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Rightly to Know God

1 JOHN, II.

is to Keep His Commandments, &c.

who loved us when enemies. So Jesus calls it "new,"
John, 13, 34, 35, "Love one another as I have loved
you" (the new motive); 15. 12. which thing is true in
him and in you- "In Christ all things are always
true, and were so from the beginning; but in Christ
and in us conjointly the commandment [the love of
brethren] is then true when we acknowledge the truth
which is in Him, and have the same flourishing in us."
[BENGEL.] ALFORD explains, "Which thing (the fact
that the commandment is a new one) is true in Him
and in you, because the darkness is passing away.
and the true light is now shining, i.e., the command-
ment is a new one, and this is true both in the case of
Christ and in the case of you; because in you the
darkness is passing away, and in Him the true light
is shining; therefore, on both accounts, the command
is a new one : new as regards you, because you are
newly come from darkness into light; new as regards
Him, because He uttered it when He came into the
world to lighten every man, and began that shining
which even now continues." I prefer, as BENGEL, to
explain, The new commandment finds its truth in its
practical realization in the walk of Christians in union
with Christ. Cf. the use of "verily," v. 5. John, 4. 42,

by the Shekinah glory above it, met His people, represented by the high priest who sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice on it. and-Greek "yet." ours-believers not Jews, in contrast to Gentiles; for he is not writing to Jews (ch. 5. 21). also for the sins of the whole world-Christ's advocacy is limited to believers (v. 1; ch. 1. 7): His propitiation extends as widely as sin extends: Note, 2 Peter, 2. 1, "Denying the Lord that bought them." "The whole world" cannot be restricted to the believing portion of the world (cf. ch. 4. 14; and "the whole world," ch. 5. 19). "Thou, too, art part of the world, so that thine heart cannot deceive itself and think, The Lord died for Peter and Paul, but not for me." [LUTHER.] 3. hereby-Greek, "in this." "It is herein, and herein only, that we know (present) that we have knowledge of (perfect: once-for-all obtained and continuing knowledge of) Him (v. 4, 13, 14). Tokens whereby to discern grace are frequently given in this epistle. The Gnostics, by the Spirit's prescient forewarning, are refuted, who boasted of knowledge, but set aside obedience. "Know Him," viz., as" the righteous" (v. 1, 29): our “Advocate and Intercessor." keep-John's favourite word, instead of do, lit., to watch, guard, and keep safe as a precious thing; observing so as to keep. So Christ Himself."indeed," 6. 55. The repetition of "in" before "you," Not faultless conformity, but hearty acceptance of, and willing subjection to, God's whole revealed will, is meant. commandments-injunctions of faith, love, and obedience. John never uses "the law" to express the rule of Christian obedience: he uses it as to the Mosaic law. 4. I know - Greek, "I have knowledge of Perfect) Him." Cf. with this verse ch. 1. 8. 5. Not merely repeating the proposition, v. 3, or asserting the merely opposite alternative to v. 4, but expanding the "know Him" of v. 3, into "in Him, verily (not as a matter of vain boasting) is the love of (ie., towards) God perfected," and "we are in Him." Love here answers to knowledge in n. 3. In proportion as we love God, in that same proportion we know Him, and vice versa, until our love and knowledge shall attain their full maturity of perfection. his word-His word is one Note, ch. 1. 5), and comprises His "commandments," which are many (v. 3). hereby-in our progress ing towards this ideal of perfected love and obedience. There is a gradation: v. 3, "know Him;" v. 5, we are in Him" v. 6, "abideth in Him" respectively. knowledge, fellowship, abiding constancy. [BENGEL.] 6. abideth-Implying a condition lasting, without intermission, and without end. He that saith...ought-so" that his deeds may be consistent with his words. even as he-believers readily supply the name, their hearts being full of Him (cf. John, 20. 15). "Even as He walked" when on earth, especially in respect to love. John delights in referring to Christ as the model man, with the words, "Even as He." &c. "It is not Christ's walking on the sea, but His ordinary walk, that we are called on to imitate." (LUTHER.] 7. BrethrenThe oldest MSS. and versions read instead, "Beloved," appropriate to the subject here, love, no new command-trast to "He that hateth his brother is in darkness, ment-viz. love, the main principle of walking as Christ walked (v. 6), and that commandment, of which one exemplification is presently given, v. 9, 10, the love of brethren. ye had from the beginning-from the time that ye first heard the gospel word preached. 8. a new commandment-it was "old," in that Christians as such had heard it from the first; but "new" (Greek, kaine, rot 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 unrecognised, till the gospel came. 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

