1 John 1:7

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 seeming to go back or repeat, really progresses and gives us something fresh. It would have enforced 1 John 1:6, but it would have told us nothing fresh, to say -if we walk in the light, and say that we have fellowship with Him, we speak the truth, and do not lie". And it is interesting to find that the craving to make this verse the exact antithesis of the preceding one has generated another reading, -we have fellowship with Him", instead of -with one another". This reading is as old as the second century, for Tertullian (De Pud.XIX.) quotes, -si vero", inquit, -in lumine incedamus, communionemcum eo habebimus, et sanguis &c." Clement of Alexandria also seems to have known of this reading. This is evidence of the early date of our Epistle; for by the end of the second century important differences of reading had already arisen and become widely diffused.

as He is in the light We walk, God is: we move through space and time; He is in eternity. Of Him who is everywhere, and knows no change, we can only say, -He is". Comp. the similar thought of S. Paul; -Who only hath immortality, dwelling in lightunapproachable" (1 Timothy 6:16). That which islight must ever be inlight. We then must make our spiritual atmosphere similar to His, that our thoughts and conduct may reflect Him.

fellowship one with another This certainly refers to the mutual fellowship of Christians among themselves, as is clear from 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:12; 2 John 1:5. It does notrefer to fellowship between God and man, as S. Augustine and others, desiring to make this verse parallel to 1 John 1:6, have interpreted. S. John would scarcely express the relation between God and man by such a phrase as -we have fellowship with one another" (μετ' ἀλλήλων). Contrast -I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and My God and your God" (John 20:17). In that -thick darkness", which prevailed -in all the land of Egypt three days, they saw not one another, neither rose any from his placefor three days" (Exodus 10:22-23): i.e. there was an absolute cessation of fellowship. Society could not continue in the dark: but when the light returned, society was restored. So also in the spiritual world: when the light comes, individuals have that communion one with another which in darkness is impossible. In a similar spirit Cicero declares that real friendship is impossible without virtue (De Amic.vi. 20).

and the blood of Jesus Christ Omit -Christ" with all the oldest authorities: so also Wiclif and Tyndale's first edition. The -and" shews that this is a further consequence of walking in the light. "For this is the virtue of the Lord's blood, that such as it has already purified from sin, and thenceforward has set in the light, it renders thenceforward pure, if they continue steadfastly walking in the light" (Tertull. De Mod.XIX.). One who walks in spiritual darkness cannot appropriate that cleansing from sin, which is wrought by the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross as a propitiation for sin.

His Son Not redundant: (1) it is a passing contradiction of Cerinthus, who taught that Jesus was a mere man when His blood was shed, for the Divine element in His nature left Him when He was arrested in the garden; and of the Ebionites, who taught that He was a mere man from His birth to His death; (2) it explains how this blood can have such virtue: it is the blood of One who is the Son of God.

cleanseth Note the present tense of what goes on continually; that constant cleansing which even the holiest Christians need (see on John 13:10). One who lives in the light knows his own frailty and is continually availing himself of the purifying power of Christ's sacrificial death. "This passage shews that the gratuitous pardon of sins is given us not once only, but that it is a benefit perpetually residing in the Church, and daily offered to the faithful" (Calvin). Note also the -all"; there is no limit to its cleansing power: even grievous sinners can be restored to the likeness of God, in whom is no darkness at all. This refutes by anticipation the error of the Novatians, who denied pardon to mortal sins after baptism. Comp. -How much more shall the blood of Christ … cleanse your conscience" (Hebrews 9:14), and -These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:14).