1 John 2:1-6. OBEDIENCE TO GOD BY IMITATION OF CHRIST 1–6. The Apostle is still treating of the condition and conduct of the believer as determined by his walking in the light; there is no break between the two Chapter s. Having shewn us that even Christians constantly sin, he goes on (1) to point... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΕΚΝΊΑ ΜΟΥ. The diminutive does not imply that the Apostle is addressing persons of tender age: it is a term of endearment. Wiclif has ‘litil sones’ as a rendering of the _filioli_ of the Vulgate; Tyndale, Cranmer, and the Genevan Version all waver between ‘babes’ (which is far too strong) and ‘litt... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:28. GOD IS LIGHT... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:11. WHAT WALKING IN THE LIGHT INVOLVES This section is largely directed against the Gnostic doctrine that to the man of enlightenment all conduct is morally indifferent. Against every form of this doctrine, which sapped the very foundations of Christian Ethics, the Apostle nev... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΣ ἹΛΑΣΜΌΣ ἘΣΤΙΝ. _And He_ HIMSELF _is_ A _propitiation_. Ἔχομεν … ἐστιν, present tense of what is continual. In His glorified Body the Son is ever acting thus. Contrast the aorist (ἔθηκεν) of what took place once for all (1 John 3:16), His death. Beware of the unsatisfactory explanation tha... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΤΟΎΤΩΙ ΓΙΝΏΣΚΟΜΕΝ ὍΤΙ ἘΓΝΏΚΑΜΕΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΌΝ. HEREIN _we_ COME TO KNOW _that we know Him_; or, _we perceive that we have come to know Him_. The difference between ἔγνωκα (‘I have come to know’ = ‘I know’) and other tenses of γινώσκω (‘I get to know, perceive, recognise’) should be marked. Comp. the col... [ Continue Reading ]
4. Before ἜΓΝΩΚΑ insert ὍΤΙ with [452][453][454] against [455][456][457]. [458] omits ἘΝ ΤΟΎΤΩΙ before Ἡ� and inserts τοῦ θεοῦ after it. [452] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles. [453] 5th century.... [ Continue Reading ]
5. The statement in 1 John 2:3 is still further emphasized by taking the opposite of 1 John 2:4, which is the opposite of 1 John 2:3. But this does not bring us back to 1 John 2:3, but to an expansion of it. S. John’s apparent retrogressions are real advances. ΤῸΝ ΛΌΓΟΝ is a wider expression than τὰ... [ Continue Reading ]
6. Before ΠΕΡΙΠΑΤΕΙ͂Ν omit οὕτως with [459][460] against [461][462][463]. [459] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. All three Epistles. [460] 4th century. Brought to Rome abou... [ Continue Reading ]
7. For ἈΔΕΛΦΟΊ ([464][465]) read ἈΓΑΠΗΤΟΊ ([466][467][468][469][470]), and after ἨΚΟΎΣΑΤΕ omit ἀπ ̓ ἀρχῆς with [471][472][473][474][475] and Versions against [476][477]. [464] 9th century. All three Epistles. [465] 9th century. All three Epistles. [466] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859... [ Continue Reading ]
7–11. LOVE OF THE BRETHREN 7–11. Walking in the light involves not only fellowship with God and with the brethren (1 John 1:5-7), consciousness and confession of sin (1 John 1:8-10), obedience by imitation of Christ (1 John 2:1-6), but also _love of the brethren_. In nothing did Christ more express... [ Continue Reading ]
8. For ΣΚΟΤΊΑ ([478][479] and Versions) [480] has σκία. [478] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles. [479] 5th century. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out and the works of Ephra... [ Continue Reading ]
9. For the fifth time the Apostle indicates a possible inconsistency of a very gross kind between profession and conduct (1 John 1:6; 1 John 1:8; 1 John 1:10; 1 John 2:4). We shall have a sixth in 1 John 4:20. In most of these passages he is aiming at some of the Gnostic teaching already prevalent.... [ Continue Reading ]
