Commentary The First Epistle of John 1. Preface: The Word of Life (1:1–4) and Walk in the Light, part 1 1:5–10 Outline 1 A. From the Beginning C. To Have Fellowship II. Walk in the Light 1. God Is Light 2. Darkness and Light 3. Deception and Confession I. Preface: The Word of Life 1:1–4 1 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. A. From the Beginning 1:1 This letter is known as the First Epistle of John. But is it an epistle? Indeed its beginning is unique, because the author's name, a reference to the addressees, and the customary greetings of a letter are absent. The writer knows the readers intimately. Repeatedly he addresses them as dear children, dear friends, and my brothers. [Greek] -2 _ftnref1 [Greek] And he indicates that he belongs to their own fellowship (2:19). He is a person endowed with authority who speaks as an eyewitness one who has heard and seen the Lord Jesus Christ. The introduction of the Epistle to the Hebrews (1:1–4) parallels that of the First Epistle of John. The writer of Hebrews, however, displays a style that is characteristic of classical Greek, whereas John writes in a style typical of Semitic Greek. Classical Greek sentences show careful structure and balance with numerous subordinate clauses (Luke 1:1 4). Semitic Greek has many coordinate clauses that are short and often are connected by the conjunction and. For instance, here is a literal translation of I John 1:2: and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us -2 _ftnref2 (NASB). 1. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. Note the following clauses: a. That which was from the beginning. The first word in this epistle is that instead of who. Instead of saying, Jesus Christ, who was from the beginning, John writes, That which was from the beginning. The term thatis broader than the word who,for it includes the person and message of Jesus Christ. The term refers to God's revelation, namely, the gospel which, says John, we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The first words of this epistle echo the opening sentence of the Gospel of John, In the beginning was the Word (1:1), and the introductory phrase of the Old Testament, In the beginning (Gen. 1:1). However, John writes from the beginning, not in the beginning (see 2:7, 13, 14, 24; 3:8, 11). In the clause that which was from the beginning, John points not to the proclamation that Jesus came in the flesh but to the divine revelation disclosed in history and recorded in the Old Testament that teaches the eternal existence of the Son of [Greek] -2 _ftnref3 ([Greek] The message which is proclaimed is that Jesus, who made his dwelling among usJohn 1:14), is eternal. John specifies and proceeds to inform the readers about the message he has heard. b. Which we have heard. John personally listened to the words coming from the lips of Jesus. He was one of the twelve disciples who accompanied the Lord from the time of Jesus baptism to his ascension (Acts 1:21 22). He received instruction in the doctrines pertaining to the work and words of God, from the beginning of creation through the history of redemption in Jesus [Greek] -2 _ftnref4 ([Greek] John, then, speaks of the training he and his fellow apostles received from Jesus. He reformulates the words which he with Peter uttered before the Sanhedrin: For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heardActs 4:20). c. Which we have seen with our eyes. From the spiritual instruction he received, John turns to his instructor Jesus and focuses attention on him. John is saying, We, apostles, are eyewitnesses who not only have heard the voice of Jesus. We also have seen him with our eyes. In a sense, these words are redundant. But John stresses that the apostles physically saw Jesus. That is, they did not see an apparition whose voice they heard but whose body they could not see. Jesus has a physical body, for we have seen [him] with our eyes. d. Which we have looked at and our hands have touched. John resorts to another verb to express the act of seeing Jesus; he says, We have looked at [him]. [Greek] -2 _ftnref5 [Greek] Purposely John informs the readers that he employed three of his physical senses to ascertain the presence of the Lord. He heard his voice, he saw him with his eyes, and he touched him with his hands. The words (and our hands have touchedare reminiscent of the appearance of Jesus on Easter in the upper room when Jesus invited the Eleven and those with them to touch him and to see for themselves that he had a physical body. A ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have, Jesus saidLuke 24:39; also consult John 20:20, 25, 27). John teaches the apostolic doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus. He speaks as an eyewitness, for with his natural senses he and those with him personally heard, saw, and touched Jesus and declare that the resurrected physical body of the Lord is [Greek] -2 _ftnref6 [Greek] e. This we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The New International Version has added the words this we proclaimto summarize and complete the [Greek] -2 _ftnref7 [Greek] John supplies these words in the immediate context. What is the meaning of the phrase the Word of life? First, it is equivalent to the that of the earlier part of the verse, namely, the message of Jesus Christ. And next, this message is the Word that has become flesh, as John writes in the prologue of his Gospel ([Greek] -2 _ftnref8 ([Greek] The term Wordis one of the names John uses to describe Jesus ChristJohn 1:1, 14; I John 1:1; Rev. 19:13). Jesus, who is called the Word, speaks God's words with absolute authority. He reveals the will of God and testifies [to man] to what he has seen and heard (John 3:32) in the presence of [Greek] -2 _ftnref9 ([Greek] Furthermore, Jesus not only reveals the message of life; he also possesses lifeJohn 1:4; 11:25; 14:6) and shares it with all who listen to his Word in faith. He is the life giver. B. Life Appeared 1:2 2. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. This verse is actually an explanatory note on the word life. Translators and expositors usually regard verse 2 as a parenthetical remark and indicate that it is the equivalent of a comment on the preceding text. Verses 1 and 3, then, present continuity of thought. A literal translation of the first clause in this text is, And the life appeared. Although most translations omit the conjunction and,some render it for, when, or even yes. To be sure, this conjunction conveys an affirmative intent that can be translated indeed. That is, indeed the life appeared. Note that John writes the life, not life. He wants to explain the meaning of the term life. Therefore, he places the definite article thebefore the noun lifeto call attention to the fullness of life in Jesus Christ. He further explains by adding the words, the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. First, John actually writes, the life, the eternal life, that which was with the Father. He is emphatic in describing the extent of this life by characterizing it as eternal. It is life that never ends, for it has the mark of [Greek] -2 _ftnref10 ([Greek] But the life which John describes is more than a concept. It stands for Jesus Christ, as John shows in the clause that which was with the Father. The words with the Fatherimply not only that the Son is in the presence of the Father; also the preposition within the original Greek has the root meaning nearor facing. Life, then, personified in the Son is near to or faces the FatherJohn 1:1). Second, John writes that the life appeared and the eternal life &has appeared to us. John refers to the historic event of Jesus birth, life, death, resurrection, and personal visits after his resurrection. During the first century, Christians gave expression to Jesus appearance when they sang the hymn: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory. I Timothy 3:16 Once again John emphasizes that he and those with him have seen Jesus. They saw him in human flesh and after his resurrection in his glorified body. As witnesses of Jesus victory over death, the apostles testified of Jesus life, death, resurrection, and ascension. The verb testify(a word John uses frequently in his [Greek] -2 _ftnref11 [Greek] points to the following verb proclaim. The apostles proclaimed the Word of life. They proclaimed the word and work of Jesus. C. To Have Fellowship 1:3–4 3. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. These are the points John communicates: a. Emphasis After the parenthetical comment, John resumes the thought of the first verse and repeats from the second verse the verb proclaim. John emphasizes proclaiming the message which he and the other apostles had received from the Lord. He builds his argument by repeating clauses from verse 1. But note that he reverses the verbs, for he says, We proclaim to you what we have seenand heard(italics added). Also, this is the third time that he uses the verb to see. What is John saying? By reiterating the same verbs, John seems to warn the readers against false doctrines that deny the human nature, physical appearance, and bodily resurrection of Jesus. John testifies that he has seen Jesus and has heard his voice. John wants his readers to know the core of the apostolic message: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has appeared in human flesh. As an eyewitness and earwitness, John is able to testify to the veracity of this message and proclaim what he has seen and [Greek] -2 _ftnref12 [Greek] b. Purpose John states the purpose of his letter in this verse. Says he, We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. He states a parallel purpose near the end of his letter: I write these things to you &so that you may know that you have eternal life (5:13). The purpose is to invite the readers to the fellowship of the apostles who are eyewitnesses of the earthly life and ministry of Jesus. The invitation serves two ends. First, John seeks to shield the readers from the doctrinal attacks of false teachers and to strengthen them spiritually within the fellowship of the apostles and [Greek] -2 _ftnref13 ([Greek] When people have fellowship, they share their mutual gifts, goals, and goodsActs 4:32 37). The apostles shared their spiritual gifts with members of the church. And second, John invites the readers of his epistle to join the eyewitnesses in their fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. c. Focus In the last part of verse 3, John reveals the focal point of his introduction: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This focus is significant, because in his epistle the name (Christis the official title of Jesus. Except for one instance (1:7), John always uses the combination Jesus ChristJesusor Christ) or the clause that Jesus is the [Greek] -2 _ftnref14 [Greek] He wants his readers to know that the human Jesus is indeed the heavenly Messiah, that is, the Christ. John also considers the name Sonsignificant. In his first epistle this is a key [Greek] -2 _ftnref15 [Greek] John emphasizes the basic confession of the church: Jesus is the Son of God. Throughout his epistle he mentions the fellowship of the believer with the Father and the Son (1:7), the redeeming work of the Son (1:7; 4:10), the mission of the Son (3:8), God's testimony about the Son (5:9), the gift of the Son in terms of eternal life (5:11, 13), and last, the coming of the Son (5:20). Especially in chapter 5, John explains the significance of the word [Greek] -2 _ftnref16 [Greek] 4. We write this to make our joy complete. Translations differ on the wording of this text. Some have the reading And these things we write to you that your joy may be full -2 _ftnref17 (NKJV). Others, among which is the New International Version, follow the Greek manuscripts that read, We write this to make our joy complete. Because of emphasis on the words weand our,the evidence seems to favor the second reading. Why does John say we write, when he alone is regarded as the author of this epistle? Only here he uses the plural form we write,while twelve times in this letter he says I write or I am writing (2:1, 7, 8, 12, 13 [three times], 14 [twice], 21, 26; 5:13). Is he putting himself with the readers in one class and then using the so-called preacher's we [Greek] -2 _ftnref18 [Greek] Hardly. If this were the case, we would have difficulty determining who the people are John addresses as you (see vv. 2 3). Is the use of we an indication of John's apostolic authority? Not quite. If we understand this pronoun to refer to the authority of the apostle John, then the use of we throughout the introduction is strictly individualistic and excludes the other apostles. What then is the significance of the first person plural? The pronoun wemust be understood literally, because John, like the other apostles, preaches and writes as an eyewitness and earwitness. Thus John is not the only one to testify orally or with pen and ink. He stands next to his fellow apostles. He says, We [all the immediate disciples of Jesus] write this to make our joy complete. The greatest joy to fill the heart of the apostle John and those with him is to see the believers increase in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants them to have full fellowship with the Father and the Son, so that the believers live in full communion with God. John underscores the well-known words of John the Baptist spoken in tribute of Jesus: He must become greater; I must become less (John 3:30). Doctrinal Considerations in 1:1–4 We have received an interesting comment from Papias, who around a.d. 125 was bishop of the church in Hierapolis, which was a city near Laodicea and Colosse in Asia Minor. Reportedly he was a follower of the apostle John from whom he tried to learn as much as possible about the Lord. He writes: If ever anyone came who had followed the presbyters, I inquired into the words of the presbyters, what Andrew or Peter or Philip or Thomas or James or John or Matthew, or any other of the Lord's disciples, had said, and what Aristion and the presbyter John, the Lord's disciples, were saying. For I did not suppose that information from books would help me so much as the word of a living and surviving [Greek] -2 _ftnref19 [Greek] The generation of apostles and eyewitnesses ended near the close of the first century. And for all those who have come after that era, the words of Jesus spoken to Thomas are applicable: Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (John 20:29). We cannot physically see Jesus, yet we have fellowship with him (I John 1:3). We rejoice because he is always near us and is willing to listen to us. He is our brother (Heb. 2:11–12) and our friend (John 15:14 15). How well do we know Jesus? We readily reject the liberal teaching that separates the historical Jesus from the Christ of faith, for we hold to the scriptural doctrine that Jesus is the Christ. But how much does the humanity of Jesus mean to us today? We have no difficulty accepting the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. When we reflect on Jesus humanity, we ask, What is its significance for us now? For one thing, his glorified human body is a guarantee that our physical bodies shall also be glorified. Jesus will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Phil. 3:21). Moreover, because Jesus shares our flesh and blood, he is our merciful and faithful high priest who has made atonement for the sins of [his] people (Heb. 2:17). Jesus welcomes us into the presence of God, the Father. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:1–4 Verse 1 [Greek] &[Greek] the perfect active in this verse and the next two verses denotes lasting effect. Hearing and seeing are the two sides of the same coin. Hearing is equally essential with seeing. [Greek] -2 _ftnref20 [Greek] [Greek] note the use of the aorist tense that contrasts with the perfect tense in the preceding verbs. This verb and [Greek] (aorist active of [Greek], I touch, handle) point to a specific period of history in which the apostles accompanied Jesus. Verse 2 ! [Greek] John employs the definite article to specify that life is eternal. He emphasizes the concept lifewith the repetitive use of the definite article and the indefinite relative pronoun [Greek]. Verse 3 E as in the first verse, this relative neuter pronoun ultimately refers to [Greek] -2 _ftnref21 [Greek] [Greek]! [Greek] When the copula is sufficiently represented by [Greek], a [Greek] may be rendered by some such phrase as Yes, andor Moreover. [Greek] -2 _ftnref22 [Greek] Verse 4 [Greek] manuscript support is stronger for the reading [Greek] than [Greek]. Copyists were more likely to alter [Greek] to the expected [Greek] than vice versa. [Greek] -2 _ftnref23 [Greek] [Greek] manuscript support favors [Greek] instead of [Greek]. Bruce M. Metzger writes, As regards intrinsic probability, [Greek] seems to suit best the generous solicitude of the author, whose own joy would be incomplete unless his readers shared it. [Greek] -2 _ftnref24 [Greek] [Greek] this is a periphrastic construction with the verb to bein the present subjunctive and the perfect passive participle as an extensive perfect (completed act). [Greek] -2 _ftnref25 [Greek] II. Walk in the Light 1:5 2:17 A. Fellowship and Forgiveness 1:5–10 5 This is the message we have from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1. God Is Light 1:5 John has introduced his letter by proclaiming the message that Jesus Christ, who is the Word of life, has appeared and that the readers may have fellowship with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. John continues to expand the content of that message and explains that fellowship includes light and truth. 5. This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. a. This is the message. John skillfully uses the order of words in the Greek to emphasize his [Greek] -2 _ftnref26 [Greek] Although we are able to convey the emphasis in English only with the translation this is the message,John puts the stress on the verb isto convey the sense exists: There exists this message. He discloses not only the importance of the message but also its timeless significance. This message, therefore, has not been subject to change and modification, because it did not originate with John or with any other apostle or writer. b. The message we have heard from him. John implies that God originated the message delivered by Jesus Christ. John writes, We have heard [it] from him. This is the third time John uses the construction (we have heard(see also vv. 1, 3). The apostles heard the message from the lips of Jesus; they also knew it from the pages of the Old Testament. Hence David writes, In your light we see lightPs. 36:9). God revealed himself to his people through the prophets (Isa. 49:6; II Peter 1:19). c. We &declare to you. What did Jesus teach the apostles during his earthly ministry? John sums it up in one sentence. We &declare to you: God is light; in him is no darkness at all. John and the other apostles received this declaration from Jesus with the command to make it known. The message is not merely for information; it is a [Greek] -2 _ftnref27 [Greek] That is, God speaks and man must listen obediently. d. God is light. John formulates short statements that describe God's nature. In other places he says, God is spirit (John 4:24) and God is love (I John 4:16). Here, in verse 5, he reveals God's essence in a short statement of three words: God is light. God is not a light among many other lights; he is not a light-bearer; God does not have light as one of his characteristics, but he is light; and although he created light (Gen. 1:3), he himself is uncreated light. Moreover, the light of God is visible in Jesus, who said, I am the light of the world (John 8:12). In the Nicene Creed, the church confesses Jesus Christ as God of God, Light of Light. In Jesus we see God's eternal light. From the moment of his birth to the time of his resurrection, the life of Jesus was filled with God's light. Jesus was completely and absolutely transparent with the Light of God. [Greek] -2 _ftnref28 ([Greek] And whoever has seen Jesus has seen the FatherJohn 14:9). e. In him there is no darkness at all. Light is positive, darkness is negative. In his writings, John habitually contrasts opposites, including light and darkness, truth and falsehood, love and hate, right and wrong, life and death, faith and unbelief. He writes, In [God] there is no darkness at all. Using the emphatic negative, John stresses the positive. God and darkness are diametrically opposed. Anyone who has fellowship with God cannot be in darkness. He is in the light, glory, truth, holiness, and purity of God. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:5 [Greek] the emphasis falls on the verb to be,which conveys the meaning to exist. [Greek] this noun appears twice in the New Testament, both times in the First Epistle of John (1:5; 3:11). Some Greek manuscripts have the reading [Greek] (promise), which also occurs in 2:25. [Greek] the verb to announce -2 _ftnref29 (NIV) is directed to the audience. By contrast, the verb [Greek] ( we proclaim, NIV [1:2, 3]) relates to the original source of the message. [Greek] the word lightis a typical Johannine word. In the N[ew] T[estament] [Greek] occurs 72 times, of which 33 are in the Johannine writings, 14 in the Synoptic Gospels, 13 in Paul and 10 in Acts. [Greek] -2 _ftnref30 [Greek] 2. Darkness and Light 1:6–7 6. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. The next five verses of this chapter are conditional sentences that describe probability or even possibility. The first, third, and fifth verses are negative, the second and the fourth are positive. (a) Negative John repeats the word fellowshipwhich he first used near the end of his introduction (v. 3). Fellowship, as he said, is with the Father and the Son, Jesus Christ. But fellowship means intimately sharing in the full light of God's presence. Nothing is hidden in the brilliance of divine revelation. In God is absolutely no darkness and no need to hide anything. The sinner who refuses to set his life in harmony with God's will cannot claim to have fellowship with God. Perhaps some of the people who opposed the Christian faith near the end of the first century and who were known as Gnostics were saying, We have fellowship with God. Yet these people continued to walk in darkness, that is, they were taking intense satisfaction in a life of sinful pleasures. They separated word from deed. They professed to live for God, but their deeds proved to be incompatible with their confession. They lived the lie. What are deeds that are contradictory to the assertion of living for God? They are deeds that cannot stand in the light of God's Word (John 3:19 21). Darkness can blind a person so that his heart is filled with hatred toward his brother (I John 2:11). And this blindness results in a refusal to live according to God's precepts. John is all-inclusive in his description of people who live in darkness. He does not say they but we. If we say that we are God's people but continue to live in sin, we lie and do not live by the truth. If we lie, we sin with our mouths but also with our entire beings. Our lives are set against God because of a heart filled with hatred and a will inclined to disobedience. Sin alienates man from God and from his fellow [Greek] -2 _ftnref31 [Greek] It disrupts life and fosters confusion. Instead of peace, there is discord; in place of harmony, there is disorder; and in lieu of fellowship, there is enmity. However, when we have fellowship with God, we experience the grace of Christ dispelling darkness and flooding us with the light of [Greek] -2 _ftnref32 [Greek] To have fellowship with God is to live a life of holiness in his sacred presence. The Latin saying Coram Deo(always in the presence of God) was a motto of the sixteenth-century reformer John Calvin. Holiness demands truth in word and deed. (b) Positive What then is characteristic of a life spent in the light of God's truth? If we walk in the light, as [God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another. Walking in the light is continuous. It means that we live in the radiance of God's light, so that we reflect God's virtues and glory. God himself lives in unapproachable light, as Paul discloses (I Tim. 6:16). Living for God implies that we have a wholesome relationship with our fellow man. This truth is reflected in the summary of the Decalogue: Love the Lord your God &and love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37–38). A longing for heavenly glory in the presence of God must be accompanied by a fervent desire to have fellowship with the church on earth. Timothy Dwight gave expression to his desire to serve the Lord through the fellowship of the church when he wrote: I love thy church, O God: Her walls before thee stand, Dear as the apple of thine eye, And graven on thy hand. For her my tears shall fall, For her my prayers ascend; To her my cares and toils be giv n, Till toils and cares shall end. Furthermore, if we walk in the light and have fellowship with God and with one another, we realize that our sins have disappeared. John says, And the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin. Jesus cleanses us and presents us to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless (Eph. 5:27; also see Heb. 9:14). We stand before God as if we have never sinned at all. The Son of God purifies us when, after we have fallen into sin, we come to him and seek remission. Note that John writes the name Jesusto call attention to the earthly life of God's Son, who shed his blood for remission of sin. Sin belongs to the world of darkness and cannot enter the sphere of holiness. Therefore, God gave his Son to die on earth. Through his Son's death God removed man's sin and guilt so that man may have fellowship with God. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:7 [Greek] although a few Greek and Latin manuscripts and at least two translations -2 _ftnref33 KJV, NKJV have the reading Jesus Christ his Son,it is easier to explain the word Christ(also see 1:3; 2:1; 3:23; 4:2, 15 [variant reading]; 5:6, 20) as an insertion than to account for its omission. 3. Deception and Confession 1:8–10 8. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Once more John states the negative and the positive in two successive verses that express conditions. Also the last verse (v. 10) is a conditional statement, which John puts in the form of a negative conclusion. (a) Denial Another claim made by opponents of the Christian faith, perhaps the so-called Gnostics, is that they have advanced to a stage beyond sinfulness. They say that they have achieved their goal: [Greek] -2 _ftnref34 [Greek] John listens to these people who assert that they are without sin. But when he quotes their claim, he includes himself and the readers. He puts the assertion in a conditional sentence and says, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. Anyone who has no need to pray the fifth petition of the Lord's Prayer Forgive us our sins (Luke 11:4) because he thinks that he has no sin deceives himself. King Solomon wisely observed (Prov. 28:13): He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. The choice of words is significant: John says, we have no sin. He does not write, we do not sin. The noun sindescribes the cause and the consequence of an act of disobedience; as a verb, the word describes the act [Greek] -2 _ftnref35 [Greek] In the days of the apostle John, Greek philosophers taught a separation between body and spirit. The spirit is free, they said, but the body is matter that eventually dies. That is, if the body sinned, the spirit would be blameless. Sin, then, cannot affect the spirit. The First Epistle of John provides insufficient information to conclude that John was actively opposing Greek thinking. Scripture, however, teaches the universality of sin by saying that in the human race there is no one who does good, not even one (Ps. 14:3; 53:3; Rom. 3:12; also see Eccl. 7:20). If we say that we have no sin, we are misleading ourselves. Moreover, the truth of God's Word is not in us. In our spiritual blindness, we go contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture. And God judges us by the words we have spoken, for our own words condemn us. 9. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. The writer presents typical Semitic parallelism. Verse 8 is parallel to verse 6, and verse 9 is a partial repetition and further explanation of verse 7. Because of its affirmative message, verse 9 is one of the more well-known passages of the epistle and even of the entire New Testament. (b) Affirmation The text consists of three parts. The first is the condition, the second the assurance, and the third the fulfillment. If we confess our sins. This is the conditional part of the sentence that points to our acknowledgment of sin. We openly and honestly face sin without hiding it or finding excuses for [Greek] -2 _ftnref36 [Greek] We confront the sins we have committed, without defending or justifying ourselves. We confess our sins to show repentance and renewal of life. We are not told when, where, and how to confess our sins, but daily repentance of sin leads us to continual confession. John actually writes, If we keep confessing our sins. He writes the word sins(in the plural) to indicate the magnitude of our transgressions. He is faithful and just. Here is the assurance. God is faithful with respect to his promises. He is a faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he (Deut. 32:4). He does not scold or rebuke us; he does not become impatient; and he does not go back on his word. The only condition God requires for forgiveness is that we confess our sins. True to the promises made to the people of his new covenant, God declares, I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:12; [Greek] -2 _ftnref37 [Greek] [He] will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Note the fulfillment. Although translators put the verbs in the future tense as if the acts of forgiving and purifying will eventually happen, the Greek text says that God effectively forgives and purifies once for all. The first verb (to forgivedescribes the act of canceling a debt and the restoration of the debtor. And the second verb to cleanserefers to making the forgiven sinner holy so that he is able to have fellowship with God. God takes the initiative, for he says to us, Come now, let us reason together.& Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like woolIsa. 1:18). 10. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. This last verse is the conclusion of the series of conditional sentences. At the same time, it serves as an introduction to the next chapter. (c) Conclusion (The statement we have not sinnedreveals the blatant attitude of the unrepentant, unregenerate infidel. In verse 8 the unbeliever said that he has no sin; now he asserts that he is not a sinner. If he is not a sinner, for he maintains that he has not sinned, he makes himself equal to God, the sinless One. Through his Word God convicts man of sin. But if man refuses to listen to evidence God presents, man accuses God of lyingI John 5:10). In the sequence of three verses (6, 8, and 10), the writer works toward a climax: we lie (v. 6), we deceive ourselves (v. 8), and we make him out to be a liar (v. 10). Once again John includes himself and the readers when he uses the personal pronoun (we. If we should go so far as to say that we have not sinned, in spite of all the evidence, then the Word of God has no place in our lives. And that means that we are unbelievers who have rejected the gospel of salvation. The writer of Hebrews warns his readers not to follow the example of the rebellious Israelites who perished in the desert. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faithHeb. 4:2). Practical Considerations in 1:5–10 Plaques on walls and bumper stickers on cars tell the world God is love. But no one displays the sign God is light. Yet this is exactly what John does in his first epistle. He first says, God is light (1:5) and later writes, God is love (4:16). Light comes before love, for light uncovers that which is hidden. When we have fellowship with God (1:3, 6), we cannot hide our sins. Sins, like darkness, have no place in God's light. They must be removed. How does God remove sins? This is God's method: First, he cleanses us from sin with the blood of Jesus, his Son, [that] purifies us from every sin (v. 7). And second, he specifies our part in the remission of sin: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1:9). The blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse us from sin, but we must be willing to confess our sins. God's provision and man's responsibility go hand in hand. To confess means that I say the same thing God says about [Greek] -2 _ftnref38 [Greek] God applies his law and says, You are the sinner. And like the publican in the temple court I acknowledge my sin and pray, God, have mercy on me, thesinnerLuke 18:13, italics added the original Greek has thesinner, not asinner . When God and man say the same thing about sin, the blood of Christ dissolves the stain of sin. God will remember sin no more. He forgives and forgets! Indeed, God is love. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 1:9–10 Verse 9 [Greek] John writes the plural form of the noun to express the multitude of sin. [Greek] the conjunction introduces not so much purpose as conceived result. [Greek] -2 _ftnref39 [Greek] Verse 10 [Greek] the perfect active tense denotes completed action in the past although negated by [Greek] (not) that continues into the [Greek] -2 _ftnref40 [Greek] [Greek] this noun appears ten times in the New Testament; half of the references occur in I John (1:10; 2:4, 22; 4:20; 5:10). Summary of Chapter 1 The first four verses of the epistle are introductory. They are a summary that tells the reader about the content of the letter. But the introduction also reminds him of the first verse of Genesis and the first verse of the Gospel of John to show him the continuity of God's message. The writer informs the reader that the message he and other eyewitnesses proclaim is true to fact. This message concerns the Word of life, namely, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. John invites the reader to have fellowship with God. John seems to oppose religious teachers who make bold and unfounded statements. But before he alludes to some of their remarks, he states the heart of God's message to man: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. The statements of these erring teachers simply are unacceptable in view of God's revelation. Their remarks are contradictory to the message of God and reveal the unrepentant heart of the sinner who claims to have no sin. John encourages the reader. He says that if we walk in the light, and confess our sins, God will forgive us our sins and purify us through the blood of Jesus, his Son. Therefore, we must walk in God's light. -2 _ftn1 1 These are the references: dear children (2:1, 12, 18; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21), dear friends (2:7; 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7, 11), brothers (3:13). -2 _ftn2 NASB New American Standard Bible -2 _ftn3 2 Refer to S. Greijdanus, De Brieven van de Apostelen Petrus en Johannes, en de Brief van Judas, Kommentaar op het Nieuwe Testament series (Amsterdam: Van Bottenburg, 1929), p. 383. -2 _ftn4 3 Consult A. E. Brooke, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, International Critical Commentary series (Edinburgh: Clark, 1964), p. 2. -2 _ftn5 4 In his Gospel, John employs the verb to look at(in the Greek) for seeing the glory of Jesus (1:14), for observing the Spirit come down from heaven (1:32), for Jesus who notices the two disciples who follow him (1:38), for opening one's eyes to see the fields ready for the harvest (4:35), and for seeing a great crowd of people coming toward Jesus (6:5). Also note John 11:45and I John 4:12, 14where he uses the same verb. -2 _ftn6 5 B. F. Westcott observes, The tacit reference is the more worthy of notice because St John does not mention the fact of the Resurrection in his Epistle; nor does he use the word in his own narrative of the Resurrection. See The Epistles of St. John, The Greek Text, with Notes and Addenda(1883; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966), p. 6. -2 _ftn7 6 Some translations follow the word order of the Greek text and have the reading concerning the word of life(RSV, NKJV, NASB, and see KJV). Others supply the verb to write: We write [are writing] to you about the Word of life (GNB, MLB). Still others borrow the verb to proclaimfrom the context and have the wording This is what we proclaim to you (NAB and with modification NIV). The NEB has the verb to tell: it is of this we tell. -2 _ftn8 7 M. de Jonge writes, The exegesis we prefer presupposes that the word logos[word] used in the Greek must be seen against the background of the Prologue of the Gospel, and, consequently, refers to Jesus Christ. An Analysis of I John 1. 1 4, The Bible Translator29 (1978): 327. Donald W. Burdick agrees that the weight of evidence favors the personal meaning of the term. See The Letters of John the Apostle(Chicago: Moody, 1985), p. 100. -2 _ftn9 8 Refer to Bertold Klappert, NIDNTT, vol. 3, p. 1114. -2 _ftn10 9 Both in the Gospel and in his first epistle, John employs the expression eternal liferepeatedly. In the Gospel it occurs seventeen times (3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:24, 39; 6:27, 40, 47 [everlasting], 54, 68; 10:28; 12:25, 50; 17:2, 3). And in I John it appears six times (1:2; 2:25; 3:15; 5:11, 13, 20). -2 _ftn11 10 In the Greek the verb occurs thirty-three times in the Gospel and ten times in the epistlesI John 1:2; 4:14; 5:6, 7, 9, 10; and III John 3, 6, 12[twice] . -2 _ftn12 11 The NIV omits the word alsoof a verbatim translation: What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also(NASB, italics added). Although textual evidence favors including the word, translators tend to delete it because it is redundant. In the next clause, the term alsoappears once more: so that you also may have fellowship with us. -2 _ftn13 12 Refer to Greijdanus, Johannes, pp. 392–93; Brooke, Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 8. -2 _ftn14 13 The combination Jesus Christoccurs six times (1:3; 2:1; 3:23; 4:2; 5:6, 20). The clause that Jesus is the Christappears twice (2:22; 5:1). -2 _ftn15 14 With variations the expression Son of Godoccurs sixteen times (1:3, 7; 3:8, 23; 4:9, 10, 15; 5:5, 9, 10 [twice], 11, 12, 13, 20 [twice]). And the term Sonappears six times (2:22, 23 [twice], 24; 4:14; 5:12). -2 _ftn16 15 Consult Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology(Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1981), p. 316. -2 _ftn17 NKJV New King James Version -2 _ftn18 16 C. H. Dodd, The Johannine Epistles, Moffatt New Testament Commentary series (New York: Harper and Row, 1946), pp. 9–10. -2 _ftn19 17 Eusebius Ecclesiastical History3. 39. Also consult Simon J. Kistemaker, ed., Interpreting God's Word Today(Grand Rapids: Baker, 1970), p. 82. -2 _ftn20 18 Friedrich Blass and Albert Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, trans. and rev. Robert Funk (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961), sec. 342(2). Also consult Robert Hanna, A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament(Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983), p. 433. -2 _ftn21 19 Refer to A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research(Nashville: Broadman, 1934), p. 713. -2 _ftn22 20 C. F. D. Moule, An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek, 2d ed. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1960), p. 165. -2 _ftn23 21 Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, corrected ed. (London and New York: United Bible Societies, 1975), p. 708. -2 _ftn24 22 Ibid., p. 708. -2 _ftn25 23 Robertson, Grammar, pp. 907–8. -2 _ftn26 24 John follows the regular Greek word order in other passages of this epistle, where similar constructions occur without emphasis (see 2:25; 3:11; 5:11). -2 _ftn27 25 Refer to Ulrich Becker and Dietrich Müller, NIDNTT, vol. 3, p. 47. They write, The content of the proclamation is both for information, or reminding of the saving event, and commandment. -2 _ftn28 26 Thomas F. Torrance, Christian Theology and Scientific Culture(New York: Oxford University Press, 1981), p. 96. -2 _ftn29 NIV New International Version -2 _ftn30 27 Hans-Christoph Hahn, NIDNTT, vol. 2, p. 493. -2 _ftn31 28 Consult Walter Thomas Conner, The Epistles of John, 2d and rev. ed. (Nashville: Broadman, 1957), p. 21. -2 _ftn32 29 John Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles: The First Epistle of John, ed. and trans. John Owen (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948), p. 164. -2 _ftn33 KJV King James Version -2 _ftn34 30 Refer to Neil Alexander, The Epistles of John, Introduction and Commentary, Torch Bible Commentaries series (London: SCM, 1962), p. 49. -2 _ftn35 31 Refer to Westcott, The Epistles of St. John, p. 22. -2 _ftn36 32 Consult Dieter Fürst, NIDNTT, vol. 1, p. 346; Dodd, The Johannine Epistles, p. 23. -2 _ftn37 33 Compare J. R. W. Stott, The Epistles of John: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), p. 77. And see Brooke, Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 19. -2 _ftn38 34 J. D. Pentecost, The Joy of Fellowship(Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977), p. 31. -2 _ftn39 35 Robertson, Grammar, p. 998; and see Blass and Debrunner, Greek Grammar, sec. 391(5). -2 _ftn40 36 Consult Burdick, The Letters of John the Apostle, p. 128. 2. Walk in the Light, part 2 2:1–17 and Believe in Jesus, part 1 2:18–29 Outline (continued) 2:1–6 B. Knowledge and Obedience 2:1–2 1. Defender and Sacrifice 2:3 5a 2. Knowledge and Love 2:5b 6 3. Christian Conduct 2:7–11 C. Love and Light 2:7–8 1. New and Old 2:9–11 2. Light and Darkness 2:12–14 D. Two Appeals 2:12 13a 1. First Address 2:13b 14 2. Second Address 2:15–17 E. The World and the Will of God 2:15–1. Do Not Love the World 2:16–17 2. Do the Will of God 2:18 3:24 III. Believe in Jesus 2:18–19 A. Warning Against the Antichrist 2:18–1. Antichrists Have Come 2:19–2. Antichrists Went Out 2:20–27 B. Anointing from the Holy One 2:20–21 1. Anointing and Discernment 2:22–23 2. Denial and Profession 2:24–25 3. Fellowship and Promise 2:26–27 4. Teaching and Anointing 2:28–29 C. Confident Before God B. Knowledge and Obedience 2:1–6 2 1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 3 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4 The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. 1. Defender and Sacrifice 2:1–2 Except for Jesus, there is no one who is sinless. Even if we know God's law and precepts, we still stumble and sin from time to time. What remedy is there for the person who has fallen into sin? John provides the answer by pointing to Jesus Christ, who is our helper. 1. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. John addresses his readers with a term of endearment which can best he translated dear children. He is their spiritual father, so to speak, and they are his offspring. The term occurs rather frequently in this epistle; therefore, we conclude that the term reflects John's authority as an apostle in the church and at the same time reveals his advanced age.^[1] He is the person who is able to relate to fathers and young men and address them with a term of endearment. a. Comfort John writes in the singular as a loving pastor who admonishes his readers not to fall into sin. Note that he is not saying that they are living in sin, for their fellowship with God precludes this. John is fully aware of human frailty and Satan's seductive power. He refers to the matters he stressed in the preceding chapter and says, I write [these things] to you so that you will not sin. He stands next to his readers and encourages them in their struggle against sin. He knows that they wish to live a holy life, but occasionally they sin. Sin separates and alienates the sinner from God. John hears the plea of the believer who has fallen into sin: Pastor, what must I do? John speaks words of comfort. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father. If a believer commits a sin, he still remains a child of God. The fellowship between the Father and his son or daughter is disrupted because of sin, but the Father-child relationship continues unless the child refuses to acknowledge his sin. How, then, is the fellowship restored? b. Counselor We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense, writes John, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. We have an Advocate. The New International Version broadens the concept advocate and circumscribes it with the phrase one who speaks &in our defense. Picture a court of law in which the guilty party is summoned to appear. The sinner needs a court-appointed lawyer to represent him. God, who is the plaintiff, appoints his Son to be the intercessor for and the helper of the defendant. Our defender is Jesus Christ, whom John describes as the Righteous One (Acts 3:14). As sinners, we have the best possible helper because he is righteous. That is, in his human nature Jesus is our brother (Heb. 2:11), is acquainted with our frailties (Heb. 4:15), saves us (Heb. 7:25), and is our intercessor. He is also God's Messiah, the Christ, who has fulfilled the demands of the law for us and therefore has been given the title Righteous One. As a sinless lawyer he represents us in court. 2. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. John develops two thoughts in this verse: Jesus sacrifice and the extent of this sacrifice. We shall consider the sacrifice of Jesus first. a. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Translations of this particular clause differ. Here are some representative versions: 1. And he is the propitiation for our sins (KJV, NKJV, RV, ASV, NASB, Moffatt). 2. And he is the expiation for our sins (RSV) 3. He is himself an atoning sacrifice for our sins (MLB, NIV) 4. He is himself the remedy for the defilement of our sins (NEB) What is the meaning of this text? The expressions propitiation and expiation are theological terms that belong to earlier times.^[2] For this reason, today translators have tried to find modern equivalents for these terms. Some have provided a paraphrase of the text; they attempt to clarify its meaning with the words atoning sacrifice as substitutes for both propitiation and expiation. Before we look closely at the wording, we must consider a parallel passage. In this passage, John uses the same wording, but the context emphasizes the love of God. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins (I John 4:10; also consult Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17). Therefore we should note that in his love God gave his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. God initiated his love to a sinful world by giving his Son to cover sin and remove guilt. This gift resulted in the death of Jesus on the cross. Jesus became the acceptable sacrifice for making amends and redeeming man from the curse God had pronounced upon him. With respect to the broken relationship between God and man, Jesus brought peace (Rom. 5:1) and reconciliation (II Cor. 5:20–21). And with reference to man's sin before God, Jesus removed it by paying the debt (I John 1:7, 9). With his atoning sacrifice, Christ removes sin and guilt, demands a confession of sin from the believer, and intercedes before God in behalf of the sinner.^[3] b. And not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. Here John refers to the extent of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Scholars usually comment that the extent of Christ's death is universal but the intent is for believers. Or in different words, Christ's death is sufficient for the whole world but efficient for the elect. John Calvin, however, observes that although these comments are true, they do not pertain to this passage.^[4] The phrase the whole world relates not to every creature God has made, for then the fallen angels also would share in Christ's redemption. The word whole describes the world in its totality, not necessarily in its individuality. In another context, John distinguishes between the children of God and the children of the devil (I John 3:1, 10) and then concludes, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us (v. 16). Jesus died for all the people who believe in him and who come from every nation, tribe, people and language as a great multitude that no one [can] count (Rev. 7:9).^[5] Practical Considerations in 2:1–2 On Sundays at worship you sing the words of hymns and psalms and in the company of fellow church members you recite the words of the Apostles Creed. But during the week you fall into sin. How, then, do you know that you are a Christian? In your weaker moments doubt and uncertainty enter your mind and you question whether you are a member of the family of believers. When you have sinned, you hear the voice of Satan accusing you before God and telling him that you cannot possibly be one of his children. Moreover, the (Christian community is saddened by your sin, and the world questions your Christian sincerity. Because of your sin, you hear the words of the hymn, Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, but they are meaningless to you. You lack the assurance of salvation.) For Christians who lack assurance, John writes this message of comfort and confidence: If anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense Jesus Christ, the Righteous One (2:1). Jesus is their helper. He died for sinners and represents them as their defense lawyer before the judgment seat of God. And on the basis of his death he pleads for their acquittal. Jesus has met God's demands, has defeated Satan and silences his accusations. When sinners come to him in prayer and ask for remission, Jesus offers them salvation full and free. The writer of Hebrews testifies, For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's [spiritual] descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people (2:16–17). How do I know I am a Christian? When I accept Jesus testimony that he has died for me and has cleansed me from all my sins, then I know whom I have believed (II Tim. 1:12). And then in thankfulness I am ready and willing to obey his commands and do his will. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:1–2 Verse 1 [Greek] this diminutive from [Greek] (child) is a term of endearment. It reveals the advanced age of the writer and demonstrates his genuine interest in the development of his spiritual children. [Greek] in 1:4, John uses the first person plural, present tense [Greek]. There he writes on the testimony of fellow eyewitnesses and himself. Here he writes on his own authority. [Greek] with the form [Greek] the aorist subjunctive conveys the idea of potential for sin; that is, the writer warns the reader not to fall into sin. The use of the present tense, by contrast, would have indicated continual and habitual sinning. [Greek] from [Greek] (I comfort, beg, exhort), this noun, which in a court of law means advocate, can best be translated helper. In the Gospel of John the noun refers to the Holy Spirit (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Here it designates Jesus Christs.^[6] [Greek] the preposition discloses that Jesus is not only in the presence of his Father; he presents our prayers to the Father. Verse 2 [Greek] this noun derived from [Greek] (I appease) describes an action performed by Jesus Christ that appeases God the Father. A noun with a [Greek] ending denotes action; a noun with a [Greek] ending indicates the result of that action.^[7] [Greek] in Johannine literature [Greek] is equivalent to [Greek] (for). [Greek] John chooses the adjective [Greek] (whole) instead of [Greek] (every, all) to communicate the idea of universality. The word [Greek] has an indefinite meaning which [Greek] does not have. ^[8] 2. Knowledge and Love 2:3 5a 3. We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. 4. The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. With the conjunction and (omitted in the NIV), John connects verse 3 and the second half of chapter 1. Apparently the writer needs to complete his thoughts on having fellowship with God (1:3, 6, 7, 9). As he pointed out, walking in the light in fellowship with God means that we confess our sins (1:9). Now he adds that knowing God means obeying his commands. As a synonym of the term fellowship he introduces the concept knowing God. a. We know that we have come to know him. In this short verse the word know occurs twice. The first verb is in the present tense and the second in the perfect tense.^[9] Fellowship with God and knowledge of God are the two sides of the same coin. One's relationship with God can vary from casual acquaintance to intimate fellowship. But God is not interested in a relationship that is casual and meaningless. He desires that we come to know him intimately. Knowing God implies that we learn about him, love him, and also experience his love. We gain our knowledge of God when we strive to do his will in the actual experiences of life. Knowing him, then, means that we live in perfect harmony with him by keeping his law. b. If we obey his commands. To know God is to keep his commands, and to keep his commands is to know God. John repeats this thought with slightly different words in another passage of his epistle: This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands (5:2). The conditions of the new covenant which God revealed to Jeremiah (Jer. 31:33–34) and which the writer of Hebrews quotes (Heb. 8:10–11) combine law and knowledge of God.^[10] This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. The distinctive characteristic of the child of God is that he obeys God's commands. When he keeps these commands, he demonstrates that he has come to know God. But this is not always the case, as John points out in the next verse. c. The man who says, I know him, but does not do what he commands is a liar. Although this verse parallels the discussion of the last half of the preceding chapter (1:6, 8, 10), where John writes comprehensively about the claim of fellowship with God and the failure to live in the truth, here he quotes an individual. He quotes the person who claims to have come to know (perfect tense) God but who fails to keep (present tense) (God's commands. John calls him a liar. That is, this person is a walking lie who says one thing and does the oppositeTitus 1:16). The word liar describes the character of the man whose entire conduct is opposed to the truth. d. And the truth is not in him. Except for the last two words of this clause, this statement is identical to that in 1:8. The emphasis falls on in him. This person, says John, is devoid of God's truth. 5a. But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. One of the salient characteristics of this epistle is John's continual use of contrast. For example, he places the truth over against the lie, light in opposition to darkness, and love against hatred. Also in the first part of this verse, he states affirmatively that which he portrays negatively in the previous verse. Another characteristic is John's use of various terms that express the same thought for the concept word: truth (1:8; 2:4), word (1:10; 2:5), and command (2:3–4) all of them mean more or less the same thing. Even though there is similarity, the word is broader and more comprehensive than the commands. As John Albert Bengel observes, The precepts are many; the word is one. ^[11] The Word of God is God's revelation that culminates in Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:2). In fact, John echoes the words Jesus spoke in the discourse after he instituted the Lord's Supper: If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching [that is, my word] (John 14:23). Anyone who obeys God's word experiences the unrestricted love of God. John probably wrote these words to oppose Gnostic teachers who extolled gathering knowledge at the expense of obedience. John, however, teaches that the love of God fills completely the heart and life of the person who obeys God's word (compare 4:12, 18). What is the meaning of the phrase God's love? Some commentators translate it objectively as man's love for God. ^[12] Others understand it subjectively as God's love for man. ^[13] And still others interpret it to be a description: love that is peculiar to God himself. Although all three interpretations have merit, evidence from the immediate and the broader contexts seems to support the subjective interpretation. First, in the immediate context compare the parallel in verses 4 and 5 [God's] truth is not in him (v. 4) and God's love is &in him (v. 5).^[14] Both truth and love originate in God but not in man. Next, in the broader context of the epistle John explains the origin of love: love comes from God (4:7), God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (4:12), and we know and rely on the love God has for us (4:16). God is the source and giver of love. In summary, then, the context is decisive in determining the meaning of the phrase God's love. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:3 5a Verse 3 [Greek] this construction is common in I John; it occurs fourteen times (2:3, 4, 5 [twice]; 3:10, 16, 19, 24; 4:2, 9, 10, 13, 17; 5:2). Here it is an instrumental dative. [Greek] the perfect active indicative of [Greek] (I know) shows resultant state. [Greek] refers to experiential knowledge; [Greek] (I know) connotes innate knowledge.^[15] Verse 5a [Greek] from [Greek] (I complete), this verb in the perfect active indicative is timeless, for it reveals a customary truth.^[16] 3. Christian Conduct 2:5b 6 5b. This is how we know we are in him: 6. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. The word this refers to either the preceding or the following sentence or both. In other words, verse 5b can be either the concluding part of verse 5a, or the introduction to verse 6, or an independent statement. Translators generally take the second option and regard verse 5b as introductory to the next verse.^[17] How do we know that we are in him? John answers with a progressive succession of statements: we are in him, [we] live in him, and [we] walk as Jesus did. a. We are in him. We know that we are in God when we have intimate fellowship with him through Jesus Christ (1:3). The phrase in him is a reassertion of [to] have come to know him (2:3). b. [We] live in him. Fellowship with God in Christ is not a static condition but an active relation that endures. If we say that in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28), we place ourselves under obligation to God himself. We must follow the example he has given us in the earthly life of his Son. c. [We] walk as Jesus did. As Jesus lived while he was on earth, so we must live in imitation of him. We can do this only by setting our lives in harmony with his revelation. James H. Sammis eloquently expresses this teaching in the words of his well-known song: When we walk with the Lord In the light of His Word, What a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will, He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:5b 6 Verse 5b [Greek] although this phrase can look forward or backward, in this verse the direction appears to be forward.^[18] Verse 6 [Greek] this demonstrative pronoun stands in contrast with [Greek]; the first pronoun is preceded by [Greek] (just as), the second is followed by [Greek] (so). C. Love and Light 2:7–11 7 Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10 Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11 But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. 1. New and Old 2:7–8 John makes a smooth transition of thought from one paragraph to the next. He moves from a discussion of knowing God and obeying his commands to the topic of love. John begins this paragraph with the word beloved, which the New International Version translates dear friends. ^[19] John favors this form of address, for he resorts to it frequently (I John 2:7; 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7, 11; III John 1, 2, 5, 11). 7. Dear friends, I am not writing you a new command but an old one, which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. The parallel between John's Gospel and his first epistle is irrefutable, especially in respect to his comments about the new command of love. We hear the voice of Jesus saying, A new commandment I give you: Love one another (John 13:34). Note the following points: First, John shows that the new comes forth from the old when he says that the new command is actually old. After he has said that, he states that he is writing a new command. He is interested primarily in the concept command and secondarily in the words new and old. Even though he does not explicitly state what this command is, he discloses in succeeding verses that it is the well-known precept to love one another (2:9–10). Next, John cannot call this command new. Already in Old Testament times when God's people were in the Sinai desert, God instructed the Israelite to love his neighbor as himself (Lev. 19:18). Since the time of Moses, Jewish people have recited the following words as part of their creed: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deut. 6:5). God commanded the Israelite to love his neighbor in addition to loving God. And last, John observes that the readers have had the old command from the beginning. He implies that they have received God's revelation and therefore know that this command as such is not new. This old command, writes John, is the message [of God's revelation] you have heard. ^[20] That is, the readers knew this command from the time when they first heard the preaching and teaching of God's Word the Old Testament and the New Testament in the worship services of the local church. 8. Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. John appears to contradict himself when he first asserts that we have no new command (II John 5) and then proceeds to introduce a new command. There is no contradiction, however, as we see by considering these aspects: a. Literal The word new in Greek suggests that the old has given birth to the new. The old does not cease to exist but continues along with the new. We note a good example with respect to the two testaments: the Old Testament prepared the way for the New Testament, but did not lose its validity when the New arrived. Likewise, the old command addressed the people of the Old Testament era but kept its validity when Jesus came. Jesus gave this command greater significance, in a new form, in the context of the New Testament. b. Theological Yet I am writing you a new command. From the verses following Leviticus 19:18, we learn that the concept neighbor included the fellow Israelite and the alien who lived with God's people in the land. Love [the alien] as yourself, God said (v. 34).^[21] In New Testament times, however, Jesus gave new meaning to the command to love one's neighbor when he taught the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25 37) and when he told his listeners that the command to love one's neighbor extended even to the enemy (Matt. 5:43–44). Jesus became known as a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Matt. 11:19). He explained the meaning of the command to love one another by removing manmade obstacles and by revealing the divine intent and purpose of this particular command. The command, then, has been continuously in force from the beginning of history to the present, for it does not grow old with time.^[22] c. Evidential Its truth is seen in him and you. Indirectly John refers to Jesus. In the preceding context he mentioned him directly when he said, Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did (2:6). John commends the readers for conduct that is truly characterized by this new command to love one another. If the Christian fellowship is marked by such love, then it will be recognized as the fellowship of Christ's followers; it will bear the unmistakable stamp of his love. ^[23] John provides proof for his observation that the readers are obeying the new command. Here is the proof: Because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. John's penchant for contrast is evident in this verse. He puts darkness over against light and the verb is passing in contrast with the phrase is already shining. Note that the darkness has not yet disappeared; it is being dispelled because the light of the gospel of Christ enlightens the believers. John identifies the light as true (John 1:9) to indicate that all other light is merely a reflection which leads to disappointment and despair. This true light, says John, is shining already at this moment. Practical Considerations in 2:8 Some countries today are experiencing a phenomenal growth of the Christian church. People are being baptized by the thousands; new churches are being formed everywhere; and the flame of the gospel, spreading as in the first century, leaps from person to person and area to area. Church leaders make calculations and venture projections about the future. This rapid growth of the Christian church warms the heart of every believer; nevertheless, observers who are on the scene comment that while the Christian faith is evident on Sundays, during the week in the workaday world it proves to be absent and meaningless. Somehow the light of the gospel has not yet penetrated society at large. In the areas of education, business, labor, and politics the light of God's Word as yet has not dispelled darkness. When toward the end of the first century John wrote, The darkness is passing and the true light is already shining, he seemed to voice optimism devoid of realism. Perhaps some people ridiculed his enthusiasm. The Roman emperor persecuted the Christians; the power of darkness enveloped the Christian church; and the light of Christianity seemed insignificant. Yet John wrote these words in faith. He did not look at outward appearances but at the effect of living in the light of the gospel. Thus he saw that after ages of darkness, the gospel light had dawned. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:7–8 Verse 7 [Greek] this is a verbal adjective that conveys the passive voice: beloved [by God]. [Greek] the adjective follows the noun so that the emphasis falls on the noun. Note the noun is in the singular, not the plural (2:3). The adjective [Greek] (new), not [Greek] (fresh), is important, for it describes the nature of newness which is superior to the old.^[24] [Greek] the imperfect active indicative of [Greek] (I have) is considered to be a progressive imperfect.^[25] Verse 8 [Greek] the adverb means yet, not again. E as a relative pronoun in the neuter singular, this word does not have its antecedent in [Greek]. It stands by itself and can be explained with the addition of two words: [Greek] E [Greek]. [This] which is true in him [is] also true in you. ^[26] [Greek] from [Greek] (I pass by), this form is the present passive indicative. 2. Light and Darkness 2:9–11 Once again John shows his fondness for contrast; pairs of opposites are prominent in the next verses: light and darkness, love and hatred, walking and stumbling. 9. Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. 10. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. 11. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him. Note, first, the obvious link between verse 8, where John introduces the spiritual truth about light, and verse 9, where he refers to a claim made by a religious opponent. Also note that after John states a spiritual truth, for example in 1:5, 2:3, and here in 2:9, he quotes the words of a religious opponent who makes a claim he cannot substantiate. And last, the pattern John develops in these three verses negative, positive, negative resembles an earlier series of five verses in which three are negative and two are positive (1:6–10). a. Negative The religious opponent claims to be in the light. In fact, he is the same person who already said that he has fellowship with God (1:6) and that he knows God (2:4). He makes this known to everyone who lends a listening ear. But his words do not match his deeds; his claim is worthless, because his conduct contradicts it; his profession of light translates into a life of darkness; and in the absence of love, he experiences the ruinous power of hatred in interpersonal relationships. The words of this text, Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in darkness, apply to any reader of John's epistle. Whoever claims to be in God's light but continues to harbor hatred toward his fellow man demonstrates a life of darkness. We prefer to look heavenward and avoid looking at ourselves. To dwell in love with the saints above, O! that will be glory! To dwell below with the saints we know Ah! that's a different story! To hate a brother is not a trifling matter. John repeats the thought of this text in each of the next two chapters when he says, Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer (3:15), and If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar (4:20). Whoever hates a Christian brother breaks God's commands, is devoid of truth, and lives in spiritual darkness. For those living in darkness, John tactfully leaves the door open so that they may repent and come to the light. John writes that they are still in darkness. They need not stay there. They are welcome to come to a knowledge of the truth, lead a godly life, love the members of the church, and live in the light of the gospel. b. Positive John's remarks concern the members of the church. And in this setting, John puts his statements in absolute terms that offer no middle ground. For him there is no twilight. There is either light or darkness, love or hatred. Where love is absent, hatred rules in darkness. But where love prevails, there is light. John writes, Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. Love is not so much a matter of the word as of the deed. Whoever loves his spiritual brother as himself lives in the light. And when a person lives in the light, he does not stumble, because he is able to see clearly. Translators are not agreed on the exact wording of the last part of verse 10. Here are three differing translations: 1. And so there is nothing in him that will cause someone else to sin (GNB) 2. And in it there is no cause for stumbling (RSV) 3. There is nothing in him to make him stumble (NIV) Interpreters who favor the first translation point out that the Greek word stumble literally means trap and symbolically, to cast a stumbling-block before one. ^[27] In the second translation, the pronoun it refers to the antecedent light. That is, in the light there is no cause for stumbling. In view of the context, the third translation seems to make the best transition to the next verse (v. 11), which portrays the person who hates his brother as the one who stumbles in the darkness.^[28] John implies that anyone who hates his brother causes his own downfall. And the cause for his stumbling cannot be attributed to outside factors but only to one's inner being that is filled with hatred. c. Conclusion John's concluding remarks are straightforward. First, anyone who hates his brother is in darkness, for he has separated himself from the light of the gospel. Second, he is relatively safe if he stays where he is, but as soon he begins to walk around in the darkness, literally as well as figuratively, he stumbles because of his inability to see (John 12:35). Darkness has a blinding effect on the eyes. When eyes are kept idle for sustained periods of time, blindness inevitably results.^[29] When a person is in spiritual darkness, life becomes meaningless and goals are without purpose. The tragedy is that walking in darkness need not take place, for God's true light is available to everyone (John 1:9). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:9–11 Verse 9 A [Greek] three successive verses begin with the definite article and a participle in the present tense to indicate duration: A [Greek] (v. 9); A [Greek] (v. 10); and A [Greek] (v. 11). [Greek] this conjunction has an adversative meaning: and yet or but. Verse 10 [Greek] in the context of the epistle John speaks of the believer as the brother. The rest of the New Testament writers confirm this designation. [Greek] a movable stick in a trap that is set to catch birds or animals; a stumbling block. Verse 11 [Greek] John employs the verb [Greek] (I know), not [Greek] (I know, learn to know), to stress the concept of innate knowledge. [Greek] from [Greek] (I make blind), the aorist tense is constative. D. Two Appeals 2:12–14 12 I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. 14 I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. 1. First Address 2:12 13a In a separate section, John appeals to his readers and summarizes his thoughts in poetic form. He addresses his readers according to categories: first, all the believers receive his exhortation; next he appeals to the fathers and then to young men. 12. I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. 13a. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. We make the following observations: All readers a. I write to you. John is the pastor who personally addresses the members of the church (see 2:1, 7, 8). When he says, I write, he means that his words, being penned, are permanent. The members of the church are apt to forget the spoken word, but that which is written stays. The recipients of John's letter, therefore, ought to take notice. I am writing to you, says the elderly pastor. b. Dear children. John makes a special appeal to his readers and addresses them with a term of endearment, dear children, characteristic of his epistle.^[30] On the basis of frequency, scholars understand the term to refer to all the original readers of this letter. In other words, John is not addressing three age groups: children, fathers, and young men. That sequence is rather unnatural. If he were addressing age groups, the order should be children, young men, fathers. But if we take children in a general sense, then John appeals to two groups: fathers and young men.^[31] John first speaks to all his readers and then to the fathers and the young men. c. Because your sins have been forgiven. ^[32] If there is good news from Jesus Christ, it is the announcement that our sins have been forgiven (Luke 24:47; Acts 13:38). The paralytic carried by four of his friends to the house where Jesus stayed heard him say, Son, your sins are forgiven (Mark 2:5). The sinful woman who entered the home of Simon the Pharisee and anointed Jesus feet heard these words: Your sins are forgiven (Luke 7:48). That is, God forgives sins once for all. Sins have been, are, and remain forever forgiven. d. On account of his name. Sins are forgiven because of the name of Jesus. John purposely puts emphasis on the term name. He writes, on account of his name, not on account of Jesus. The term name is not a mere designation but the revelation of the person and work of God's Son (see 1:9; 2:1–2; 4:10). God forgives sins on the basis of his Son's atoning death on Calvary's cross. The implication is that everyone who believes in Jesus and repents receives remission of sin. Fathers John addresses the fathers in the church twice (vv. 13, 14) and gives them the same message: because you have known him who is from the beginning. In the broader context of the epistle, John repeatedly writes about the Father.^[33] He uses this expression to portray the close relationship between God the Father and his Son. The term father assumes sonship; with respect to God this fatherhood includes both the Son of God and the children adopted through him. We have natural fathers, but earthly fatherhood is only a faint reflection of God's fatherhood. Nevertheless, John appeals to the fathers, because they have gained spiritual knowledge of and about Jesus Christ. In the course of time, they have [come to know] him who is from the beginning. They have an intimate knowledge of God's revelation in Jesus Christ (John 1:1). The Christian community, then, looks to the spiritual fathers for leadership, and they, in turn, must care for their spiritual children. They are responsible to hand the torch of the gospel light to the next generation, namely, the young men in the church. Young men John is speaking to the youth in the church. He commends them for having overcome the evil one. He repeats the same words in the next verse to indicate the significance of this truth. They have conquered the evil one, that is, Satan. They have repelled the attacks of the devil, have not joined Satan's camp, and rejoice in their salvation. They belong to Jesus and live in the light of his revelation. They have stood firm in the face of temptation, for in their God-given spiritual strength they have overcome. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:12 [Greek] in three successive addresses John employs the present active first person singular. Then in verses 13b 14, he writes [Greek] three times in succession. The use of the aorist active tense (first person singular) is the so-called epistolary aorist; that is, the writer looks at his epistle from the recipient's point of view.^[34] This use also occurs in I John 2:21, 26; 5:13. The epistolary aorist is translated in the present tense. [Greek] as a diminutive from [Greek] (child, son), this noun expresses endearment; because it is neuter, the noun refers to men, women, and children. [Greek] from [Greek] (I forgive), the perfect tense indicates action that took place in the past with lasting effect for the present and future. The passive voice implies that God is the agent who forgives. 2. Second Address 2:13b 14 A number of translations present verse 13b as verse 14, so that the first and the second appeals form parallel sets.^[35] Even though the Greek text shows a different word for dear children, the symmetry between the first three addresses and these three is perfect: children, fathers, and young men. 13b. I write to you, dear children, because you have known the Father. 14. I write to you, fathers, because you have known him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Once again John introduces each of his three appeals with the introductory clause I write to you. In Greek he uses the past tense of the verb to write, but in translation it is usually put in the present. Dear children John uses a Greek word, different from the one he used in verse 12, as a term of endearment to express his tender love to all his readers regardless of age. The reason that he appeals to the readers is this: you have known the Father. Not only the fathers have come to know Jesus Christ from the beginning; all the believers have come to know the Father and, by implication, God's Son, Jesus Christ. Through Jesus, the believers have personally experienced the love of God the Father. Fathers Once more John appeals to the fathers: you have known him who is from the beginning. The author repeats what he already has written in the preceding verse (v. 13). The repetition discloses the seriousness of the author's appeal; that is, the fathers cannot afford to relax the process of their spiritual growth. Young men Last, the youth of the church are strong, says John. Of course, young men are strong physically, but John means that they have proved their spiritual strength (Eph. 6:10). They oppose and overcome Satan, because they possess the word of God that is living in them (John 5:38). This possession is the secret of their strength and the source of their victory. ^[36] As long as they treasure, obey, and believe that word, they will be victorious and overcome the power and deceit of Satan. Practical Considerations in 2:12–14 Christians in the last part of the first century encountered teachers who opposed the Christian faith with Gnostic doctrines. John consistently tells the readers of his epistle to walk in the light, to live by the truth, to obey God's commands, and to have fellowship with God and his people. His appeals, however, are not all in the form of warnings. As a wise pastor, he knows that a steady flow of admonitions can have an adverse effect on the members of the church. Positive words build confidence and assurance. John calls the attention of all the readers to the possessions they have in Christ: a. They know that their sins have been forgiven. b. They have known God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. c. They have overcome Satan through the Word of God. Young and old thrive on words of praise, for they take pride in what they possess and are able to achieve. Although pastors must warn the church of dangers and pitfalls, they should set the goal of presenting their sermons in a positive frame and show the believers the riches they possess in Christ Jesus. Let God's people sing, How vast the benefits divine Which we in Christ possess! We are redeemed from guilt and shame, And called to holiness. Augustus M. Toplady Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:13b 14 Verse 13b [Greek] a diminutive from [Greek] (boy, child), this noun is a synonym of [Greek] and is used as an endearment. Verse 14 [Greek] note the word order in the Greek. The adjective precedes the verb and receives emphasis. [Greek] the perfect active from [Greek] (I conquer, overcome). Notice the repeated use of the perfect in the three verbs [Greek] (three times), [Greek] (twice), and [Greek] (once) in verses 12 14. E. The World and the Will of God 2:15–17 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1. Do Not Love the World 2:15 After an appeal to the believers, the author sounds a warning not to love the world. Love for the world precludes love for the Father. We see a parallel between the words of John and those of James, Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God (James 4:4). John writes, 15. Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. a. John issues a stern warning not to love the world. He says do not love, not do not like the world. The word love that John employs is the same term he uses in verse 10 where he speaks about the person who loves his brother. The love which he has in mind is that of attachment, intimate fellowship, loyal devotion. It is the love which God demands in the summary of the law: Love the Lord your God &and love your neighbor as yourself. John directs his warning to those people who already have switched allegiance and are now giving their undivided attention to the affairs of the world. He tells them to stop loving the world and to desist from pursuing their worldly interests. He is not talking about a single incident but about a lifestyle. b. John mentions the expression world a word that is typically Johannine.^[37] This word has various meanings, as John illustrates in his first epistle: the world of the believers, the world of sin, the world of the devil. Thus John writes that Jesus is the Savior of the world (4:15) and that by faith the Christian is able to overcome the world (5:4–5). According to John, the characteristics of the world are cravings, lust, and boasting (2:16). The world passes away (2:17) and is ignorant of God (3:1). It hates the believers (3:13) and is the abode of false prophets (4:1), the antichrist (4:3), and unbelievers (4:5). And last, the whole world is controlled by the evil one (5:19). Concludes Donald Guthrie, There is therefore in I John a strong parallel between the world and the devil. ^[38] c. John warns the readers against loving the world and that which belongs to it. He does not advise the Christian to abandon this world or to live in seclusion. John stresses not that a Christian separate himself from the world. Rather, he says that a believer should keep himself from a love for the world. Note that in this relatively short verse the concept love precedes the concept world. What, then, is John saying? In a sentence: Love for the world and love for the Father cannot exist side by side. The Christian will love the one and hate the other, but he cannot love both at the same time (Matt. 6:24; Luke 16:13). The sinful world stands diametrically opposed to the Father. John describes this world in verse 16. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:15 [Greek] the present active imperative preceded by the negative particle [Greek] shows action in progress. Some people indeed loved the world (see v. 19). Notice that John chooses the verb [Greek] (I love) and the noun [Greek] (love), not the verb [Greek] and its related noun [Greek] (James 4:4). [Greek] the protasis of this conditional sentence has the verb in the present subjunctive to express uncertainty and probability. ! [Greek] the genitive can be either subjective or objective. In view of the contrast between love for the world and the love for the Father the objective genitive is preferred. 2. Do the Will of God 2:16–17 16. For everything in the world the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does comes not from the Father but from the world. The main thought of verse 16 is this: everything in the world &comes not from the Father but from the world. In his epistle, James provides a parallel idea. On the origin of wisdom, James writes, Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil (James 3:15). That which has its origin in the world comes not from God but from the devil. What are the so-called things of the world? John spells them out in three categories: cravings of sinful man, lust of man's eyes, and boasting of what a person has or does. Of course, this list of tendencies is comprehensive in scope, but not necessarily exhaustive.^[39] Before we discuss these categories, we make the following observations. The first two categories (cravings and lust) are sinful desires; the last (boasting) is sinful behavior. The first two are internal and hidden sins; the last is an external and revealed sin. The first two pertain, to the individual person, the last to the person who is surrounded by people.^[40] a. Cravings Literally the Greek text has the desire of the flesh. The New International Version, however, translates the text as the cravings of sinful man. The word desire is used collectively and represents cravings that include sexual desire and covetousness. These cravings are evil because they cause man to disobey God's explicit command, You shall not covet (Exod. 20:17; Deut. 5:21).^[41] Moreover, these cravings originate in man's nature and give birth to sin (James 1:15). Paul writes a similar account of this sinful nature (Gal. 5:16–17), which he says is contrary to the Spirit. b. Lust John describes this desire as the lust of [the] eyes. The eyes are the channels to man's soul. When man is enticed by lust, his eyes serve as instruments that cause him to transgress and sin. John reflects the sentiments of Jesus (recorded in the Sermon on the Mount), who categorized lustful looking as sin: But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matt. 5:28). c. Boasting John lists the third tendency in words that cannot be translated easily. Translators provide a number of equally valid versions. Here are some representatives: The pride of life (KJV, NKJV, RSV) The boastful pride of life (NASB) All the glamour of its life (NEB) The life of empty show (NAB) Pride in possessions (JB) The boasting of what [man] has and does (NIV) The reason for these numerous variations lies in two Greek words: boast and life. The first word means the boasting of a braggart or impostor (James 4:16). This boasting may even approach the point of arrogant violence.^[42] The second denotes life with respect to actions and possessions. The person who brags about his deeds and goods expresses lust for advantage and status. ^[43] The three vices (cravings, lust, and boasting) originate not in the Father but in the world, that is, from the devil. John writes the Father to indicate, first, the link with the preceding context (1:2, 3; 2:1, 13, 15) and, second, a reminder that the readers are God's adopted children. They are sons and daughters of their heavenly Father and do not belong to the world. In a different setting, Jesus voices the same thought. He tells his adversaries, He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God (John 8:47). 17. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. Man needs to look at the fleeting existence of worldly people, pleasures, and desires. If he places his interest in that which is here today and gone tomorrow, he reaps a harvest of instability, stumbles in the darkness of sin and, because he has cast his lot with the world, faces a similar end. For this world in its present form is passing away (I Cor. 7:31). However, the child of God is secure, for he possesses eternal life. What a contrast! The person who loves the world soon passes away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. John echoes Jesus words: Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Matt. 7:21; also I Peter 4:2). When the will of man is in harmony with the will of God, the Christian has fellowship with the Father and the Son that lasts forever (compare 2:5). Practical Considerations in 2:15–17 In his high-priestly prayer, Jesus asks his Father not to take the believers out of the world but to protect them. He prays, As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world (John 17:18). Is John contradicting these words of Jesus? Is he advocating total separation from the world in which he lived? No, not at all. When John wrote his epistle toward the end of the first century, pagan society was thoroughly corrupt. It was marked by immorality, greed, bribery, and disregard for human life and dignity. Within that society the church sought to be a restraining influence by exemplifying the virtues of honesty, morality, and a respect for life and property. But within the church some people had sided with the world because they did not really belong to the church (I John 2:19). They were false prophets who went out into the world (4:1). John warns the believers never to compromise with the spirit of the age and never to adopt a worldly lifestyle. In a sense, our world differs little from that of John. Ours is filled with violence and immorality. In many sectors of society bribery, theft, and deceit are woven into the fabric of daily life. However, we who have been bought with a price, who have the baptismal mark of the Triune God on our foreheads, who are called holy, must keep ourselves unspotted by the world. We are in the world, but not of it. For if we were of the world, then we would not be of the Father. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:16–17 Verse 16 ! [Greek] is this a descriptive or a subjective genitive? If the succeeding phrase is subjective (lust of the eyes), this phrase, too, is subjective: cravings that belong to sinful man.^[44] [Greek] in the preceding verse the definite article in the neuter plural occurs ([Greek], the things). Here John uses the singular neuter adjective to stress the individual vices which he particularizes with three nouns:! [Greek] (desire [twice]) and! [Greek] (boast). Each noun has a definite article.^[45] [Greek] this noun reflects the time, means, and manner of life. The noun [Greek] refers to (eternal) life that has death as its opposite.^[46] Verse 17 [Greek] his compound verb from [Greek] is in the passive voice. A [Greek] the use of the present participle denotes continued action. III. Believe in Jesus 2:18 3:24 A. Warning Against the Antichrist 2:18–19 18 Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. 19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 1. Antichrists Have Come 2:18 Notice that in this well-known passage about the antichrist John writes the plural of antichrist. He tells the readers that many antichrists have come. In light of the immediate context, we see that persons who love the world and its pursuits have placed themselves in opposition to Christ and therefore are called antichrists. 18. Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. The familiar address dear children (see, for instance, v. 14) discloses that the writer is an elderly person who speaks with authority and is able to analyze the present and future spiritual scene. As a wise and perceptive pastor he warns his people of danger that lurks within the Christian community. He thoroughly understands the sinful age in which he and the readers live. (a) Age In this verse John declares that we are living in the last hour. The term hour cannot be taken literally. Even though the phrase the last hour appears only here in the entire New Testament, it seems to be equivalent to the expressions the last days or these last times (Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:2; James 5:3; I Peter 1:20). What does John mean when he writes the last hour? If we understand the words figuratively and interpret them as a long period of time, that is, an age, we have to specify whether the term refers to the period that begins with Jesus ascension and ends with his return or the final days before the return of Jesus. If we adopt the second view and say that the last hour is the last days before the end of time, we have to explain the delay of nearly two millennia that has taken place since John wrote his epistle. Proponents of the first view also face that question.^[47] They are able to point to the general context of this passage and say that John is not interested in giving a chronological time schedule. These proponents view the broad context of this issue and maintain the following points: John looks at the spiritual development and the opposition of the world. He declares that the world and its desires pass away (2:17) to give place to the man who obeys the will of God. He notes that some people have left the church, because they denied that Jesus is the Christ. John calls them antichrists (2:18, 22); he observes that the spirit of the antichrist is already present in this world (4:3). Awaiting the return of Christ but not knowing when that will take place (Acts 1:7), John seems to indicate that the period between the first and second coming of Jesus is the last hour. ^[48] (b) Arrival John says, The antichrist is coming. The readers had heard the gospel proclamation and knew that Jesus had said, Many will come in my name, claiming, I am the Christ, and will deceive many, and False Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect if that were possible (Matt. 24:5, 24). The word antichrist has a broader meaning than does the term false Christ. The preposition anti means not only in the place ofII Thess. 2:3–4, where the man of lawlessness sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God . It also signifies against. Thus, the antichrist comes in the place of Christ and stands in opposition to him. (c) Affirmation John observes that many antichrists have come and are still alive. The antichrists, who deny that Jesus is the Christ, are temporal, not eternal. They are probably to be regarded as at once forerunners of the Antichrist and evidence that his spirit is already at work in the world. ^[49] The presence of people who deny the Christ is definite proof that we are living in the last hour. Doctrinal Considerations in 2:18 Is the antichrist a person or a principle? Is he a single individual or does he appear in many people, as John seems to indicate with the plural form antichrists? These and similar questions are often asked with reference to John's first epistle. The early Christians in the latter part of the first century had heard about the coming of the antichrist, and they knew that he would appear as a single person. For instance, Paul writes about the man of lawlessness who will be revealed and who will be destroyed by Jesus when he returns (II Thess. 2:3–4, 8 9). But John is not interested in identifying a particular individual. He points to a principle that prevails in persons who deny the deity or humanity of Christ. John opposes this principle of apostasy and therefore, in his epistles, stresses the principle instead of the person of the antichrist. By saying that the antichrist is coming, he indicates that the future antichrist will be an individual who personifies this principle.^[50] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 2:18 [Greek] John uses these words twice in this text, both times without the definite article. In the case of the adjective [Greek] (last), the definite article is often lacking (II Tim. 3:1; James 5:3; I Peter 1:5).^[51] Because of the word order, the emphasis falls not on the noun hour but on the adjective last. [Greek] the perfect active of [Greek] (I come to be, become) reveals that these antichrists arose within the church itself. 2. Antichrists Went Out 2:19 19. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. Five times in this verse John uses the word us. In the original John writes from us four times and with us once. He wants to make sure that the reader understands that those whom he calls antichrists have left the church because they really did not belong to the church. The antichrists leave but the members of the church remain. Not those who deny the Christ are important, but the believers. And for this reason, John stresses the pronoun us at the end of every clause. a. They went out from us. John omits the details, but we assume that the original readers knew the situation and had vivid memories of the tension that eventually caused the departure of the unbelievers. The writer of Hebrews sketches the picture when he writes, It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. [6:4–6] b. But they did not really belong to us. John says that these people were not from within the Christian circle. They were not true Christians because they did not belong to the source, namely, Christ. They attended the worship services for some time, but they were never in Christ (John 15:1 6). c. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. This is a conditional statement with a negative implication. Note that in the first clause John implies that the people he designates antichrists never really belonged to the church because they deny the Christ. In the second clause John indicates that true believers remain, whereas the antichrists leave the fellowship of the church. Believers belong; deniers depart. d. This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/ 3. Believe in Jesus, part 2 3:1–24 Outline (continued) 3:1–3 D. Children of God 3:1–1. God's Love 3:2–2. God's Children 3:3–3. Knowledge of God 3:4–6 E. The Nature of Sin 3:4–1. Sin and the Law 3:5–2. The Coming of Christ 3:6–3. Believer and Unbeliever 3:7–10 F. Born of God 3:7–1. The Righteous 3:8–2. The Unrighteous 3:9–3. Free from the Power of Sin 3:10–4. Righteousness and Love 3:11–15 G. Hatred of the World 3:11–12 1. Love and Hate 3:11–14 2. Hatred 3:15–3. Murder 3:16–18 H. Love for Each Other 3:16–1. Positive 3:17–2. Negative 3:18–3. Conclusion 3:19–20 I. Confidence before God 3:21–24 J. Trust and Obey 3:21–22 1. Trust and Obey 3:23–24 2. Believe and Love D. Children of God 3:1–3 3 1 How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall he like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3 Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. 1. God's Love 3:1 Children of the heavenly Father Safely in his bosom gather; Nestling bird nor star in heaven Such a refuge e er was given. Carolina V. Sandell Berg trans. Ernst William Olson 1. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Note the following: a. The love of God In the Greek, John begins this sentence with a command: See. He wants the readers to observe the manifestations of the Father's love. He introduces the subject of the love of God in the preceding chapter (2:5, 15), briefly discusses it in this chapter (3:1, 16, 17), and fully explains it in the next chapter (4:7–9, 10, 12, 16 18). The readers ought to fathom the kind of love the Father gives his children. That love is great. The Greek word translated how great or what kind of occurs only six times in the New Testament and always implies astonishment and generally admiration. ^[1] John does not say the Father loves us. Then he would describe a condition. Instead, he writes, the Father has lavished [his love] on us and thus portrays an action and the extent of God's love. John has chosen the word Father purposely. That word implies the Father-child relationship. However, God did not become Father when he adopted us as children. God's fatherhood is eternal. He is eternally the Father of Jesus Christ and through Jesus he is our Father. Through Jesus we receive the Father's love and are called children of God. b. Children of God What an honor! God calls us his children and gives us the assurance that as his children we are heirs and co-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17). God gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12) to all who in faith have received Christ as Lord and Savior. God extends his love to his Son Jesus Christ and through him to all his adopted children. John underscores the reality of our status when he writes that already, at present, we are children of God. And that is what we are! In other words, God does not give us a promise which he will fulfill in the future. No, in fact we are already God's children. We enjoy all the rights and privileges our adoption entails, because we have come to know God as our Father. c. Knowledge of God God's children experience the love of God. They profess him as their Father, for they have an experiential knowledge of God. They put their trust and faith in him who loves them, provides for them, and protects them. The hostile, unbelieving world, however, does not know the children of God. Unbelievers cannot understand us, says John, because they do not know God (John 16:2 3). The world does not recognize us because it never recognized him. ^[2] The unbelieving world lives separated from God and will never know the significance of our spiritual relationship with God. If we were to become worldly, we would forfeit our status as children of God. By rejecting us, however, the world confirms our relationship with God the Father. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:1 [Greek] the second person plural active imperative of [Greek] (the second aorist of the verb [Greek] [I see]). [Greek] whereas John repeatedly employs the diminutive [Greek] (dear children) to express endearment, here he uses the noun [Greek], not [Greek] (sons), to include sons and daughters. [Greek] manuscript evidence for the inclusion of these two words is strong. The absence of the words in several of the latest witnesses (K L most minuscules), followed by the Textus Receptus, is due either to scribal oversight, perhaps occasioned by graphical similarity with the preceding word, or to deliberate editorial pruning of an awkward parenthetical clause. ^[3] [Greek] this verb indicates experiential knowledge, in contrast to the verb [Greek] which usually refers to innate knowledge (see v. 2). 2. God's Children 3:2 2. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. In Greek John writes, Beloved. This term which expresses a passive idea may imply that God is the one who loves us: Beloved by God. John, then, continues to stress the special relationship we have with God. The Father loves us and therefore we are now his children. Already in this earthly life we claim the right to be God's children and are able to procure this assurance.^[4] We are in principle children of God (v. 1) who lack perfection because of sin. But that which is principle now will become full reality in the future. John, therefore, observes, What we will be has not yet been made known. That is, God has only begun his marvelous work in us which in time he will bring to completion. What will we be in the future? Although the Bible is a book that relates the work of creation and redemption, it also gives us a glimpse of the future. For instance, John tells his readers about their identity with Jesus. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. ^[5] In his epistles, Paul reveals the same truths. Here are three relevant passages: And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory. [II Cor. 3:18] [Jesus Christ] will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. [Phil. 3:21] When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. [Col. 3:4] Scripture discloses that at the coming of Christ we will be glorified in body and soul. We shall be like him. The Bible nowhere states that we shall be equal to Christ. Instead it tells us that we shall be conformed to the likeness of the Son of God. We share his immortality. However, Christ has the preeminence, for the Son of God is the firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29). Believers will surround the throne of God and the Lamb. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads (Rev. 22:4). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:2 [Greek] the aorist passive subjunctive of the verb [Greek] (I reveal) lacks the subject. It can be either personal (referring to Christ) or impersonal (relating to the phrase [Greek] ). 3. Knowledge of God 3:3 3. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure. How does the believer face the future? He has received God's promise of complete restoration, and now he lives in hope that God will fulfill this promise.^[6] John states a fact: Everyone who has this hope &purifies himself. He refrains from expressing a wish, a possibility, or a command. John puts this stated fact in positive terms. The believer lives in the hope of becoming conformed to Jesus Christ, and the more he contemplates this truth the more he purifies himself of sin. He seeks to cleanse himself from sin that contaminates body and soul; constantly he strives for holiness in reverence to God (II Cor. 7:1). Just as he is pure. In the preceding chapters, John writes that if we have fellowship with Jesus, he cleanses us from sin through his blood (1:7); and if we claim to have fellowship with him, we must walk as Jesus did (2:6). John, accordingly, stresses moral purity which every believer must demonstrate by living a life of holiness. John points to the standard: as Christ is pure, so his followers strive for purity.^[7] Doctrinal Considerations in 3:1–3 In his first epistle, John teaches the fundamental doctrine that one of God's characteristics is love.^[8] Thus, John writes the pithy statement God is love (4:16). John conveys the thought that God initiates love and lavishes it on his people (3:1). Love, then, does not originate with man but with God (4:7). When man is the recipient of God's love, he in turn ought to reflect this love toward God and his neighbor. But the person who fails to show love to his neighbor does not possess the love of God (3:17). Love is not private, passive, or abstract. Love is explicit, active, and intimate. It is the bond that unites giver and receiver. As children of God and recipients of his divine love, we confess that we are unable to comprehend the length, breadth, and depth of God's love. Horatius Bonar summed it up in these words: O love of God, how strong and true, Eternal, and yet ever new, Uncomprehended and unbought, Beyond all knowledge and all thought. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:3 [Greek] the noun [Greek] receives emphasis from the preceding definite article and the succeeding demonstrative adjective. Note that the preposition [Greek] literally means on. The pronoun [Greek] relates to Christ. E. The Nature of Sin 3:4–6 4 Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. 1. Sin and the Law 3:4 Although the believer seeks to live in obedience to the will of God, he knows that his deeds are tainted by sin. This does not mean that sin controls him. On the contrary, the Christian valiantly opposes sin, because he wants to do that which is right (2:29; 3:7). Should he stumble, then the child of God flees to Christ to plead for remission. However, the person who continues to live in sin ought to know that sin is the same as lawlessness. 4. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. This epistle of John is marked by contrast. John first depicts the child of God who purifies himself (3:3) and then portrays the person who continues to live in sin and practices lawlessness. The child of God, therefore, cannot continue to sin; and the unbeliever who indulges in sin cannot be a child of God. What is sin? It is a breaking of the standard, that is, the law God has given.^[9] Anyone can detect a crooked line when a perfectly straight line is drawn next to it.^[10] John makes sinful behavior more conspicuous by contrasting it with righteousness. John explains what sin means. He says that committing sin is the same as a complete disregard for the law of God. For him, sin and lawlessness are two interchangeable terms. John actually provides a brief definition of sin by revealing its very nature: Sin is lawlessness. [Sin] is a deliberate rejection of God's standards and a resort to one's own desires. ^[11] Sin has its origin in the devil and expresses itself as a willful act against God. The person who continues to do what is sinful, concludes John, is of the devil (3:8). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:4 [Greek] A [Greek] the construction of [Greek] followed by the definite article and the present or perfect participle occurs fourteen times in the epistle.^[12] The present tense of the participle denotes continuative action. [Greek] John uses the noun [Greek] only twice in this verse. Both times the noun is preceded by the definite article. The verb [Greek] is in the present tense to indicate duration. 2. The Coming of Christ 3:5 5. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. At times John does not clearly delineate between the first coming of Christ and his return. However, in this text John alludes to the earthly ministry of Jesus and reminds his readers that they are fully acquainted with the essence of the gospel: Christ takes away our sins. These words are a distinct reminder of John the Baptist's cry: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).^[13] The Old Testament prophets prophesy that the Messiah would come to remove the sins of his people (Isa. 53). In the New Testament apostles and apostolic helpers teach this same doctrine as an accomplished fact (II Cor. 5:21; I Peter 2:24). They teach that Christ takes away sins note the plural once for all because he himself is sinless. Only Christ who is sinless is able to do this. In him is no sin. John writes in the present tense to indicate that Christ always has been, is, and will be without sin. He implies that as the Son of God is sinless, so the Christian whose sins Christ has taken away should not yield to sin. The believer must oppose sin with all his might and strive for holiness. One of the marks of being a child of God is to be free from the rule of sin. Should the Christian live a life of sin, his claim of being a son of God would be meaningless. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:5 [Greek] the plural signifies that all sins are taken away (however, see 5:16). The reason for including or excluding the pronoun [Greek] is difficult to determine. Many scholars omit the pronoun because they feel it is an assimilation to parallel phrases in 2:2 and 4:10. 3. Believer and Unbeliever 3:6 6. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him. Once again John presents a contrast. He places the believer, who has terminated a life of sin because he now lives in Christ, over against the unbeliever who, living in sin, has not seen or known Christ. John begins with a description of the believer. Throughout his epistle, John repeats the same truth, namely, that the person who lives in Christ and has continuous fellowship with him obeys the Word of God.^[14] John is fully aware that the believer occasionally stumbles into sin, and that if he confesses his sin, Christ forgives and cleanses him from all unrighteousness (1:9). John also knows that the believer is no longer in the grip of sin, for his life is controlled by Christ (Gal. 2:20). Says John, No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God (3:9). What a difference we see when we compare the life of the believer with that of the unbeliever! The unbeliever continues to sin and demonstrates that he has no fellowship with Christ. In fact, John declares that the person who persists in sin has neither seen nor known Christ. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God (III John 11). We should understand the verb to see (in the perfect tense) in a spiritual sense. It is the equivalent of the verb to believe. Anyone, then, who revels in sin has no faith in Christ and does not know him personally. He is an unbeliever. Practical Considerations in 3:4–6 The world provides its own definition of sin. For many people, sin is a naughty deed usually related to sex that arouses chuckles and laughter. In their view, sin should not be taken seriously. Others view sin as a weakness or imperfection caused by a psychological defect. Still others try to explain sin in terms of a mistake that any human being is able to make. In short, according to the world, sin is nothing serious. The Greek word translated to sin originally meant to miss the mark. That is, someone taking a bow and arrow would aim for the center of a target but miss it. In the Greek world, therefore, sin was considered a miscalculation. John, however, demurs. For him, sin is a serious offense against God. It signifies a deliberate disregard for and violation of his divine law. Sin is a direct affront to God; it is an expression of enmity and alienation that deserves God's wrath. How can we find restoration? Man's sins are removed only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. Writes Donald G. Bloesch, Christ not only pays the penalty for sin, but he does more than the law requires: he accepts the sinner unto himself, adopting that person into his family as a brother or sister. ^[15] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:6 [Greek] the present tense of this verb is iterative. F. Born of God 3:7–10 7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. 9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 1. The Righteous 3:7 In this section, John resorts to parallelism and repetition, especially in verses 4 10. If we put the verses graphically in sequence, we see this schema: vv. 4 = 8a vv. 5 = 8b vv. 6a = 9 vv. 7b = 10 Also note that while verse 7 opens the last paragraph of this section positively, verse 10 concludes it negatively. 7. Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The pastor speaks tenderly to the members of the church: Dear children. He wants them to know the difference between truth and falsehood, that is, between the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of the devil. He realizes the pernicious influence of teachers who seek to lead God's children astray, and he wishes to alert the church members to the lie that belief in God and a sinful life are compatible. John exposes this lie and warns his readers to watch out for these false teachers. Do not let anyone lead you astray (compare 2:26). John asks his people to apply the standard of truth by which they are able to detect deception. Here is the criterion: He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. The person who is born of God reflects his spiritual descent like Father, like son. Because of his spiritual rebirth, the believer wants to express his gratitude to God and do that which is right (see 2:29). Moreover, because righteous living originates in a righteous heart, the believer shows by his conduct that he is one of God's children (3:10). He is righteous, just as Christ is righteous. The comparison by the words just as does not mean that the Christian is identical to Christ in every respect. Of course not. Even though God forgives sin, the Christian does not continue to live without sin. When John writes that the believer is righteous just as Christ is righteous, he means that the child of God and the Son of God are righteous as members of God's family (compare 2:1). 2. The Unrighteous 3:8 8. He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. The first part of this verse parallels verse 4, Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. To put it differently, verse 8a is the negative counterpart of verse 7b. a. He who does what is sinful is of the devil. John virtually repeats the words Jesus spoke to the Jews when he said, Everyone who sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34) and You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him (John 8:44). Fifth-century church father Augustine describes the sinful man in these words: For the devil made no man, begat no man, created no man: but whoso imitates the devil, that person, as if begotten of him, becomes a child of the devil; by imitating him, not literally by being begotten of him.^[16] b. Because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. Note that in this verse John points to the source of sin: the devil. All sin originates with Satan, for he sinned from the beginning. How do we understand the phrase from the beginning? John Albert Bengel wisely replies, from the beginning [means] from the time when the devil is the devil. ^[17] How long Satan remained in his pristine angelic state, we do not know. When he fell into sin, he became the originator and instigator of sin. He enticed Adam and Eve and through them put the whole human race in the bondage of sin. As the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) he governs the man who lives in sin. c. The Son of God appeared &to destroy the devil's work. No one less than the Son of God appeared to set man free from the power of Satan (Heb. 2:14–15). The Son of God came to deliver his people from the bondage of sin and to restore them as children of God who are eager to do what is good (Titus 2:14). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:8 [Greek] the present tense is iterative or customary.^[18] 3. Free from the Power of Sin 3:9 9. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This verse parallels verse 6a (compare 5:18). It is a broader statement in which the emphasis falls on two items that are placed in an inverted sequence: 1. he who is [has been] born of God 2. will [can] not go on sinning; and it makes the clause because God's seed remains in him a link between the preceding and the following clause. a. Born again The phrase born of God is characteristic of John, for he uses it repeatedly (2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). It signifies that a person has been born spiritually in the past and continues in the present as God's child. That is, he finds his origin and existence in God. Whereas the person who practices sin has Satan as his father, the born-again believer knows that God is his Father. The words of Jesus are relevant: A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matt. 7:18). God's seed remains in him. The word seed has a figurative connotation: God's nature or God's principle of life. God guards the new life he planted in the heart of the believer and causes it to develop. The Christian, then, will not and cannot yield to sin because of that divine principle in his heart. b. Inability to sin The translators of the New International Version have tried to reflect the Greek verb tenses by adding extra words. They write, No one who is born of God will continue to sin, &he cannot go on sinning (italics added).^[19] This is an acceptable interpretation of John's intention. In Greek, the verbs express continued action, not a single occurrence. Therefore, by using the present tenses of the Greek verbs, John is saying that the believer cannot practice habitual sin. The thought being conveyed in I John 3:9is not that one born of God will never commit a sinful act but that he will not persist in sin. ^[20] Sin does not originate with God, for in him there is no darkness at all (I John 1:5). A person who is born of God and possesses God's nature cannot live in habitual sin. Nevertheless, the possibility of falling into occasional sin is always present, as every Christian can testify.^[21] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:9 [Greek] the perfect passive participle from [Greek] (I beget) denotes action that took place in the past; its influence, however, continues to the present. [Greek] note that John writes not able not to sin, but not able to sin. Some grammarians take the present infinitive to be durative; others understand it as a state.^[22] That is, a Christian sins but he cannot be called a sinner. He belongs to Christ who has redeemed and sanctified him and who has destroyed the devil's work. 4. Righteousness and Love 3:10 10. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother. In this entire letter John presents our existence in terms of two categories: you are either a child of God or you are a child of the devil. John sees only absolutes: light or darkness, truth or the lie, God or the devil, life or death. For him there is no middle ground. There are no alternatives. How do we know to which category we belong? John says that the proof is in our conduct: the child of God does what is right and loves his brother, but the child of the devil fails to do these things. John puts the criterion in negative form anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God so that the Christian takes note and applies himself actively to do God's will.^[23] Practical Considerations in 3:7–10 The devil made me do it. Although some people use these words to disclaim responsibility for their evil deeds, no court of law will accept such testimony as a valid excuse. Unless insanity can be proved, a person is responsible for his own behavior. Yet the admission that the devil is behind sinful deeds is undeniably true. A convicted killer explicitly becomes a murderer when he takes someone's life. But implicitly he already is a murderer when he receives the instigation to kill from the devil. If he were not in Satan's power, he would not perpetrate such a crime. The child of the devil, as John puts it, continues to commit sin because he belongs to the evil one. By contrast, the child of God will not continue to sin because he has God's nature in him. He wants to do what is right and thus he demonstrates his love to God and man. Born of God, the believer seeks to reflect his Father's virtues and excellence. When he falls into sin, he realizes that Satan has led him astray. But when he turns to God in faith and repentance, he finds forgiveness. As a child of God he is never in the power of the evil one. Additional Remarks Literature on I John 3:7 10is extensive. Numerous commentators express their opinion on what they deem is the correct interpretation of these verses in the light of the entire epistle. They examine all aspects of this passage quite often from their own theological or philosophical bent. They discuss the apparent contradiction between 1:8, 10, If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us &If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar, and 3:9c, he cannot go on sinning (also see 5:16). Remarks Raymond E. Brown, No other N[ew] T[estament] author contradicts himself so sharply within such a short span of writing, and inevitably much scholarly energy has been devoted to proving that no contradiction exists. ^[24] What are scholars saying about this problem? From numerous explanations here are three samples presented in summary form. First, John writes as a pastor to his people and calls them to confess their sins (1:8–10). But he also holds before them the ideal that all those who are born of God cannot sin.^[25] This view, however, represents an ideal, not reality. Next, we should distinguish between different kinds of sin: deliberate sin (5:16–17) and involuntary sins; mortal sins and insignificant sins; and the sin of refusing to believe in Jesus over against the believer's temporary lapse into sin. Nevertheless, in the sight of God every sin is a transgression of his law (James 2:9 11). Last, with his characteristic twofold approach, John describes the person who persistently sins because he is in the power of the evil one and the Christian who sometimes may fall into sin, but cannot sin persistently.^[26] In expressing this thought, John uses Greek verbs in the present tense that indicate continual action (for instance, he cannot go on sinning [3:9]). Many commentators have adopted this approach as a plausible interpretation.^[27] G. Hatred of the World 3:11–15 11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death into life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 1. Love and Hate 3:11–12 John contrasts love and hate by first stating the command to love one another and then by recounting the hatred Cain displayed when he murdered his brother. 11. This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. a. Love Throughout his epistle John repeats the main themes of his teaching to ensure that his readers remember his instruction. Here he reminds them of the command he gave in the preceding chapter (2:7), that they love one another. He introduces this precept with the words This is the message you heard from the beginning. When they first heard the gospel proclaimed, they became acquainted with the message to love one another. This command, then, is fundamental to the Christian religion (John 13:34; 15:12; I John 3:23). It can never be regarded as an afterthought in the teaching of God's revelation. b. Hate In contrast with love, hate destroys and kills. John mentions Cain without any details or qualifications, except that he belonged to the devil and that he murdered his brother. Note that John mentions Cain by name, not Abel. John concentrates on Cain, because he is the representative of those who are not born of God, but belong to the evil one (John 8:44). It is not that Cain by murdering his brother became the child of the devil; but, being a child of the devil, his actions were evil and culminated in the murder of his brother. ^[28] c. Murder Translators avoid a literal translation when they provide the reader with the word murdered: Cain murdered his brother. But the Greek actually says, Cain &cut his brother's throat (JB, italics added). Admittedly, the Genesis account (4:8) is very brief at this point. Also, the writer of Hebrews mentions Abel's death indirectly (11:4). The first act of slaughtering a human being, however, is inseparably connected with the name Cain. d. Evil and righteous And why did he murder him? Instead of saying that because of hatred Cain killed Abel, John contrasts the deeds of Cain with those of his brother. Cain's actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. These two adjectives provide the contrast. The Greek word evil is the same word John uses to describe Satan (2:13, 14; 3:12; 5:18, 19). In short, John intimates that Cain's deeds originated with Satan. The word righteous, however, is a term that refers to Jesus Christ (1:9; 2:1, 29; 3:7). In other words, Cain belonged to Satan and Abel belonged to God. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:12 [Greek] this is the only direct reference to the Old Testament in the entire epistle. [Greek] John applies this term to Satan, while man is the battleground between Satan and Christ. ^[29] The adjective [Greek] (evil) describes the works of a person who belongs to Satan. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I slaughter), in the aorist this word refers to killing someone by violent methods. [Greek] this noun in the accusative serves as a preposition that governs a genitive. Normally the preposition follows the genitive. The exception is in this verse.^[30] 2. Hatred 3:13–14 Now John is ready to place hatred and death over against love. He writes: 13. Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. a. Do not be surprised. The believers are astounded by the hatred they endure from the world around them. They were not expecting any hatred. As true Christians they provided and continue to provide help to the needy and love to the people around them. John says, Stop being surprised. The world is filled with Cain's descendants who will express their hatred toward the children of God. b. My brothers. John, too, experiences the hatred of the world, and therefore he puts himself next to his readers. He calls them brothers. The address John usually employs in his epistle is either dear children or dear friends. But in this verse, and only here, he uses the word brothers. As their spiritual father he addresses his readers as children or friends; as a fellow believer he calls them brothers. c. If the world hates you. With the brothers, John endures the opposition a sinful world expresses toward Christians. When John writes, If the world hates you, he is not predicting the possibility that this may occur. The word if in this sentence actually is equivalent to that: Do not be surprised that the world hates you. These words echo Jesus warning that Christians will be hated by the world. If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first (John 15:18). d. We &have passed from death to life. With this statement, John introduces a thought that is unrelated to the preceding verse (v. 14). The statement seems contrary to nature: all living beings (man, animal, plant) pass from life to death. Yet John introduces verse 14 with the reassuring words we know. He uses the verb know because the readers know the gospel. They have been taught that, like all other people, they were at one time dead in transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1, 5) until they passed from death to life (John 5:24). The fact that they were dead reveals that God had to lead them out of death into life. They can never claim superiority over those who are still in death. God saves, not man. Note that John does not say, Because we love our brothers, therefore we have passed from life to death. He declares the opposite. Love for our brothers is the evidence, not the basis, for spiritual life. ^[31] Love for the brothers is really an expression of thankfulness to God for his gift of life. e. Anyone who does not love remains in death. The child of God passes from death to life but the person who belongs to the evil one remains in death. Why? Because he does not love. The mark of spiritual life is love. And when love comes to expression, life flourishes. If love is absent from a person's life, hatred with all its dire consequences fills the void. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:13–14 Verse 13 [Greek] whether this conjunction should be deleted or included in the text remains an open question. Scholars usually include the word but place it within brackets to indicate that they doubt its authenticity. [Greek] verbs of emotion, for instance, [Greek] (I am surprised), sometimes use the particle �0.^[32] Verse 14 [Greek] the use of the pronoun emphasizes the verb [Greek] (we know) which indicates innate knowledge. [Greek] the compound from the verb [Greek] (I depart) is directive. It indicates moving from one place to another. The perfect tense reveals an action that happened in the past; its consequences have relevance for the present. [Greek] a number of manuscripts add [Greek] (the brother). The shorter reading is to be preferred (a) because it is attested by superior witnesses and (b) because copyists were more likely to add than to delete an object that completes the thought of the participle. ^[33] 3. Murder 3:15 Anyone who lacks love has a heart filled with hate. There is no middle ground. And hatred eventually ends in murder, as Cain proved. 15. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. Without mentioning his name, John indirectly refers to Cain, the first person charged with homicide more precisely, fratricide, because Cain killed his brother. John, however, calls anyone who hates his fellow man a murderer. But does hatred always lead to murder? John Calvin keenly observes, If we wish an evil to happen to our brother from some one else, we are murderers. ^[34] The word murderer applies to Satan (John 8:44). He instigated the slaying of Abel and thus Cain also became known as a murderer. The consequence of being a murderer is that the person forfeits eternal life. John reminds his readers of the Old Testament law against murder (Gen. 9:5–6; Exod. 21:12; Num. 35:16, 19 21) and the teaching of Jesus on this subject (Matt. 5:21–22). John is explicit when he writes, No murderer has eternal life in him. That is, a murderer has no part in the kingdom of God. Unless he repents and turns in faith to Christ, he is eternally lost. On the other hand, the Christian possesses eternal life already in principle (John 3:36; 17:3), and later when his glorified body and soul are reunited, he will enjoy eternal life in complete fullness. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:15 [Greek] this present participle is durative. [Greek] the compound derives from [Greek] (man) and [Greek] (I kill). [Greek] the present active participle, feminine singular, describes the noun [Greek] (life). Because of its position at the end of the sentence, it receives emphasis. H. Love for Each Other 3:16–18 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 1. Positive 3:16 The similarities between the Gospel of John and his first epistle are numerous and striking. In the Gospel John records the following words of Jesus: Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends (15:13; also see 10:11, 15, 17 18). And in his epistle John says, 16. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. John is a pastor and a teacher. As a wise pastor he places himself at the level of his readers by using the pronoun we. And as a teacher he reminds his readers of the message of the gospel by saying, We know, that is, We have learned our lesson and know it well. But what do we know? We know what love is. John calls attention not to illustrations of love taken from daily life, but to the supreme example of love, namely, to Jesus Christ [who] laid down his life for us. In short, we know what love is, because we have heard the gospel message. Jesus death on the cross is not a passive death comparable to the sacrificial death of an animal. Jesus died actively and purposefully.^[35] Of his own will he laid down his life for his people. If, then, Jesus gave his life for us, what is our obligation to him? In the nineteenth century, Frances R. Havergal put this question in the form of a hymn: I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed, That thou might st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I gave My life for thee; What hast thou given for Me? John has an answer, for he writes, And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. When he says ought, he imposes a moral obligation: as Jesus extends his love by giving his life, so the Christian ought to express his love for the believers by being willing to lay down his life for them. When the honor of God's name, the advancement of his church, and the need of his people demand that we love our brothers, we ought to show our love at all cost even to the point of risking and losing our lives. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:16 [Greek] the perfect active from [Greek] (I know) means we have come to know. [Greek] the verb is preceded by the personal pronoun [Greek] to give it emphasis. [Greek] denotes obligation, [Greek] necessity. The former is moral, the latter as it were, physical necessity. ^[36] [Greek] A. T. Robertson observes, But one may argue from I John 3:16that [Greek] in the case of death does not necessarily involve substitution. Surely the very object of such death is to save life. ^[37] 2. Negative 3:17 17. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? a. If anyone has material possessions. In an extreme and exceptional case, the believer may be asked to show his love by dying for someone else. The Christian, however, can demonstrate his love in numerous ways. What are these ways? John fails to be explicit. Implicitly he points to the possessions of one and the needs of another: If someone has wealth and another has need. John does not complete the sentence by saying, let the one with possessions share with the needy, and thus show love (James 2:15 17). No, he expects the wealthy believer to show his love to his fellow man by sharing his earthly goods. John continues, b. But has no pity on him. When a person blessed with material goods (food, clothing, money) is unwilling to share his possessions, he has closed his heart (Deut. 15:7–11). He is self-centered and has no regard for his spiritual brother. This person portrays a stark contrast to the love of Jesus. He denies his brother the basic necessities of life, whereas Jesus willingly laid down his life for his followers. c. How can the love of God be in him? John is asking a rhetorical question. In fact, what he says is more an exclamation than a question. John intimates that it is impossible for the love of God to control this person.^[38] John declares that if anyone says that he loves God but hates his brother, he is a liar (4:20). The command love the Lord your God can never be separated from the command love your neighbor as yourself. These two go together at all times. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:17 [Greek] in the New Testament this noun occurs often in the sense of wealth, possessions (Mark 12:44; Luke 21:4).^[39] [Greek] note that in the Greek John balances this verb with the present participle [Greek] in the next clause. 3. Conclusion 3:18 18. Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. Whereas John places his words in the context of love, James in his epistle discusses the same matter in connection with faith (James 2:20). Love and faith have this in common: both need deeds to prove their genuineness. Words of love that are never translated into action are worthless. In order to be genuine, love seeks the welfare of others: it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres (I Cor. 13:7). Love is the act of giving of one's possessions, talents, and self to someone else. Note that the words we speak must correspond to our actions, and the use of our tongue must agree with the truth of God's Word. Words and tongue find their counterpart in actions and truth. It is significant that John ends this verse with the word truth to remind us of Jesus, the supreme example of love, who said, I am the &truth (John 14:6). Practical Considerations in 3:16–18 In many families today, divorce, desertion, and separation create untold grief and bitterness. Couples who at the time of the wedding declared that they would love each other until death do us part exhibit callous indifference when they contemplate divorce. Their wedding vows lie broken like pieces of porcelain on a stone floor. What went wrong? Love has vanished because it could not flourish in an atmosphere of ever taking but never giving. Love can succeed only in an environment where it is allowed to give, for genuine love is sacrificial giving. Look at the divine example. God loves nothing more than to be able to give. Indeed, he loved us so much that he gave his one and only Son to die for us (John 3:16), and out of love for his people Jesus laid down his life. Says John, We ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. What does the Lord expect in marriage? Husband and wife should honor and love one another even to the point of being willing to lay down their life for one another. When husband and wife tenderly care for each other by imitating Christ's example of sacrificial love, they will experience that God keeps them together in marital love and blesses their home and family with years of wedded bliss. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:18 [Greek] in this verse John lists four nouns (word, tongue, deed, and truth). Only the word tongue has the definite article. I. Confidence Before God 3:19–20 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. John devotes two verses to look at love from another point of view: What is the effect of love on the believer's spiritual life? In the first verse he speaks of knowledge and assurance; in the second verse of God's greatness and knowledge. 19. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20. whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Note the following points: a. To know These two verses are difficult to interpret, for the meaning of the text is not clear. The interpreter discovers that the wording is too general for him to give the reader a definitive explanation. In a sense, therefore, our interpretation only approximates the meaning of the passage. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth. The word this refers to the preceding context in which John exhorts the Christian to express genuine love for his brothers and sisters in Christ. ^[40] True children of God will know that they belong to the truth, because they will be sincere and genuine and live in accordance with the truth of God's Word. The person who refuses to acknowledge his sin is a liar and the truth is not in him (II John 4; III John 3 4). But the believer who actively and sincerely demonstrates his love belongs to the truth. Actually, the expression belong to the truth is synonymous with the term born of God (3:9). b. To reassure In the heart of every believer at times doubts arise. Even though the Christian might sing, Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, his conscience occasionally will bother him. He knows that he cannot meet the standards God has set and that sin remains an unrelenting and opposing force in his life. This then is &how we set our hearts at rest in his presence. As a reminder of how to live the Christian life, Calvin used the motto Coram Deo (in the presence of God). He knew that he spent every single moment in the sacred presence of the Almighty, and that God's eye was always on him. John expresses this same truth at the beginning of his epistle: Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ (1:3). How can we know God's presence? When we love our brothers and sisters in word and deed, we have fellowship with God. c. To condemn The New International Version completes verse 19 with the words whenever our hearts condemn us (v. 20a). As Christians we subject ourselves to true self-examination.^[41] We know that we are children of God (see 3:9–10) and as such we must strive to love our neighbor as ourselves. Sometimes we fail in loving our fellow man and then a guilty conscience disturbs us. But when we fall into sin and our consciences accuse us for our lack of love toward our brother or sister, we should not despair as though we are lost. d. To be greater Even though from time to time our consciences oppress us and cause us to question our relationship with God, we can still turn to God. We must quiet our hearts with the knowledge that we belong to God (see 4:6), and that we have free access to the throne of God (Heb. 4:16). John writes these reassuring words: God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. That is, as Christians we can always go to God, who knows us better than we know ourselves. David testifies to this truth. At the conclusion of one of his psalms, he prays this fervent prayer: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. [Ps. 139:23–24] Because God is greater than our hearts, he will show us mercy when we come to him; he will comfort us, and reassure us that we are his children. Additional Remarks 1. Translations. Because of grammatical variance in the Greek text, this passage is difficult to translate. Therefore translations differ in choice of words and punctuation. From many examples, here are three: And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things (NKJV). This is how we may know that we belong to the realm of truth, and convince ourselves in his sight that even if our conscience condemns us, God is greater than our conscience and knows all (NEB). Only by this can we be certain that we are children of the truth and be able to quieten our conscience in his presence, whatever accusations it may raise against us, because God is greater than our conscience and he knows everything (JB). Among the many variations, three items stand out: the verb to assure or to convince, the punctuation of the sentence(s), and the position of for or because in the conditional sentence in the last part of verse 20. 2. Interpretations. Although differences are numerous, there are two basic interpretations of this passage.^[42] The first one explains these verses as a digression about assurance. ^[43] John wants to reassure the readers that they know they belong to the truth and therefore can put their hearts at rest in God's presence. The second explanation, which originated with the early church fathers and was adopted by the Reformers, interprets the accusations of the heart as a warning to the believer not to fall into complacency.^[44] God is greater because he is more searching and authoritative in condemnation than the heart. ^[45] According to this view, John challenges the believers to initiate thorough self-examination and to be fully conscious of God's omniscience.^[46] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:19–20 Verse 19 [Greek] the inclusion or deletion of this conjunction is uncertain (compare 3:13). Nestle-Aland place it within square brackets to indicate uncertainty. [Greek] the better manuscripts support the future middle indicative of [Greek] (I know). Textus Receptus and the Majority Text have the present tense. [Greek] the future active indicative from [Greek] (I persuade). The translation we set &at rest (NIV) compares with that of Matthew 28:14. The future tense is durative,^[47] which is equivalent to the progressive present. Verse 20 [Greek] because this verse has a second [Greek], some scholars have suggested that the first one should be taken as E [Greek] with [Greek] (whatever, whenever). Compare I Corinthians 16:2for a similar construction. If this is the correct reading, then the second [Greek] is causal (see the translations of NIV and JB). Other scholars omit the second [Greek] to eliminate the awkward grammatical syntax of the sentence. Although a few witnesses show this omission, the basic rule that the more difficult reading is probably the original one still has merit. Nevertheless, the presence of these two conjunctions remains an exegetical problem. [Greek] in Greek this verb is a play on words with [Greek] of the preceding verse. The personal pronoun is the direct object (in the genitive) of the verb [Greek]. J. Trust and Obey 3:21–24 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command; to believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1. Confidence 3:21–22 Throughout his epistle John introduces contrasts: for instance, light and darkness, life and death, truth and the lie. Here he compares the heart that condemns with the heart that is free from condemnation. 21. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22. and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. In the preceding verses, John discussed the guilty conscience of a believer. Fully realizing that this discussion would have a disturbing effect on his readers, the pastor now tenderly calls them dear friends (see also 2:7; 3:2) and shows them the other side of the matter. He wisely includes himself in the discussion by using the first person plural pronoun. a. If our hearts do not condemn us. John knows that the hearts of many believers do not always accuse them of sin. For example, although Peter's conscience accused him after he denied Jesus, John and the other disciples were free from guilt. b. We have confidence before God. If our conscience is free, the avenue to the throne of grace is open. The writer of Hebrews encourages the believer to approach that throne with confidence (Heb. 4:16; see also I John 2:28; 4:17; 5:14). The word confidence originally described the full citizen of a Greek city-state who had the democratic right to speak freely. In New Testament times Jesus and the apostles spoke with confidence when they publicly proclaimed the gospel (John 7:26; Acts 4:13).^[48] We have the freedom to go to God in prayer and have fellowship with him and the Son, Jesus Christ (1:3). c. And receive from him anything we ask. John is repeating the words Jesus spoke to the disciples in his farewell address. Jesus said, And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it (John 14:13 14; compare Matt. 7:7). What a promise! Whatever we continue to ask for we receive from God. Note that John writes the present tense we receive, not we will receive. The promise is certain because God keeps his word (5:14). Does God answer any and every request? No, only those that are according to his will and for his glory. Therefore, John writes, d. Because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. Is John stating two prerequisites to answered prayer? Really not. Obeying God's commands must never be done under compulsion or for the purpose of receiving rewards. The Christian fulfills God's command with a cheerful heart that expresses gratitude. John is saying that when we obey his commands, we are doing what is pleasing to God. By adding the clause and do what pleases him, John rules out any notion of merit; pleasing God flows forth from love and loyalty. Implicitly John reminds his readers of Jesus. During his earthly ministry, Jesus always sought to please the Father by doing his will (John 8:29).^[49] The basis for answered prayer is not blind obedience but a desire to please God with dedicated love. And God fulfills our requests because of the bond of love and fellowship between Father and child. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:21–22 Verse 21 [Greek] the text is uncertain at this point. Bruce M. Metzger has collated eleven different readings from various Greek manuscripts.^[50] Although the inclusion of [Greek] generates some doubt, as indicated by square brackets in the Greek text of Nestle-Aland, the word can serve either as a possessive pronoun of [Greek] or as a direct object of [Greek]. [Greek] some manuscripts have the singular [Greek] to correspond with the singular [Greek]. The evidence, however, favors the plural verb. Verse 22 [Greek] the present subjunctive of the protasis in this conditional sentence is followed by the present indicative [Greek] (we receive) in the apodosis. The present tense in both verbs is timeless, that is, the tense refers to a generally accepted truth.^[51] 2. Believe and Love 3:23–24 23. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Note the following observations: a. Faith John reduces the commands to a single command that has two parts: to believe in the name of Jesus and to love one another. In a sense, John follows Jesus, who summarized the commandments of the Law in two commands: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and Love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:37, 39; and compare Rom. 13:9). John, however, places the phrases believe in the name of Jesus and love one another in the same command. Are the verbs believe and love identical? They are not the same but are integrally related. This is the first time in the epistle that John uses the verb to believe. The verb serves as an introduction to the following chapters.^[52] John asserts that God the Father gives the command and that God unequivocally tells us to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ. The command is to begin and continue to believe in the name, that is, the full revelation, of the divine Son of God. John adds the names Jesus to refer to his earthly ministry and Christ to call attention to his exalted position (refer to 1:3). No one is able to come to the Father but through Jesus (John 14:6). John moves from faith to love, for these two concepts are closely linked together. In his Gospel John reveals that Jesus repeatedly gave the command love one another (John 13:34; 15:12, 17). Believing in Jesus Christ, then, means to obey his command to love each other. John repeats this command. By using the present tense of the verb to love, he exhorts the readers to continue to love one another. b. Obedience John draws the conclusion, Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. This is a theme John repeats in his Gospel (6:56; 17:21–23) and epistle (2:24; 4:13–16). They who keep God's word in their heart experience that God makes his home with them. As an eighth-century English theologian, the Venerable Bede, wrote, Let God, then, be a home for you, and you be the home of God; remain in God and let God remain in you. ^[53] c. Knowledge John has a penchant for reiterating certain statements. For instance, in this verse he virtually repeats the same remark he wrote earlier (3:16), And this is how we know. What do we know? That he lives in us. When John writes the pronoun he, John does not distinguish carefully between God the Father and Jesus the Son. For him the Father works through the Son, and through Jesus God lives in us. Therefore a precise distinction is unnecessary. In this verse, however, John introduces the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.^[54] How does God dwell in the heart of the believer? Through the work and testimony of the Holy Spirit. No believer can ever say that he does not know whether God lives within him. The Spirit of God testifies in the heart of the Christian and gives him this knowledge and assurance. Practical Considerations in 3:21–24 Scripture reveals many marvelous statements, but this one is memorable: We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask. Sons and daughters cannot even make this statement about their parents. As children of God, however, we can boldly make our requests known to God and receive from him anything we ask. Scripture also says that our requests must be presented in the name of Jesus so that he may bring glory to the Father (John 14:13). Note that before we pray the fourth petition in the Lord's Prayer, Give us today our daily bread (Matt. 6:11), we already have asked that God's name be glorified, his kingdom come, and his will be done. God answers our requests when our objective is to glorify him, to promote his rule, and to do his will. God answers every prayer, but many petitions receive a negative answer. In his wisdom God knows exactly what serves our spiritual welfare. For example, Paul prayed three times that his thorn in the flesh might be removed, but God said, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (II Cor. 12:9). And therefore, Paul testifies, I delight in weaknesses.& For when I am weak, then I am strong (v. 10). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 3:23–24 Verse 23 This entry is longer than a Bible module can hold. The rest is at https://www.sermonindex.net/commentary/hendriksen/ 4. Love God, part 1 4:1–21 Outline 4:1 5:12 IV. Love God 4:1–6 A. Test the Spirits 4:1–1. A Warning 4:2–3 2. A Test 4:4–5 3. A Contrast 4:6–4. A Recognition 4:7–12 B. Love One Another 4:7–8 1. Love and Knowledge 4:9–10 2. God's Love 4:11–12 3. Mutual Love 4:13 16a C. Abide in God 4:13–14 1. The Spirit and the Son 4:15 16a 2. God Lives in the Believer 4:16b 21 D. Live in Love 4:16b 17 1. God Is Love 4:18–2. Love Expels Fear 4:19–21 3. Love God and Neighbor IV. Love God 4:1 5:12 A. Test the Spirits 4:1–6 4 1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. 1. A Warning 4:1 With this text John begins the third part of his epistle; the first section begins at 1:5, and the second at 2:18. There is a distinct parallel between the second part and the third. Both parts expound the following topics: A warning against the antichrist, children of God, love for God and one another. In the first few verses of each section, John speaks of antichrists or false teachers. He exhorts the readers to put the teaching of false prophets to the test. Christians have to be able to detect false teachings and to examine the spirit that expresses them. 1. Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. As a wise pastor, John first addresses his readers with words of tender love. He calls them dear friends (compare 3:21; 4:7). After the address, John tactfully warns the readers against the work of false teachers and tells them not to believe every spirit. He wants them to realize that there are two spiritual spheres in this world: one is the domain of the Holy Spirit; the other is the domain of the devil. The Holy Spirit dwells in the children of God (3:24), but the spirit of the devil lives in false prophets who speak in his name. a. Do not believe every spirit (Jer. 29:8; Matt. 24:4; Eph. 5:6; I Tim. 4:1). Of course, we are unable to see a spirit, but we can hear and understand the teachings of that spirit. The word spirit, then, is equivalent to teaching. ^[1] Apparently some of the first readers of this epistle were beginning to believe the false prophets who said that their teaching was a revelation from the Holy Spirit. John exhorts the readers to distinguish carefully between the teachings of God's Spirit and false teachings. Not every teaching is an utterance of the Spirit of God. Therefore, John advises the Christians to test the spirits to see whether they are from God and to verify all teaching in the light of God's Word (I Thess. 2:4; 5:21). b. Many false prophets have gone out into the world. We know that false teachers have made the world their lecture hall. They desire to gain a hearing from a number of Christians. In his discourse on the end of time, Jesus warns us, For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect if that were possible (Matt. 24:24; also consult Rev. 2:2). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:1 [Greek] the negative particle [Greek] is separated from the verb for emphasis.^[2] The verb is in the present active imperative mood. With the negative it reveals that some Christians indeed believed the false teachers of that day. John tells them to stop doing so. [Greek] test!; the present imperative. [Greek] from the verb [Greek] (I come or go out), this is the perfect active indicative. As a compound verb it is followed by the preposition [Greek] (into). 2. A Test 4:2–3 2. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3. but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. Note the following observations: (a) Profession John gives his readers a formula for determining whether a spirit comes from God or from the devil: The Christian recognizes the Spirit of God in anyone who openly confesses that Jesus Christ is both human and divine, and that Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God, has come in the flesh. Here we have the established principle for testing whether a particular teaching comes from the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 12:3). In the Greek, John uses the perfect tense for the words has come to indicate that Jesus came in human nature and even now in heaven he has a human nature. That is, in addition to his divine nature he also has a human nature. Sixteenth-century German theologian Zacharias Ursinus asked whether these two natures are separated from each other. This is his answer: Certainly not. For since the divinity is not limited and is present everywhere, it is evident that Christ's divinity is surely beyond the bounds of the humanity he has taken on, but at the same time his divinity is in and remains personally united to his humanity.^[3] Scripture teaches that the Christ is Jesus, who as our divine redeemer shares our human nature (Heb. 2:14–15). Any teaching that professes the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ has its origin in God. The opposite is also true; as C. H. Dodd observes, No utterance, however inspired, which denies the reality of the Incarnation, can be accepted by Christians as true prophecy. ^[4] (b) Denial Jesus said, Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven (Matt. 10:32–33; also see John 8:47; II John 7). Anyone who separates the human nature from the divine nature of Jesus Christ speaks without God's authority. And anyone who denies either Jesus human nature or divine nature is not from God. Moreover, anyone who teaches that when Jesus was baptized God gave him a divine spirit, and that this spirit left Jesus when he died on the cross distorts the gospel. And last, whoever says that after Jesus death God appointed him Son of God fails to present the truth of God's Word. All such teachers do not speak as representatives of Jesus Christ, have not been commissioned by God, and are not the mouthpieces of the Spirit of God in this world.^[5] Although John addresses the church of the first century, nothing has changed since that time. Today we have numerous teachers and preachers who deny that Jesus Christ is human and divine. They are not from God, says John. In fact, he labels the spirit of such denial the spirit of the antichrist. (c) Designation John repeats a thought he expressed earlier in the epistle: The antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come (II John 7). Now he says, The antichrist &is coming and even now is already in the world. He thinks of all the principles and powers, all the essential characteristics of Antichrist: what &we might call the antichristian nature. ^[6] That antichristian spirit is here already and expresses itself insidiously and often violently against Jesus Christ and his followers (II Thess. 2:3–8). Practical Considerations in 4:1–3 Without exception, liberal theologians refuse to accept the biblical doctrine that Jesus Christ always has been, is, and will be the Son of God, that he came from heaven to redeem his people, that he took upon himself our humanity yet remained truly divine, that he rose bodily from the dead and ascended in his glorified body to heaven, and that he will return at God's appointed day in the same body in which he ascended. If you compare the teaching of these theologians with God's Word, you will notice that their opinions are based on human philosophy and not on Scripture. Ask them what they think of the Christ, then go to your Bible and study the teachings of Scripture (Matt. 16:15). Then there are the members of sects. In pairs they canvass the neighborhood, ring your doorbell, and announce that they are missionaries even though they do not carry Bibles. When you listen to them, you soon learn that they do not bring the teaching of Christ. The apostle John advises, If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching [of Christ], do not take him into your house or welcome him (II John 10). What does John mean? He means that you may receive the members of the sect into your home only when you intend to teach them about Jesus Christ. Tell them that you are happy in the Lord, because he is your Savior; and that you are pleased to introduce them to Jesus Christ. Then you will be a missionary for the Lord and you are in control of the situation. But if you do not intend to teach these visitors about the Lord, receive them not into your home! Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:2–3 Verse 2 [Greek] the verb can be either indicative or imperative. Although the context calls for the imperative, translators and commentators favor the indicative. [Greek] with reference to the direct object, at least two translations are given: Jesus as the Christ incarnate (Moffatt) and Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (NIV and other versions). The combination Jesus Christ occurs eight times in John's epistles (II John 3, 7). In two places, John clearly separates the names by writing Jesus is the Christ (2:22; 5:1). Therefore, when the names appear together they need to be translated as such. [Greek] the perfect active participle of [Greek] (I come) expresses an action accomplished in the past with lasting effect. Verse 3 [Greek] Bruce M. Metzger prefers this reading to [Greek] because of overwhelming external support. ^[7] The use of [Greek] with an indicative instead of [Greek] is not uncommon in the New Testament.^[8] [Greek] the shortest reading is the one given here. Additions to the text are derived from the previous verse. ^[9] [Greek] the definite article needs to be complemented by the noun [Greek]. [Greek] this verb frequently refers to the coming of Christ. Here it stands for the coming of the antichrist. 3. A Contrast 4:4–5 In his teachings John clearly distinguishes between the work of God and the work of the evil one, between God's children and those who belong to Satan, and between knowing the truth and believing falsehood. 4. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. The contrast in these two verses is obvious. As their spiritual father, John tenderly addresses the readers and says, dear children. The pronoun you stands first to give it emphasis in the sentence. The writer wants to tell the Christians: You, yes you, are from God. That is, the readers ought never to forget their divine heritage. They are not only special people, born of God and called children of God (2:29; 3:1, 9, 10); they are also different from those people who belong to the world. Moreover, John makes an additional claim: You &have overcome them (compare 2:13, 14; 5:4, 5). The use of the plural them is a reference to the false teachers mentioned in the preceding paragraph. John writes the perfect tense, you have overcome. In other words, they have already done so by obeying God's commands and honoring the teaching of his Word. God's children can never boast in themselves but always in the Lord (Jer. 9:24; I Cor. 1:31). It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has overcome the world (John 16:33) and has set his people free (Heb. 2:15). The battle has thus been decided, even if it is not yet over. By faith Christians participate in this victory and are thus placed in a position to overcome the world for themselves. ^[10] Reassuringly John writes, The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. There are two forces that oppose one another: the Holy Spirit opposes the spirit of the antichrist. Through his Spirit, God lives with his children and is greater than the evil one. He keeps them in the truth of his Word and strengthens them to overcome temptations (compare 3:9). The word world is significant, because it appears three times in this verse (v. 5). It differs in meaning from its use in the preceding paragraph (vv. 1, 3), where it has the broad connotation of a place of human life. Here it means a world of people who are hostile to God (see 3:1, 13). The false prophets are from the world. They derive their principles, zeal, goals, and existence from the world of hostility in which Satan rules as prince (John 12:31). Furthermore, their teachings, opinions, and values are atheistic and antichristian. John refrains from revealing the content of their speech; he mentions only the act of speaking. What the false prophets say, however, is persuasive, for the world listens to them. The world agrees with the teachings of the false teachers and thus participates in opposing God. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:4 [Greek] John employs personal pronouns for emphasis. He places them at the beginning of each verse: [Greek] (v. 4), [Greek] (v. 5), and [Greek] (v. 6). [Greek] the perfect tense from [Greek] (I conquer) reveals an event that happened in the past but has an effect on the present. 4. A Recognition 4:6 Although the forces of the evil one surround the believers, they need not despair for one moment. John reiterates the truth expressed in verses 4 and 5. He wants to reassure the readers that they are children of God. 6. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. In these verses John voices the quiet confidence of knowing that God and his people are one. In this assurance, however, John does not minimize our responsibility to do God's will.^[11] We, who are from God, have received the knowledge of God's truth, have the duty to tell people about the Lord, and are his representatives. John stresses the word we by placing it at the beginning of the sentence. We, who are God's children, proclaim the Word, and when we do so, we receive a hearing from everyone who knows God. John echoes the words of Jesus: He who belongs to God hears what God saysJohn 8:47; and compare 10:27 . Why do God's people listen to preachers? Because preachers proclaim God's Word, and that Word has divine authority. God's people hear his voice when the preacher speaks. Those people who are not from God do not listen to the proclamation of his Word. They refuse to believe the truth; instead they prefer the spirit of falsehood. They also accept full responsibility when they willfully reject the call to repentance and faith in Christ. We are able to recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of the lie by observing a listener's reaction to the preaching of God's Word. Says Paul, But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. [II Cor. 2:14–16; compare also John 14:17] Practical Considerations in 4:4–6 In numerous parts of the world, the church experiences considerable increases in membership. Christians faithfully bear witness of their faith in Christ, preachers proclaim the gospel, and converts receive the sacrament of baptism. However, in many areas a dearth of qualified preachers is evident. There is an insistent cry for ordained ministers and missionaries. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matt. 9:37; Luke 10:2; also see John 4:35). The ministry of the church deserves the best possible talents available for preaching the gospel, teaching the Word, pastoring the church, translating the Bible, and evangelizing the world. They who are serving the Lord should present the challenge to qualified persons to prepare themselves for gospel ministry. In effect, these servants should recruit workers for the kingdom so that the work of the Lord may continue and increase. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:6 [Greek] John stresses the first person plural in his use of pronouns and verbs to show (apostolic) authority. A [Greek] the present active participle describes the action of acquiring knowledge. [Greek] the preposition [Greek] (not [Greek], as in 2:3, 5; 3:16, 24; 4:13; 5:2) connotes cause or means.^[12] [Greek] most translators parallel the two instances of this word; however, at least two translations capitalize the first use of [Greek] to refer to the Holy Spirit (GNB, NIV). [Greek] the genitive can be either possessive (belonging to the truth) or subjective (uttering the truth).^[13] B. Love One Another 4:7–12 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. 1. Love and Knowledge 4:7–8 John mentioned the subject love in earlier passages (2:7–11; 3:11–18, 23). He now abruptly presents a full discussion of this topic. In this discussion John continues to present contrast and parallelism. Scholars are probably correct in viewing verses 7 10 as a poetic expression (compare 2:12–14).^[14] For the sake of clarity, I write the next four verses in poetic form. 7. Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. These two verses and the following two are among the treasured passages of the entire epistle. They speak of love that originates in God and describe the believer as a person who loves and knows God. By contrast, the unbeliever does not love because he does not know God. a. Dear friends, let us love one another. John addresses the readers with the familiar term dear friends (2:7; 3:2, 21; 4:1, 7, 11) which literally means beloved. He includes in the sentence an exhortation to love one another. He is not discussing the affection that family members have for each other. Rather, he writes the verb love, which means divine love. John indicates that God initiates love, showers it upon his people, and expects that in turn they express this same love to each other. b. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. This, then, is the distinctive mark of the believer. The person who is born of God (2:29; 3:9; 5:1) is a window through which the love of God shines into the world. The believer expresses his love to his fellow man by doing for his neighbor what he himself wishes that others do for him. In short, he shows his love by obeying the Golden Rule (Luke 6:31). His love is genuinely unselfish. The believer loves his neighbor as himself because, as John writes, the believer knows God. That is, he has fellowship with God the Father and his Son (1:3) and thus reflects the virtue of love. Incidentally, when John says, [he] knows God, he may have intended to refute the Gnostic heretics of his day who prided themselves on having knowledge of God.^[15] c. Whoever does not love does not know God. John compares the believer with the unbeliever and observes that when love is absent, knowledge of God is nonexistent. The person who fails to commune with God in prayer and neglects to read the Bible cannot be the instrument through which God demonstrates his divine love. The unbeliever has not even begun to know God. Without knowledge of God, there is no love. Love and knowledge of God are two sides of the same coin. d. God is love. Children learn the words at home and in church. Adults treasure these three words, for in them John has stated one of God's characteristics: love. This means not only that God loves his creation and his people, or that God is full of love. It means that in his very being God is love. And this is the message John conveys in his epistle. Augustine observes, If nothing were said in praise of love throughout the pages of this Epistle, if nothing whatever throughout the pages of the Scriptures, and this one thing only were all we were told by the voice of the Spirit of God, For God is love; nothing more ought we require. ^[16] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:7–8 Verse 7 [Greek] this is the hortatory subjunctive (not the present active indicative, which is identical in form). [Greek] from [Greek] (I beget), this verb is the perfect passive indicative. In this epistle, John employs the perfect tense of this verb five times (2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4). [Greek] the verb [Greek] (I know), here in the present active indicative, denotes experiential knowledge. Verse 8 [Greek] here John uses the aorist tense to contrast the present tense in the preceding verse. The aorist is constative.^[17] [Greek] without the definite article the noun is the predicate nominative. The article in A [Greek] designates the noun [Greek] the subject.^[18] 2. God's Love 4:9–10 9. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Consider the following points: a. Proof God's love emanates from his being and radiates to and in us who acknowledge him through Jesus Christ. The Son of God is the visible proof of God's love toward his people. Therefore John writes, This is how God showed his love among us. God sent his Son into the world. Note the wording. John mentions not the name Jesus or Christ; instead he uses the word Son to call attention to the intimate Father-Son relationship. God the Father sent his Son into the world. More than that, he sent his one and only Son (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18). Jesus is not one Son among many others. The expression one and only is used to mark out Jesus uniquely above all earthly and heavenly beings. ^[19] God sent his one and only Son into our sinful world to give us life. If God the Father had given the world as a present to his Son, because he is the heir, God would have demonstrated evident proof of his love toward him. And we would have no difficulty understanding God's act of love. But the text says that God sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. God gave his Son to die on the cross so that we might have eternal life. He gave his Son to us. This message is too profound: we are unable to fathom the depth of God's love for us. b. Priority This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us. John describes the matter first negatively and then positively. He expresses negatively that we did not love God. John does not say, God loves us because we are God's loving children. No, the opposite is true, for Paul tells us that we have a sinful mind that is hostile to God (Rom. 8:7). Positively, John states that love originates with God, not with man (II Thess. 2:16). God loves the unlovable. As an anonymous poet wrote, I sought the Lord, and afterward I knew He moved my soul to seek him, seeking me; It was not that I found, O Savior true, No, I was found, was found of thee. I find, I walk, I love; but O the whole Of love is but my answer, Lord, to thee! For thou wert long beforehand with my soul, Always, always thou lovedst me. John concludes by saying that God sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Earlier in his epistle, John wrote the same words (Rom. 3:25). God's only Son covered our sins and set us free from guilt. Note that in this last part of verse 10 the contrast is between God's Son and our sins. God took the initiative in showing his love to man when he sent his Son. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:9–10 Verse 9 [Greek] the repetition of the definite article emphasizes the noun [Greek] (son) and the adjective [Greek] (unique). [Greek] the perfect active indicative of [Greek] (I send away). Note that John does not use the verb [Greek] (I send). The verb [Greek] means to send with a commission.^[20] In the next verse, John writes the aorist tense [Greek], which is a culminative aorist.^[21] Verse 10 [Greek] the perfect tense of [Greek] (I love) is followed by the aorist tense [Greek]. The aorist is constative. 3. Mutual Love 4:11–12 11. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. The echo of (John 3:16reverberates through the first part of verse 11, except that here John is much more personal: Since God so loved us. He employs the past tense loved to point to the historical event of Jesus ministry and death: the supreme gift of love. Therefore, John writes the little word so which means to such an extent. That is, God loved us to the extent of sending his own Son to die for us on Calvary's cross. In rapt amazement Paul expresses his thanks when he writes, Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!II Cor. 9:15). The second part of verse 11 we also ought to love one another relates to the summary of the law (Matt. 22:39). God gives us a command (Lev. 19:18) with a moral obligation (compare 3:16). We are the recipients of God's love and we, in turn, ought to love one another. John does not imply that we should neglect to love God, but rather, like Paul and James, he places the emphasis on the command to love our neighbor as ourselves (Rom. 13:9; Gal. 5:14; James 2:8). If our love for God must come to expression in our love for our fellow man, then we fulfill the command to love God and our neighbor, and our love for one another is genuine.^[22] No one has ever seen God (Exod. 33:20; Deut. 4:12; John 1:18; I Tim. 1:17; 6:16). John explains what he means, in the broader context, when he writes, Anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen (v. 20). We are able to see our fellow man, but we cannot see God. Although we say we love God, our words are meaningless unless we give visible expression to them by showing our love to one another. We must see and love God through our fellow man. If we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. John reaffirms his earlier teaching that if we obey God's commands, he lives in us and we in him (3:24). Doctrinal Considerations in 4:7–12 The First Epistle of John is the preeminent book on love. In this epistle the verb love appears twenty-eight times, and the corresponding noun love occurs eighteen times. Furthermore, almost all these references are in the section 3:1 5:3.^[23] If God loved us before the creation of the world (Eph. 1:4–5), why did he send his Son to a cruel death on the cross? Was the death of Christ necessary? The answer to these questions is that God was displeased and angry with us because of our sins and could not be reconciled to us until Christ removed our guilt. God expresses his love toward those in whom his demand for righteousness has been met. Christ has met this demand for his people. Therefore, God's children, who are covered with his righteousness, may experience the fullness of God's love.^[24] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:12 ! [Greek] the genitive is subjective, not objective. [Greek] the perfect tense in the passive voice, from [Greek] (I make perfect), denotes action that occurred in the past but has lasting effect. God is the agent. C. Abide in God 4:13 16a 13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. 1. The Spirit and the Son 4:13–14 In this passage, John returns to the theme of fellowship with God (see 2:24; 3:24). He links it to the context of the preceding discussion on love and views it from the aspect of the close relationship that exists between the Father and the Son. 13. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. a. The New International Version has we know. But the Greek actually says, By this we know. The words by this refer to the preceding context where John tells us that if we love one another, God lives in us. John's discussion of the subject love, therefore, is the backdrop for the confidence John expresses in God. What is this confidence? John says, We know that we live in him and he in us. That is, from experiencing the presence of God in our lives we know that God lives in us and we in God. b. How do we know that we dwell in God and he in us? Because he has given us of his Spirit. Even though John uses many of the same words he wrote in 3:24, he makes a slightly different point. There he says, We know it by the Spirit he gave us. Here in verse 13 he writes, He has given us of his Spirit. In 3:24 he states that divine blessings flow to us through the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit pours out God's love to us (Rom. 5:5) and reveals that God is living within us. But in verse 13, we read that the Holy Spirit himself is God's gift to us and we are the recipients. c. The Spirit does not work alone. With the Father and the Son he takes part in the work of salvation. In verses 13 and 14, therefore, John mentions the work of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit the Trinity. d. Together with the other apostles John is able to testify to the truth of the gospel. He writes, We have seen and testify (John 1:14, 15). Perhaps he is thinking of the scene of Jesus baptism. At the Jordan, the Spirit descended in the form of a dove and the Father declared: This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased (Matt. 3:17; Luke 3:22). The disciples were eyewitnesses not only of the baptism of Jesus, but also of his entire life. They saw, heard, and with their hands touched Jesus (1:1). After the ascension, they proclaimed the truthfulness of Jesus message. e. John gives a brief summary of the gospel: The Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. This is a most profound statement! God the Father commissioned his Son to assume the task of saving the world. And God initiated this mission of the Son because of his love for this sinful world. Jesus proclaimed the message of salvation most effectively. When he visited Sychar, the Samaritans said, We know that this man really is the Savior of the world (John 4:42). In the early church, the apostles preached that Jesus is Savior. They said, God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to IsraelActs 5:31; also see 13:23 .^[25] The early church called attention to Jesus, who was appointed as Savior and given authority as Lord to save not only the Jews but also the Gentiles. The work of salvation, then, is worldwide in scope (John 3:16). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:13–14 Verse 13 [Greek] even though the partitive use of this preposition cannot be denied,^[26] the idea of source has merit.^[27] [Greek] the perfect active indicative from [Greek] (I give). The perfect denotes progress, but the verb lacks the direct object. Verse 14 [Greek] this personal pronoun is a reference to the apostolic circle. [Greek] A. T. Robertson comments that a real distinction exists between the perfect tense of the verb [Greek] (I observe) and the present tense of the verb [Greek] (I testify, witness).^[28] [Greek] in Johannine literature, this noun occurs only here and in John 4:42. B. F. Westcott observes that the verb [Greek] (to save) and the noun [Greek] (salvation) do not appear in John's epistles.^[29] 2. God Lives in the Believer 4:15 16a 15. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16a. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Who are the people of the world Jesus has come to save? They are the ones who acknowledge the divine sonship of Jesus. In fact, only if the believer confesses that Jesus is the Son of God will God live in him and he in God. By themselves, these words are simple enough. But the phrase should not be seen as a mere confessional statement, even though it may have been equivalent to the statement Jesus is Lord (I Cor. 12:3). When we look at this phrase from a biblical point of view, we soon realize that John causes us to look at theological truth. The word Jesus embodies the entire history of Jesus from his birth to his ascension and session at the right hand of God. The term Son of God has its roots in Old Testament prophecies (II Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7) that were fulfilled when Jesus came (Heb. 1:5). The confession Jesus is the Son of God gives voice to his humanity and divinity. And it excludes everyone who denies that Jesus is the Son of God (2:23; 5:10, 12) as one who has no fellowship with God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Using the personal pronoun we, John includes all the readers of his epistle. By experience, he says, we have come to know the love of God and we have put our trust in it. The two verbs know and believe (rely) go together. Writes A. E. Brooke, The growth of knowledge and the growth of faith act and react on each other. ^[30] Doctrinal Considerations in 4:13 16a Abide with me, prays Henry F. Lyte in his evening song. And rightly so. John, however, tells the believer that if he confesses the divine sonship of Jesus, God abides in him and he in God. Confession, of course, includes a readiness to obey God's commands (3:24). Moreover, the follower of Christ ought to walk as Jesus walked (2:6); then rightfully he can claim to live in Christ. Throughout his epistle John assures us that we live in God and he in us. We have new life in him (2:6, 24, 27 28; 3:6, 24; 4:12–13, 15 16) and are fully conscious of our life in Christ (2:5; 5:20).^[31] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:15 [Greek] whoever, anyone. The combination is followed by the verb [Greek] (he confesses) in the aorist subjunctive. The aorist signifies single action and the subjunctive uncertainty. [Greek] A [Greek] Jesus is the Son of God. If the subject is a proper noun, &it may be anarthrous while the predicate has an article. ^[32] D. Live in Love 4:16b 21 God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. 1. God Is Love 4:16b 17 Some translators and commentators mark a new paragraph beginning in the middle of verse 16.^[33] The reason for this division of the chapter is that there is some parallelism regarding the word love in 4:7, 4:11, and 4:16b. These verses, and the sections they represent, develop the theme love. Thus, Raymond E. Brown observes: They both begin and end with an emphasis on God's love. ^[34] 16b. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. Why is John repeating the statement God is love (v. 8)? In the preceding section John defines what love is, where it originates, and how it develops. But in verses 16b 18, he tells the reader the purpose of love: God's love, living within a believer, ensures confidence, expels fear, and encourages him to be like Christ (2:6). God is love. God, whose essence is love, approaches his people in love. John reveals that anyone who lives in this divine love lives in God and God in him. This brief passage is what C. H. Dodd calls the high-water mark of the thought of this epistle. ^[35] The love of God guarantees life and life reveals itself in love. Note the repetitious use of the terms God, love, and lives in this verse. 17. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. We make three observations: a. Love made complete The translators of the New International Version have decided not to include the words by this. In the Greek, the words by this ( in this way, NIV) stand at the beginning of the verse. They can refer either to what precedes or to what follows. If they refer to what follows, then the rest of verse 17 is an explanation of the expression by this. If we understand it as such, the verse gives rise to a curious inconsistency: why is love made perfect now so that in the day of judgment we will have confidence? Perhaps it is better to link the words by this to the preceding verses. Because we love, we live in God and he lives in us; by this, love is made complete among us. Elsewhere John uses similar constructions that refer to the preceding context (3:10, 19). What is the meaning of love that is made complete? Explains James Montgomery Boice, [Made complete] means whole or mature, and it refers to that state of mind and activity in which the Christian is to find himself when the love of God within him &has accomplished that which God fully intends it to accomplish. ^[36] b. Confidence When we have fellowship with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ (1:3), when we remain in the Son and Father (2:24), when God lives in us and we in him (3:24; 4:12, 13, 15), then we are confident that we will not be condemned in the day of judgment. We are confident before God now (2:21) and will be confident when Christ appears in the day of judgment (2:28). c. Imitating Christ The reason for our confidence is our conformity to Christ. Says John, Because in this world we are like him. A more literal translation is, Because as [Christ] is, so also are we in this world (NASB). As Christ has shown us his love, so we show our love to one another in the world in which we live. In the context of this epistle, the love of God in sending his Son is predominant. Also, we are obliged to show love for one another and thus fulfill God's command (3:23). When we imitate the love of Jesus, we need not fear the coming judgment. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:16b 17 Verse 16b A [Greek] the definite article with the noun determines the subject of [Greek]. The noun [Greek] is the predicate nominative (John 1:1).^[37] Verse 17 [Greek] boldness. John uses this noun more than does any other New Testament writer. It occurs nine times in his Gospel (7:4, 13, 26; 10:24; 11:14, 54; 16:25, 29; 18:20) and four times in I John (2:28; 3:21; 4:17; 5:14). By contrast, Paul uses it eight times, Luke five times (in Acts), the author of Hebrews four times, and Mark once. The noun originally meant that in the public assembly of the people one may speak out freely one's opinion. ^[38] [Greek] the preposition [Greek] with the pronoun in the genitive case seems to mean among us (in our community). ^[39] 2. Love Expels Fear 4:18 18. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. a. There is no fear in love. As faith and doubt cannot exist together in the heart of the believer, so love and fear have nothing in common. Christians who, in fulfillment of God's command, demonstrate their love for God and their neighbor have no fear. The word fear has two meanings: it can mean alarm, fright or it can signify reverence, respect. ^[40] The latter meaning, of course, does not apply to this text. The believer loves and respects God, but he is not afraid of him (Rom. 8:15). Because of his love for God and the fellowship he enjoys with him, the Christian is not afraid of the day of judgment. Instead, he lives his life on earth in reverent fear (I Peter 1:17; also see Phil. 2:12). b. But perfect love drives out fear. What is the meaning of the term perfect love? It is not flawless love; only God has that. ^[41] Rather it is the love that is complete because it instills within us the desire to keep God's commands.^[42] When love comes to expression in the act of loving God and our neighbor, then fear in the sense of fright has no place in our hearts. c. Because fear has to do with punishment. The reason that fear and love are mutually exclusive is because fear relates to punishment. In perfect love the idea of punishment is absent. But when there is disobedience, there is fear. And fear of impending punishment already is a penalty. Writes F. F. Bruce, Punishment is the portion of those who through disobedience are condemned already. ^[43] The believer who lives in close communion with God is free from the fear of punishment. He knows that God punished Jesus Christ in his place on Calvary's cross. Therefore, God does not punish the believer; otherwise Christ's work would be incomplete. God corrects and disciplines but does not punish his children. d. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. In this last part of the verse, John seeks to instill confidence in the heart of the believer. He puts his thoughts negatively to indicate that the person who fears lacks love. Unbelief leaves a person disturbed, but the love of God, really known, tranquilizes the heart. ^[44] Practical Considerations in 4:17–18 Television viewers are able to witness courtroom sessions almost on a daily basis. We have become accustomed to the judge, jury, defendant, plaintiff, and lawyers. We hear the verdict and see the innocent acquitted and the guilty sentenced. Often we witness the expressions of emotions that no longer can be controlled. These emotions depict at times anxiety and fear, at other times joy and happiness. Every human being will have to appear before the judgment throne of Christ. Feelings of guilt and remorse will fill the hearts of all those who have refused to obey God's commands, to believe his Word, and to accept Christ as Savior. Their hearts will be filled with fear (Rev. 6:15–17), for they realize that the Judge will sentence them because of their sin. They who have lived in fellowship with the Father and the Son have nothing to fear. Their hearts are filled with joy and love. And they will hear the word acquitted from the lips of Jesus. He will say to the Father, I have paid it all. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:18 [Greek] fear. This noun occurs three times in one sentence with and without the definite article. It is not necessary to have the article with [abstract] qualities. ^[45] [Greek] punishment. The noun derives from the verb [Greek] (I punish). Note that the ending [Greek] denotes process. The noun has reference to him who suffers. ^[46] 3. Love God and Neighbor 4:19–21 19. We love because he first loved us. Man can never claim that his love for God was prior to God's love for him. God always comes first in loving us, and we respond by loving him. Our love, then, is a copy of his love. He originates love and we follow his example. The first part of the sentence is incomplete. John writes, We love. But whom do we love? The broader context (vv. 7, 11 12) seems to favor the words one another or each other. Some ancient manuscripts, however, have the reading him or God to serve as the direct object of the verb love. Therefore, at least two translations have the reading we love him (KJV, NKJV).^[47] 20. If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. Possibly John addressed the Gnostic teachers who said that they loved God but in their conduct showed hatred toward Christians. Love for God cannot remain a warm feeling in our hearts that moves vertically to heaven but horizontally fails to reach our fellow man. Genuine love for God and for our neighbor extends both ways. God created man in his own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26–27; I Cor. 11:7; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). He requires us to love man because we are made in that image.^[48] In an entirely different context, which nevertheless expresses the same truth, James writes, With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness (3:9). Such conduct certainly cannot be right. John reverts to an earlier theme. Apart from a few verbal changes, he repeats what he wrote in a preceding chapter: The man who says, I know [God], but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him (2:4). John employs strong language with the term liar to depict the contrast between the truth and the lie.^[49] Some ancient texts present a slightly different reading which puts the last part of the verse in the form of a question. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? (NKJV, KJV). 21. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. John concludes his discussion on love by stating the summary of the law (compare 3:23). He provides the essence of the words Jesus spoke during the last week of his ministry: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments (Matt. 22:37–40). Jesus brought together the first and greatest commandment (Deut. 6:5) and the second commandment (Lev. 19:18). God had given these commands to the people of Israel through Moses. Jesus and the apostles repeatedly stressed the second part of the summary: Love your neighbor as yourself. ^[50] Why do the writers of the New Testament accentuate love for our neighbor? The answer is twofold: First, because our neighbor bears the image of God. And second, because God gives us the command to love the neighbor.^[51] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 4:19–20 Verse 19 [Greek] preceded by [Greek], for emphasis, the verb can be either indicative or subjunctive. The context favors the indicative. [Greek] this is an adjective, not an adverb: God is the first one who loves (John 20:4).^[52] Verse 20 [Greek] the Majority Text has the reading [Greek] (how) instead of [Greek] (not). According to this reading, the sentence is a question.^[53] Metzger, however, thinks that [Greek] appears to be an improvement introduced by copyists in order to heighten the rhetorical style. ^[54] Summary of Chapter 4 In the opening verses of this chapter John tells the readers to beware of false teachers and to discern the Spirit of God. He encourages the recipients of his letter with the knowledge that they belong to God and he exhorts them to be faithful to the teachings of the apostles. John admonishes us to cultivate mutual love, for love originates with God. Love is divine, for God is love. God sets the example by sending his Son into the world. And if we show love for one another, God has fellowship with us. Our acknowledgment that Jesus is the Son of God confirms that God lives in us. Thus we have confidence on the judgment day. Love expels fear. The person who fears does not have perfect love. John concludes with the statement that if we love God and hate our brother, we are liars. We have received the command to love God and our neighbor. 1 This is a figure of speech called metonymy; that is, there is a relation between two words that evoke one concept. The word spirit stands for teaching. Consult Louis Berkhof, Principles of Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1950), pp. 83–84. 2 A. T. Robertson, however, thinks that the particle negates the adjective all. A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville: Broadman, 1934), p. 752. 3 Heidelberg Catechism, question and answer 48. 4 C. H. Dodd, The Johannine Epistles, Moffatt New Testament Commentary series (New York: Harper and Row, 1946), p. 103. 5 Rudolf Schnackenburg considers the wording of verses 2 and 3, because of their distinct contrast, a confession of faith that must be considered original. In short, this confession circulated in the early Christian church. Die Johannesbriefe, Herder's Theologischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament series, 7th ed. (Freiburg: Herder, 1984), vol. 13, 3, p. 222. 6 Alfred Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges series (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1896), p. 97. Moffatt The Bible: A New Translation by James Moffatt NIV New International Version 7 Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the New Testament, corrected ed. (London and New York: United Bible Societies, 1975), p. 713. 8 Refer to Robertson, Grammar, p. 1169. Also consult C. F. D. Moule, An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek, 2d ed. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1960), p. 155. 9 Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 713. 10 Walther Günther, NIDNTT, vol. 1, p. 651. Also consult Otto Bauernfeind, TDNT, vol. 4, pp. 944–45. 11 Consult Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1981), p. 616. 12 Refer to Moule, Idiom-Book, p. 73. Also consult H. E. Dana and Julius R. Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (New York: Macmillan, 1967), p. 103. GNB Good News Bible 13 Consult R. C. H. Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John, and St. Jude (Columbus: Wartburg, 1945), p. 492. 14 In the 26th edition of Nestle-Aland, the editors have indented verses 7 11 to indicate that the words resemble poetry. 15 Consult M. de Jonge, Geliefden, laten wij elkander liefhebben, want de liefde is uit God, Nederlands Theologisch Tijdschrift 22 (1968): 352–67; also see his article To Love as God Loves (I John 4:7), in Jesus: Inspiring and Disturbing Presence, trans. John E. Steely (Nashville: Abingdon, 1974), pp. 110–27. 16 Refer to Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, p. 101. 17 Refer to A. E. Brooke, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, International Critical Commentary series (Edinburgh: Clark, 1964), p. 118. Donald W. Burdick calls the aorist ingressive. The Letters of John the Apostle (Chicago: Moody, 1985), p. 319. 18 Consult Robertson, Grammar, p. 794; Dana and Mantey, Manual Grammar, p. 149. 19 Of the numerous comments on this subject, see especially Karl-Heinz Bartels, NIDNTT, vol. 2, p. 725, and Friedrich Büchsel, TDNT, vol. 4, pp. 739–41. 20 Consult Lenski, Interpretation of the Epistles, p. 501. And see Bauer, p. 98. 21 Moule is of the opinion that the perfect and the aorist tenses in this verse are synonymous. Idiom-Book, p. 14. 22 John Calvin comments that our love ought not be mercenary because we have been loved freely. Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles: The First Epistle of John, ed. and trans. John Owen (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948), p. 242. 23 By comparison, John uses the verb thirty-seven times and the noun seven times in his Gospel. 24 Refer to Calvin, The First Epistle of John, p. 241. 25 Refer to Johannes Schneider and Colin Brown, NIDNTT, vol. 3, p. 219. 26 Refer to Robertson, Grammar, pp. 519, 599; Moule, Idiom-Book, p. 72. 27 Consult Lenski, Interpretation of the Epistles, p. 507. 28 Robertson, Grammar, p. 894. 29 B. F. Westcott, The Epistles of St. John, The Greek Text, with Notes and Addenda (1883; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), p. 154. 30 Brooke, Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 122. 31 Guthrie, New Testament Theology, pp. 642–43. 32 Dana and Mantey, Manual Grammar, p. 149. 33 GNB, NAB, NEB, NIV, and the following commentators see a break in this verse: Brooke, Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, p. 122; Westcott, The Epistles of St. John, p. 155; Kenneth Grayston, The Johannine Epistles, New Century Bible Commentary series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984), p. 129; Raymond E. Brown, The Epistles of John, Anchor Bible series (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1982), vol. 30, p. 590. 34 Brown, The Epistles of John, p. 545. 35 Dodd, The Johannine Epistles, p. 118. 36 James Montgomery Boice, The Epistles of John (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), p. 147. NASB New American Standard Bible 37 Consult Robertson, Grammar, p. 768. 38 Hans-Christoph Hahn, NIDNTT, vol. 2, p. 735. 39 Moule, Idiom-Book, p. 61. 40 Bauer, p. 863; Thayer, p. 656. A combination of these two meanings appears in the account of the giving of the Ten Commandments. Moses said to the people, Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning (Exod. 20:20). 41 Burdick, The Letters of John the Apostle, p. 336. 42 Wilhelm Mundle, NIDNTT, vol. 1, pp. 623–24. Also consult Glenn W. Barker, who says, The experience of the holiness of God's love makes us desire to be even more obedient to his commands. 1 John, the Expositor's Bible Commentary, 12 vols., ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), vol. 12, p. 346. 43 F. F. Bruce, The Epistles of John (1970; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979), p. 113. Also consult Johannes Schneider, TDNT, vol. 3, p. 817; Colin Brown, NIDNTT, vol. 3, p. 98. 44 Calvin, The First Epistle of John, p. 248. The JB has a revealing comment (see the notes on v. 18): It is impossible to combine the love of a son with the fear of a slave. 45 Robertson, Grammar, p. 758. 46 Thayer, p. 353. KJV King James Version NKJV New King James Version 47 Metzger states that some copyists added either the word God or the pronoun him to complete the sentence. Textual Commentary, p. 713. 48 Refer to Calvin, The First Epistle of John, p. 249. 49 The term liar occurs ten times in the New Testament, of which two are in the Gospel of John (8:44, 55), five in I John (1:10; 2:4, 22; 4:20; 5:10), and three in the epistles of Paul (Rom. 3:4; I Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:12). 50 Here are some of the references: Luke 10:27; John 13:34; 15:12; Rom. 13:8–9; Gal. 5:14; I Thess. 4:9; Heb. 13:1; James 2:8; I Peter 4:8; I John 3:23. 51 Consult Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, p. 109. 52 Robertson, Grammar, p. 549. 53 Arthur L. Farstad and Zane C. Hodges, The Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text (Nashville and New York: Nelson, 1982), p. 712. 54 Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 714. 5. Love God, part 2 5:1–12 and Epilogue 5:13–21 Outline (continued) 5:1–4 E. Faith in God's Son 5:1–2 1. Believe in the Son 5:3–4 2. Overcome the World 5:5–12 F. Accept God's Testimony 5:5–1. Jesus Is the Son of God 5:6–8 2. Jesus and the Spirit 5:9–10 3. Testimony of God 5:11–12 4. Eternal Life 5:13–21 V. Epilogue 5:13–15 A. Ask According to God's Will 5:13–1. Eternal Life 5:14–15 2. Answered Prayer 5:16–17 B. Pray for Remission 5:18–21 C. Know the Son of God 5:18–1. Born of God 5:19–2. Children of God 5:20–3. Son of God 5:21–4. An Admonition E. Faith in God's Son 5:1–4 5 1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 1. Believe in the Son 5:1–2 John repeats the theme of Christ's sonship which he expounded earlier (2:22; 4:15). Near the end of his epistle, he wants to tell his readers that Christ's sonship secures their relation to God: everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a son or daughter of God. The recipients of the letter should know that they are children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. This faith characterizes them as Christians who express their love for him by obeying God's commands. 1. Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. 2. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. We note three points: a. Faith In this chapter John frequently uses the verb to believe.^[1] He develops the significance of believing in Jesus Christ by declaring that everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. When John says everyone, he indicates that the Christian religion excludes no one. Anyone who sincerely puts his faith in Jesus is a child of God. The main verb in the sentence is born and the phrase everyone who believes is its subject. This means that the believer is the child of God the Father, for God causes the spiritual birth of his child. The believer's faith in God is irrefutable evidence of his spiritual birth. He knows that Jesus is the Christ because the believer has been born of God.^[2] Faith in Jesus Christ is inseparably bound to love for God's children. b. Love Everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. The second part of verse 1 links faith and love. The one cannot exist without the other, and together they demonstrate the vibrant spiritual life of the child of God. John Calvin observes, Since God regenerates us by faith, he must necessarily be loved by us as a Father; and this love embraces all his children. ^[3] In essence, faith and love are inseparable. In God's family, faith in God and love for him and his children are totally integrated. What evidence is there for combining faith and love? John provides a ready answer. He writes, This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. Actually these words are almost a verbatim repetition of an earlier verse, We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands (2:3; and see 3:23). c. Obedience John states that love for God's children must be coupled with love for God to be genuine.^[4] And love for God can be true only if we obey his laws. Notice that John gives the reader a statement that consists of three parts: love for the children of God; love for God; and obedience to his commands. If any part of the statement is to be valid, it has to be linked to the other two parts. In effect, John reiterates the teachings of Jesus on this particular subject. Jesus said, If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his loveJohn 15:10; compare 14:15 . Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:1–2 Verse 1 [Greek] this perfect passive verb from [Greek] (I beget) is followed by the active participle [Greek] (referring to God). This participle is in the aorist to express single occurrence. The verb is also followed by the passive participle [Greek] (referring to the child of God), in the perfect to indicate lasting significance. Verse 2 [Greek] this combination occurs frequently in this epistle. It can point either to the preceding or to the succeeding context. Here it looks forward. [Greek] a few manuscripts have the reading [Greek] (we keep) to harmonize it with the next verse (v. 3) and other passages (2:3, 4, 5; 3:22, 24).^[5] At least two translations have adopted this reading (KJV, NKJV). 2. Overcome the World 5:3–4 3. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4. for everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. a. Love for God. John is the New Testament writer who provides a number of pithy definitions. For example, in his Gospel he defines eternal life (17:3) and in his first epistle he repeatedly explains spiritual truths (consult 2:5–6; 3:10, 23, 24; 4:2, 10; 5:14). Here he states what love for God means: to obey his commands. Love for God does not consist of spoken words, even if they are well-intentioned, but of determined action that demonstrates obedience to God's commands. b. His commands are not burdensome. John reiterates the words of Jesus, For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matt. 11:30). The Pharisees and scribes placed unnecessary demands upon the Jewish people of the first century. They added to the Decalogue hundreds of manmade rules that were burdensome to the people (Matt. 23:4; Luke 11:46).^[6] For the person who refuses to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, the commands are a threat to man's self-proclaimed freedom. They are a hindrance to his lifestyle and a constant source of irritation. The child of God, however, knows that God has given him laws for his own protection. As long as he stays within the area delineated by these laws he is safe, for in it he has his own spiritual environment. Therefore, the believer can do anything he pleases within the confines of God's commands (Deut. 30:11–14). Augustine aptly remarks, Love and do what you please. The Christian desires to obey God's precepts. With the psalmist he says, I delight in [God's] commands because I love them (Ps. 119:47; also see Rom. 7:22). Although John's teaching holds for all God's precepts, the context of verse 3 refers to the commands to believe in Jesus as the Son of God and to love the children of God (v. 1).^[7] c. Everyone born of God. The Greek says, all that is born of God. John wants to place the emphasis not on the individual person but, in general, on all people who have experienced spiritual birth.^[8] d. Has overcome the world. All who have their birth in God have overcome the world and therefore can claim victory already. They know that Jesus said, Take heart! I have overcome the world (John 16:33). Because Jesus has been victorious, we, too, are victorious with him. Jesus has overcome the evil one in this world and has set his people free from the power of Satan. The battle has thus been decided, even if it is not yet over. ^[9] e. This is the victory. Note that John does not say, This is the victor. He writes the victory to show that the concept itself is significant. Victory and faith are synonymous. John tells his readers that their faith has overcome the world. Their faith, of course, is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When believers place their faith in Jesus, then nothing can separate them from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:37–39; I Cor. 15:57). No evil forces in this world are able to overpower the person who trusts in Jesus. Instead, the believer is victorious over the world because of his faith in the Son of God. Faith is the victory? Faith is the victory? Oh, glorious victory, That overcomes the world. John H. Yates Practical Considerations in 5:4 Heroes usually are public idols. The younger generation especially adores and imitates successful men and women. The Bible portrays its heroes, too. Think of David after he killed Goliath. At that time, the women in Israel sang songs in his honor: Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. [I Sam. 18:7] As he walks through the gallery which features the portraits of the heroes of faith, the writer of Hebrews points to numerous people (Heb. 11:4–32). When we look at these heroes, we tend to regard them as being superhuman. But these men and women were ordinary people who had to face trials and temptations that all of us encounter. What, then, makes them great? Their faith in God made them conquer, and their enduring faithfulness to the truth of God's Word made them victorious. Are we who are common people able to claim victory? Yes, here is the reason: The word overcome is significant in the seven letters Jesus instructed John to write to the seven churches in Asia Minor. Note that at the conclusion of each letter Jesus specifically addresses him who overcomes (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Jesus directs his words to common people who are members of local churches. When they are faithful to the end, they indeed are heroes of faith. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:3–4 Verse 3 [Greek] this demonstrative pronoun in the feminine singular stands first in the sentence to denote emphasis. ! [Greek] the objective genitive. Compare the phrase with that in 2:5 (and 15); 3:17; 4:7, 9. [Greek] the use of the particle in this context is either equivalent to a recitative (indicated by a colon) or to the conjunction [Greek] (that).^[10] Also see verse 11. Verse 4 [Greek] the aorist tense of this participle from [Greek] (I conquer) is timeless. That is, the aorist expresses a fact that is always true. ! [Greek] this noun stands in apposition to! [Greek] F. Accept God's Testimony 5:5–12 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 6 This is the one who came by water and blood Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. 9 We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. 10 Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1. Jesus Is the Son of God 5:5 Verse 5 serves as a bridge between the preceding and the following context. Some editors and translators perceive this verse to be part of the preceding passage (vv. 1 5); others place it in the next paragraph (vv. 5 12).^[12] I prefer the latter, because the theme of Jesus divine sonship stands at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of this paragraph (see vv. 5, 9 [his Son], 10, 12).^[13] 5. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. John begins this verse with an interrogative statement. He asks who this person is that conquers the world. John does not write, Who is the victor over this world? By using a participle that is translated as a verb, he describes the continuing activity of conquering the world. The noun victor calls attention only to the function of the person. In his answer, John states that the person who believes that Jesus is the Son of God conquers the world. Faith alone does not overcome the world. But faith in Jesus the Son of God enables the believer to rejoice in triumph. Often faith in Jesus is weak, but when faith reveals itself in an unbreakable bond between Jesus and the believer, Jesus conquering power becomes visible in the believer. 2. Jesus and the Spirit 5:6–8 6. This is the one who came by water and blood Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7. For there are three that testify: 8. the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. Observe the following points: a. Came The person to whom John alludes is obviously Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The terms Christ (v. 1) and Son of God (v. 5) are synonyms. John uses the past tense to indicate that the coming of Jesus is a historical event. He asserts a historical fact that is irrefutable. How did Jesus come? Says John, by water and blood. By themselves, the words water and blood are quite intelligible, but what do they mean with reference to Jesus? Although interpretations are many and varied, scholars generally agree that the phrase relates to the history of Jesus. That is, the terms water and blood refer respectively to the beginning of Jesus ministry marked by his baptism in the Jordan River and to his death on Calvary's cross. Two other views deserve recognition. First, some scholars link the terms water and blood to the two sacraments: baptism and the Lord's Supper. But whereas the word water literally stands for baptism, the expression blood has only symbolical significance in the Lord's Supper. Moreover, the term blood is never used to represent the sacrament of Holy Communion. And this is a serious objection. Second, other commentators think that the phrase water and blood refers to the wound in Jesus side from which blood and water flowed (John 19:34). But one of the major objections to this theory is that it does not answer the question why Jesus came through water and blood. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. John may have written these words to combat the heretical movement known as Gnosticism. One representative, Cerinthus, taught that the divine Christ descended upon Jesus at the time of his baptism and left him before he died on the cross (see the comments at 2:22).^[14] The Gnostics claimed that Christ did not experience death. In opposition to this Gnostic heresy, which presumably had just begun to exert itself when John wrote his epistle, John teaches the historical veracity of Jesus Christ: the Son of God began his earthly ministry when he was baptized; he completed this ministry when he shed his blood and died. b. Testify John continues, And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. The word testify is rather significant in this paragraph.^[15] The Spirit is testifying as a witness to the birth (Matt. 1:20[conception]; Luke 1:35; 2:25–32), baptism (Matt. 3:16; Luke 3:22), teaching (John 6:63), and ministry of Jesus (Luke 4:1, 18). John affirms the words of Jesus: When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me (John 15:26).^[16] The Spirit continues to testify to God's truth with reference to the person and work of Jesus. John states the reason for the testifying work of the Spirit. He writes, Because the Spirit is the truth. John identifies the Spirit with the truth and alludes to the words of Jesus, I am &the truth. That is, both Jesus and the Spirit have their essence in the truth. The Spirit testifies because of his identity with the truth in Jesus. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood. Of the English-language translations, only two (KJV, NKJV) have the expanded verses (vv. 7 8). For there are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth (NKJV). The translators of the New King James Version, however, state in a footnote that the Greek New Testaments (Nestle-Aland, United Bible Societies, and Majority Text) omit the words from in heaven (v. 7) through on earth (v. 8). Only four or five very late Greek manuscripts contain these words.^[17] John actually writes that three (Spirit, water, and blood) are testifying. But why does John place the historical facts of Jesus baptism (water) and death (blood), to which the Spirit testifies, on the same level as the Spirit? How can water and blood testify along with the Spirit? We need to look at the text from a Semitic point of view. Impersonal objects can testify; for example, the heap of stones Jacob and Laban put together was called a witness (Gen. 31:48). And according to the Mosaic law (Deut. 19:15), One witness is not enough.& A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. ^[18] c. Agree John writes that the three are in agreement. He means that all three witnesses say the same thing; before a court of law the factual evidence of Jesus baptism (water) and death (blood) is in complete agreement with the testimony of the Holy Spirit. A person cannot accept either one or two of the witnesses and omit the third. All three stand together. Many scholars suggest that the terms water and blood in verse 8 refer to the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper.^[19] However, the difficulty with this view is that the Spirit, whom John mentions first in rank, cannot become a third sacrament. Because John gives no indication that the phrase water and blood has a meaning different from that in verse 6, we do well to accept the same interpretation for verses 6 and 8. Doctrinal Considerations in 5:5–8 If we understand water and blood to represent the baptism and death of Christ, we think of the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus identified himself with his people when he was baptized, and he redeemed them when he died on the cross. Water and blood, therefore, are redemptive symbols for the believer. The believer accepts the truth that Jesus Christ came by water and blood. He knows that the Spirit testifies to this truth. Moreover, he believes that the Son of God came to cleanse his people from sin and to redeem them through his death. For the believer, then, these truths are basic. As soon as we reduce the death of Jesus to that of a mere man, so soon do we lose the cardinal point of the New Testament doctrine of atonement, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.& So-called theologies, which reduce talk of the incarnation to the status of myth, may be attractive to modern men, but they take away our assurance that God's character is sin-bearing love.^[20] Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:6–8 Verse 6 A [Greek] whereas the present participle A [Greek] (the One who is coming) designates the Messiah, the aorist [Greek] denotes the fulfillment of his coming and points to a historic event. [Greek] here the definite article is absent, but in the prepositional phrase beginning with [Greek] both nouns have the definite article. The preposition [Greek] conveys the meaning by or through,^[21] and the preposition [Greek] connotes accompanying circumstance. Robert Hanna observes, Both the idea of accompaniment and instrumentality appear to be present in the prepositional phrase here. ^[22] [Greek] influenced by John 3:5, some copyists wrote [Greek] either as a substitution for [Greek] or as an addition. However, this substitution or addition does not have the support of the better manuscripts. Verses 7 8 [Greek] after this participle, the Textus Receptus (the Received Text) adds the so-called Comma Johanneum (the Johannine passage): in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth (NKJV). Bruce M. Metzger states: The passage is absent from every known Greek manuscript except four, and these contain the passage in what appears to be a translation from a late recension of the Latin Vulgate. And he adds, If the passage were original, no good reason can be found to account for its omission &by copyists of hundreds of Greek manuscripts. ^[23] 3. Testimony of God 5:9–10 In verses 6 9, John indirectly introduces the Trinity. Notice that in verse 6, he states that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has come. In the same verse and verse 8, John says that the Spirit testifies. And in verse 9, he mentions the testimony of God (the Father). 9. We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. a. We accept man's testimony. In Greek, this is a simple conditional sentence that is true to fact: If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater (NASB). John expresses a timeless truth and, therefore, the conditional element in the sentence has lost its force. John is saying that customarily we accept man's testimony. If we consider this verse in the broader context of Scripture, we see that the expression man's testimony is a reference to John the Baptist. Jesus said of the Baptist, There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid (John 5:32). In that same context, Jesus added, I have testimony weightier [greater] than that of John.& And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me (vv. 36 37). Perhaps John has these words of Jesus in mind when he compares the testimony of man with that of God. b. But God's testimony is greater. John focuses attention not on our acceptance of God's testimony but on the significance of that testimony. God's word is unquestionably true and thus in comparison with the testimony of man is much weightier. What is this testimony? In light of the immediately preceding passage, I suggest that it is the testimony of the Spirit, water, and blood. c. The testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. This testimony includes the voice that spoke from heaven at Jesus baptism (Matt. 3:17), at his transfiguration (Matt. 17:5), and at his triumphant entry into Jerusalem (John 12:28). John uses the perfect tense to indicate that God continues to testify about his son through his Word and Spirit. 10. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. Throughout the epistle John uses contrast and this text is no exception. First he states the positive and then the negative. a. Positive In verse 10, belief in the Son of God is central; it is part of the message John teaches in verses 1 12, namely, faith in Jesus as the Son of God. Believing, says John, is a continuous act. That is, faith is a lasting and active power that resides in the heart of the believer. Faith is the constant bond between the Son of God and the believer. Note that John states specifically that faith is believing in the Son of God. The preposition in means that the believer puts full trust and confidence in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The believer has accepted the testimony (John 3:33; Rom. 8:16) which God, through the Spirit, has given about his Son. And this testimony which comes to him through external witnesses is now lodged in his heart and has become an integral part of his spiritual life. b. Negative The second part of verse 10 is not a parallel of the first part. Instead of writing, Anyone who does not believe in the Son of God, John says, Anyone who does not believe God. He places the emphasis on God, who has given man testimony about his Son. Man, however, cannot accept this testimony merely for information. He does not have the freedom to take or leave it without obligation, for God gives him this testimony with royal authority. When man rejects God's testimony, he has made and continues to make God a liar (compare 1:10). And this is a serious offense, because rejection of God's Word constitutes deliberate unbelief. John addressed the false teachers of his day, who said that they believed in God but rejected the birth and the death of his Son. John, however, addresses his word to anyone who rejects God's testimony. That is, the unbeliever takes full responsibility for his choice. Unbelief is not a misfortune to be pitied; it is a sin to be deplored. ^[24] The unbeliever's sin lies first in his intentional refusal to believe God's testimony about his Son and second, in his arrogant denial that the Father and the Son are one. Man cannot say that he has faith in God and at the same time reject God's testimony about Jesus Christ. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:9–10 Verse 9 [Greek] the particle introduces a simple fact condition. The verb [Greek] is timeless. [Greek] the first one is causal (because) and the second an objective particle ^[25] that is equivalent to the relative pronoun which. [Greek] the perfect tense applies to instances that occurred in the past during Jesus earthly ministry. And it refers to God's testimony given today. Verse 10 [Greek] and [Greek] in the perfect active tense, these two verbs describe action that took place in the past and that continues in the present. [Greek] some manuscripts have [Greek]. This reading arose from a desire to make the negative clause correspond more exactly to the preceding positive clause. ^[26] 4. Eternal Life 5.11–12 11. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. John comes to the concluding thought of his discourse on the Son of God. He specifically states the content of God's testimony and eliminates any misunderstanding about God's Son. What is the content of God's testimony? God has given us eternal life. Notice that John is addressing believers when he uses the first person pronoun us. He does not say that eternal life will be given (future tense) but that God has given it (past tense) to us. We have this life now in principle (John 3:17), and when we enter the presence of God in glory, we will have it fully. And this life is in his Son. The way to obtain eternal life is by believing in the Son of God. Even though John does not say this here, in his Gospel he is explicit: Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on himJohn 3:36; also see 3:15; 20:31 . He who has the Son has life. Parallels to this statement are in 2:23 and in (II John 9. The word has stands for fellowship with Christ. It means that in faith the believer has accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who said, I am &the lifeJohn 14:6). Therefore, because of faith, God's Son and the believer are inseparable. The converse is also true. He who does not have the Son of God does not have life. The person who refuses to acknowledge Jesus as Son of God will never possess life. Instead he faces eternal death (compare 3:14). In conclusion, by placing our faith in Jesus Christ we receive the gift of life. Because of our faith, Christ lives in us and we in him (3:24; 5:20). Therefore, at present we already possess eternal life and joyfully sing, Yes, in me, in me he dwelleth; I in him, and he in me! And my empty soul he filleth, Here and through eternity. Horatius Bonar Practical Considerations in 5:9–12 Daily we meet numerous people who advise us what we should know, do, or need. Much of this informative advice we take for granted and even ignore. Intellectually we may accept advice, but it does not become part of us until we are fully convinced of its validity. We generally heed advice concerning our physical well-being, because it concerns the quality of our life. For example, someone informs us that the weather outside is cold and windy. We will not know how cold it is, however, until we have stepped outdoors to feel the temperature and experience the chill factor. Then we know if our clothing is adequate to keep us physically comfortable. When John says that we believe God's testimony about his Son, we know this in our heart. That testimony becomes part of us because of our personal relationship with Jesus. We experience his nearness, his help, and his love because we have fellowship with him and the Father. Accordingly, we are able to testify that God's testimony is in our hearts. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:11 [Greek] in this text the conjunction can be translated that or it can be understood as a recitative, indicated by a colon (NIV) V. Epilogue 5:13–21 A. Ask According to God's Will 5:13–15 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him. 1. Eternal Life 5:13 The similarity of the conclusion of John's Gospel to that of his first epistle is undeniable. Both in the Gospel and in the epistle, John states the purpose of his writings: to have eternal life (John 20:31; I John 5:13). Some translators consider verse 13 part of the preceding paragraph or a separate concluding verse.^[27] Others see the epilogue introduced by verse 13.^[28] 13. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. John sums up what he has said throughout his epistle. The words these things refer to the entire letter. But note that John writes the letter to Christians who believe in the name of the Son of God. He addresses the people who continue to put their faith in God's Son. In an earlier chapter he informed them of one of God's commands: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ (John 1:12). John repeats the term name to indicate the full revelation of the Son of God. That is, anyone who believes in the name of God's Son receives forgiveness of sins and eternal life.^[29] In this epistle and especially in this chapter, John elucidates his theme: believe in the name of the Son of God. John combines the verbs to believe and to know in verse 13. By contrast, he concludes his Gospel with the words, These [things] are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). In verse 13, however, he adds the concept to know, namely, to know with certainty.^[30] When he writes, so that you may know, he does not mean to come to know but to have assurance. Believers have the assurance of eternal life and the right to be children of God (John 1:12). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:13 [Greek] the epistolary aorist takes the place of the present. This idiom is merely a matter of standpoint. The writer looks at his letter as the recipient will. ^[31] Also see 2:14, 26. [Greek] preceded by [Greek], this verb in the perfect subjunctive from [Greek] (I know) is part of a purpose clause. [Greek] the verb is between the noun [Greek] (life) and the adjective [Greek] (eternal) for reasons of emphasis and unity. [Greek] Textus Receptus and the Majority Text, with the King James Version and the New King James Version, have an expanded text: who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (NKJV). This expanded reading does not seem to be original in view of a possible scribal assimilation to the statement in J[oh]n 20.31. ^[32] 2. Answered Prayer 5:14–15 14. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15. And if we know that he hears us whatever we ask we know that we have what we asked of him. These two verses repeat the words John wrote earlier: We have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask (3:21–22). Observe the following points: (a) Confidence The Greek word John uses here and elsewhere is translated assurance or confidence (2:28; 3:21; 4:17). What he means is that because of the gift of eternal life (v. 13), the believer has the confidence, that is the freedom, to approach God in prayer anywhere and anytime. As a child of God he freely comes to God with his praise and petitions. (b) Will In the presence of God, we have the freedom to ask for anything because we know that God hears us. Indeed, God grants us the freedom to ask whatever we wish, but he adds one condition: if we ask &according to his will. This is the biblical teaching on prayer. Even Jesus submits to the will of his Father. When he was in the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed, Yet not as I will, but as you will (Matt. 26:39). Moreover, Jesus teaches us to pray in his name, so that he may bring glory to the Father (John 14:13).^[33] (c) Promise At first sight, verse 15 seems to be repetitious. But upon close examination, we learn that John tells the readers that God indeed hears their prayers. John confirms this confidence which we have in approaching God when he writes that we know that he hears us. And we, too, confirm that God answers prayer. At times we experience that not every prayer we offer receives a positive answer. Then we should be ready to accept a negative response and know that God always gives us that which is good for our spiritual well-being. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights (James 1:17). Twice in verse 15 John writes the verb to know. He insists that we possess the assurance that God indeed hears our prayers and responds to them. We know that if we ask anything according to his will, God grants us our request. But why does John write, And if we know that he hears us? Is John expressing doubt about the believer's knowledge that God hears us? Some translators change the word if to because. ^[34] Although this is an attractive solution, the difficulty is that the previous verse (v. 14) also has the particle if, yet it is not translated because. Perhaps another way to explain the text is to repeat the words of the previous sentence. The text then says, And if we ask anything according to his will, we know that he hears us. This explanation is strengthened by John's assertion, whatever we ask [provided it is in accord with God's will]. John is definite when he writes, we know that we have what we asked of him. He does not use the future tense we will have but the present tense we have. That is, now already we possess what we asked. When we ask God anything in faith according to his will, we know that he hears us and will grant our petition in his time. Practical Considerations in 5:14–15 How can we be sure that God hears and answers prayers? John gives us the answer. He says that when, in submission to his will, we ask God in faith to grant us our request, we know that he hears us. We also know that we have what we asked. What proof do we have that this is so? When we pray the Lord's Prayer, we say, Give us today our daily bread. We actually claim that the bread which we request already belongs to us. We do not pray for bread but for our bread. And we ask God to supply it today. In short, we have what we asked of him (5:15). Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:14–15 Verse 14 [Greek] even though grammarians wish to see a distinction between the middle [Greek] and the active [Greek] this differentiation has only very limited validity (John 16:24with 26; but also see James 4:3).^[35] Verse 15 [Greek] the combination of the particle [Greek] and the indicative occurs frequently in the New Testament (Luke 19:40; Acts 8:31; I Thess. 3:8). Some grammarians give the particle a causal meaning.^[36] [Greek] the perfect active from [Greek] (I ask) indicates that continued prayer is offered by the believer. B. Pray for Remission 5:16–17 16 If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We should never limit our prayers to personal needs. Rather, as brothers and sisters in the Lord, we need to exercise our corporate responsibility to pray for each other. Especially when we notice a brother (or sister) committing a sin, we should pray to God for remission. 16. If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. 17. All wrongdoing is a sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. John recapitulates his teaching on sin. He has conveyed this teaching in every chapter of his epistle (1:7–9; 2:1–2, 12; 3:4–6, 8 9; 4:10). Now he speaks of sin and death, of prayer and life, and of wrongdoing and remission. a. Sin If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death. When John writes brother in his epistle, he means a fellow believer.^[37] Whenever a member of the Christian community notices that a brother is falling into sin, he should pray to God on his behalf (James 5:20). John distinguishes between a sin that does not lead to death and a sin that leads to death. In this passage he mentions the first kind three times and the second only once. He clearly implies that praying for the sinner who commits a sin that does not lead to death is the intent of his writing.^[38] What is the meaning of the word death? In addition to 5:16, where it occurs three times, the word appears twice in 3:14: We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. John is not thinking of physical death.^[39] Rather, he is referring to spiritual death. He contrasts death with eternal life (3:15) to set apart the believer, who possesses this life, from the person who denies that Jesus is the Son of God (2:22–23) and who hates the believer (3:13). Who, then, commits the sin that leads to death? The person who rejects Jesus as the Christ and who does not love the believer commits this sin. He does not share in the fellowship of the Father and the Son (1:3), and is excluded from eternal life (4:12). He left the Christian community because he did not really belong to it (2:19). He had been a pretender.^[40] b. Prayer Although a believer commits sin (2:1), he does not practice the sin that leads to death. If a brother sins, John counsels, the community ought to ask God to give him life. That is, God will forgive his sin and restore him to fellowship. John knows that in the Christian community many believers fall into sin. He uses the plural and writes, I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. Should the Christian community pray for the person who commits a sin that leads to death? John does not call this person a brother. ^[41] Writes John, I am not saying that [the believer] should pray about that. In these words we hear the echo of Jesus voice when he prayed for his followers, I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours (John 17:9). The false teachers whom John opposes in his epistle have gone out into the world (4:1), because they are from the world (v. 5). These teachers have directed their false doctrines against the believers, have been disruptive in the Christian community, and have demonstrated their hatred against the church (II John 7). Therefore, John adds his personal advice not to pray for them. Note that 5:16 is the only passage in this epistle that has the personal pronoun I. c. Comfort All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. John calls attention to the seriousness of sin. Sin is lawlessness (3:4) and is always an affront to God. In fact, in the sight of God, sin is a transgression of his law and the person who stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking the whole law (James 2:10). But not every sin leads to death. When a believer transgresses God's law, he does not deny the sonship of Christ and hate the church. Moreover, God stands ready to forgive his sin. John teaches that if we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1:9). God forgives sin when the sinner confesses and fellow Christians pray for him, for God will give him life. Doctrinal Considerations in 5:16–17 The Old Testament makes a distinction between unintentional and intentional sin. When a person sins unintentionally, he is forgiven when the priest makes atonement for him. However, the person who sins intentionally blasphemes the Lord, despises his Word, and breaks his commands. That person must surely be cut off, says GodNum. 15:31; also see vv. 22 31 . Even though John distinguishes between two types of sin in verses 16 and 17, allusions to similar teachings in the Old Testament are entirely absent. We should listen to what John has to say and interpret his message in the historical and theological context of his day. The writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, by contrast, exhorts his readers not to turn away from the living God and uses examples and precepts from the Old Testament to strengthen his admonition. Says he, Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much more severely do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?Heb. 10:28–29; also consult 6:4–6 . Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:16 [Greek] this is a conditional sentence of the future more vivid type: the aorist subjunctive [Greek] (from [Greek], I see) in the protasis and the future indicative [Greek] (he will ask) in the apodosis. The aorist signifies single occurrence. [Greek] the present active participle denotes continued action. It is followed by the noun [Greek] (sin) as the cognate accusative that repeats the content of the verb.^[42] [Greek] the negative particle with an implied participle expresses condition or prohibition. The negative particle in verse 17 is [Greek] (not). [Greek] although grammatical syntax requires that the subject of this verb be the same as that of [Greek], the meaning of the verbs demands that the one who prays is the believer and the one who gives life is God. [Greek] the aorist subjunctive from [Greek] (I ask, request) is in a clause that indicates indirect command. In this verse, the verb [Greek] is the same as the verb [Greek]. C. Know the Son of God 5:18–21 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1. Born of God 5:18 In the last part of his epistle, John summarizes three facts that his readers have learned. These facts relate to sin, the evil one, and the truth in Jesus Christ. John summarizes the principles he has taught and introduces each verse with the words we know. 18. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. Except for a minor variation in wording, the first part of this sentence is virtually identical to that of 3:9, No one who is born of God will continue to sin. He repeats the thought by putting the words we know at the beginning. That is, he tells the readers that the person who has his origin in God does not keep on sinning without repentance (compare 3:6). A child of God may sin; but his normal condition is one of resistance to sin. ^[43] This is a well-known principle. In the next clause, John presents a message that appears to be vague. What does he mean by the words The one who was born of God keeps him safe? And who is kept safe? To begin with the last question, we conclude that the pronoun him refers to the believer whom God protects. If God keeps the believer safe, the phrase the one who was born of God must refer to Jesus Christ.^[44] This designation for Jesus, however, is unique; it does not appear anywhere else in the New Testament. Because both Jesus and the believer are called born of God, John differentiates by using the past tense was born for Jesus and the phrase born of God for the believer. Furthermore, John places Jesus who was born of God over against the evil one. Jesus keeps the believers safe and asks God to protect them from the evil one (John 17:12, 15). And the evil one cannot harm him. Notice that John describes Satan as the evil one (2:13, 14; 3:12; 5:19). The evil one seeks to lay his hands on the believer but is unable to touch him because of God's protecting power. The word touch in this sentence means to harm or injure a person.^[45] Satan desires to lead us into sin and to control us permanently. But we who are children of God belong not to Satan but to God. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:18 A [Greek] this is the aorist passive participle from the verb [Greek] (I beget). The aorist is timeless. [Greek] manuscript evidence for the reflexive pronoun [Greek] (himself) is strong. However, internal evidence together with varied textual witnesses favors the personal pronoun [Greek] (him). 2. Children of God 5:19 19. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. Once again John uses the words we know to reassure us of the knowledge we have. He actually repeats the thought he expressed earlier: Dear friends, now we are children of God (3:1). We have our origin in God and belong to him. But the whole world, says John, is under the control of the evil one. He does not say that the world belongs to Satan, for Satan cannot lay claim to creating it. Jesus calls Satan the prince of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). From the biblical account (Gen. 3:1–19), we know that by deception Satan took control of the entire world. When Satan tempted Jesus, he showed him all the kingdoms of the world and said, I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to meLuke 4:6, italics added . The whole world lies passively in his power. Nevertheless Satan knows that Jesus has come to drive him out and that Jesus claims the world which rightfully belongs to God. 3. Son of God 5:20 20. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. For the last time, John writes we know (3:2, 14; 5:18, 19, 20). This time, however, he reminds us of the coming of the Son of God and our understanding of Jesus. Even though we see corruption in every sphere and sector of the world, we know that Jesus Christ has come to give us insight into his true nature.^[46] In a world of deceit and falsehood, God has revealed himself in the Son of God as the one who is true. God has not forsaken us to the powers of darkness, but has endowed us with the ability to discern truth from error. God sent his Son so that we may know him who is true. The verb to know in this clause denotes knowledge we acquire by close association. In the fellowship we have with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ (1:3), we come to know his truth. We learn to know what belongs to God and what comes from Satan. God is true. By true God [John] does not mean one who tells the truth, but him who is really God. ^[47] The adjective true is descriptive, for it reveals God's nature (John 17:3; Rev. 3:7). John says that in addition to learning to know God, we are in him who is true. That is, we have intimate fellowship with him through his Son Jesus Christ, who is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). We are in the Father and the Son. In his high-priestly prayer Jesus prayed, Just as you are in me and I am in you[,] may they also be in us (John 17:21). And last, having woven the golden thread of Jesus divinity and sonship through the cloth of his epistle, John completes this verse with the following words: Even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. The Gnostic teachers denied that Jesus was the Christ, Son of God. Therefore, in this last verse John summarizes the basic teaching of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, is truly divine, and is eternal life. The translators of the New International Version have adopted the reading He is the true God instead of This is the true God. ^[48] Some scholars say that the pronoun he refers to the nearest noun, Christ. Others vigorously dispute this view and claim that the pronoun refers to God the Father. They point to the wording in John 17:3, the only true God, and see the parallel in 5:20. They have to admit, however, that their reading of verse 20 is redundant: And we are in [God] who is true &he is the true God. Proponents of the first view argue, quite rightly, that John ascribes eternal life to Jesus (John 11:25; 14:6). They also show that the entire epistle expounds the identity of Jesus, the Son of God. Therefore, a conclusive statement on the divinity of Jesus at the end of the letter is most effective. I believe that the supporters of this view, namely, that the pronoun he or this is a reference to Jesus and not to God, have the stronger argument. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:20 A [Greek] the adjective describes God as real, true, and genuine. John chooses this word instead of the adjective [Greek] (truthful). 4. An Admonition 5:21 21. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. This admonition comes without any explanation. That is, in the epistle John does not discuss idolatry. But from a historical perspective, we admit that John's admonition fits the context of first-century Christianity. Christians faced the pagan world and idol worship, as is evident from Acts (e.g., 15:29; 19:23–41) and the epistles of Paul (I Cor. 8:4, 7; II Cor. 6:16). Here is another interpretation. We cannot rule out the possibility that John means that idols are false conceptions of God. ^[49] Then we see that John's warning to test the teachings of false prophets (4:1) harmonizes with his final admonition. Guard yourselves, says John, from idols. He urges the believers to abstain from any form of worship that draws them away from Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Greek Words, Phrases, and Constructions in 5:21 [Greek] the aorist imperative is used for a precept which is valid until the coming of Christ. ^[50] Summary of Chapter 5 The subject of this chapter is the doctrine that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Throughout the chapter, John expounds this theme. He begins by stressing the unity that exists between God and the believer. Love for God must coincide with love for the child of God. Love for God is expressed when the believer obeys God's commands. Moreover, the believer who is born of God overcomes the world, for he believes that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus came by water and blood; the Spirit testifies to the significant events that the words water and blood represent. We ought to accept God's testimony more readily than the testimony of man. Anyone who rejects the testimony of God concerning his Son makes God a liar. But the person who accepts this testimony has eternal life through the Son of God. We have the assurance that God hears our prayers. Provided our requests are in accordance with his will, God grants whatever we ask. The Christian community also prays for the brother who falls into sin. Nonetheless, John advises that we do not need to pray for the person who commits a sin that leads to death. Believers, however, do not commit this sin, for God keeps them safe. As believers, we know Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God and eternal life. John concludes this chapter with the admonition to guard against false teachings. 1 In this epistle the verb to believe occurs nine times (3:23; 4:1, 16 [rely, NIV]; 5:1, 5, 10 [three times], 13). The noun faith appears only in 5:4. Also see p. 318, n. 52. 2 James Montgomery Boice remarks, We believe and, in fact, do everything else of a spiritual nature precisely because we have first been made alive. The Epistles of John (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1979), p. 153. 3 John Calvin, Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles: The First Epistle of John, ed. and trans. John Owen (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1948), p. 250. Also see Alfred Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges series (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1896), p. 111. 4 C. H. Dodd comments, No doubt the author holds that love to God and love to man are so inseparable that the presence of either is evidence of the other. The Johannine Epistles, Moffatt New Testament Commentary series (New York: Harper and Row, 1946), p. 125. 5 Consult Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, corrected ed. (London and New York: United Bible Societies, 1975), p. 714. KJV King James Version NKJV New King James Version 6 Consult Wilhelm Mundle, NIDNTT, vol. 1, p. 262. Gottlob Schrenk comments on the phrase his commands are not burdensome. He writes, [This] phrase signifies removal of the category of difficult commands viewed by men as demanding extraordinary achievement. TDNT, vol. 1, p. 557. 7 Compare S. Greijdanus, De Brieven van de Apostelen Petrus en Johannes, en de Brief van Judas, Kommentaar op het Nieuwe Testament series (Amsterdam: Van Bottenburg, 1929), p. 511. 8 In Greek, John uses the neuter singular in the form all to indicate universality. For example, see John 6:37, 39; 17:2. 9 Walther Günther, NIDNTT, vol. 1, p. 651. Also refer to Donald Guthrie, New Testament Theology (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1981), p. 133. 10 Refer to A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research (Nashville: Broadman, 1934), p. 993. Also see H. E. Dana and Julius Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament (New York: Macmillan, 1967), p. 249. 11 Consult Robertson, Grammar, p. 698. 12 Editors of the Greek New Testament (Nestle-Aland [26th ed.] and Merk [9th ed.]), translators (JB), and commentators place verse 5 at the head of the following paragraph. Consult I. Howard Marshall, The Epistles of John, New International Commentary on the New Testament series (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978), pp. 230–31; Raymond E. Brown, The Epistles of John, Anchor Bible series (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1982), vol. 30, p. 592. 13 Also consult the rest of the passages that call Jesus the Son of God (2:22, 23; 3:23; 4:15; 5:13). 14 Brown states that there is little to establish a relationship between I John and Cerinthus, and that at most the author's adversaries may have been pre-Cerinthian in emphasizing baptism over death. The Epistles of John, p. 577. Also consult Irenaeus Against Heresies 3. 3. 4. 15 Either as a verb, a participle, or a noun, the word testify appears ten times in the Greek text of verses 6 11. 16 Refer to Lothar Coenen, NIDNTT, vol. 3, p. 1046. 17 For further information, refer to Bruce M. Metzger, The Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, 2nd ed. (New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1968), pp. 101–2. And consult Henk Jan de Jonge, Erasmus and the Comma Johanneum, Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses 56 (1980): 381–89. 18 Consult Brown, The Epistles of John, p. 581. 19 Brown counts at least fourteen scholars and there are many more who give a sacramental interpretation to verse 8. Here are a few: Rudolf Bultmann, The Johannine Epistles, ed. Robert W. Funk, trans. R. Philip O Hara et al., Hermeneia: A Critical and Historical Commentary on the Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1973), p. 80; Glenn W. Barker, 1 John, the Expositor's Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, 12 vols. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1981), vol. 12, p. 351; Dodd, The Johannine Epistles, p. 131. 20 Marshall, The Epistles of John, pp. 233–34. 21 Consult Robertson, Grammar, p. 583. Also see C. F. D. Moule, An Idiom-Book of New Testament Greek, 2d ed. (Cambridge: At the University Press, 1960), p. 57. 22 Robert Hanna, A Grammatical Aid to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1983), p. 438. And refer to Robertson, Grammar, p. 589. 23 Metzger, Textual Commentary, pp. 715, 716. NASB New American Standard Bible 24 J. R. W. Stott, The Epistles of John: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964), p. 182. 25 Robertson, Grammar, p. 964. 26 Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 717. NIV New International Version 27 For example, refer to JB, NAB, NKJV. 28 Here are a few: GNB, NEB, NIV, RSV. 29 Refer to Hans Bietenhard, NIDNTT, vol. 2, p. 654. 30 Consult Donald W. Burdick, The Letters of John the Apostle (Chicago: Moody, 1985), p. 386. 31 Robertson, Grammar, p. 845. 32 Metzger, Textual Commentary, p. 717. 33 References to prayer are numerous in Scripture. Here are a few passages: Jer. 29:12; Matt. 7:8; 21:22; Mark 11:24; John 15:7; 16:24; James 1:5. 34 For instance, refer to GNB, NAB [since], and Phillips. And see Brown, The Epistles of John, p. 610. 35 Bauer, p. 25. 36 Refer to Friedrich Blass and Albert Debrunner, A Greek Grammar of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, trans. and rev. by Robert Funk (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1961), sec. 372(1a). 37 Compare 2:9, 10, 11; 3:10, 12 17; 4:20–21. 38 Consult Paul Trudinger, Concerning Sins, Mortal and Otherwise. A Note on 1 John 5, 16 17, Bib 52 (1971): 541–42. 39 S. M. Reynolds expounds the view that John means physical death. He supports his view with a reference to John 11:4. But because of its historical context, this passage can hardly be used as a parallel. The Sin unto Death and Prayers for the Dead, Reformation Review 20 (1973): 133. 40 Consult David M. Scholer, Sins Within and Sins Without: An Interpretation of I John 5:15 16, Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, ed. Gerald F. Hawthorne (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1975), p. 242. 41 Compare Guthrie, New Testament Theology, p. 616. 42 Refer to Robertson, Grammar, p. 477; and to Moule, Idiom-Book, p. 32. 43 Plummer, The Epistles of St. John, p. 125. 44 Most translators understand the subject of the clause to be Jesus. For example, it is the Son of God who keeps him safe (NEB, GNB). The JB has, because the begotten Son of God protects him. But the NAB gives the reading God protects the one begotten by him. And two translations have the reflexive pronoun himself, but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself (KJV, NKJV). 45 Refer to Bauer, p. 103. 46 Consult Bauer, p. 187. 47 Calvin, The First Epistle of John, p. 273. 48 In at least two other translations the reading is He is the true God (NAB, MLB). 49 F. F. Bruce, The Epistles of John (1970; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979), p. 128. 50 Hanna, Grammatical Aid, p. 438.