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"in Him and in you," not " in Him and you," implies that the love-commandment finds its realization separately: first it did so "in Him," and then it does so in us," in so far as we now "also walk even as He walked;" and yet it finds its realization also conjointly, by the two being united in one sentence, even as it is by virtue of the love-commandment having been first fulfilled in Him, that it is also now fulfilled in us, through His Spirit in us: cf. a similar case, John. 20. 17, "My Father and your Father:" by virtue of His being "My Father." He is also your Father. darkness is past-rather, as in ch. 2. 17, "Is passing away." It shall not be wholly "past" until "the Sun of righteousness" shall arise visibly: "the light is now shining" already, though but partially until the day bursts forth. 9-11. There is no mean between light and darkness, love and hatred, life and death, God and the world: wherever spiritual life is, however weak, there darkness and death no longer reign, and love supplants hatred; and Luke, 9. 50 holds good: wherever life is not, there death, darkness, the flesh, the world, and hatred, however glossed over and hidden from man's observation, prevail; and Luke, 11. 23 holds good. Where love is not, there hatred is; for the heart cannot remain a void." (BENGEL] in the light-as his proper element. his brother his neighbour, and especially those of the Christian brotherhood. The very title brother is a reason why love should be exercised. even until now-notwithstanding that "the true light already has begun to shine" (v. 8). 10. Abiding in love is abiding in the light; for the gospel light not only illumines the understanding, but warms the heart into love. none occasion of stumbling-In con

and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." "In him who loves there is neither blindness nor oc casion of stumbling [to himself]: in him who does not love, there is both blindness and occasion of stumbling. He who hates his brother, is both a stumbling block to himself, and stumbles against himself and every thing within and without: he who loves has an unimpeded path." (BENGEL] John has in mind Jesus' words. John, 11. 9, 10. ALFORD well says, "The light and the darkness are within ourselves; admitted into us by the eye, whose singleness fills the whole body with light." 11. is in darkness... waiketh-"is" marks his continuing STATE: he has never come out of "the (so Greek) darkness:" "walketh" marks his OUTWARD WALK and acts, whither-Greek, "where" including

Overcome the Devil's Anti-trinity,

1 JOHN, II.

the Lust of the Flesh, &c.

trast the mere physical strength of young men, Isaiah, 40, 30, 31. Oral teaching prepared these youths for the profitable use of the word when written. "Antichrist cannot endanger you (v. 18), nor Satan tear from you the word of God." the wicked one who, as "prince of this world," enthrals "the world" (v. 18-17; ch. 6. 19, Greek, "the wicked one"), especially the young Christ came to destroy this "prince of the world." Believers achieve the first grand conquest over him when they pass from darkness to light, but afterwards they need to maintain a continual keeping of themselves from his assaults, looking to God by whom alone they are kept safe. BENGEL thinks John refers specially to the remarkable constancy exhibited by youths in Domitian's persecution. Also to the young man whom John, after his return from Patmos, led with gentle, loving persuasion to repentance. This youth had been commended by John, in one of his tours of superintendency, as a promising disciple to the overseers of the church; he had been, therefore, carefully watched up to baptism. But afterwards relying too much on baptismal grace, he joined evil associates, and fell from step to step down, till he became a captain of robbers. When John, some years after, revisited that church, and heard of the youth's sad fall, he hastened to the retreat of the robbers, suffered himself to be seized and taken into the captain's presence. The youth, stung by conscience and the remembrance of former years, fled away from the venerable apostle. Full of love the aged father ran after him, called on him to take courage, and announced to him forgiveness of his sins in the name of Christ. The youth was recovered to the paths of Christianity, and was the means of inducing many of his bad associates to repeat and believe. [CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS, Quis dires salvus? c 4. 2: EUSEBIUS, Ecclesiastical History Book, 3. 20; CHRYSOSTOM, 1 Exhortation to THEODORE, 11.) 15. Love not the world-that lieth in the wicked one ch 5. 19), whom ye young men have overcome. Having once for all, through faith, overcome the world (ch. 4.E 5. 4), carry forward the conquest by not loving it "The world" here means "man, and man's world" [ALFORD), in his and its state as fallen from God.

