salvation of Christ. The Father, repeatedly, by a voice from heave declared that Jesus was his beloved Son. The Word declared that He an the Father were One, and that whoever had seen him had seen the Father And the Holy Ghost, who descended from heaven and rested on Christ a his baptism; who had borne witness to Him by all the prophets; and gav testimony to his resurrection and mediatorial office, by the gift of miraculous powers to the apostles. But whether this passage be cited of not, the doctrine of the Trinity in Unity stands equally firm an certain. To the doctrine taught by the apostles, respecting the perso and salvation of Christ, there were three testimonies. 1. The Holy Spirit. We come into the world with a corrupt, carnal disposition which is enmity to God. This being done away by the regeneration an new-creating of souls by the Holy Spirit, is a testimony to the Saviour. 2. The water: this sets forth the Saviour's purity an purifying power. The actual and active purity and holiness of his disciples are represented by baptism. 3. The blood which he shed: an this was our ransom, this testifies for Jesus Christ; it sealed up an finished the sacrifices of the Old Testament. The benefits procured by his blood, prove that he is the Saviour of the world. No wonder if he that rejects this evidence is judged a blasphemer of the Spirit of God These three witnesses are for one and the same purpose; they agree i one and the same thing.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 τρεις 5140 εισιν 1526 5748 οι 3588 μαρτυρουντες 3140 5723 εν 1722 τη 3588 γη 1093 το 3588 πνευμα 4151 και 2532 το 3588 υδωρ 5204 και 2532 το 3588 αιμα 129 και 2532 οι 3588 τρεις 5140 εις 1519 το 3588 εν 1520 εισιν 1526 5748
Vincent's NT Word Studies
8. Agree in one (eiv to en eisin). Lit., are for the one. They converge upon the one truth, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, come in the flesh.
