And Jesus Christ was revealed as God’s Son by his baptism in water and by shedding his blood on the cross — not by water only, but by water and blood.
1 John 5:6
John recognizes the essential nature of water and blood as witnesses to the humanity of Jesus. So what do we know about water and blood? Here are some interesting facts about both. First, water serves several essential functions to keep us all going to include acting as a vital nutrient to the life of every cell, acts first as a building material. It regulates our internal body temperature by sweating and respiration. The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream. Water assists in flushing waste mainly through urination. It acts as a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord, and fetus. Finally, water both forms saliva and lubricates joints in our bodies. In fact, our bodies are composed of 70% water. Blood is also critical to our body’s life. It not only carries oxygen and nutrients to all parts of our bodies, but it helps to fight infections and diseases by carrying white blood cells to sick regions of the body. Blood is actually made up of about 90% water. Did you know that we have about 60,000 miles of blood vessels running through our adult bodies?
I’m not sure John’s point was the scientific meaning of blood and water but the symbolic meaning associated with baptism and the cross. Jesus was baptized in this life-giving substance of water as we are. Water is plentiful world-wide and is easily accessed by people. The cross cost Jesus blood. The life bringing blood of Jesus flowed out of Him on the cross giving us eternal hope of salvation. John tells us the baptism of Jesus in water and the loss of blood on the cross both reveal Jesus as God’s Son. Jesus is obedient to God by being baptized and sacrificing His life for us on the cross. The water of baptism begins His ministry on earth and the blood on the cross ends His ministry and begins ours. Water and blood have immense significance regarding life and obedience and sacrifice.
Our baptism begins our ministry for God in this world through the power of the cross. The water of baptism symbolically represents our immersion into Jesus. His blood covers our sins and we dedicate ourselves to serving God and humanity. Water and blood are two liquids we cannot live without physically or spiritually.
Scripture: 1 John 5:1-12
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