not only the destination to which, but the way the Spirit" wielded in prayerful waiting on God. Conwhereby. hath blinded rather as Greek aorist, "blinded" of old. Darkness not only surrounds, but blinds him, and that a blindness of long standing. 12. little children-Greek, “little sons," or "dear sons and daughters: not the same Greek as in v. 13, "little children," "infants" (in age and standing). He calls ALL to whom he writes, "little sons" (ch. 2. 1, Greek: 2. 28; 3. 18; 4. 4; 5. 21); but only in v. 13 and 18 he uses the term "little children," or "infants." Our Lord, whose Spirit John so deeply drank into, used to His disciples (John, 13, 33) the term "little sons," or dear sons and daughters; but in John, 21. 6, "little children." It is an undesigned coincidence with the epistle here, that in John's gospel somewhat similarly the classification, "lambs, sheep, sheep," occurs. are forgiven-"have been, and are forgiven you:" ALL God's sons and daughters alike enjoy this privilege. 13. 14. All three classes are first addressed in the present, "I write," then in the past (aorist) tense, 1 wrote" (not "I have written;" moreover, in the oldest MSS. and versions, in the end of v.13, it is past, "I wrote," not as English Version, "I write"). Two classes, "fathers" and "young men," are addressed with the same words each time (except that the address to the young men has an addition expressing the source and means of their victory); but the "little sons" and "little children" are differently addressed. have known-and do know: so the Greek perfect means. The "I wrote" refers not to a former epistle, but to this epistle. It was an idiom to put the past tense, regarding the time from the reader's point of view; when he should receive the epistle the writing would be past. When he uses "I write," he speaks from his own point of view. him that is from the beginning-Christ: "that which was from the beginning." overcome-The fathers, appropriately to their age, are characterized by know ledge. The young men, appropriately to theirs, by activity in conflict. The fathers, too, have conquered; but now their active service is past, and they and the children alike are characterized by knowing (the fathers know Christ, "Him that was from the beginning;" the children know the Father). The first thing that the little children realize is that God is their Father; answering in the parallel clause to "little sons...your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake," the universal first privilege of all those really dear sons of God. Thus this latter clause includes all, whereas the former clause refers to those more especially who are in the first stage of spiritual life, "little children." Of course these can only know the Father as theirs through the Son (Matthew, 11. 27). It is beautiful to see how the fathers are characterized as reverting back to the first great truth of spiritual childhood, and the sum and ripest fruit of advanced experience, the knowledge of Him that was from the beginning (twice repeated, v. 13, 14). Many of them had probably known Jesus in person, as well as by faith. young men...strong-made so out of natural weakness, hence enabled to overcome "the strong man armed through Him that is "stronger." Faith is the victory that overcomes the world. This term "overcome" is peculiarly John's, adopted from his loved Lord. It occurs sixteen times in the Apocalypse, six times in the first epistle, only thrice in the rest of the New Testament. In order to overcome the world on the ground, and in the strength, of the blood of the Saviour, we must be willing, like Christ, to part with whatever of the world belongs to us: whence immediately after "ye have overcome the wicked one (the prince of the world)," it is added, "Love not the world, neither the things... in the world." and, &c. -the secret of the young men's strength: the gospel word, clothed with living power by the Spirit who abideth permanently in them; this is the sword of

