Steven Avery
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There appear to be multiple evidences that Bede had the heavenly witnesses verse.
First Grantley takes the negative approach:
RGA - p. 43
The commentary on the Catholic Epistles by Bede (672/3-735) shows no trace of the comma, and only the faintest hint of a Trinitarian interpretation of verse 8. Interestingly, it seems that Bede was aware of the textual variant in nobis hcec unum sunt in verse 8, which he explains by means of a citation from Ambrose’s De Spiritu sancto. 58 In his homily on the Epistle for the first Sunday after Easter (1 Jn 5:4-12), Hrabanus Maurus (c. 780-856), archbishop of Mainz, likewise moves systematically through the passage in question but does not include the comma, a circumstance that suggests strongly that it was not in his lectionary. Like Bede (one of his principal sources), Hrabanus only hints at a Trinitarian reading of verse 8.59 The immediate context of the passage in 1 Jn is cited no less than four times by another Frankish bishop, Hincmar of Reims (806-882), who likewise fails to include the comma in every instance, even in the midst of his vigorous defence of the Trinity against the propositions of Gottschalk.60 More definite traces of the allegorical interpretation are to be found in a sermon on the same lectionary reading by Hrabanus’ contemporary Haymo, bishop of Halberstadt († 853). Although the comma was apparently absent from the lectionary Haymo was using, he does imply that the three persons of the Trinity are "signified mystically” by the Scriptural verse, a conclusion he apparently reached through his reading of Eucherius. Interestingly, Haymo also says that the water, blood and spirit testify on earth, thus providing evidence of the uneven entry of the markers in calo-in terra used to distinguish the heavenly and earthly witnesses.61
58 Bede, Super epistolas catholicas expositio, ad 1 Jn 5:7-8, CCSL 121:321-322, ll. 84-111 (cf. PL 93:114):
“Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant, spiritus et aqua et sanguis. Spiritus dedit
testimonium quoniam Iesus est ueritas quando super baptizatum descendit [Mt 3:16]. Si enim
uerus Dei filius non esset, nequaquam in eum tanta manifestatione spiritus sanctus ueniret.
Aqua etiam et sanguis dedere testimonium quoniam Iesus est ueritas quando de latere eius in
cruce mortui manarunt [Jn 19:34], quod nullatenus fieri posset, si ueram carnis naturam non
haberet. Sed et hoc quod ante passionem cum oraret factus est sudor eius sicut guttæ sanguinis
decurrentis in terram [Lk 22:44] ueritati carnis assumptæ testimonium dat. Nec reticendum
quod in hoc quoque sanguis et aqua testimonium illi dederunt quod de latere mortui uiuaciter
effluxerunt, quod erat contra naturam corporum atque ob id mysteriis aptum et testimonio
ueritatis fuit congruum uidelicet insinuans quia et ipsum domini corpus melius post mortem
esset uicturum resuscitatum in gloria et ipsa mors illius nobis uitam donaret. Hoc quoque quod
sudor eius instar guttarum sanguinis decurrebat in terram testimonium perhibebat illi
sacrosancto mysterio quod ecclesiam totum per orbem suo sanguine lauaret. Tres sunt ergo qui
testimonium perhibent ueritati, et tres, inquit, unum sunt. Indiuidua namque hæc manent
nihilque eorum a sui conexione seiungitur, quia nec sine uera diuinitate humanitas nec sine
uera credenda est humanitate diuinitas. Sed et in nobis hæc unum sunt non naturæ eiusdem
substantia sed eiusdem operatione [322] mysterii. Nam, sicut beatus Ambrosius ait: Spiritus
mentem renouat, aqua proficit ad lauacrum, sanguis spectat ad pretium. Spiritus enim nos per
adoptionem filios Dei fecit, sacri fontis unda nos abluit, sanguis domini nos redemit. Alterum igitur
inuisibile, alterum uisibile testimonium sacramento consequitur spiritali [Ambrose, De Spiritu
sancto; CSEL 79:179].”
Jenkins, 1942, pointed out that the following manuscripts of Bede’s commentary give the reading Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant: spiritus et aqua et sanguis:
Oxford, Bodleian ms 849 (dated 818);
Oxford, Bodleian ms Laud misc. 442 (ninth century);
Oxford, Oriel College ms 34 (tenth century);
Oxford, Jesus College ms 69 (eleventh century);
Oxford, Jesus College ms 70 (twelfth century).
