1 John 3:23

23. For πιστεύσωμεν ([684][685][686]) we should perhaps read πιστεύωμεν ([687][688][689]).

[684] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles.
[685] 9th century. All three Epistles.
[686] 9th century. All three Epistles.
[687] 4th century. Discovered by Tischendorf in 1859 at the monastery of S. Catherine on Mount Sinai, and now at Petersburg. All three Epistles.
[688] 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.
[689] 5th century. A palimpsest: the original writing has been partially rubbed out and the works of Ephraem the Syrian have been written over it. In the National Library at Paris. Part of the First and Third Epistles; 1 John 1:1 to 1 John 4:2; 3 John 1:3-14. Of the whole N.T. the only Books entirely missing are 2 John and 2 Thessalonians.

Once more [690] almost invariably has the true text: in no case has it a reading which is certainly wrong.

[690] 4th century. Brought to Rome about 1460. It is entered in the earliest catalogue of the Vatican Library, 1475. All three Epistles.

In 1 John 3:1-3 the Apostle states the present and future condition of the children of God. For the present they have both in name and fact a parentage that is Divine: but the world, which has not recognised their Parent, does not recognise them. Their future is not yet fully revealed: but they are to be like Him; and this thought inspires their strivings after holiness.

23. καὶ αὕτη … αὐτοῦ. And His commandment is this: see on 1 John 1:5. For ἵνα after ἐντολή comp. John 13:34; John 15:12 : after ἐντέλλομαι, John 15:17. In such cases ἵνα perhaps merely “gives the nature and contents of the commandment, not the aim” (Jelf): but see on 1 John 1:9. This verse is the answer to those who would argue from the preceding verses that all that is required of us is to do what is right; it does not much matter what we believe. Not so says the Apostle. In order to do what is right it is necessary to believe: this is the first step in our obedience to God’s commands.

πιστεύωμεν τῷ ὀνόματι. Believe the Name. Beza rightly substitutes credamus nomini for the Vulgate’s credamus in nomine. A.V. has ‘believe on’: R.V. has ‘believe in’; which would be πιστ. εἰς or ἐπί or ἐν. ‘To believe the Name’ means to believe all that His Name implies; His Divinity, His Sonship, and His office as Mediator, Advocate, and Saviour. Hence the solemn fulness with which the Name is given, His Son Jesus Christ. The reading τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ Ἰ. Χριστῷ is an obvious correction of an unusual phrase. A copyist would argue, ‘One can believe a person (John 4:21; John 5:24; John 5:38; John 5:46), and one can believe a statement (John 4:50; John 5:47), but how can one believe a name?’ The phrase πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα is frequent in S. John’s writings (1 John 5:13; John 1:12; John 2:23; John 3:18).

καὶ�. Here καί is not epexegetic: it adds something fresh, giving active love as the necessary effect of living faith. ‘Faith if it have not works is dead’ (James 2:17). καθώς. Even as Christ (just mentioned) gave us commandment; in reference to the ἐντολὴ καινή (John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17). There must be exact correspondence (καθώς) between His command and our love: i.e. we must love one another ‘in deed and truth.’ In N.T. the phrase ἐντολὴν δίδοναι is peculiar to S. John (John 11:57; John 12:49; John 13:34): it occurs in Demosthenes (250, 14).