Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

1 John 3:23

His commandment

(η εντολη αυτου).That

(ινα). Subfinal use of ινα in apposition with εντολη (commandment) and explanatory of it, as in John 15:12 (εντολη ινα). See Christ's summary of the commandments (Mark 12:28-31; Matthew 22:34-40). So these two points here (1)We should believe

(πιστευσωμεν, first aorist active subjunctive according to B K L, though Aleph A C read the present subjunctive πιστευωμεν) either in a crisis (aorist) or the continuous tenor (present) of our lives. The "name" of Jesus Christ here stands for all that he is, "a compressed creed " (Westcott) as in 1 John 1:3. Note dative ονοματ here with πιστευω as in 1 John 5:10, though εις ονομα (on the name) in 1 John 5:13; John 1:12; John 2:23; John 3:18. But (2) we should love one another" (αγαπωμεν αλληλους), as he has already urged (1 John 2:7; 1 John 3:11) and as he will repeat (1 John 4:7; 1 John 4:11; 2 John 1:5) as Jesus (even as he gave us commandment, that is Christ) had previously done (John 13:34; John 15:12; John 15:17). There are frequent points of contact between this Epistle and the words of Jesus in 1 John 3:13-17.

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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

1 John 3:23

Old Testament

New Testament