Two slightly later manuscripts show traces that the comma is starting to circulate (although they do not quote verse 7), since they give the
reading “[…] dant in terra: spiritus […]”:
Oxford, Bodleian ms Laud misc. 78 (twelfth century);
Oxford, Lincoln College ms D. Lat. 31 (twelfth or thirteenth century).
Jenkins next draws attention to the relevant passage as it appears in Oxford, Balliol College ms 177 (dated tentatively to the end of the twelfth century), 83r:
“[…] qui eum uel deum uel hominem esse uerum denegant. Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant in celo pater uerbum et spiritus sanctus. Et hii tres sunt [sic]. Pater dedit testimonium deitatis quando dixit Hic est filius meus dilectus [Mt 3:17]. Ipse filius dedit testimonium qui in monte transfiguratus potentiam diuinitatis et speciem eterne beatitudinis ostendit [Mt 17:2]. Spiritus sanctus dedit qui [quando?] super baptizatum in specie columbe requieuit [Lk 3:22] uel quando ad inuocacionem nominis xpi corda credencium impleuit. Et hii tres unum sunt una uidelicet substantia et unius deitatis essencia. Et tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra spiritus aqua et sanguis. Spiritus dedit testimonium quoniam ihs est ueritas quando super baptizatum descendit. Si enim non uerus […].”
Jenkins’ comments were followed up by Laistner, 1942, who noted that this reading does not occur in two further manuscripts of Bede (Karlsruhe, mss Aug. xliii and cliii, both ninth century), and that both these manuscripts also lack the words in terra. Jenkins and Laistner were apparently unaware that the words “pater dedit…impleuit” in the Balliol manuscript are interpolated from the Glossa ordinaria, 1603, VI:1414, perhaps by way of the Speculum speculationum of Alexander Neckam, who attributed this part of the Glossa to Bede. The words “Spiritus…descendit” are perhaps based on Neckam’s explication: “Spiritus ergo Sanctus in terra dedit testimonium Christo super humanitate, et in conceptione quia de ipso conceptus est, et in descensu super ipsum quando baptizatus est, et tercio quando ab ipso ductus est in desertum.” See Neckam, 1988, 73, 78.
59 Hrabanus Maurus, Homilia XVII, PL 110:174-175.
60 Hincmar, De prædestinatione Dei XXXV, PL 125:376; De una et non trina deitate X, PL 125:555; Explanatio in ferculum Salomonis, PL 125:821; Epist. X, PL 126:75
61 Haymo of Halberstadt, Homilia LXXX, PL 118:488: “Spiritus est qui testificatur, quoniam
Christus est veritas. Spiritus enim sanctus, per quem nobis in baptismo omnium datur remissio
peccatorum, nos per adoptionem filios Dei facit: quos ipse Dominus in morte crucis et suo
sanguine redemit, et per gratiam ejusdem sancti Spiritus, quem in baptismo suscepimus, verae
fidei lumen et agnitionis Dei recepimus, unde salutem consequi debemus aeternam. Quoniam
tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra, aqua, et sanguis, et spiritus. Quidam hic sanctam
Trinitatem mystice significatam intelligunt, quae Christo testimonium perhibuit. In aqua
Patrem significari intelligunt, quia ipse de se dicit: Me dereliquerunt fontem aquæ vivæ [Jer
2:13]. In sanguine, ipsum Christum, qui pro salute mundi suum sanguinem fudit. In spiritu,
eumdem Spiritum sanctum. Hæc sancta Trinitas Christo testimonium ita perhibet, ipso per
Evangelium loquente: Ego sum qui testimonium perhibeo de meipso, et testimonium perhibet de
me, qui misit me Pater. Et cum venerit paracletus, quem ego mittam vobis a Patre meo, Spiritum
veritatis, ille testimonium perhibebit de me [Jn 8:15]. Et hi tres unum sunt, id est Pater et Filius et
Spiritus sanctus. Unum in natura, unum in divina substantia, coæquales in omnibus, et
coæternales per omnia, in nullo dissimiles.” It is possible that the phrase in terra was later
introduced into Haymo’s text in the process of transmission, as was the case with Eucherius’
text, but in the absence of a critical edition of Haymo’s works it is difficult to be sure.
