Confession of sin necessary A. M. cir. 4073. A. D. cir. 69. Impp. Galba, Othone, Vitel, et Vespasiano. CHAP. I.. с to salvation from it. him, and walk in darkness, we ceive ourselves, and the truth 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and a the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. is not in us. d A. M. cir. 4073. A. D. cir. 69. Impp. Galba, Vespasiano. 9 If we confess our sins, he Othone, Vitel. et is faithful and just to forgive us e our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we 8 'If we say that we have no sin, we de- make him a liar, and his word is not in us. .C 1 Cor. vi. 11. Eph. i. 7. Hebr. ix. 14. 1 Pet. i. 19. James iii. 2.———— Ch. ii. 4.Ch. ii. 2. Rev. i. 5.——b 1 Kings viii. 46. 2 Chron. vi. 36. Job ix. 2. xv. 14. xxv. 4. Prov. xx. 9. Eccles. vii. 20. f a man profess to have such communion, and walk n darkness—live an irreligious and sinful life, he lies, n the profession which he makes, and does not the ruth-does not walk according to the directions of he gospel, on the grace of which he holds his relation › God, and his communion with him. The Gnostics, against whose errors it is supposed is epistle was written, were great pretenders to nowledge, to the highest degrees of the divine illuination, and the nearest communion with the founin of holiness, while their manners were excessively >rrupt. Verse 7. But if we walk in the light] If, having ceived the principle of holiness from him, we live holy and righteous life, deriving continual light, ›wer, and life from him, then we have fellowship one ith another; that is, we have communion with God, id God condescends to hold communion with us. his appears to be the intention of the apostle; and he was understood by some Versions and MSS., hich, instead of μer' a\\ŋλwv, with each other, have 7'avrov, with him. Those who are deeply expeenced in divine things converse with God, and God ith them. What John says is no figure; God and holy heart are in continual correspondence. The blood of Jesus Christ] The meritorious efficy of his passion and death has purged our coniences from dead works, and cleanseth us, kalapičε as, continues to cleanse us, i. e. to keep clean what has made clean (for it requires the same merit energy to preserve holiness in the soul of man, to produce it), or, as several MSS. and some ersions read, kalapiɛɛ and kalapiσa, will cleanse; eaking of those who are already justified, and are pecting full redemption in his blood. id And being cleansed from all sin is what every beever should look for, what he has a right to expect, id what he must have in this life, in order to be repared to meet his God. Christ is not a partial aviour; he saves to the uttermost, and he cleanses OM ALL sin. Verse 8. If we say that we have no sin] This is antamount to ver. 10: If we say that we have not inned. All have sinned, and come short of the glory f God; and therefore every man needs a Saviour, uch as Christ is. It is very likely that the heretics, gainst whose evil doctrines the apostle writes, denied hat they had any sin, or needed any Saviour. In 13.- - Ver. 7. Ps. li. 2. d Ps. xxxii. 5. Prov. xxviii. deed, the Gnostics even denied that Christ suffered: the Eon or Divine Being that dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, according to them, left him when he was taken by the Jews; and he, being but a common man, his sufferings and death had neither merit nor efficacy. We deceive ourselves] By supposing that we have no guilt, no sinfulness, and consequently have no need of the blood of Christ as an atoning sacrifice : this is the most dreadful of all deceptions, as it leaves the soul under all the guilt and pollution of sin, exposed to hell, and utterly unfit for heaven. The truth is not in us.] We have no knowledge of the gospel of Jesus, the whole of which is founded on this most awful truth-all have sinned, all are guilty, all are unholy; and none can redeem himself. Hence it was necessary that Jesus Christ should become incarnated, and suffer, and die, to bring men to God. Verse 9. If we confess our sins] If, from a deep sense of our guilt, impurity, and helplessness, we humble ourselves before God, acknowledging our iniquity, his holiness, and our own utter helplessness, and implore mercy for his sake who has died for us; he is faithful, because to such he has promised mercy, Ps. xxxii. 5, Prov. xxviii. 