however, as Huther observes, are only the means for the appro- priation of Christ's atonement ; whereas the subject here is the accomplishment of the atonement itself. Aiwa blood, standing by itself, never signifies the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament.
The true principle of interpretation appears to be laid down in the two canons of Diisterdieck. (1.) Water and blood must point both to some purely historical facts in the life of our Lord on earth, and to some still present witnesses for Christ. (2.) They must not be interpreted symbolically, but understood of something so real and powerful, as that by them God’s testi- mony is given to believers, and eternal life assured to them. Thus the sacramental reference, though secondary, need not be excluded. Canon Westcott finds “an extension of the mean- ing” of water and blood in the following words: “ Not in the water only, but in the water and in the blood,” followed by the reference to the present witness of the Spirit. He argues that the change of the prepositions (év in, for did by), the use of the article (76), and the stress laid on actual experience (it zs the Spirit that witnesseth), these, together with the fact that that which was spoken of in its unity (by water and blood) is now spoken of in its separate parts (in the water and in the blood)— ‘all show that St. John is speaking of a continuation of the first coming under some new but analogous form. The first proof of the Messiahship of Jesus lay in His complete historical ful- filment of Messiah’s work once for all, in bringing purification and salvation ; that proof is continued in the experience of the Church in its two separate parts.” Thus we are led to the ideas underlying the two sacraments.
The subject opened by the word blood is too large for discus- sion within these limits. The student is referred to Dr. Patrick, Fairbairn’s “ Typology of Scripture;” Andrew Jukes, “The Law of the Offerings ;” Professor William Milligan, “The Resur- rection of our Lord,” note, p. 274 sqq.; Canon Westcott’s “ Ad- ditional Note” on 1 John i. 7, in his “Commentary on John’s Epistles ;” and Henry Clay Trumbull, “The Blood Covenant.”
Not by water only (ov« év 76 bart pdvov). Lit., not in the water only. Rev., with. The preposition ev in, marks the