God loved [with the love of compassion] the world." and we should feel the same kind of love for the fallen world; but we are not to love the world with congen ality and sympathy in its alienation from God, we cannot have this latter kind of love for the God estranged world, and yet have also "the love of the Father in" us. neither-Greek, "nor yet." A miss might deny in general that he loved the world, whilst keenly following some one of THE THINGS IN IT: IS riches, honours, or pleasures; this clause prevents him escaping from conviction. any man therefore the warning, though primarily addressed to the young, ap plies to all. love of-i.e., towards "the Father." The two, God and the (sinful) world, are so opposed, that both cannot be congenially loved at once. 16, all that is in the world-can be classed under one or other of the three; the world contains these and no more. lest of the flesh-i.e., the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this tempis tion the first on Christ: Luke, 4. 3, "Command this stone that it be made bread." Youth is especially liable to fleshly lusts. lust of the eyes- the avenue through which outward things of the world, riches, pomp, and beauty, inflame us. Satan tried this temp tation on Christ when he showed Him the kingdoms of the world in a moment. By the lust of the eyes David (2 Samuel, 11, 2) and Achan fell (Joshua, 1. Cf. David's prayer, Psalm 119. 37; Job's resolve, Psalm 31. 1; Matthew, 5. 28. The only good of worldly riches to the possessor is the beholding them with the Cf. Luke, 14. 18, "I must go and SEE it," Tide of lil

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The Many Antichrists,

1 JOHN, II.

and the One to Come.