First Grantley takes the negative approach:
RGA - p. 43
The commentary on the Catholic Epistles by Bede (672/3-735) shows no trace of the comma, and only the faintest hint of a Trinitarian interpretation of verse 8. Interestingly, it seems that Bede was aware of the textual variant in nobis hcec unum sunt in verse 8, which he explains by means of a citation from Ambrose’s De Spiritu sancto. 58 In his homily on the Epistle for the first Sunday after Easter (1 Jn 5:4-12), Hrabanus Maurus (c. 780-856), archbishop of Mainz, likewise moves systematically through the passage in question but does not include the comma, a circumstance that suggests strongly that it was not in his lectionary. Like Bede (one of his principal sources), Hrabanus only hints at a Trinitarian reading of verse 8.59 The immediate context of the passage in 1 Jn is cited no less than four times by another Frankish bishop, Hincmar of Reims (806-882), who likewise fails to include the comma in every instance, even in the midst of his vigorous defence of the Trinity against the propositions of Gottschalk.60 More definite traces of the allegorical interpretation are to be found in a sermon on the same lectionary reading by Hrabanus’ contemporary Haymo, bishop of Halberstadt († 853). Although the comma was apparently absent from the lectionary Haymo was using, he does imply that the three persons of the Trinity are "signified mystically” by the Scriptural verse, a conclusion he apparently reached through his reading of Eucherius. Interestingly, Haymo also says that the water, blood and spirit testify on earth, thus providing evidence of the uneven entry of the markers in calo-in terra used to distinguish the heavenly and earthly witnesses.61
58 Bede, Super epistolas catholicas expositio, ad 1 Jn 5:7-8, CCSL 121:321-322, ll. 84-111 (cf. PL 93:114):
“Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant, spiritus et aqua et sanguis. Spiritus dedit
testimonium quoniam Iesus est ueritas quando super baptizatum descendit [Mt 3:16]. Si enim
uerus Dei filius non esset, nequaquam in eum tanta manifestatione spiritus sanctus ueniret.
Aqua etiam et sanguis dedere testimonium quoniam Iesus est ueritas quando de latere eius in
cruce mortui manarunt [Jn 19:34], quod nullatenus fieri posset, si ueram carnis naturam non
haberet. Sed et hoc quod ante passionem cum oraret factus est sudor eius sicut guttæ sanguinis
decurrentis in terram [Lk 22:44] ueritati carnis assumptæ testimonium dat. Nec reticendum
quod in hoc quoque sanguis et aqua testimonium illi dederunt quod de latere mortui uiuaciter
effluxerunt, quod erat contra naturam corporum atque ob id mysteriis aptum et testimonio
ueritatis fuit congruum uidelicet insinuans quia et ipsum domini corpus melius post mortem
esset uicturum resuscitatum in gloria et ipsa mors illius nobis uitam donaret. Hoc quoque quod
sudor eius instar guttarum sanguinis decurrebat in terram testimonium perhibebat illi
sacrosancto mysterio quod ecclesiam totum per orbem suo sanguine lauaret. Tres sunt ergo qui
testimonium perhibent ueritati, et tres, inquit, unum sunt. Indiuidua namque hæc manent
nihilque eorum a sui conexione seiungitur, quia nec sine uera diuinitate humanitas nec sine
uera credenda est humanitate diuinitas. Sed et in nobis hæc unum sunt non naturæ eiusdem
substantia sed eiusdem operatione [322] mysterii. Nam, sicut beatus Ambrosius ait: Spiritus
mentem renouat, aqua proficit ad lauacrum, sanguis spectat ad pretium. Spiritus enim nos per
adoptionem filios Dei fecit, sacri fontis unda nos abluit, sanguis domini nos redemit. Alterum igitur
inuisibile, alterum uisibile testimonium sacramento consequitur spiritali [Ambrose, De Spiritu
sancto; CSEL 79:179].”
Jenkins, 1942, pointed out that the following manuscripts of Bede’s commentary give the reading Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant: spiritus et aqua et sanguis:
Oxford, Bodleian ms 849 (dated 818);
Oxford, Bodleian ms Laud misc. 442 (ninth century);
Oxford, Oriel College ms 34 (tenth century);
Oxford, Jesus College ms 69 (eleventh century);
Oxford, Jesus College ms 70 (twelfth century).
