Since false teachers in John’s day were diluting & distorting the eyewitness testimony of the apostles, John presents 3 eyewitnesses demonstrating beyond reasonable doubt, that Jesus IS the the Messiah - the Son of God.

The water and blood refer to 2 crucial moments in the ministry of Jesus that identify Him as the Son of God (and Messiah = Christ) 1) His baptism (water) and 2) His crucifixion (blood). 

John the Baptist was shocked when Jesus asked to be baptized. John “tried to stop Him saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You.’” (Jn 3:14) Yet John did what Jesus asked.

John 1:32–34 32 And John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and he rested on him. 33 I didn’t know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The one you see the Spirit descending and resting on—he is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

✤The baptism of Jesus was kicked off His ministry, when He was recognized as the Son of God. Years of ministry followed with innumerable messages and miracles from the lips and hands of Jesus, leading Peter to confess that Jesus was “the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Mt 16:16)

✤The crucifixion of Jesus was the fulfillment of Jesus’ ministry, when He spilled His blood and gave His life, as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 Jn 4:10). This was real blood that flowed from His real body, yet this was more than the death of a mere man. 

The synoptics (Matthew, Mark, Luke) note the sky turned dark during the last 3 hours of Jesus’ death (Mt 27:45, Mk 15:33; Lk 23:44). 

A criminal crucified next to Jesus recognized who He was, saying, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Lk 23:42) 

After all this, the Roman Centurion responsible for killing Jesus, said, “Surely this was the Son of God.” (Mk 15:39) 

Followers of Jesus from that day on have recognized that…Jesus is the Christ—He is the one who came by water and blood.

✤Throughout the ministry of Jesus (from Him baptism and after His ascension to heaven) the Spirit clearly testifies that Jesus is the Son of God (more on that in a moment).

Textual variants: where biblical manuscripts differ from one another. Many of these variants are nothing more than spelling and differences in word placement. A few of them ARE significant (Mk 16:9-16 & Jn 7:53-8:11), and here is another significant variant. 1 John 5:7 in the King James Version says is one of those variants.

Note the difference in KJV and NKJV (King James & New King James) from our translation above.

1 John 5:7 (KJV) 7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

The KJV and NKJV translation of this passage doesn’t come from any early Greek manuscripts, nor the later 12th-14th century Greek manuscripts used to translate the KJV.

The New Testament of the King James Version is based on the printed edition of the Greek New Testament by Desiderius Erasmus, a Catholic priest. The phrase from 1 John 5:7 in the KJV [referred to in Latin - the Comma Johanneum] was not included in first 2 editions of the Greek New Testament printed by Erasmus. It “was not in the text for a very simple reason: Not one Greek manuscript of 1 John that Erasmus examined contained it. He found it only in the Latin Vulgate.” 

Erasmus only included this passage [Comma Johanneum] in his 3rd edition after being pressured and after the sudden appearance of a Greek manuscript containing it was given to him. This 3rd edition is what the KJV translators used to produce the KJV. So, the KJV & NKJV have this today, while the better translations based on earlier Greek manuscripts, do NOT contain it.

The newer translations didn’t ‘take that out of the Bible’. It was never in there to begin with. The King James translators added it based on 1 Greek copy that had never been seen before that point in the 16th century. 

Don’t get caught up in claims that newer translations are trying to remove the deity of Christ or the Trinity. This is simply untrue. Newer translations like NET, NIV, CSB, NLT, ESV, & NAS are better translations using much older Greek manuscripts.

Watch Dan Wallace explain this further: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JulqQ-cV8GQ

Consider reading The King James Only Controversy: Can You Trust Modern Translations? by James White: https://amzn.to/3aerUBX

John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah when he saw the Presence of God’s Holy Spirit descend on Jesus at His baptism (Jn 1:32–34). Throughout the ministry of Jesus the power of the Spirit was present with Him. One of Jesus’ closest disciples, Simon Peter explains this when talking to Cornelius and those gathered at his home.

Acts 10:37-38 37 You know the events that took place throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were under the tyranny of the devil, because God was with Him.

God the Father was with Him [Jesus], by the power and Presence of the Holy Spirit. Every time Jesus healed someone, every time Jesus cast out a demon, every time Jesus taught, the power and the Presence of the Holy Spirit was pouring out of Him! But something bigger was on the way. On the night of the ‘last supper’ - just before going to the cross - Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit saying,

John 14:26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My Name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

The Holy Spirit would empower followers of Jesus…to follow Jesus and carry His life-changing message to the world. After Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, and just before ascending to heaven, Jesus told His disciples:

Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

The Holy Spirit is the truth, who teaches and empowers us to live and share the truth about Jesus. The Spirit also convicts the world of sin, what is right, and of judgment to come (Jn 16:8).

All the teachings and miracles of Jesus - from the time of His baptism to the time of His crucifixion, followed by the Holy Spirit’s indwelling & empowering of believers, are exhibit A, B, & C that Jesus is the Son of God. 

Important legal decisions weren’t to be decided based on the testimony of only 1 eyewitness, but with the testimony of 2 or 3 witnesses (Deut 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17; 2 Cor 13:1; 1 Tim 5:19; Heb 10:28). And those who accept the human testimony of 2 to 3 people, should certainly accept God’s testimony demonstrating that Jesus is His Son - from 3 witnesses: 

Jesus’ baptism (water)

His crucifixion (blood), and

The ongoing testimony of the Spirit.

1 John 5:10-13 10 The one who believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. The one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has life. The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

God doesn’t want you to wonder & guess if you have eternal life, neither does John - this is why he has written these things - so that you may KNOW - not wonder & guess - that you have eternal life. If you believe (TRUST & OBEY Jesus), then are forgiven & free! You have been adopted into the family! You are God’s son, God’s daughter! The one who has the Son has life! 

But, those who don’t TRUST & OBEY Jesus should heed this warning: “The one who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” There is a day coming when you WILL be judged for your sin and if you continue to REJECT the ONLY ONE who can pay for your sin, you are - RIGHT NOW - a dead man/woman walking.

Will you PRAY - “God, what do You want me to do with what I heard today?”