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lit., arrogant assumption: vainglorious display. Pride No other New Testament writer uses the term. He was Satan's sin whereby he fell, and forms the link probably answers to "the little horn having the eyes between the two foes of man, the world (answering to of a man, and speaking great things" (Daniel, 7. 8. 201; the lust of the eyes) and the devil as the lust of the "the man of sin, son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians, flesh is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on 2.; "the beast ascending out of the bottomless pit" Christ in setting Him on the temple-pinnacle that, in (Revelation, 11. 7; 17. 8), or rather," the false prophet,' spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of the same as "the second beast coming up out of the His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The earth" (Revelation, 13. 11-18; 16. 13). 19. out from us— same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on from our Christian communion. Not necessarily a which the Divine seed falls: The wayside hearers, the formal secession or going out: thus Rome has spiritdevil; the thorns, the world; the rocky under-soil, the ually gone out, though formally still of the Christian flesh. The world's awful anti-trinity, the "lust of the Church. not of us-by spiritual fellowship (ch. 1. 3). flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," simi-"They are like bad humours in the body of Christ, the larly is presented in Satan's temptation of Eve: church: when they are vomited out, then the body "When she saw that the tree was good for food, is relieved; the body of Christ is now still under pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make treatment, and has not yet attained the perfect soundone wise" (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the ness which it shall have only at the resurrection." desire to know above what God has revealed, Colos-[AUGUSTINE, Ep. John, Tract, 3. 4.] they would...have sians, 2. 8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge). of continued-Implying the indefectibility of grace in the does not spring from "the Father" (used in rela-elect. "Where God's call is effectual, there will be tion to the preceding "little children," v. 12, or sure perseverance." (CALVIN.) Still it is no fatal "little sons"). He who is born of God alone turns to necessity, but a voluntary necessity" [DIDYMUS), God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the which causes men to remain, or else go from the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irre- body of Christ. "We are either among the members, concileably distinct. 17. the world-with all who are or else among the bad humours. It is of his own will of the world worldly. passeth away-Greek, "is pass that each is either an antichrist, or in Christ." ing away" even now. the lust thereof-in its threefold (AUGUSTINE.] Still God's actings in eternal election manifestation (v. 16). he that doeth the will of God-not harmonize in a way inexplicable to us, with man's free his own fleshly will, or the will of the world, but that agency and responsibility. It is men's own evil will of God (v. 3-6), especially in respect to love. abideth for that chooses the way to hell; it is God's free and soveever-even as God also abideth for ever" (with whom reign grace that draws any to Himself and to heaven. the godly is one; cf. Psalm 55. 19, "God, even He To God the latter shall ascribe wholly their salvation that abideth of old"): a true comment, which CYPRIAN from first to last the former shall reproach themselves & LUCIFER have added to the text without support of alone, and not God's decree, with their condemnaGreek MSS. In contrast to the three passing lusts of tion (ch. 3. 9; 5. 18). that they were not all of us-This the world, the doer of God's will has three abiding translation would imply that some of the antichrists are goods. riches, honour, and life" (Proverbs, 22. 4). of us! Translate, therefore, "That all (who are for a 18. Little children-Same Greek as v. 13: children in time among us) are not of us." Cf. 1 Corinthians, 11. age. After the fathers and young men were gone, "the 19, "There must be heresies among you, that they last time" with its "many antichrists" was about to which are approved may be made manifest among come suddenly on the children. "In this last hour we you." For "were" some of the oldest MSS. read all even still live." (BENGEL.] Each successive age "are." Such occasions test who are, and who are not, has had in it some of the signs of "the last time" which the Lord's people. 20 But-Greek, "And." He here precedes Christ's coming, in order to keep the church states the means which they as believers have wherein continual waiting for the Lord. The connexion with to withstand antichrists (v. 18), viz., the chrism with v. 15-17 is, There are coming those seducers who (so the Greek: a play upon similar sounds), or "anointare of the world (ch. 4. 5), and would tempt you to going unguent," viz., the Holy Spirit (more plainly menout from us (v. 19) and deny Christ (v. 22). as ye have tioned further on, as is John's style, ch. 3. 24; 4. 13; heard-from the apostles, preachers of the gospel (e.g., 5. 6), which they ("ye" is emphatical in contrast to 2 Thessalonians, 2. 3-10; and in the region of Ephesus, those apostates, v. 19) have "from the Holy One," Acts, 20. 29, 30). shall come-Greek, "cometh," viz., out Christ (John, 1. 33; 3. 34; 15. 26; 16. 14): **the righteous' of his own place. Antichrist is interpreted in two (v. 1), "pure" (ch. 3. 3), "the Holy One" (Acts, 3. 14) "of ways: a false Christ (Matthew, 24. 5, 24), lit., “instead God." Mark. 1. 24. Those anointed of God in Christ of Christ," or an adversary of Christ, lit., "against alone can resist those anointed with the spirit of Satan, Christ." As John never uses pseudo-Christ, or false antichrists, who would sever them from the Father Christ," for antichrist, it is plain he means an ad- and from the Son. Believers have the anointing Spirit versary of Christ, claiming to himself what belongs to from the Father also, as well as from the Son; even as Christ, and wishing to substitute himself for Christ as the Son is anointed therewith by the Father. Hence the supreme object of worship. He denies the Son, not the Spirit is the token that we are in the Father and in merely, like the pope, acts in the name of the Son. the Son; without it a man is none of Christ's. The 2 Thessalonians, 2. 4, "Who opposeth himself (Greek, material unguent of costliest ingredients, poured on ANTI-keimenos) [to] all that is called God," decides this. the head of priests and kings, typified this spiritual For God's great truth, "God is man," he would sub- unguent, derived from Christ, the Head, to us, His stitute his own lie, "man is God." [TRENCH.] are members. We can have no share in Him as Jesus. there-Greek, "there have begun to be;" there have except we become truly Christians, and so be in Him arisen. These "many antichrists" answer to the as Christ, anointed with that unction from the Holy spirit of lawlessness (Greek) doth already work." The One. The Spirit poured on Christ the Head, is by Him anti-Christian principle appeared then, as now, in evil diffused through all the members. "It appears that men and evil teachings and writings; but still "THE we all are the body of Christ, because we all are antichrist" means a hostile person, even as "THE anointed; and we all in Him are both Christ's and Christ" is a personal Saviour. As "cometh" is used Christ, because in some measure the whole Christ is of Christ, so here of antichrist, the embodiment in his Head and body." and therefore, ye know all things own person of all the anti-Christian features and spirit-needful for acting aright against antichrist's seducof those "many antichrists" which have been, and are, his forerunners. John uses the singular of him,

tions, and for Christian life and godliness. In the same measure as one hath the Spirit, in that measure