Two slightly later manuscripts show traces that the comma is starting to circulate (although they do not quote verse 7), since they give the
reading “[…] dant in terra: spiritus […]”:
Oxford, Bodleian ms Laud misc. 78 (twelfth century);
Oxford, Lincoln College ms D. Lat. 31 (twelfth or thirteenth century).
Jenkins next draws attention to the relevant passage as it appears in Oxford, Balliol College ms 177 (dated tentatively to the end of the twelfth century), 83r:
“[…] qui eum uel deum uel hominem esse uerum denegant. Quia tres sunt qui testimonium dant in celo pater uerbum et spiritus sanctus. Et hii tres sunt [sic]. Pater dedit testimonium deitatis quando dixit Hic est filius meus dilectus [Mt 3:17]. Ipse filius dedit testimonium qui in monte transfiguratus potentiam diuinitatis et speciem eterne beatitudinis ostendit [Mt 17:2]. Spiritus sanctus dedit qui [quando?] super baptizatum in specie columbe requieuit [Lk 3:22] uel quando ad inuocacionem nominis xpi corda credencium impleuit. Et hii tres unum sunt una uidelicet substantia et unius deitatis essencia. Et tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra spiritus aqua et sanguis. Spiritus dedit testimonium quoniam ihs est ueritas quando super baptizatum descendit. Si enim non uerus […].”
Jenkins’ comments were followed up by Laistner, 1942, who noted that this reading does not occur in two further manuscripts of Bede (Karlsruhe, mss Aug. xliii and cliii, both ninth century), and that both these manuscripts also lack the words in terra. Jenkins and Laistner were apparently unaware that the words “pater dedit…impleuit” in the Balliol manuscript are interpolated from the Glossa ordinaria, 1603, VI:1414, perhaps by way of the Speculum speculationum of Alexander Neckam, who attributed this part of the Glossa to Bede. The words “Spiritus…descendit” are perhaps based on Neckam’s explication: “Spiritus ergo Sanctus in terra dedit testimonium Christo super humanitate, et in conceptione quia de ipso conceptus est, et in descensu super ipsum quando baptizatus est, et tercio quando ab ipso ductus est in desertum.” See Neckam, 1988, 73, 78.
59 Hrabanus Maurus, Homilia XVII, PL 110:174-175.
60 Hincmar, De prædestinatione Dei XXXV, PL 125:376; De una et non trina deitate X, PL 125:555; Explanatio in ferculum Salomonis, PL 125:821; Epist. X, PL 126:75
61 Haymo of Halberstadt, Homilia LXXX, PL 118:488: “Spiritus est qui testificatur, quoniam
Christus est veritas. Spiritus enim sanctus, per quem nobis in baptismo omnium datur remissio
peccatorum, nos per adoptionem filios Dei facit: quos ipse Dominus in morte crucis et suo
sanguine redemit, et per gratiam ejusdem sancti Spiritus, quem in baptismo suscepimus, verae
fidei lumen et agnitionis Dei recepimus, unde salutem consequi debemus aeternam. Quoniam
tres sunt qui testimonium dant in terra, aqua, et sanguis, et spiritus. Quidam hic sanctam
Trinitatem mystice significatam intelligunt, quae Christo testimonium perhibuit. In aqua
Patrem significari intelligunt, quia ipse de se dicit: Me dereliquerunt fontem aquæ vivæ [Jer
2:13]. In sanguine, ipsum Christum, qui pro salute mundi suum sanguinem fudit. In spiritu,
eumdem Spiritum sanctum. Hæc sancta Trinitas Christo testimonium ita perhibet, ipso per
Evangelium loquente: Ego sum qui testimonium perhibeo de meipso, et testimonium perhibet de
me, qui misit me Pater. Et cum venerit paracletus, quem ego mittam vobis a Patre meo, Spiritum
veritatis, ille testimonium perhibebit de me [Jn 8:15]. Et hi tres unum sunt, id est Pater et Filius et
Spiritus sanctus. Unum in natura, unum in divina substantia, coæquales in omnibus, et
coæternales per omnia, in nullo dissimiles.” It is possible that the phrase in terra was later
introduced into Haymo’s text in the process of transmission, as was the case with Eucherius’
text, but in the absence of a critical edition of Haymo’s works it is difficult to be sure.
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