13; and just, for Christ has died for us, and thus made an atonement to the divine justice; so that God can now be just, and yet the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. And to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.] Not only to forgive the sin, but to purify the heart. Observe here, 1. Sin exists in the soul after two modes or forms: (1.) In guilt, which requires forgiveness or pardon. (2.) In pollution, which requires cleansing. 2. Guilt, to be forgiven, must be confessed; and pollution, to be cleansed, must be also confessed. In order to find mercy, a man must know and feel himself to be a sinner, that he may fervently apply to God for pardon; in order to get a clean heart, a man must know and feel its depravity, acknowledge and deplore it before God, in order to be fully sanctified. 3. Few are pardoned, because they do not feel and confess their sins; and few are sanctified or cleansed from all sin, because they do not feel and confess their own sore, and the plague of their hearts. 4. As the blood of Jesus Christ, the merit of his passion and death, applied by faith, purges the con science from all dead works, so the same cleanses the heart from all unrighteousness. with the Father. the contrary, and thus shows that the word—the doctrine, of God is not in him. 5. As all unrighteousness is sin, so he that is Reader, it is the birthright of every child of God to cleansed from all unrighteousness is cleansed from be cleansed from all sin, to keep himself unspotted all sin. To attempt to evade this, and plead for the from the world, and so to live as never more to offend continuance of sin in the heart through life, is un-his Maker. All things are possible to him that begrateful, wicked, and even blasphemous: for as he lieveth; because all things are possible to the infiwho says he has not sinned, ver. 10, makes God a liar, |nitely meritorious blood and energetic Spirit of the who has declared the contrary through every part of Lord Jesus. See the notes on the parallel passages his revelation; so he that says the blood of Christ in the margin; and particularly in St. John's gospel, either cannot or will not cleanse us from all sin in this chap. i. life, gives also the lie to his Maker, who has declared CHAPTER II. He exhorts them not to sin; yet encourages those who may have fallen, by the hope of mercy through Christ, who is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world, 1, 2. He who knows God keeps his commandments; and he who professes to abide in Christ ought to walk as Christ walked, 3-6. The old and new commandment, that we should walk in the light, and love the brethren, 7-11. The apostle's description of the different states in the family of God; little children, young men, and fathers; and directions to each, 12–15. A statement of what prevails in the world, 16, 17. Cautions against antichrists, 18–223. Exhortations to persevere in what they had received, and to continue to follow the anointing of the divine Spirit, by which they could discern all men, and know all thir necessary to their salvation, and proper to prepare them for eternal glory, 24-29. A. M. cir. 4073. A. D. cir. 69. Impp. Galba, Othone, Vitel. et Vespasiano. MY Y little children, these | with the Father, Jesus Christ a 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours A. M. cir. 40). a Rom. viii. 34. 1 Tim. ii. 5. Hebr. vii. 25. ix. 24. b Rom. iii. 25. 2 Cor. v. 18. Ch. 1. 7. iv. 10. NOTES ON CHAP. II. Verse 1. My little children] TEкvia μov My beloved children; the address of an affectionate father to children whom he tenderly loves. The term also refers to the apostle's authority as their spiritual father, and their obligation to obey as his spiritual children. That ye sin not.] This is the language of the whole scripture; of every dispensation, ordinance, institution, doctrine, and word of God. Sin not-do not run into ruin; live not so as to promote your own | misery; be happy, for it is the will of God that ye should be so; therefore, he wills that ye should be holy holiness and happiness are inseparable; sin and misery are equally so. And if any man sin] If, through ignorance, inexperience, the violence of temptation, unwatchfulness, &c., ye have fallen into sin, and grieved the Spirit of God, do not continue in the sin, nor under the guilt; do not despair of being again restored to the favour of God; your case, it is true, is deeply deplorable, but not desperate; there is still hope, for— We have an advocate with the Father] We still have him before the throne who died for our offences, & chattei הטאת Verse 2. And he is the propitiation] 'Daspog Th atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is the prope sense of the word as used in the Septuagint, wher it often occurs; and is the translation of x ashan an oblation for sin, Amos viii. 14. sacrifice for sin, Ezek. xliv. 27. Noɔ kippur, an atas ment, Numb. v. 8. See the note on Rom. iii. 25, particularly the note on Luke xviii. 