The Spirit of Truth and the Spirit of Error. “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. Herein ye get to know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesseth Jesus as Christ come in flesh, is from... [ Continue Reading ]
The Test negatively expressed. Omit Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἐληλυθότα. τὸν Ἰησοῦν, “the aforementioned Jesus,” “jesus as thus described”. μή makes the statement hypothetical: “every spirit, if such there be, which doth not confess”. The variant λύει τὸν Ἰησοῦν, _solvit Jesum_ (Vulg., Aug.), “dissolveth” or... [ Continue Reading ]
ὑμεῖς emphatic (_cf._ 1 John 2:20; 1 John 2:27; 1 John 3:14), as contrasted with the deluded world. The faithful are God's delegates (ἐκ), bearing their Master's commission and continuing His warfare (John 20:21), and they have shared His victory (νενικήκατε). αὐτοὺς, _i.e._, the false prophets (1 J... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτοὶ (as opposed to ὑμεῖς) ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου εἰσίν, as its delegates, messengers, representatives, and as such ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου λαλοῦσιν. λαλεῖν, not “speak” (λέγειν), but “talk,” with a suggestion of prating (_cf._ John 4:42). ἀκούειν takes accus. of the thing heard, genit. of the person from whom it is... [ Continue Reading ]
Conversely, those who are getting to know God, understand the language of His messengers and listen to it. ἐκ τούτου, _i.e_, from their hearkening or not hearkening. Men's attitude to the message of the Incarnate Saviour ranks them on this side or on that on God's side or the world's. Of course St.... [ Continue Reading ]
St. John reiterates the “old commandment” (1 John 2:7-11). It is so all-important that he cares not though his readers be tired of hearing it. _Cf._ the anecdote which St. Jerome relates on Galatians 6:10 : “Beatus Joannes Evangelista cum Ephesi moraretur usque ad ultimam senectutem, et vix inter di... [ Continue Reading ]
The Blessedness of Love. “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God, and every one that loveth of God hath been begotten and is getting to know God. He that loveth not did not get to know God, because God is love. Herein was manifested the love of God in us, because His Son, His only-... [ Continue Reading ]
Conversely, a stranger to love is a stranger to God. οὐκ ἔγνω, “did not get to know,” _i.e._, at the initial crisis of conversion. On μὴ see note on 1 John 2:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
The Incarnation is a manifestation of the love of God because it is a manifestation of the divine nature, and the divine nature is love. ἐν ἡμῖν, “in our souls” an inward experience. _Cf._ Galatians 1:16 : ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐμοί. μονογενῆ, _cf._ Luke 7:12; Luke 8:42; Luke 9:38. St. John a... [ Continue Reading ]
The love which proves us children of God is not native to our hearts. It is inspired by the amazing love of God manifested in the Incarnation the infinite Sacrifice of His Son's life and death. Aug.: “Non illum dileximus prius: nam ad hoc nos dilexit, ut diligamus eum.” ἀπέστειλεν : the aor. is used... [ Continue Reading ]
Here, as in John 3:16, οὕτως may denote either the extent or the manner of God's love “to such an extent,” going such a length (_cf._ Romans 8:32); “in such a manner,” righteously, not by a facile amnesty but by a propitiation. ὀφείλομεν : see note on 1 John 2:6. _Noblesse oblige_. If we are God's c... [ Continue Reading ]
“God no one hath ever yet beheld Him”. By and by “we shall see Him even as He is” (1 John 3:2), but even now, if we love, we are no strangers to Him: He abides and works in us. τετελειωμένη, “carried to its end”; see note on 1 John 2:5.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Cf._ 1 John 3:24. The argument is that God would not have granted us this priceless gift if he were not in intimate relation with us and had not a steadfast purpose of grace toward us.... [ Continue Reading ]
The apostolic testimony (_cf._ 1 John 1:1-3). ἡμεῖς, either the editorial “we” or “I and the rest of the Apostles who were eye-witnesses”. ἀπέσταλκεν, see note on 1 John 4:9.... [ Continue Reading ]
ὁμολογήσῃ, aor. of a definite confession born of persuasion. Such a conviction implies fellowship with God.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἡμεῖς, here “you and I,” we believers. Observe the three stages: (1) “get to know” (γινώσκειν), (2) “believe” (πιστεύειν), (3) “confess” (ὁμολογεῖν). ἐν ἡμῖν, see note on 1 John 4:9. Another incentive to love: it casts out fear. τῇ ἀγάπῃ, “the love just mentioned”. _Cf._ τὸν φόβον, ὁ φόβος (1 John... [ Continue Reading ]
τετελείωται, _cf._ 1 John 4:12. μεθʼ ἡμῶν : love is a heavenly visitant sojourning with us and claiming observance. Love has been “carried to its end” when we are like Jesus, His visible representatives. ὅτι resumes ἐν τούτῳ, ἵνα … κρίσεως being parenthetical: “herein … because” (1 John 3:16; 1 John... [ Continue Reading ]
Bern.: “Amor reverentiam nescit”. φόβος, the opposite of παρρησία. κόλασιν ἔχει, “implies punishment,” the portion of slaves. The portion of slaves is punishment (κόλασις) and their spirit fear; the portion of sons is chastisement (παιδεία) and their spirit boldness (παρρησία). _Cf._ Hebrews 12:7, C... [ Continue Reading ]
ἀγαπῶμεν has no accus. The thought is that the amazing love of God in Christ is the inspiration of all the love that stirs in our hearts. It awakens within us an answering love a grateful love for Him manifesting itself in love for our brethren (_cf._ 1 John 4:11). The insertion of αὐτόν is a clumsy... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest the vagueness of the objectless ἀγαπῶμεν encourage false security, St. John reiterates the old test: Love for the invisible Father is manifested in love for the brother by our side, the image of the Father. _Cf._ Whittier: “Not thine the bigot's partial plea, Nor thine the zealot's ban; Thou... [ Continue Reading ]
The Old Commandment. _Cf._ 1 John 2:7-11.... [ Continue Reading ]