(no more and no less) he knows all these things. 21. because ye know it, and that, &c.-Ye not only know what is the truth (concerning the Son and the Father, v. 13), but also are able to detect a lie as a thing opposed to the truth. For right (a straight line) is the index of itself and of what is crooked. [ESTIUS.] The Greek is susceptible of ALFORD'S translation, "Because ye know it, and because no lie is of the truth" (lit., "every lie is excluded from being of the truth"). I therefore wrote (in this epistle) to point out what the lie is, and who the liars are. 22. a-Greek, "Who is the liar?" viz., guilty of the lie just mentioned (v. 21). that Jesus is the Christ-the grand central truth. this is antichrist-Greek, "the antichrist:" not however here personal, but in the abstract; the ideal of antichrist is "he that denieth the Father and the Son." To deny the latter is virtually to deny the former. Again, the truth as to the Son must be held in its integrity; to deny that Jesus is the Christ, or that He is the Son of God. or that He came in the flesh, invalidates the whole (Matthew, 11. 27). 23. Greek, "Every one who denieth the Son, hath not the Father either" (ch. 4. 2, 3); "inasmuch as God hath given Himself to us wholly to be enjoyed in Christ." [CALVIN.] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also- These words ought not to be in italics, as though they were not in the original; for the oldest Greek MSS. have them. hath-viz., in his abiding possession as his "portion:" by living personal "fellowship." acknowledgeth-by open confession of Christ. 24. Let that-truth respecting the Father and the Son, regarded as a seed not merely dropped in, but having taken root (ch. 3. 9). ye -In the Greek standing emphatically at the beginning of the sentence. YE, therefore, acknowledge the Son, and so shall ye have the Father also (v. 23). from the beginning-from the time of your first hearing the Fospel. remain-translate as before, "abide." ye alsoin your turn, as distinguished from "that which ye have heard," the seed abiding in you. Cf. v. 27, "the anointing abideth in you... ye shall abide in Him." Having taken into us the living seed of the truth concerning the Father and the Son, we become trans-tical, and have their being in being produced in being formed into the likeness of Him whose seed we have exercised; for when they have ceased to act, or an taken into us. 25. this is the promise - Eternal life only about to act, they have not even being." [ shall be the permanent consummation of thus abid- MENIUS.] "God is righteous, and therefore the sur ing in the Son and in the Father (v. 24). he-Greek, of righteousness: when then a man doeth righteous Himself," Christ. "the Son" (cf. ch. 1. 1). promised-ness, we know that the source of His righteousness i (John, 3. 15, 36; 6. 40, 47, 57; 17. 2, 3.) 26. These things God, that consequently he has acquired by new birth -(v. 18-25.) have I written-Resumed from v. 21 and 14. from God that righteousness which he had not br seduce you-i.e., are trying to seduce or lead you into ture. We argue from his doing righteousness, to b error. 27. But-Greek, "And you (contrasting the be- being born of God. The error of Pelagians is to ca lieving readers with the seducers: the words and you clude that doing righteousness is a condition of be stand prominent, the construction of the sentence fol-ing a child of God." (ALFORD most truly.] C. Laks lowing being altered, and no verb agreeing with and 7. 47, 60: Her much love evinced that her sins w you,' until need not')...the anointing." &c. (resumed already forgiven; not, were the condition of her from v. 20. received of him-(John, 1. 16.) So we "are being forgiven. unto God a sweet savour of Christ." abideth in youhe tacitly thus admonishes them to say, when tempted by seducers, "The anointing abideth in us: we do not Deed a teacher [for we have the Holy Spirit as our teacher, Jeremiah, 31. 34; John, 6. 45; 16. 13]: it teaches us the truth: in that teaching we will abide." [BENGEL.] and-and therefore. God is sufficient for them who are taught of Him: they are independent of "Mutual comall others, though, of course, not declining the Christian counsel of faithful ministers, munication is not set aside, but approved of, in the case of those who are partakers of the anointing in one body." (BENGEL] the same anointing-which ye once for all received, and which now still abides in you. of "c concerning." all things-essential to salvation: the point under discussion. Not that the believer is made infallible, for no believer here receives the Spirit in all its fulness, but only the measure needful for keep ing him from soul-destroying error.