13. The ward is used only here and in chap. iv. 10. And not for ours only] It is not for us aposta that he has died, nor exclusively for the Jewish people. but wɛpı öλov tov koøμov, for the whole world, Gentilas as well as Jews, all the descendants of Adam. The apostle does not say that he died for any select per of the inhabitants of the earth, or for some out of every nation, tribe, or kindred; but for ALL MANKIND : and the attempt to limit this is a violent outrag against God and his word. For the meaning of the word παράκλητος, πλη We must approve our knowledge of A. M. cir. 4073. A. D. cir. 69. Impp. Galba, Othone, Vitel. et Vespasiano. a only, but also for the sins of himself also so to walk, even as 3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep in him 'hereby he walked. 7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but k A. M. cir. 4073. A. D. cir. 69. Impp. Galba, Othone, Vitel, et Vespasiano. an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: m because the darkness is past, and "the true 6 He that saith he abideth in him "ought light now shineth. a John i. 29. iv. 42. xi. 51, 52. Ch. iv. 14. b Ch. i. 6. v. 20.-— Ch. i. 8.- d John xiv. 21, 23.- Le Ch. iv. 12. Ch. iv. 13. John xv. 4, 5.- Matt. xi. 29. John xiii. 15. 1 Pet. ii. 21.1 John xiii. 34. xv. 1 Thess. v. .5, 8. 12 John 5.- k Ch. iii. 11. 2 John 5. 12.- m Rom. xiii. 12. Eph. v. 8. n John i. 9. viii. 12. xii. 35. re here translate advocate, see the note on John fesses to have known Christ, but also that he has iv. 16. From these verses we learn that a poor backslider eed not despair of again finding mercy; this pasige holds out sufficient encouragement for his hope. here is scarcely another such in the Bible; and hy? That sinners might not presume on the mercy God. And why this one? That no backslider ight utterly despair. Here, then, is a guard against resumption on the one hand, and despondency on e other. Verse 3. And hereby we do know that we know him] we keep the commandments of God, loving him ith all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, e have the fullest proof that we have the true ving knowledge of God and his Christ. The nostics pretended to much knowledge, but their owledge left them in possession of all their bad ssions and unholy habits; they, therefore, gave no oof that they had known either God or his Son sus; nor is any man properly acquainted with God, ho is still under the power of his sins. Verse 4. He that saith, I know him] This is a vere blow against those false teachers, and against I pretenders to religious knowledge, who live under power of their sins; and against all Antinomians, id false boasters in the righteousness of Christ as a wering for their personal unholiness. They are all trs, and no truth of God is in them. Verse 5. But whoso keepeth his word] Conscienously observes his doctrine, the spirit and letter of e religion of Christ. Is the love of God perfected] The design of God's ve in sending Jesus Christ into the world to die for e sin of man teteλeiwrai, is accomplished, in that an who receives the doctrine, and applies for the alvation provided for him. This seems to be the eaning of the apostle. That we are in him.] That we have entered into is spirit and views, received his salvation, have been nabled to walk in the light, and have communion with him by the Holy Spirit. Verse 6. Abideth in him] He who not only pro communion with him, and abides in his favour, should prove the truth of his profession by walking as Christ walked; living a life of devotion and obedience to God, and of benevolence and beneficence to his neighbour. Thus Christ walked ; and he has left us an example that we should follow his steps. To be in Christ, ver. 5, is to be converted to the Christian faith, and to have received the remission of sins. To abide in Christ, ver. 6, is to continue in that state of salvation, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 7. Brethren, I write no new commandment] There seems a contradiction between this and the next verse. But the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the essence of the precept itself, as in reference to the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was ever the command of God that men should receive his light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. But this commandment was renewed by Christ with much latitude and spirituality of ineaning; and also with much additional light to see its extent, and grace to observe it. It may therefore be called the OLD commandment, which was from the beginning; and also a NEW commandment revealed afresh and illustrated by Christ, with the important addition to the meaning of Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye shall love the brethren so as to lay down your lives for each other. See the note on John xiii. 34. Instead of adeλpoi, brethren, ABC, thirteen others, with both the Syriac, Erpen's Arabic, Coptic, Sahidic, Armenian, Slavonic, and Vulgate, with several of the Fathers, have ayanηro, beloved. This is without doubt the true reading. 