My beloved children — So the apostle frequently addresses the whole body of Christians. It is a term of tenderness and endearment, used by our Lord himself to his disciples, John 13:33. And perhaps many to whom St. John now wrote were converted by his ministry. It is a different word from that which... [ Continue Reading ]
And he is the propitiation — The atoning sacrifice by which the wrath of God is appeased. For our sins — Who believe. And not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world — Just as wide as sin extends, the propitiation extends also .... [ Continue Reading ]
And hereby we know that we truly and savingly know him — As he is the advocate, the righteous, the propitiation. If we keep his commandments — Particularly those of faith and love.... [ Continue Reading ]
But whoso keepeth his word — His commandments. Verily in him the love of God — Reconciled to us through Christ. Is perfected — Is perfectly known. Hereby — By our keeping his word. We know that we are in him — So is the tree known by its fruits. To "know him," to be "in him," to "abide in him," are... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith he abideth in him — which implies a durable state; a constant, lasting knowledge of, and communion with, him. Ought himself — Otherwise they are vain words. So to walk, even as he walked — In the world. As he, are words that frequently occur in this epistle. Believers having their hear... [ Continue Reading ]
When I speak of keeping his word, I write not a new commandment — I do not speak of any new one. But the old commandment, which ye had — Even from your forefathers.... [ Continue Reading ]
Again, I do write a new commandment to you — Namely, with regard to loving one another. A commandment which, though it also was given long ago, yet is truly new in him and in you. It was exemplified in him, and is now fulfilled by you, in such a manner as it never was before. For there is no compari... [ Continue Reading ]
He that saith he is in the light — In Christ, united to him. And hateth his brother — The very name shows the love due to him. Is in darkness until now — Void of Christ, and of all true light.... [ Continue Reading ]
He that loveth his brother — For Christ's sake. Abideth in the light — Of God. And there is no occasion of stumbling in him — Whereas he that hates his brother is an occasion of stumbling to himself. He stumbles against himself, and against all things within and without; while he that loves his brot... [ Continue Reading ]
He that hateth his brother — And he must hate, if he does not love him: there is no medium. Is in darkness — In sin, perplexity, entanglement. He walketh in darkness, and knoweth not that he is in the high road to hell.... [ Continue Reading ]
I have written to you, beloved children — Thus St. John bespeaks all to whom he writes. But in 1 John 2:13, he divides them particularly into "fathers," "young men," and "little children." Because your sins are forgiven you — As if he had said, This is the sum of what I have now written. He then pro... [ Continue Reading ]
The address to spiritual fathers, young men, and little children is first proposed in this verse, wherein he says, I write to you, fathers: I write to you, young men: I write to you, little children: and then enlarged upon; in doing which he says, "I have written to you, fathers," 1 John 2:14. "I ha... [ Continue Reading ]
I have written to you, fathers — As if he had said, Observe well what I but now wrote. He speaks very briefly and modestly to these, who needed not much to be said to them, as having that deep acquaintance with God which comprises all necessary knowledge. Young men, ye are strong — In faith. And the... [ Continue Reading ]
To you all, whether fathers, young men, or little children, I say, Love not the world — Pursue your victory by overcoming the world. If any man love the world — Seek happiness in visible things, he does not love God.... [ Continue Reading ]
The desire of the flesh — Of the pleasure of the outward senses, whether of the taste, smell, or touch. The desire of the eye — Of the pleasures of imagination, to which the eye chiefly is subservient; of that internal sense whereby we relish whatever is grand, new, or beautiful. The pride of life —... [ Continue Reading ]
The world passeth away, and the desire thereof — That is, all that can gratify those desires passeth away with it. But he that doeth the will of God — That loves God, not the world. Abideth — In the enjoyment of what he loves, for ever.... [ Continue Reading ]
My little children, it is the last time — The last dispensation of grace, that which is to continue to the end of time, is begun. Ye have heard that antichrist cometh — Under the term antichrist, or the spirit of antichrist, he includes all false teachers and enemies to the truth; yea, whatever doct... [ Continue Reading ]
They were not of us — When they went; their hearts were before departed from God, otherwise, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest — That is, this was made manifest by their going out.... [ Continue Reading ]
But ye have an anointing — A chrism; perhaps so termed in opposition to the name of antichrist; an inward teaching from the Holy Ghost, whereby ye know all things — Necessary for your preservation from these seducers, and for your eternal salvation. St. John here but just touches upon the Holy Ghost... [ Continue Reading ]
I have written — Namely, 1 John 2:13. To you because ye know the truth — That is, to confirm you in the knowledge ye have already. Ye know that no lie is of the truth — That all the doctrines of these antichrists are irreconcilable to it.... [ Continue Reading ]
Who is that liar — Who is guilty of that lying, but he who denies that truth which is the sum of all Christianity? That Jesus is the Christ; that he is the Son of God; that he came in the flesh, is one undivided truth. and he that denies any part of this, in effect denies the whole. He is antichrist... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever denieth the eternal Son of God, he hath not communion with the Father; but he that truly and believingly acknowledgeth the Son, hath communion with the Father also.... [ Continue Reading ]
If that truth concerning the Father and the Son, which ye have heard from the beginning, abide fixed and rooted in you, ye also shall abide in that happy communion with the Son and the Father.... [ Continue Reading ]
He — The Son. Hath promised us — If we abide in him.... [ Continue Reading ]
These things — From 1 John 2:21. I have written to you — St. John, according to his custom, begins and ends with the same form, and having finished a kind of parenthesis, 1 John 2:20, continues, 1 John 2:27, what he said in 1 John 2:20, concerning them that would seduce you.... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye need not that any should teach you, save as that anointing teacheth you — Which is always the same, always consistent with itself. But this does not exclude our need of being taught by them who partake of the same anointing. Of all things — Which it is necessary for you to know. And is no lie — L... [ Continue Reading ]
And now, beloved children — Having finished his address to each, he now returns to all in general. Abide in him, that we — A modest expression. May not be ashamed before him at his coming — O how will ye, Jews, Socinians, nominal Christians, be ashamed in that day!... [ Continue Reading ]
Every one — And none else. Who practiseth righteousness — From a believing, loving heart. Is born of him — For all his children are like himself.... [ Continue Reading ]