This chapter embraces the following subjects: I. The fact that Christians are now the sons of God, 1 John 3:1. (1)We are the sons of God, and this will explain the reason why the world does not appreciate our character, or understand the reasons of our conduct,1 John 3:1. (2)The consequences of s... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, WHAT MANNER OF LOVE - What love, in “kind” and in “degree.” In kind the most tender and the most ennobling, in adopting us into His family, and in permitting us to address Him as our Father; in “degree” the most exalted, since there is no higher love that can be shown than in adopting a poor... [ Continue Reading ]
BELOVED, NOW ARE WE THE SONS OF GOD - We now in fact sustain this rank and dignity, and on that we may reflect with pleasure and gratitude. It is in itself an exalted honor, and may be contemplated as such, whatever may be true in regard to what is to come. In the dignity and the privileges which we... [ Continue Reading ]
AND EVERY MAN THAT HATH THIS HOPE IN HIM - This hope of seeing the Saviour, and of being made like him; that is, every true Christian. On the nature and influence of hope, see the notes at Romans 8:24. PURIFIETH HIMSELF - Makes himself holy. That is, under the influence of this hope of being like th... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER COMMITTETH SIN TRANSGRESSETH ALSO THE LAW - The law of God given to man as a rule of life. The object of the apostle here is to excite them to holiness, and to deter them from committing sin, perhaps in view of the fact stated in 1 John 3:3, that everyone who has the hope of heaven will ai... [ Continue Reading ]
AND YE KNOW THAT HE WAS MANIFESTED - The Lord Jesus, the Son of God. “You know that he became incarnate, or appeared among people, for the very purpose of putting an end to sin,” Matthew 1:21. Compare the notes at 1 Timothy 3:16. This is the “second” argument in this paragraph, 1 John 3:4, by which... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER ABIDETH IN HIM - See 1 John 2:6. The word here employed (μένων menōn) properly means to remain, to continue, to abide. It is used of persons remaining or dwelling in a place, in the sense of abiding there permanently, or lodging there, and this is the common meaning of the word, Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
LITTLE CHILDREN - Notes at 1 John 2:1. LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU - That is, in the matter under consideration; to wit, by persuading you that a man may live in sinful practices, and yet be a true child of God. From this it is clear that the apostle supposed there were some who would attempt to do this... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN - Habitually, willfully, characteristically. IS OF THE DEVIL - This cannot mean that no one who commits any sin, or who is not absolutely perfect, can be a Christian, for this would cut off the great mass, even according to the belief of those who hold that the Christian may... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN - This passage must either mean that they who are born of God, that is, who are true Christians, do not sin habitually and characteristically, or that everyone who is a true Christian is absolutely perfect, and never commits any sin. If it can be used as... [ Continue Reading ]
IN THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST ... - That is, this furnishes a test of their true character. The test is found in doing righteousness, and in the love of the brethren. The former he had illustrated; the latter he now proceeds to illustrate. The general idea is, that if a person is not trul... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS IS THE MESSAGE - Margin, “commandment.” In the received text, this is ἀγγελία angelia - “a message brought;” in several manuscripts, and in later editions, it is ἐπαγγελία epangelia - “annunciation, announcement;” an order given, or a commandment, Acts 23:21. It is not very material whi... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT AS CAIN - Not manifesting the spirit which Cain did. His was a most remarkable and striking instance of a want of love to a brother, and the case was well adapted to illustrate the propriety of the duty which the apostle is enjoining. See Genesis 4:4. WHO WAS OF THAT WICKED ONE - Of the devil;... [ Continue Reading ]
MARVEL NOT - Do not think it so unusual, or so little to be expected, as to excite astonishment. IF THE WORLD HATE YOU - The emphasis here is to be placed on the word “you.” The apostle had just adverted to the fact that Cain hated Abel, his brother, without cause, and he says that they were not to... [ Continue Reading ]
WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE PASSED FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE - From spiritual death (Notes, Ephesians 2:1) to spiritual life; that is, that we are true Christians. BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN - The sentiment here is, that it is an infallible evidence of true piety if we love the followers of Christ as such. Se... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSOEVER HATETH HIS BROTHER IS A MURDERER ... - That is, he has the spirit of a murderer; he has that which, if it were acted out, would lead him to commit murder, as it did Cain. The private malice, the secret grudge, the envy which is cherished in the heart, is murderous in its tendency, and were... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREBY PERCEIVE WE THE LOVE OF GOD - The words “of God” are not in the original, and should not have been introduced into the translation, though they are found in the Latin Vulgate, and in the Genevan versions, and in one manuscript. They would naturally convey the idea that “God” laid down his lif... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT WHOSO HATH THIS WORLD’S GOOD - Has property - called “this world’s good,” or a good pertaining to this world, because it is of value to us only as it meets our wants this side of the grave; and perhaps also because it is sought supremely by the people of the world. The general meaning of this ve... [ Continue Reading ]
MY LITTLE CHILDREN, LET US NOT LOVE IN WORD, NEITHER IN TONGUE - By mere profession; by merely sayinG that we love each other. See 1 Peter 1:22. BUT IN DEED AND IN TRUTH - In such acts as shall show that our professed love is sincere and real. Let us do the deed of love, whether anything is said ab... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HEREBY - Greek, “by this;” that is, by the fact that we have true love to others, and that we manifest it by a readiness to make sacrifices to do them good. WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF THE TRUTH - That we are not deceived in what we profess to be; that is, that we are true Christians. To be of the t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US - We cannot hope for peace from any expectation that our own hearts will never accuse us, or that we ourselves can approve of all that we have done. The reference here is not so much to our past lives, as to our present conduct and deportment. The object is to induce Chri... [ Continue Reading ]
BELOVED, IF OUR HEART CONDEMN US NOT - If we so live as to have an approving conscience - that is, if we indulge in no secret sin; if we discharge faithfully every known duty; if we submit without complaining to all the allotments of Divine Providence. THEN HAVE WE CONFIDENCE TOWARD GOD - Compare th... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE RECEIVE OF HIM - If we are truly his children, and ask in a proper manner. See the notes at Matthew 7:7. Compare Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; Luke 18:1 ff; John 14:13; Joh 15:7; 1 John 5:14. The declaration here made must be understood with these limitations: (1)That we ask in a... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT - His commandment, by way of eminence; the leading, principal thing which he enjoins on us; the commandment which lies at the foundation of all true obedience. THAT WE SHOULD BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST - See the notes at Mark 16:16. Compare John 16:1; Ac... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE THAT KEEPETH HIS COMMANDMENTS ... - See the notes at John 14:23. AND HEREBY WE KNOW THAT HE ABIDETH IN US - That is, this is another certain evidence that we are true Christians. The Saviour had promised John 14:23 that he would come and take up his abode with his people. John says that we ha... [ Continue Reading ]