Preparation for Christ's Coming. though having the Spirit in her, is not infallible for many fallible members can never make an infallible no lie-as anti-Christian teaching. ye shall whole), but is kept from ever wholly losing the saving truth. abide in him-(v. 24, end-even as "the anointing abideth in you." The oldest MSS, read the imperative, "Abide in Him." 28. little children-Greek, "little sons," as in v. 12: believers of every stage and age. abide in him-Christ. John repeats his monition with a loving appellation, as a father addressing dear children. when-lit., "if:" the uncertainty is not as to the fact, but the time, appear-Greek, "be manifested." we-both writer and readers. ashamed before him-lit., "from Him;" shrink back from Him ashamed. Contrast "boldness in the day of judgment," ch. 4. 17; cf. ch. 3. 21; 5. 14. In the apocalypse (written, therefore, BENGEL thinks, subsequently, Christ's com ing is represented as put off to a greater distance. 29. The heading of the second division of the epistle: God is righteous; therefore, every one that doeth righteousness is born of Him." Love is the grand fea ture and principle of "righteousness" selected for discussion, ch. 2. 29,-3. 3. If ye know...ye knowDistinct Greek verbs: "if ye are aware (are in possession of the knowledge)...ye discern or apprehend also that," &c. Ye are already aware that God ("He' includes both "the Father," of whom the believer u born [end of this verse, and ch. 3. 1], and "the So v. 1, 23) is righteous, ye must necessarily, thereby, per ceive also the consequence of that truth, viz., "that every one that doeth righteousness (and he alone; li.. HOLLAZ in the righteousness such as the righteous God approves is born of Him." The righteous produceth the righteous. We are never said to be born again of Christ. but of God, with whom Christ is one. ALFORD defines the righteousness of God, "It is the Divine energy by whose power God wills and does all things which are conformable to His eternal law, prescribes suitable laws to His creatures, fulfils Hi promises to men, rewards the good, and punishes the ungodly." doeth-"For the graces (virtues) are prac

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CHAPTER III. Ver. 1-24. DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF THE CE 1. Behold-Calling attention, as to s DREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE BES BROTHERLY LOVE THE ESSENCE OF TRUE R wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to EOUSNESS, mire. This verse is connected with the previous di 29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a men children: it does not save us, but is a proof that that God, of His matchless love, has adopted u are saved of His grace. what manner of-of what passing excellence, how gracious on His part, bo cious to us. love...bestowed-He does not say that hath given us some gift, but love itself and the fou of all honours, the heart itself, and that not for works or efforts, but of His grace. [LUTBRE "what manner of love:" resulting in, prove our being, &c. The immediate effect aimed at So the church, bestowal of this love is, "that we should be

