Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The Bible Study New Testament

1 John 1:5

Now this is the message. "I want to show you the advantage of joining with us in this fellowship." From his Son. The Christ is the source of this message. Compare Hebrews 1:1-2 and notes. God is light. The ancients thought of light as the purest and most perfect of all material substance. The message that God is light says that He is pure and holy!!! Compare 1 Timothy 6:16. John declares three things about God in his writings: God is light: God is Spirit (John 4:24); God is love (1 John 4:8). [The mystery religions called their "secret knowledge" light.]

Continues after advertising

See also 1 John 1:5 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse 1 John 1:5. _THIS THEN IS THE MESSAGE_] This is the _grand_ _principle_ on which all depends, _which we have heard of_ απαυτου, FROM _him_; for neither Moses nor the prophets ever gave that ful...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THIS THEN IS THE MESSAGE WHICH WE HAVE HEARD OF HIM - This is the substance of the announcement (ἐπαγγελία epangelia) which we have received of him, or which he made to us. The message here refers t...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    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 maint...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    1 JOHN 1:5 TO 1 JOHN 2:2. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD REQUIRES A RIGHT VIEW OF SIN. 1 John 1:5. Spiritual fellowship depends on moral affinity. Hence since Jesus has declared the holy perfection of God, we ca...

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    WALKING IN THE LIGHT.-- 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:1-6. GOLDEN TEXT. --_ If we walk in the light, as he, is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, clea...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE PASTOR'S AIM (1 John 1:1-4)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THIS THEN. And this. MESSAGE. Greek. _angelia._ Only here and 1 John 3:11. OF. from. App-104. as 1 John 1:1. DECLARE. Greek. _anangello._ See Acts 20:27. GOD. App-98. light

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:28. God is Light 1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:11. What Walking in the Light involves This section is largely directed against the Gnostic do

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Fellowship with God and with the Brethren 5. _This then is the message which we have heard of Him_ Better, AND _the message which we have heard_ FROM _Him_ IS THIS. -This" is the predicate, as so ofte...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    5. ἜΣΤΙΝ ΑὝΤΗ ([435][436][437]) for αὕτη ἐστίν ([438]). ἈΓΓΕΛΊΑ ([439][440][441]) for ἐπαγγελία ([442]). ΦΩ͂Σ ἘΣΤΊΝ. The enclitics ἐστίν, ἐσμέν, ἐστέ, εἰσίν are accented thus when the previous word ca...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:28. GOD IS LIGHT 1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:11. WHAT WALKING IN THE LIGHT INVOLVES This section is largely directed against the Gnostic doct

