CHAPTER V. _He that believeth is born of God; loves God and his children;_ _and keeps his commandments, which are not grievous_, 1-3. _Faith in Christ overcomes the world_, 4, 5. _The three earthly and heavenly witnesses_, 6-9. _He that believeth hath the witness in himself_, 10. _God has give... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 John 5:2. _BY THIS WE KNOW THAT WE LOVE THE CHILDREN OF GOD_] Our love of God's followers is a _proof_ that we love God. Our love to God is the _cause_ why we love his children, and our _keeping the_ _commandments of God_ is the _proof_ that we love _him_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 John 5:3. _FOR THIS IS THE LOVE OF GOD_] This the love of God necessarily produces. It is vain to pretend love to God while we live in opposition to his will. _HIS COMMANDMENTS_] To love him with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, _are not grievous_-are not burdensome; for no ma... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 John 5:4. _WHATSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD_] Παν το γεγεννημενον· _Whatsoever_ (the neuter for the masculine) _is begotten of God:_ _overcometh the world_. "I understand by this," says _Schoettgen_, "the _Jewish Church_, or _Judaism_, which is often termed הזה עולם _olam hazzeh_, this world. The... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 John 5:5. _HE THAT BELIEVETH THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD?_] That he is the promised Messiah, that he came by a supernatural generation; and, although truly _man_, came not _by man_, but by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The person who believes this has the privi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 6. _THIS IS HE THAT CAME BY WATER AND BLOOD_] Jesus was attested to be the Son of God and promised Messiah by _water_, i.e. his _baptism_, when the Spirit of God came down from heaven upon him, and the voice from heaven said, _This is my beloved Son, in_ _whom I am well pleased_. Jesus Christ... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 7. _THERE ARE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD_] The FATHER, who bears testimony to his Son; the WORD or λογος, _Logos_, who bears testimony to the Father; and the HOLY GHOST, which bears testimony to the Father and the Son. And _these three_ are one in essence, and _agree in_ the _one_ testimony, that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 8. _THE SPIRIT, AND THE WATER, AND THE BLOOD_] This verse is supposed to mean "_the Spirit_-in the word confirmed by miracles; the _water_-in baptism, wherein we are dedicated to the Son, (with the Father and the Holy Spirit,) typifying his spotless purity, and the inward purifying of our natu... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 9. _IF WE RECEIVE THE WITNESS OF MEN_] Which all are obliged to do, and which is deemed a sufficient testimony to truth in numberless cases; _the witness of God is greater_-he can neither be deceived nor deceive, but man may deceive and be deceived.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 10. _HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON OF GOD_] This is God's witness to a truth, the most important and interesting to mankind. God has witnessed that _whosoever believeth on his Son_ shall be saved, and have _everlasting life_; and shall have the _witness_ of it _in himself_, the Spirit bearing w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 11. _THIS IS THE RECORD_] The great truth to which the _Spirit_, the _water_, and the _blood_ bear testimony. _God hath_ _given us eternal life_-a _right_ to endless glory, and a _meetness_ for it. _And this life is in his Son_; it comes _by_ and _through_ him; he is its _author_ and its _purc... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 12. _HE THAT HATH THE SON HATH LIFE_] As the eternal life is given IN the Son of God, it follows that it cannot be enjoyed without him. No man can have it without having Christ; therefore _he that hath the Son hath life_, and _he that hath not the Son hath_ _not life_. It is in vain to expect... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 13. _THAT YE MAY KNOW THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE_] I write to show your privileges-to lead you into this holy of holies-to show what believing on the Son of God is, by the glorious effects it produces: it is not a blind reliance _for_, but an actual enjoyment _of_, salvation; Christ living, wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 14. _THIS IS THE CONFIDENCE_] παρρησια, The _liberty of_ _access_ and _speech, that if we ask any thing according to his will_, that is, which he has _promised_ in his _word_. His word is a _revelation_ of his _will_, in the things which concern the salvation of man. All that God has _promise... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _AND IF WE KNOW THAT HE HEAR US_] Seeing we are satisfied that he hears the prayer of faith, requesting the things which himself has promised; _we know_, consequently, _that we have_ _the petitions_-the answer to the _petitions, that we desired of him_; for he cannot deny himself; and we m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 16. _A SIN_ WHICH IS _NOT UNTO DEATH_] This is an extremely difficult passage, and has been variously interpreted. What is the _sin not unto death_, for which we _should ask_, and life shall be given to him that commits it? And what is the _sin unto death_, for which we _should not pray_? I s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS IS SIN_] πασααδικια, Every act contrary to _justice is sin-is a transgression of the law_ which condemns all _injustice_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD SINNETH NOT_] This is spoken of adult Christians; _they_ are _cleansed from all_ _unrighteousness_, consequently from all _sin_, 1 John 1:7. _KEEPETH HIMSELF_] That is, _in the love of God_, Jude 1:21, by building up himself on his most holy faith, and praying in... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _WE KNOW THAT WE ARE OF GOD_] Have the fullest proof of the truth of Christianity, and of our own reconciliation to God through the death of his Son. _THE WHOLE WORLD LIETH IN WICKEDNESS._] Εν τῳ πονηρῳ κειται· _Lieth in the wicked one_-is embraced in the arms of the devil, where it li... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _WE KNOW THAT THE SON OF GOD IS COME_] In the flesh, and has made his soul an offering for sin; _and hath given us an_ _understanding_-a more eminent degree of light than we ever enjoyed before; for as he lay in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him unto us; and he hath besides giv... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 1 John 5:21. _LITTLE CHILDREN_] τεκνια. _Beloved children_; he concludes with the same affectionate feeling with which he commenced. _KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS._] Avoid the idolatry of the heathens; not only have no _false gods_, but have the _true God_. Have no idols in your _houses_, none... [ Continue Reading ]