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 every where. He does not say that the darkness was all gone by, but rapayɛrai, it is passing away; he does not say that the fulness of the light had appeared, but noŋ paivu, it is now shining, and will shine more and more to the perfect day; for the darkness passes away in proportion as the light shines and increases. 12 I write unto children, because 'your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. e John xii. 35.-f Luke xxiv. 47. Acts iv. 12. x. 43. Ch. i. 1. darkness] Verse 12. I write unto you, little children] Terr Beloved children (see on ver. 1); those who wer probably the apostle's own converts, and member of the church over which he presided. But it may be applied to young converts in general; those whe can call God Abba, Father, by the Holy Spirit: therefore he says of them, that their sins were fargiven them for his name's sake; i. e. on account d Jesus, the Saviour, who had died for them, and now their Mediator at the right hand of God. Verse 9. He that saith he is in the light] He that professes to be a convert to Christianity, even in the lowest degree; and hateth his brother-not only does not love him, but wills and does him evil, as the Jews did the Gentiles; is in darkness-has received no saving knowledge of the truth; and, whatever he may pretend, is in heathen ignorance, or even worse than heathen ignorance, to the present time, notwithstand-be what is meant by, Ye have known him from the ing the clear shining of the light of the gospel. Verse 10. He that loveth his brother] That is, his neighbour, his fellow-creature, whether Jew or Gentile, so as to bear him continual good will, and to be ready to do him every kind office; abideth in the light-not only gives proof that he has received Christ Jesus the Lord, but that he walks in him, that he retains the grace of his justification, and grows therein. And there is none occasion of stumbling in him.] Και σκανδαλον εν αυτῳ ουκ εστιν And there is no stumbling-block in him; he neither gives nor receives offence love prevents him from giving any to his neighbour; and love prevents him from receiving any from his neighbour, because it leads him to put the best construction on every thing. Besides, as he walks in the light, he sees the stumbling-blocks that are in the way, and avoids them; every part of his path being illuminated. Many fall into sin because they do not see the snares that are in the way; and they do not see the snares because they either have not received, or do not abide in, the light. Verse 13. I write unto you, fathers] By fathers is very likely that the apostle means persons whe had embraced Christianity on its first promulgacio in Judea and in the Lesser Asia, some of whom had probably seen Christ in the flesh; for this appears to beginning. These were the elders and eye-witnesses who were of the longest standing in the church, and well established in the truths of the gospel, and in Christian experience. But τον απ' αρχής, who is from the beginning, may mean Jesus Christ in the eternity of his nature, see John i. 1, 2; but sense is the same. I write unto you, young men] These were cofirmed disciples of Christ; persons who were wel grounded in the truth, had been thoroughly exe cised in the Christian warfare, were no longer agitated by doubts and fears, but had arrived at the abiding testimony of the Spirit of God in their con sciences; hence they are said to have overcome the wicked one, ver. 14. They were persons in the prin of life, and in the zenith of their faith and love. I write unto you, little children]_ Ilaidia, a very different term from that used in the 12th verse, Tekies, which means beloved children, as we have already seen. This is another class, and their state is dif ferently described: Ye have known the Father. If the apostle does not use these two words indifferently, Verse 11. But he that hateth his brother is in four states instead of three, are here described :— 1. FATHERS, TαTEρeg those who had been converted at the very commencement of Christianity, and had seen the eternal Word manifested in the flesh. 2. YOUNG MEN, vɛaviokoľ youths in the prime of heir spiritual life, valiant soldiers, fighting under the anner of Christ, who had confounded Satan in his viles, and overcome him by the blood of the Lamb. 3. LITTLE CHILDREN, Taidia disciples of Christ, ot of very long standing in the church, nor of much xperience, but who had known the Father; i. e. ersons who had been made sons: God had sent the pirit of his Son into their hearts, whereby they cried bba, Father! 4. BELOVED CHILDREN, TEKvia the most recent onverts, and particularly those among young men id women who, from their youth, simplicity, openartedness, and affectionate attachment to God and s cause, were peculiarly dear to this aged apostle 'Jesus Christ. These are represented as having eir sins forgiven them on account of his name, dia ovopa avrov, that is, for the sake of Jesus, or 1 account of his merit or worthiness. These four classes constituted the household or mily of God; each class, in ascending gradation, ems to have had more light, experience, and holiess than the other. 1. The TEкvia, beloved children infants, are those who are just born into the heanly family. 2. The maidia, little children, are those ho are able to walk and speak; they know their avenly Father, and can call him by that name. 3. he vɛaviorol, young men, are such as are grown up man's estate; these perform the most difficult art of the labour, and are called to fight the battles the Lord. 4. The warɛpes, fathers, are those who e at the foundation of the spiritual family, and ave known the whole economy of the work of God themselves and in others. These have the largest ock of spiritual wisdom and religious experience. ll these answer to the component members of a erfect human family. 1. There is the beloved infant andled on the knees of its parents. 2. There are he little children that can speak a little, run about, nswer to their own names, distinguish and call on heir father and mother, and are now put under nstruction. 3. There are the youths, those who are rown up to man's estate, are strong to labour, etain the instructions they have received, act upon hem, and are occasionally called upon to defend their family, property, and country, against spoilers and oppressors. 4. There are the parents, the father and mother, from whom the family sprang, and who are the governors and directors of the household. To these four classes, in a perfect family, the apostle appears to allude; and we see, considered in this light, with what delicacy and propriety he uses these images. Verse 14. The word of God abideth in you] Ye have not only thoroughly known and digested the divine doctrine, but your hearts are moulded into it; ye know it to be the truth of God from the power and happiness with which it inspires you, and from the constant abiding testimony of the Spirit of that truth which lives and witnesses wherever that truth lives and predominates. Though these Verse 15. Love not the world] several classes were so well acquainted with divine things, and had all tasted the powers of the world to come; yet so apt are men to be drawn aside by sensible things, that the Holy Spirit saw it necessary to caution these against the love of the world, the inordinate desire of earthly things. Covetousness is the predominant vice of old age: Ye fathers, love not the world. The things which are in the world, its profits, pleasures, and honours, have the strongest allurements for youth; therefore, ye young men, little children, and babes, love not the things of this world. Let those hearts abide faithful to God who have taken him for their portion. The love of the Father is not in him.] The love of God and the love of earthly things are incompatible. If you give place to the love of the world, the love of God cannot dwell in you; and if you have not his love, you can have no peace, no holiness, no heaven. Verse 16. For all that is in the world] All that it can boast of, all that it can promise, is only sensual, transient gratification, and even this promise it cannot fulfil; so that its warmest votaries can complain loudest of their disappointment. The lust of the flesh] Sensual and impure desires which seek their gratification in women, strong drink, delicious viands, and the like. Lust of the eyes] Inordinate desires after finery of every kind, gaudy dress, splendid houses, superb furniture, expensive equipage, trappings and decorations of all sorts. |