1 John 5:5-7

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

Footnotes

1. 1 John 5:5 Or, having-faith, to show the relationship to ‘faith’ in v 4.
2. 1 John 5:6 These two historical witnesses may refer to Christ’s baptism (where the Father testified) and death (where the resurrection gave the Father’s testimony); or, His birth (He came in real flesh) and His death (He died a real death); or, the blood and water that came from His side (Jn 19:34, giving testimony to His real humanity and death).
3. 1 John 5:6 Or, in-connection-with, by, with.
4. 1 John 5:6 John denies some false teaching of his day, the details of which are not certain. We know some denied that God died. They taught that the Spirit of God came on the human Jesus at His baptism and left in Gethsemane. Jesus was not God come in the flesh (4:2), and His death had no significance. Perhaps John is refuting some such teaching here.
5. 1 John 5:6 The Spirit is presently adding His testimony to the two historical witnesses because it is His nature to testify to the truth.
6. 1 John 5:7 The one believing Jesus is the Son of God is victorious (v 5) because Jesus has the threefold divine testimony to His identity, sufficient proof even in a human court.
7. 1 John 5:7 three: the Spirit. Some manuscripts say ‘three in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And these three are one. And the ones giving testimony on earth are three: the Spirit’.