_i._--1 John v. 6-10.
Summary of the Gospel as a Gospel of _witness_.
1. "The Spirit beareth witness" = John i. 32, xiv., xv., xx. 22.
2. "The water beareth witness" = John i. 28, ii. 9, iii. 5, iv. 13, 14, v. 1, 9, vi. 19, vii. 37, ix. 7, xiii. 5, xix. 34, xxi. 1.
3. "The blood beareth witness" = John vi. 53, 54, 55, 56, xix. 34.
4. "The witness of men" = (A. _ii._ 1 (_b_)) Also John i. 45, 49, iii. 2, iv. 39, vii. 46, xii. 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, xviii. 38, xix. 35, xx. 28.
5. "The witness of God" =
(_a_) Scripture = John i. 45, v. 39, 46, xix. 36, 37.
(_b_) Christ's own = John viii. 17, 18, 46, xv. 30, xviii. 37.
(_c_) His Father's = John v. 37, viii. 18, xii. 28.
(_d_) His works = John v. 36, x. 25, xv. 24.
_ii._--1 John v. 20.
We know (_i.e._, by the Gospel) that--
1. "The Son of God is come" (ἡκεν), "has come and is here."
Note.--בָאחִי = ἡκω, LXX. Psalm xl. 7. "_Venio_ symbolum quasi Domini Jesu fuit." (Bengel on Heb. x. 7), the _Ich Dien_ of the Son of the Father--εγω γαρ εκ του θεου εξηλθον και ἡκω. "I came forth from God, and am here" (John viii. 4) = John i. 29--xxi. 23 (John xiv. 18, 21, 23, xvi. 16, 22, form part of the thought "is here").
2. "And hath given us an understanding" = gift of the Spirit, John xiv., xv., xvi. (especially 13, 16).
3. "This is the very God and eternal Life" = John i. 1, 4.
The whole Gospel of St. John brings out these primary principles of the Faith,--
That the Son of God has come. That He is now and ever present with His people. That the Holy Spirit gives them a new faculty of spiritual discernment. That Christ is the very God and the Life of men.