Part II: The Witnesses' Nature and Testimony
Translator's note: The Latin disputation uses Sermo for the Greek Logos. It is rendered here as “the Word,” save where the argument expressly considers the sense of “speech.” Greek terms are retained only where Turretin's distinction depends upon them.
Thesis VIII
The word Logos seemeth to have been chosen by John in a peculiar manner to designate the Son of God. Therefore he useth it often, especially at the beginning of his Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word”; and, “The Word was made flesh.” So also in the beginning of his first Epistle: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes … of the Word of life.” And in Revelation xix. 13 he saith that the name of the Son of God, who appeared unto him, was “The Word of God.”
Neither is this name found in John only, though it occurreth more rarely elsewhere. Luke plainly referreth unto it when he speaketh of those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word. Paul also seemeth to allude unto it when he commendeth the Ephesian pastors unto God and unto the Word of his grace; for this would be less suitably said of the Gospel, but most suitably of the Son of God. Again, Hebrews iv. 12 speaketh of the Word of God as living and sharper than any two-edged sword. Though this may commonly, and not improperly, be understood of the outward Word of God, yet the words added in verse 13—“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight”—show that it is perfectly fulfilled in Christ, whose description followeth.
This title had place not only in the New Testament, but was already current under the Old. Thus the heavens are said, in Psalm xxxiii. 6, to have been made by the Word of Jehovah: not by an outward word of command only, but by the essential and personal Word, by whom John testifieth that all things were created. So also in Haggai ii. 5: “I am with you, saith Jehovah, according to the word that I covenanted with you … and my Spirit remaineth among you; fear ye not.” There three persons are noted: the first, designated by the name Jehovah; the second, by the Word by which God made covenant with his people and which elsewhere is called the Angel of the covenant; and the third, by the Spirit who dwelt in them.
Hence it came to pass that the Chaldee paraphrasts, in many places which speak of the Messiah, put the word Memra, that is, “Word,” for the name Jehovah. This, as Galatinus observeth, maketh it very probable that John looked unto that usage and intended, from the very beginning of his Gospel, to designate the Son of God by the name Logos, corresponding to that customary Chaldee word by which God was denoted; that thereby he might already show, against Ebion and Cerinthus, that he is true God and eternal with the Father.
Thesis IX
If the ground of this name be inquired after, divers opinions of learned men may be found, which it is not our purpose to pursue. That which is most suitable is taken from the ordinary use of the word Logos. Properly, it is speech or discourse uttered by the mouth, and is called the outward or spoken word. By metaphor it is referred to the mind, and then sometimes signifieth thought, which is as the silent speech of the mind and is called the inward word; sometimes it signifieth reason itself, or the faculty of thinking.
Now in God we may distinguish a twofold word: one subsisting, or essential; the other conceived after the manner of a quality in God. The double signification of Logos may conveniently be applied to both. If we speak of the accidental word, one is inward to the mind and is nothing other than its decree, often expressed by Logos; the other is outward, being the declaration of that decree, or of the divine will, in the Word proposed.
Thus the essential Word, the Son of God, may be called Logos for two causes. First, in respect of his person and manner of subsistence, because he is the eternal wisdom of the Father. Secondly, in respect of his office, because he is the interpreter who declareth unto us the Father's will. John intimateth both: the former when he saith that the Word was with God and was God; the latter when he addeth that he hath revealed God unto us.
Gregory Nazianzen observeth that the Son is called the Word because he standeth toward the Father as speech toward the mind: not only because of his passionless generation, but also because of their conjunction and his power of manifestation. For he is the image and express character of the Father who begat him, presenting the whole Father in himself, as speech representeth the whole thought of the mind.
Thus the Son, in respect of his being, is called the Word: first, because of his generation from the Father, as speech is begotten from the mind; secondly, because of his eternal emanation from the Father without passion or alteration, as speech naturally proceedeth from the mind; thirdly, because he most perfectly representeth the Father unto us, as speech representeth the mind; and fourthly, because, as the mind is not without speech, so neither is the Father without the Son. Yet it must be confessed that all such comparisons fall far beneath the majesty of so great a mystery.
Thesis X
Secondly, the Son is called the Word in respect of his office and personal property in operation. As the Father worketh after the manner of inward counsel and decree, and the Holy Spirit after the manner of power executing; so the Son worketh after the manner of wisdom and of the Word declaring. This is so both in the order of nature, by general providence, and especially in the order of grace, by his mediatorial office. For as speech representeth the mind and its inward thought, so Christ is the interpreter of the Father's will, who revealeth the Father unto us, and by whom the Father speaketh unto us.
For this cause Logos is not so properly rendered by “reason” or “thought” simply, nor by “speech” only, because each of those words expresseth but one part of the matter. “Word,” or “Speech,” is much more suitable; for both respects are included. The inward and mental word pertaineth unto the person; the outward and vocal word unto the office.
