Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. BEHOLD - calling attention to something wonderful, little as the world sees to admire. This verse is connected with 1 John 2:29. Al... [ Continue Reading ]
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. BELOVED by the Father therefore by me BELOVED - by the Father, therefore by me. NOW - in contrast to "not yet." We alre... [ Continue Reading ]
And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. THIS HOPE - of being hereafter "like Him." Answering to "we know" (1 John 3:2); so far from it being a vague, uncertain hope. Faith, love, and hope, concur (1 John 3:11; 1 John 3:23). IN, [ epi (G1909)] - 'resting up... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. WHOSOEVER, [ Pas (G3956) ho (G3588)] - 'Everyone who,' etc. COMMITTETH SIN - in contrast to 1 John 3:3, "every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself" (cf. 1 John 3:7). TRANSGRESSETH ALSO T... [ Continue Reading ]
And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. Additional proof of the incompatibility of sin and sonship: the very object of Christ's manifestation in the flesh was to take away (by one act) entirely [aorist, aree (G142)] all sins, as the scapegoat did typically.... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. Christ's entire separation from sin implies that those in Him must also be separate from it. ABIDETH IN HIM - as the branch in the vine, by vital union, living by His life. SINNETH NOT. So far as he a... [ Continue Reading ]
Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. The same truth, with the addition that he who sins is, so far as he sins, "of the devil." LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU - as antimonians would. RIGHTEOUSNESS - `the righteousness' of Christ or... [ Continue Reading ]
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN IS OF THE DEVIL - in contrast to "he that doeth righteousness" (1 John 3:7). He is a son of the d... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. WHOSOEVER IS BORN OF GOD - `everyone that is begotten of God.' DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN - his higher nature, as begotten of God, doth not sin. To be begotten of God, and to sin... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN THIS THE CHILDREN OF GOD ARE MANIFEST, AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL: WHOSOEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, NEITHER HE THAT LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. THE MESSAGE, [ angelia (G31)] - 'announcement,' as of something good; not a mere command, as the law. The Gospel message of Him who loved us, announced by His servants, is, that we love-not here all mankin... [ Continue Reading ]
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. WHO - not in the Greek. OF THAT WICKED ONE - `evil one:' corresponding to "because his own works were evil." Compare , "of the devil," in cont... [ Continue Reading ]
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. MARVEL NOT. The marvel would be if the world loved you. THE WORLD - whom Cain represents (). HATE YOU - as Cain hated his own brother, to the extent of murdering him. The world feels its bad works tacitly reproved by good works.... [ Continue Reading ]
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. WE - emphatic: hated as we are by the world, we know (as an assu... [ Continue Reading ]
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. HATETH - "loveth not," : there is no medium. 'Love and hatred, like light and darkness, life and death, necessarily replace, as well as exclude, one another' (Alford). IS A MURDERER - bec... [ Continue Reading ]
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. What true love to the brethren is, is illustrated by Christ's to us. HEREBY - `herein.' THE LOVE OF GOD. "Of God" is not in the original. Translate, 'We arrive at the... [ Continue Reading ]
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? THIS WORLD'S GOOD, [ bion (G979)] - 'livelihood' or substance. If we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren (1 John 3:16), how ranch mo... [ Continue Reading ]
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. When the venerable John could no longer walk to the meetings of the Church, but was borne there by his disciples, he always uttered the same address; that one commandment which he received from Christ, compr... [ Continue Reading ]
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. HEREBY - `herein;' in loving in deed and truth (). WE KNOW. 'Aleph (') A B C have 'we shall know,' namely, if we fulfill the command (). OF THE TRUTH - real disciples of, belonging to, the truth, as it is in... [ Continue Reading ]
For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals from Bengel takes this as consoling the believer whom his heart condemns; who therefore, like Peter, appeals... [ Continue Reading ]
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. BELOVED. There is no But contrasting the two cases, 1 John 3:20, because "Beloved" sufficiently marks the transition to the case of walking in full confidence of love (). The two results of being able to "assure our hearts... [ Continue Reading ]
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. WE RECEIVE - according to His promise (). Believers, as such, ask what is in accordance with God's will; or if they ask what God wills not, they bow their will to God's... [ Continue Reading ]
And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. God's commandments summed up in the one Gospel commandment. THIS IS HIS COMMANDMENT - singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but indisso... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. DWELLETH IN HIM. The Believer dwelleth in Christ. AND HE IN HIM - Christ in the believer. Reciprocity. 'The key-note of the letter, abide in Him,... [ Continue Reading ]