The First Epistle General of St John] This title exists in very different forms both ancient and modern, and is not original. As we might expect, the oldest authorities are the simplest; thus, 1. _Of John A._; 2. _First Epistle of John 3. Catholic Epistle of the Holy Apostle John 4. First Epistle of... [ Continue Reading ]
_That which was from the beginning_ The similarity to the opening of the Gospel is manifest: but the thought is somewhat different. There the point is that the Word existed before the Creation; here that the Word existed before the Incarnation. With the neuter -that which" comp. John 4:22; John 6:37... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:1-4. The Introduction That the first four verses are introductory is generally admitted. They are analogous to the first eighteen verses of the Gospel and to the first three verses of the Revelation. Like the Prologue to the Gospel, this Introduction tells us that what the Apostle purposes... [ Continue Reading ]
_For the life was manifested_ Better, AND _the life_&c. It is S. John's characteristic use of the simple conjunction. -Manifest" (φανεροῦν) also is one of S. John's characteristic words, frequent in Gospel and Epistle and occurring twice in Revelation. Words and phrases which connect the Epistle wit... [ Continue Reading ]
_That which we have seen and heard_ In returning to the main sentence he repeats a portion of it. The ideas of the first half and of the second half of the main sentence are not the same. In 1 John 1:1 he is thinking mainly of _what_he has to declare, viz. One existing from all eternity and intimate... [ Continue Reading ]
_these things write we_ These words apply to the whole Epistle, of which he here states the purpose, just as in John 20:31 he states the purpose of the Gospel. Both -write" and -we" are emphatic: it is a permanent message that is sent, and it is sent by apostolic authority. _that your joy may be ful... [ Continue Reading ]
Fellowship with God and with the Brethren 5. _This then is the message which we have heard of Him_ Better, AND _the message which we have heard_ FROM _Him_ IS THIS. -This" is the predicate, as so often in S. John: -But the judgment is this" (John 3:19); -The commandment is this" (John 15:12); -The e... [ Continue Reading ]
1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:28. God is Light 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 founda... [ Continue Reading ]
An inference from the first principle just laid down. God is light, utterly removed from all darkness: therefore to be in darkness is to be cut off from Him. _If we say_ With great gentleness he puts the case hypothetically, and with great delicacy he includes himself in the hypothesis. This -if we... [ Continue Reading ]
A further inference from the first principle laid down in 1 John 1:5: walking in the light involves not only fellowship with God but fellowship with the brethren. This verse takes the opposite hypothesis to that just considered and expands it. We often find (comp. 1 John 1:9) that S. John while seem... [ Continue Reading ]
_If we say_ See on 1 John 1:6. Doubtless there were some who said so, and more perhaps who thought so; -say" need not mean more than -say in our hearts". S. John's own teaching might easily be misunderstood as encouraging such an error, if one portion of it (1 John 3:9-10) were taken without the res... [ Continue Reading ]
Consciousness and Confession of Sin 8 10. Walking in the light involves the great blessings just stated, fellowship with God and with our brethren, and a share in the purifying blood of Jesus. But it also involves something on our part. It intensifies our consciousness of sin, and therefore our des... [ Continue Reading ]
_If we confess our sins_ The opposite hypothesis is now taken and expanded, as in 1 John 1:7; see note there. But there is no conjunction, no -but", as in 1 John 1:7; and the asyndeton is telling. Greek has such a wealth of connecting particles, that in that language asyndeton is specially remarkabl... [ Continue Reading ]
_that we have not sinned_ This is not the same as -that we have no sin" (1 John 1:8), and therefore we have once more not repetition, but expansion and strengthening of what precedes. -Have no sin" refers to a sinful state; -have not sinned" refers to the actual commission of particular acts of sin:... [ Continue Reading ]