Thesis XI
Although these two respects meet in the name Logos, yet it must be confessed that the respect taken from Christ's office is but secondary and less principal. The first and chief ground is taken from the personal character of the Word and from his eternal generation. This must be observed against Socinus and his ungodly followers, who would have Christ called the Word only in respect of his prophetic office, because he was the man through whom God first declared his most perfect will unto us.
For if Christ were called the Word only because he was the interpreter of the divine will among men, the same name might in its measure be given unto Moses and the other prophets, by whose ministry God revealeth his will unto men. Yet we see that it is never so given. Rather, the name is always ascribed unto Christ as proper unto him and incommunicable unto others.
Moreover, according to Socinus, Christ did not begin to discharge this prophetic office until after his birth, yea, until after his baptism. The name would therefore be due unto him only from that time. Yet John declareth that the Word was from the beginning of the world: “In the beginning was the Word.”
The Socinian's reference of this unto the beginning of the Gospel and unto a new creation is overthrown by weighty reasons. First, when Scripture speaketh of time and setteth down “the beginning” absolutely, without limitation, it signifieth the beginning of time or of the world, unless something showeth it to be taken in another sense; and here nothing doth so show it. Secondly, the creation here intended is that by which all things without exception were made, and the world itself—which knew not Christ—was made. This can be said of the first creation only, not of the second. Thirdly, it is manifest that John alludeth unto the history of creation related by Moses in Genesis i.
The Word of whom John speaketh is therefore none other than he by whom God is said to have made all things. Otherwise, if John had intended some other word, why did he use the name “Word” and add nothing to prevent the equivocation which might plainly mislead the reader into thinking that the man Jesus, who is called the Word, was already in the beginning of the world and created all things?
Whenever Scripture speaketh of a new creation, it addeth some restriction by which the matter may easily be known: as when a man is called a new creature, or when we are said to be created in Christ. Here there is nothing of that kind. Had John's purpose been to speak of Christ as man, he would from the first have related his birth, of which he speaketh only at verse 14, when he saith that this Word was made flesh.
It is plain rather that John's scope was to describe the person of Christ: partly from that which he was before the incarnation, and partly from that which he became by the incarnation. Therefore, concerning the former, he useth the substantive verb, “was,” which denoteth antecedent existence; but concerning the latter, he useth “was made.” When he speaketh of the Word, he useth “was” eight times and never “was made”; but when he speaketh of the incarnation, he saith not “was,” but “was made.” For flesh is a thing made; the Word is not so. The Word is God, Light, Life, and such by his own nature and for ever; but he was made flesh only in the fulness of time.
From these things, to add no more that might carry us too far from the present purpose, it is evident that Christ is called the Word not only in respect of a prophetic office, as Socinus would have it, but also—and chiefly—in respect of his person and eternal generation.
Thesis XII
The third witness is the Holy Spirit: namely, the third person of the most holy Trinity. The name Spirit is given unto him not merely and absolutely, as God is said to be Spirit because he is a spiritual and incorporeal essence; but personally and relatively unto the Father and the Son, in respect of his manner of subsistence, because he proceedeth from the Father and the Son by spiration.
He is called, in a peculiar manner, the Spirit of God and the Holy Spirit: holy not only formally in himself, as most holy, but efficiently in us, because he is the author of all holiness. Therefore the work of sanctification is singularly and by appropriation ascribed unto him in the economy of salvation, even as election is ascribed unto the Father and redemption unto the Son.
We grant that the Spirit is sometimes taken for his gifts; but because he is here placed in the same order with the Father and the Word, he must be understood personally, not accidentally or as a quality.
Thesis XIII
As these three persons have a threefold manner of operation in the work of salvation, so there is for a special reason a threefold testimony ascribed unto them: “There are three that bear witness in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit.”
God, who left not himself without witness in nature, much less would be without witness in grace. And though his Word be self-authenticating and need no confirmation in itself, yet, that he might accommodate himself unto our weakness and frailty, he would establish our faith beyond doubt by manifold testimony. If every word is established by the mouth of two or three witnesses under the law, then there neither can nor ought to remain any place for doubt concerning the truth of the Gospel, unto which so many divine witnesses, above all exception, give their testimony.
They are said to bear witness in heaven both to show that they are not earthly but heavenly, and to declare that this testimony is borne by them from heaven. That heavenly testimony may be considered jointly or severally.
Sometimes the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit bear witness together. So at Christ's baptism: the Father speaketh from heaven; the Son cometh up from Jordan after his baptism; and the Holy Spirit descendeth from heaven and resteth upon the Son. The Father is heard in the voice, the Son is manifested in the man, and the Holy Spirit is known in the dove. Augustine so highly esteemed this testimony that he was wont to send deniers of the Trinity unto Christ's baptism: “Go, Arian, unto Jordan, and thou shalt see the Trinity.”
