1 John 5:6

"This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood" (1 John 5:6 RSV).

Question:

I want to know the meaning of the water and blood.  

Comment:

Although 1 John is traditionally linked with other New Testament letters, it is really a theological treatise, or perhaps a sermon. In its ideas, style, and vocabulary, it is closely linked with the author of the Gospel of John. Both were written in the final years of the first Christian century. At that time the fledgling church was challenged, not only externally, by the Roman Empire, but internally by many conflicting interpretations of the message and ministry of Jesus Christ. One of the many areas of disagreement involved the exact nature of Jesus Christ. Was he simply a powerful human teacher, or perhaps a spirit? The author of John 1 is concerned throughout that there be clarity on this question in particular.  

Metaphysically, through scripture, water symbolizes the unformed, infinite realm of Spirit. Blood symbolizes the reality of our human experience. The author is saying that Jesus Christ was neither one nor the other, but both at the same time: fully human and fully God. This remained a controversial issue throughout the first two centuries after Jesus' ministry.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed