1 John 2:8

Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. A NEW COMMANDMENT. It was "old," in that Christians as such had heard it from the first; but "new" [ kainee (G2537), not nea: new and different from the old legal precept], in that it was first clearly promulgated with Christianity: though the inner spirit of the law was love even to enemies, yet it was enveloped in some bitter precepts, which caused it to be temporarily almost unrecognized. Christianity first put love to brethren on the new and highest MOTIVE, instinctive love to Him who first loved us, constraining us to love all, even enemies, thereby walking in the steps of Him who loved us when enemies. So Jesus calls it "new,...

8_Again, a new commandment _Interpreters do not appear to me to have attained the meaning of the Apostle. He says _new_, because God, as it were, renews it by daily suggesting it, so that the faithful may practice it through their whole life, for nothing more excellent can be sought for by them. The elements which children learn give place in time to what is higher and more solid. On the contrary, John denies that the doctrine respecting brotherly love is of this kind, is one which grows old with time, but that it is perpetually in force, so that it is no less the highest perfection than the very beginning. It was, however, necessary that this should be added, for as men are more curious than what they ought to be, there are many who always seek something new. Hence there is a weariness as to simple doctrine, which produces innumerable prodigies of errors, when every one gapes continuall...

3-11 What knowledge of Christ can that be, which sees not that he is most worthy of our entire obedience? And a disobedient life shows there is neither religion nor honesty in the professor. The love of God is perfected in him that keeps his commandments. God's grace in him attains its true mark, and produces its sovereign effect as far as may be in this world, and this is man's regeneration; though never absolutely perfect here. Yet this observing Christ's commands, has holiness and excellency which, if universal, would make the earth resemble heaven itself. The command to love one another had been in force from the beginning of the world; but it might be called a new command as given to Christians. It was new in them, as their situation was new in respect of its motives, rules, and obligations. And those who walk in hatred and enmity to believers, remain in a dark state. Christian lov...

Verse 8. _WHICH THING IS TRUE IN HIM AND IN YOU_] It is true that Christ loved the world so well as to lay down his life for it; and it was true in them, in all his faithful followers at that time, who were ready to lay down their lives for the testimony of Jesus. There is a saying in _Synopsis_ Sohar, p. 94, n. 51, that may cast some light on this passage: _That way in which the just_ _have walked, although it be_ OLD, _yet may be said to be_ NEW _in the_ _love of the righteous_. The love that the righteous bear to God and to each other is a _renewal_ of the commandment. _THE DARKNESS IS PAST_] The total thick darkness of the heathen world, and the comparative darkness of the Mosaic dispensation, are now _passing away_; and the pure and superior light of Christianity is now diffusing its beams everywhere. He does not say that the darkness was _all gone by_, but παραγεται, _it is_ pas

AGAIN, A NEW COMMANDMENT I WRITE UNTO YOU - “And yet, that which I write to you, and particularly enjoin on you, deserves in another sense to be called a new commandment, though it has been also inculcated from the beginning, for it was called new by the Saviour himself.” Or the meaning may be, “In addition to the general precepts which I have referred to, I do now call your attention to the new commandment of the Saviour, that which he himself called new.” There can be no doubt here that John refers to the commandment to “love one another,” (see 1 John 2:9), and that it is here called new, not in the sense that John inculcated it as a novel doctrine, but in the sense that the Saviour called it such. For the reasons why it was so called by him, see the notes at John 13:34....

EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 2:1, 1 JOHN 2:2 Moreover, walking in the light involves accepting the propitiation wrought through Jesus Christ the Righteous. The connexion with the preceding is close. We have just had (1) the confession that we do sin; we now have (2) the principle that we must not sin; and (3) the consolation that sin is not irremediable. 1 JOHN 2:1 MY LITTLE CHILDREN; or, perhaps, _my dear children; _or, simply, _my children. _The diminutive τεκνία, if it retains any force, expresses endearment rather than smallness or youth. Th

AGAIN, A NEW COMMANDMENT I WRITE UNTO YOU,.... Which is the same with the former, considered in different respects. The command of brotherly love is a new one; that is, it is an excellent one, as a new name is an excellent name, and a new song is an excellent one; it is renewed by Christ under the Gospel dispensation; it is newly explained by him, and purged from the false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees; see Matthew 5:43; and enforced by him with a new argument, and by a new example of his own, even his own love to his people; and which is observed by them in a new manner, they being made new creatures; and this law being anew written in their hearts, under the renewing work of the Spirit of God, as a branch of the new covenant of grace; see John 13:34. The Jews c expect תורה חדשה, "a new law" to be given

1 John 2:1. _My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him._ Holy living is the sure fruit and proof of anyone being in Christ. Where it is not manifest, the profession of being in Christ is a lie. 1 John 2:5. _But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him._ Note the gradation: we know him, we are in him we know that we are in him....

II. LIGHT AND DARKNESS AND THE TESTS Chapter S 1:5-2:17 _ 1. God is light; walking in darkness and in light (1 John 1:5)_ 2. What the light manifests (1 John 1:8) 3. The advocacy of Christ to maintain the fellowship (1 John 2:1) 4. The tests of fellowship (1 John 2:3) 1 John 1:5 The message they had heard of Him and which they declared to others is, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. Light, perfect, pure light is God's nature; He is absolutely holy, with no darkness in Him at all. That God is light was manife

OBEDIENCE THE PROOF OF FELLOWSHIP. Here John repeats in a positive way the teaching of the previous section. Conduct cannot be, as the false teachers claimed, a matter of indifference, for true knowledge of God implies moral affinity to Him, _i.e._ obedience to His commandments and an attempt to imitate Christ. I know Him was the watchword of the false teachers, their reference being to an esoteric and barren intellectualism. But John uses know in its large Biblical sense as denoting the intimacy of moral fellowship and affection between man and God. Hence by its very nature knowledge involved for man an effort to obey God's will and to imitate His spirit, religion which came short of this being unreal and false. 1 JOHN 2:3. Better, hereby we come to know that, etc. Comparison with 1 John 2:6 shows t