9–11. The form of these three verses is similar to that of 1 John 2:3-5, and still more so to 1 John 1:8-10. In each of these three triplets a case is placed between two statements of the opposite to it; confession of sin, obedience, and love, between two statements of denial of sin, disobedience, a... [ Continue Reading ]
10. ὁ�. Nothing is said about what he _professes_; it is what he _does_ that is of consequence. ΜΈΝΕΙ means not only has entered into the light, but has it for his _abode_: see on 1 John 2:24. ΣΚΆΝΔΑΛΟΝ ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΣΤΙΝ ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι. There are four ways of taking this; three taking αὐτῷ as masculine, and on... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ΣΚ. ἘΣΤΊΝ, Κ. ἘΝ ΤΗ͂Ι ΣΚ. Π. The _darkness_ is his home and the sphere of his activity. The contrast between the godly and the wicked is similarly indicated in Proverbs 4:18-19 : αἱ δὲ ὁδοὶ τῶν δικαίων ὁμοίως φωτὶ λάμπουσιν· προπορεύονται καὶ φωτίζουσιν, ἕως κατορθώσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα. αἱ δὲ ὁδοὶ τῶν... [ Continue Reading ]
12–14. THREEFOLD STATEMENT OF REASONS FOR WRITING “Hitherto St John has stated briefly the main scope of his Epistle. He has shewn what is the great problem of life, and how the Gospel meets it with an answer and a law complete and progressive, old and new. He now pauses, as it were to contemplate t... [ Continue Reading ]
12–28. THE THINGS AND PERSONS TO BE AVOIDED These are summed up under two heads: i. _The World and the Things in the World_ (15–17); ii. _Antichrists_ (18–26). The section begins with a _threefold statement_ of the happy experiences which those addressed have had in the Gospel, and gives these as a... [ Continue Reading ]
13. For γράφω with ΠΑΙΔΊΑ ([481]) read ἜΓΡΑΨΑ ([482][483][484][485][486]). [481] 9th century. All three Epistles. [482] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles. [483] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar... [ Continue Reading ]
14. [487] has ΤῸ�ʼ ἈΡΧΗ͂Σ. [488] and the Thebaic omit ΤΟΥ͂ ΘΕΟΥ͂. Comp. 1 John 2:20. [487] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles. [488] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest... [ Continue Reading ]
15–17. THE THINGS TO BE AVOIDED;—THE WORLD AND ITS WAYS Having reminded them solemnly of the blessedness of their condition as members of the Christian family, whether old or young, and having declared that this blessedness of peace, knowledge, and strength is his reason for writing to them, he goe... [ Continue Reading ]
15. [489][490] read Ἡ�. Some later authorities have the conflate reading Ἡ� τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ΤΟΥ͂ ΠΑΤΡΌΣ. [489] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and afterwards presented by him to Charles I. in 1628. In the British Museum. All three Epistles. [490] 5th... [ Continue Reading ]
Proof of the preceding statement by shewing the fundamental opposition in detail. ΠΑ͂Ν ΤῸ ἘΝ ΤΩ͂Ι Κ. Neuter singular: in 1 John 2:15 we had the neuter plural. The _material_ contents of the universe cannot be meant. To say that these did not originate from God would be to contradict the Apostle hims... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΑΡΆΓΕΤΑΙ. IS PASSING AWAY; as in 1 John 2:8 : the process is now going on. We owe the verb ‘_pass_ away’ here to Coverdale: it is a great improvement on Tyndale’s ‘_vanisheth_ away’. Comp. ‘The fashion of this world _is passing away_’ (1 Corinthians 7:31), where the same verb is used, and where the... [ Continue Reading ]
18. Before ἈΝΤΊΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ omit ὁ with [491]1[492][493] against [494][495][496]. [491] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles. [492] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest... [ Continue Reading ]
18–26. THE PERSONS TO BE AVOIDED;—ANTICHRISTS... [ Continue Reading ]