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    5–7. FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD AND WITH THE BRETHREN...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΑΓΓΕΛΊΑ (G31) сообщение, весть. Весть, содержащая представление о Боге, не может быть воспринята людьми без Его помощи. Это откровение, а не открытие (Brooke), ΆΚΗΚΌΑΜΕΝ _perf. ind. act. от_ ΆΚΟΎΩ (G...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 2431 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CONFORMED TO GOD’S IMAGE 1 John 1:5. This then is the message which me have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER II _THIS IS THE MESSAGE_ 1 John 1:5 A. _The Text_ And this is the message which we have heard from him and announce unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. B. _Tr...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. First division of the body of the letter (cf. 'Introduction'). DECLA...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    1 The ministry of John is based upon his personal acquaintance with the Lord in the flesh. Indeed, this was the prime qualification of all the twelve apostles (Act_1:21). They were to bear witness to...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    LIGHT.. DARKNESS] The one suggests truth and goodness, the other falsehood and evil. All truth and goodness emanate from God. To walk in the light, therefore, i.e. to possess and practise these, is to...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD IN LIGHT 1. Observe the grammatical form of 1 John 1:1. In 1 John 1:1 a sentence is begun which, interrupted by the parenthesis in 1 John 1:2, is continued in...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    HOW CAN I BE SURE? 1 JOHN _IAN MACKERVOY_ ABOUT THIS LETTER 1. THE WRITER The letter does not tell us who wrote it. The tradition is that John is the author. John was an *apostle. He was one of...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    [2. First Half. God is Light (1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:28). (1) STATEMENT OF THE LEADING THOUGHT (1 John 1:5). (2) FIRST INFERENCE: The true fellowship ...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    ἀγγελία in N.T. only here and 1 John 3:2. ἐπαγγελία could only mean “promise” (_cf._ 1 John 2:25). ἀπαγγέλλειν and ἀναγγέλλειν both mean “announce,” the former with reference to the source of the mess...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    The Message of the Incarnation and the Duty which it brings. “And this is the message which we have heard from Him and are announcing to you, that God is light, and darkness in Him there is none. If w...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    FELLOWSHIP IN THE LIGHT 1 John 1:1 As the aged Apostle began to write he was living over again his first happy experiences with the Savior. He heard the voice, saw the person, touched the very body i...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This is possibly the last apostolic message to the whole Church. It is complementary to the Gospel of John. Its subject is fellowship with God, into which believers are introduced through their union...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    GOD IS LIGHT The Gnostics John was likely dealing with claimed to be specially enlightened. The word _gnosko_ means "I know." John proclaimed God as light and even said there was no darkness in Him. O...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (3) This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (3) Now he enters into a question, by which we may understand that w...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _God is light, [3] &c. We cannot have this fellowship with God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ, if we walk in the darkness of sin: we must walk as the children of light. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY]...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. (6) If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    5_This then is the message_, or _promise_. I do not disapprove of the rendering of the old interpreter, “This is the annunciation,” or _message_; for though ἐπαγγελία means for the most part a promise...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Epistle of John has a peculiar character. It is eternal life manifested in Jesus, and imparted to us the life which was with the Father, and which is in the Son. It is in this life that believers...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THIS THEN IS THE MESSAGE,.... Of God by his Son the Word, or from Christ by his apostles. The Syriac version renders it, "this is the Gospel"; which is good news from a far country, a message sent fro...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Ver. 5. _That God is light_] He is αυτοφως, light essential, and they t...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _This then is the message_ That is, one part of it; _which we have heard of him_ The Son of God; _that God is light_ The light of truth, wisdom, holiness, glory. What light is to the natural eye, that...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    GOD IS LIGHT; his nature is light. He is perfect knowledge and purity. NO DARKNESS; the opposite of light: no ignorance or impurity. God is in all respects perfect; and all that he does is perfectly...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THIS, THEN, IS THE MESSAGE WHICH WE HAVE HEARD OF HIM AND DECLARE UNTO YOU, THAT GOD IS LIGHT, AND IN HIM IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Walking in the light, cleansed by Christ's blood:...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Unlike his second and third epistles, this first from John's pen waits for no salutation, but more like Paul's to the Hebrews, immediately begins with a precious declaration of the glory of the Person...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    5-10 A message from the Lord Jesus, the Word of life, the eternal Word, we should all gladly receive. The great God should be represented to this dark world, as pure and perfect light. As this is the...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    It being the professed scope and design of his writing, to draw men to a final participation and communion with God in his own blessedness, he reckons nothing more necessary to it, than to settle in t...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Tertullian On Repentance Draw whatever (veil of) darkness you please over your deeds, "God is light."[53] Tertullian On Modesty Nay, but this whole world is the one house of all; in which world it...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    1 John 1:5 G2532 This G3778 is G2076 (G5748) message G1860 which G3739 heard G191 (G5754) from...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    GOD REVEALED AS LIGHT WHICH BY ITS NATURE CONSTANTLY REVEALS MAN'S SINFULNESS AND CALLS HIM TO REPENTANCE (1 JOHN 1:5 TO 1 JOHN 2:2). ‘And this is the message which we have heard from him and announc...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    _The Message, which is the compendium of Christ's teaching._ 1 John 1:5. AND, resuming the ‘we have heard' in the Introduction, THIS IS THE MESSAGE WHICH WE HAVE HEARD FROM HIM: from ‘His Son Jesus Ch...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    First the apostle announces his message that God is light and only light (1 John 1:5). Then follows (down to chap. 1 John 2:2) a universal statement of the evangelical conditions of fellowship with Hi...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    AND (κα). Mutual fellowship depends on mutual knowledge (Westcott).MESSAGE (αγγελια). Old word (from αγγελος, messenger), in N.T. only here and 1 John 3:11, and note απ' αυτου (from God like απαγγ...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:1 The Ground of Christian Ethics. I. St. John begins with speaking of that which he saw, and heard, and handled. Those who read his letter could have no doubt that he was referring to the ti...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:5 I. A part of the teaching of the words, "God is light," is to show that we cannot see God. You cannot see "light." You see things by the light. You may in a certain sense see "light" reflec...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:5 I. The form of the announcement in the fifth verse is very peculiar: "This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you." It is not a discovery which we make concern...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:4. _And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full._ Some Christians have joy, but there are only a few drops in the bottom of their cup; but the Scriptures were written, and...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:1. _That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;_ The fact that Chris...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    May that Divine Spirit, who inspired every word of this wonderful letter, bless it to all our hearts as we read it! 1 John 1:1. _That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    1 John 1:1. _That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;_ You know who that is...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Fellowship with God made possible through the incarnation. Conditions of perpetual fellowship walking in the light and confessing sins. CHARACTERS: God, Christ, John. CONCLUSION: Fellowship...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    1 John 1:1. _That which was from the beginning._ We have before observed that the neuter gender is often preferred by the Greeks, and with great propriety, when speaking of the Divinity. _L'ETRE Suprê...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 JOHN—NOTE ON 1 JOHN 1:5 “God is light” (v. 1 John 1:5) reflects the OT, where “light” symbolizes both knowledge and purity (see notes on John 1:4–5;...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    1 JOHN 1:1 God Is Light and Christ Is the Way. John begins by emphasizing Christ’s deity, incarnation, saving death, and continuing ministry. He also stresses God’s nature as “light” (1 John 1:5) and...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    THE FIRST EPISTLE GENERAL OF S. JOHN.. CHAPTER 1 VER. 1. _That which was from the beginning_, &c. The beginning of this Epistle corresponds with the beginning of St. John's Gospel. Both here and the...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 5 Ver. 1. _Every one that believeth_, with a living faith, which extends itself to charity, and worketh by love, _that Jesus is the Christ_, i.e., the Messiah, the Saviour and Redeemer of the...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ 1 John 1:5.—The first part of the epistle begins here. It is directed against the Gnostic teaching, that to a man of enlightenment all conduct is morally indifferent. I...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION 1 JOHN 1:1 1. THE INTRODUCTION. It declares the writer's authority, based on personal experience; announces the subject-matter of his Gospel, to which this Epistle forms a companion; and...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Shall we turn to 1 John. Why did John write this epistle? In chapter one, verse four, he tells us, "These things write we unto that your joy may full." So that you might have the fullness of joy. Do y...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Corinthians 11:23; 1 John 3:11; 1 Timothy 6:16; Isaiah 60:19;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    This then is [κ α ι α υ τ η ε σ τ ι ν]. Rev., correctly and literally, and this. According to the proper reading the verb stands first in order [ε σ τ ι ν α υ τ η], with emphasis, not merely as a copu...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE CHRIST CHAPTER 1 John 1:2; 1 John 2:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS There is a striking similarity between the opening verses of the first chapter of the Gospel of John and the first chapter of the First E...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    And this is the sum of the message which we have heard of him — The Son of God. That God is light — The light of wisdom, love, holiness, glory. What light is to the natural eye, that God is to the spi...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    That is, "This is the sum and substance of the gospel of Christ's doctrine, and our message, to teach us to know what God is, namely LIGHT, that is,a being of infinite knowledge, wisdom, and purity; a...

Continues after advertising

Old Testament