So also at the Transfiguration these three witnesses bear testimony unto Christ: the Father by the heavenly voice, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him”; the Son by the Transfiguration, wherein he displayed divine majesty and of which the Apostles were eyewitnesses; and the Holy Spirit speaking in Moses and Elijah concerning his death.
Hereunto also pertaineth the baptism of believers instituted by Christ, in which the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in whose name we are baptized, confirm the same truth. For this sacrament is administered in the name of the holy Trinity, that the mysteries of the Gospel and the saving grace in Christ may be sealed unto us.
Thesis XIV
The truth of this threefold testimony dependeth upon the necessity of a threefold operation in our redemption, which operation belongeth distinctly unto the three persons of the holy Trinity. Salvation had first to be purposed, then to be purchased, and thereafter to be applied. Thus its purpose, being the first act of redemption, is ascribed unto the Father, who is the first person; its purchase, being the second, unto Christ the Mediator, who is the second person; and its application, being the last, unto the third person, the sanctifying Spirit. The Father determineth concerning us; the Son satisfieth for us; and the Spirit worketh in us.
By this threefold operation the three witnesses bear testimony: the Father by sending the Son into the world for us; the Son by his incarnation and passion, dying for us; and the Holy Spirit by effectual calling and regeneration, working in us. The Father, in sending the Son, testifieth that he gave him to be our Redeemer, to take away our sins and reconcile us unto himself. The Son, in taking our flesh, testifieth that he is our Surety and Head, made like unto us that he might be our brother and make peace by his blood. The Holy Spirit, in applying unto us the Father's grace and the Son's merit, testifieth to the truth and certainty of both; so that we may not doubt that the salvation dispensed unto us by these three divine persons is most complete and perfect in every part.
Moreover, this concurrence of the three divine witnesses serveth to show that they answer one another both in bearing witness and in working. In the business of salvation, one operation hath no wider compass than another; rather, they set before themselves the same object and look unto the same end. No salvation is purposed by the Father for any to whom it is not purchased by the Son; none is purchased by the Son for any to whom it is not applied by the Holy Spirit; and, conversely, whomsoever the Spirit sanctifieth, they have been redeemed by Christ and chosen by the Father.
Thesis XV
But that we may speak distinctly of this threefold testimony, we must consider, first, what these witnesses testify; and secondly, how they testify. As touching the substance of their testimony, John sufficiently pointeth it out in the preceding verses, 5 and 6, and describeth it yet more clearly in the verses following, 10–12.
Part of it concerneth the mystery of Christ's Deity: that we may believe him to be the Son of God, the true and eternal God with the Father. “Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” Part concerneth the mystery of redemption: that we may be persuaded that he is the true Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, who was to save his people from their sins. Both were denied by the heretics whom John here opposeth.
Therefore he saith at verse 6 that Christ came by water and blood, namely, to accomplish a full cleansing from sins: by blood, for the taking away of guilt; by water, for the washing away of defilement; by the merit of the blood, for justification; and by the efficacy of the Spirit, for sanctification. The same thing is intended in what he addeth at verse 11: “This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” Hereby he teacheth that God's love toward us is manifested in this: that he was pleased to give life unto us—unto the elect and believers, for he granteth life unto no others—and that he placed this life nowhere but in Christ. Thus Christ is indeed known to be the one and perfect Redeemer of the Church, apart from whom salvation can neither be hoped for nor possessed.
This is the sum of the Gospel which is set before us to be believed; and, that our faith may be fully established and no cause of doubting remain, God would have it supported by this irrefragable testimony both in heaven and upon earth.
If it be asked how this testimony was borne unto Christ by the heavenly witnesses, the answer is not difficult: it was done in two ways, by word and by work. As touching the Father, he is more than once brought in as bearing witness concerning Christ: “The Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me”; and, “The Father that sent me beareth witness of me.”
He bore witness by word: immediately, by the voice heard from heaven on several occasions; and mediately, by the oracles of the prophets, by the writings of the Old Testament which testified of Christ, and by the testimony of John the Baptist, who was sent from God to bear witness of the Light. He bore witness also by work: by the various works he did for Christ's sake—yea, which he performed by Christ himself and in Christ. “The Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.” Why should he have given his power and glory unto Christ for the doing of so many and so great miracles, unless to confirm the divinity of his calling and, as it were, seal it with his own seal?
But the great and wonderful work of the Father, whereby he testified concerning Christ and his Gospel, was beyond doubt his sending of the Son into the world. Thereby he most clearly displayed unto us the greatness of his love and the divine dispensation of salvation.
The translation continues in Part III with the particular testimony of the Word and of the Holy Spirit.
Source note
Translated from Theses VIII–XV of Turretin and Pictet, Disputatio textualis de tribus testibus coelestibus ex 1. Jo. V. v. 7 (Geneva, 1674), pp. 5–13. The public-domain witness is held by the Bibliothèque de Genève: https://doi.org/10.3931/e-rara-73333.