19. The relation of these antichristian teachers to the Church of Christ. They were formerly nominal members, but never real members of it. They are now not members in any sense. Note the repetition, so characteristic of S. John, of the key-word ἡμῶν, which means the Christian Church. It occurs five... [ Continue Reading ]
20. For ΚΑῚ ΟἼΔΑΤΕ ΠΆΝΤΑ ([497][498][499][500], Memphitic, Vulgate) we should perhaps read καὶ οἴδατε πάντες ([501][502]) or οἴδατε πάντες ([503], Thebaic). Comp. 1 John 2:14. The reading remains uncertain. [497] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Constantinople, from Alexandria, and... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 2:29 to 1 John 5:12. GOD IS LOVE There seems to be no serious break in the Epistle from this point onwards until we reach the concluding verses which form a sort of summary (1 John 5:13-21). The key-word ‘love’ is distributed, and not very unevenly, over the whole, from 1 John 3:1 to 1 John 5... [ Continue Reading ]
21. ΟΥ̓Κ ἜΓΡΑΨΑ. Whatever may be the explanation of the tense in 1 John 2:14, here we probably have the _epistolary aorist_, which may be represented by either the present or the perfect in English. But some would refer this also to the Gospel; and the absence of ταῦτα renders this not impossible. M... [ Continue Reading ]
22. ΤΊΣ ἘΣΤΙΝ Ὁ ΨΕΎΣΤΗΣ. _Who is_ THE _liar_? R.V. is here again superior to previous English Versions. But we must beware of exaggerating the article in _interpretation_, although it is right to _translate_ it. It merely marks the passage from the abstract to the concrete: ‘Every lie is absolutely... [ Continue Reading ]
23. After ἜΧΕΙ add Ὁ ὉΜΟΛΟΓΩ͂Ν ΤῸΝ ΥἹῸΝ ΚΑῚ ΤῸΝ ΠΑΤΈΡΑ ἜΧΕΙ with [504][505][506][507] and Versions against [508][509]. Omission through _homoeoteleuton_. [504] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles. ... [ Continue Reading ]
24. After the first ὙΜΕΙ͂Σ omit οὖν with [510][511][512][513] and Versions against [514][515]. [510] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles. [511] 5th century. Brought by Cyril Lucar, Patriarch of Cons... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΑὝΤΗ ἘΣΤῚΝ Ἡ ἘΠ. ἫΝ ΑΥ̓ΤῸΣ ἘΠ. ἩΜΙ͂Ν. _And_ THE PROMISE WHICH HE HIMSELF PROMISED US IS THIS. As in 1 John 1:5; 1 John 3:23; 1 John 5:11; 1 John 5:14, αὕτη is the predicate and refers to what follows, not to what precedes: comp. 1 John 2:22. ‘This is what His promise amounted to—no less than ete... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΑΥ͂ΤΑ ἜΓΡΑΨΑ. This is not parallel to ἔγραψα in 1 John 2:14; 1 John 2:21 where there is no ταῦτα. Here the reference must be to the Epistle, or rather to the section about the antichrists (18–25): 1 John 2:14 probably refers in all three sentences to the Gospel: 1 John 2:21 is doubtful, but is best... [ Continue Reading ]
27. For ἐν ὑμῖν μένει ([516][517]) read ΜΈΝΕΙ ἘΝ ὙΜΙ͂Ν ([518][519][520]); for τὸ αὐτὸ ([521][522][523]) read ΤῸ ΑΥ̓ΤΟΥ͂ ([524][525][526]); and for μενεῖτε ([527][528]) read ΜΈΝΕΤΕ ([529][530][531][532] and Versions). [533] has χάρισμα for the first ΧΡΙ͂ΣΜΑ and [534]1 has πνεῦμα for the second. [516]... [ Continue Reading ]
27, 28. THE PLACE OF SAFETY;—CHRIST... [ Continue Reading ]
28. For ὅταν ([535][536]) read ἘΆΝ ([537][538][539][540]), and for ἔχωμεν ([541]1[542][543]) read ΣΧΩ͂ΜΕΝ ([544]3[545][546][547]). [548] omits ΚΑῚ ΝΥ͂Ν … ἘΝ ΑΥ̓ΤΩ͂Ι through _homoeoteleuton_. [535] 9th century. All three Epistles. [536] 9th century. All three Epistles. [537] 4th century. Discovered b... [ Continue Reading ]
29. For ΕἸΔΗ͂ΤΕ ([549][550][551], Vulgate) [552][553][554] and some Versions read ἴδητε. Before ΠΑ͂Σ insert ΚΑῚ with [555][556][557], Peschito, Thebaic, and Vulgate against [558][559][560]. [561] and some Versions omit both καὶ and πᾶς. [549] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the mon... [ Continue Reading ]