Introduction - (1 John 5:7-8) This heavily disputed scripture gives us not only support of water baptism being the tie that binds Christ blood to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,...
- Introduction - (1 John 5:7-8) This heavily disputed scripture gives us not only support of water baptism being the tie that binds Christ blood to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it also clearly states the doctrine of the Godhead in three persons. This study will first defend the validity of the text then look at the importance of it's existance. This diagram will help to illustrate the meaning of the text:
- Johannine Comma - This is the term that theologians have given to this passage. It has been under debate for years. The debate is whether or not these are the words of John or not. Some say that these words are not found in any Greek manuscript that dates any older than the 16th century, therefore it must've been added by a scribe of that time trying to promote the doctrine of the Trinity. Also it is sometimes said that Erasmus (the one who compiled the Greek manuscripts that were used to translate the older translations including the King James Version) refused to include these words until a manuscript that contained it was found. Then one was finally found or fabricated and he complied per his promise. Most of these arguments are in place to support the use of the corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts discovered in the late 1800s and promoted by Wescott and Hort.
- Were these sayings absent in all pre 16th-century manuscripts? No. This is a misstatement because many of the so called ancient manuscripts are somewhat incomplete. Especially those heavily leaning on the Alexandrian texts made popular by Wescott and Hort in the late 19th century. This text is found in eight extant manuscripts and five of which date prior to the 16th century (Greek miniscules 88, 221, 429, 629, 636). Many of the 8000 Latin manuscripts available contain this text. None of
the greek writings that the early latin translations were based on are available, so either these words were added early when these Latin translations were made (3rd and 4th centuries) or they were in the original text to begin with.
- Erasmus' promise. Westcott and Hort advocate Bruce Metzger made this claim, which became the popular argument against the Johannine Comma. He wrote, "Erasmus promised that he would insert the Comma Johanneum, as it is called, in future editions if a single Greek manuscript could be found that contained the passage. At length such a copy was foundor made to order." This view against the authenticity of 1 John 5:7f is parroted by many even today. Is this what truly happened?
H. J. de Jonge of the faculty of theology, Leiden University, an authority on Erasmus, says that Metzgers view on Erasmus promise "has no foundation in Erasmus work. Consequently it is highly improbable that he included the difficult passage because he considered himself bound by any such promise." Yale University professor Roland Bainton, another Erasmian expert, agrees with de Jong, furnishing proof from Erasmus own writing that Erasmus inclusion
of 1 John 5:7f was not due to a so-called "promise" but the fact that he believed the verse was in the Vulgate and must therefore have been in the Greek text used by Jerome." The Erasmian "promise" is thus a myth!<
- If these aren't the words of John, whose are they? Up until this point in time, no one has been able to identify this mysterious person who tried to "help" the church. He is probably a fictional character. In any case, it is highly unlikely that 1 John 5:7f is the work of a well-meaning interpolator. When we look at the text itself, the phrase, "the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit," naturally reflects Johannine authorship (cf. John 1:1, 14). An interpolator would
rather have used the more familiar and perhaps stronger Trinitarian formula "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit." "The Word" or "The Logos" of 1 John 5:7f points to the apostle John as its source, for it is distinctively John who used the term "the Word" to mean "Christ" in all his writings.
- Three in Heaven
- the Father
- Creation - Genesis 1:1
- Virgin Birth - Hebrews 10:5
- Death of the Messiah - Romans 8:32
- Resurrection of Christ - Acts 2:24
- Inspiration of scripture - II Timothy 3:16
- the Word
- Creation - John 1:1-3
- Virgin Birth - Philipians 2:7
- Death of the Messiah - John 10:18
- Resurrection of Christ - John 10:17-18
- Inspiration of scripture - I Peter 1:10-11
- the Holy Ghost
- Creation - Job 33:4
- Virgin Birth - Luke 1:35
- Death of the Messiah - Hebrews 9:14
- Resurrection of Christ - I Peter 3:18
- Inspiration of scripture - II Peter 1:21
- "these three are one" - Genesis 1:26; Genesis 11:7;
- Three in Earth
- the Spirit - Romans 8:1-17
- the water - I Peter 3:20-22
- the blood - Colossians 1:14
- "these three agree in one" - John 19:34; Acts 2:38
- Conclusion
- Through these scriptures we see that Godhead cannot be seperated in heaven, and as such we cannot seperate the water from the blood and the holy spirit as well. All things in scripture work together and must be viewed as a sum
Johannine Comma argument source: Jeffrey Khoo, Ph.D - copied from Foundation Magazine
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