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children of God." should be called-should have re- spiritual beings hereafter, as our natural bodies now ceived the privilege of such a glorious title (though do natural objects. 3. this hope-of being hereafter seeming so imaginary to the world), along with the "like Him." Faith and love, as well as hope, occur glorious reality. With God to call is to make really to | v. 11. 23. in-rather, "resting) upon Him:" grounded be. Who so great as God? What nearer relationship on His promises. purifieth himself-by Christ's Spirit than that of sons? The oldest MSS. add, "And we in him (John, 15. 5, end). "Thou purifiest thyself, ARE so" really, therefore-"on this account," because not of thyself, but of Him who comes that He may **we are (really) so." us-the children, like the Father. dwell in thee." [AUGUSTINE.] One's justification it knew him not-viz., the Father. "If they who regard through faith is presupposed. as he is pure-unsullied not God, hold thee in any account, feel alarmed about with any uncleanness. The Second Person, by whom thy state." [BENGEL.] Contrast ch. 6. 1. The world's both the law and gospel were given. 4. Sin is incomwhole course is one great act of non-recognition of God. patible with birth from God (v. 1-3). John often sets 2. Beloved-by the Father, and therefore by me. now forth the same truth negatively, which he had before In contrast to "not yet." We now already are really set forth positively. He had shown, birth from God sons, though unrecognised as such by the world, and involves self-purification; he now shows where sin, i.e., (as the consequence) we look for the visible mani- the want of self-purification, is, there is no birth from festation of our sonship, which not yet has taken place. God. Whosoever-Greek, "Every one who," &c. doth not yet appear-Greek, "it hath not yet (at any time, mitteth sin-In contrast to v. 3, "Every man that hath Greek aorist) been visibly manifested what we shall be" this hope in Him purifieth himself;" and v. 7, "He -what further glory we shall attain by virtue of this that doeth righteousness." transgresseth...the lawour sonship. The "what" suggests a something incon- Greek, "committeth transgression of law." God's law ceivably glorious. but-Omitted in the oldest MSS. of purity; and so shows he has no such hope of being Its insertion in English Version gives a wrong an-hereafter pure as God is pure, and, therefore, that he tithesis. It is not, "We do not yet know manifestly is not born of God. for-Greek, "and." siu is...transwhat, &c., but we know," &c. Believers have some gression of...law - definition of sin in general. The degree of the manifestation already, though the Greek having the article to both. implies that they are world has not. The connexion is, The manifestation convertible terms. The Greek "sin" (hamartia) is to the world of what we shall be, has not yet taken lit., a missing of the mark, God's will being that mark place: we know (in general: as a matter of well-assured to be ever aimed at. "By the law is the knowledge knowledge: so the Greek) that when (lit.."if:" express- of sin." The crookedness of a line is shown by being ing no doubt as to the fact, but only as to the time; brought into juxtaposition with a straight ruler. 5. also implying the coming preliminary fact, on which Additional proof of the incompatibility of sin and the consequence follows, Malachi, 1. 6; John, 14. 3) He sonship: the very object of Christ's manifestation in (not "it," viz., that which is not yet manifested [AL- the flesh was to take away (by one act, and entirely, FORD]) shall be manifested (v. 5; ch. 2. 28), we shall be aorist) all sins, as the scapegoat did typically. andlike Him (Christ: all sons have a substantial resem- Another proof of the same. in him is no sin-not blance to their father, and Christ, whom we shall be "was," but "is," as in v. 7," He is righteous," and v. 3, like, is "the express image of the Father's person," so "He is pure." Therefore we are to be so. 6. He that in resembling Christ, we shall resemble the Fa- reasons from Christ's own entire separation from sin. ther). We wait for the manifestation (lii., the apoca- that those in Him must also be separate from it. lypse: the same term as is applied to Christ's own abideth in him as the branch in the vine, by vital manifestation) of the sons of God. After our natural union living by His life. sinneth not-in so far as he birth, the new birth into the life of grace is needed, abides in Christ, so far is he free from all sin. The which is to be followed by the new birth into the life ideal of the Christian. The life of sin and the life of of glory: the two latter alike are termed "the re- God mutually exclude one another, just as darkness generation" (Matthew, 19. 28. The resurrection of our and light. In matter of fact, believers do fall into sins bodies is a kind of coming out of the womb of the (ch. 1. 8-10; 2. 1, 2,: but all such sius are alien from the earth, and being born into another life. Our first life of God, and need Christ's cleansing blood, without temptation was that we should be like God in know- application to which the life of God could not be ledge, and by that we fell; but being raised by Christ, maintained. He sinneth not so long as he abideth we become truly like Him, by knowing Him as we are in Christ. whosoever sinneth hath not seen him-Greek known, and by seeing Him as He is. [PEARSON, perfect, "has not seen, and does not see Him." Again Creed. As the first immortality which Adam lost was the ideal of Christian intuition and knowledge is preto be able not to die, so the last shall be not to be able sented (Matthew, 7. 23). All sin as such is at variance to die. As man's first free choice or will was to be with the notion of one regenerated. Not that "whoable not to sin, so our last shall be not to be able to soever is betrayed into sins has never seen, nor sin. [AUGUSTINE, Civit. Dei, B. 22, c. 30.] The devil known God," but in so far as sin exists, in that degree fell by aspiring to God's power; man, by aspiring to the spiritual intuition and knowledge of God do not His knowledge; but aspiring after God's goodness, we exist in him. neither-"not even." To see spiritually shall ever grow in His likeness. The transition from is a further step than to know; for by knowing we come God the Father to "He." "Him," referring to Christ to seeing by vivid realization and experimentally. 7, (who alone is ever said in Scripture to be manifested: 8. The same truth stated, with the addition that he who not the Father, John, 1. 18), implies the entire unity sins is, so far as he sins, "of the devil." let no man of the Father and the Son. for, &c.-Continual be- deceive you as antinomnians try to mislead men. holding generates likeness (2 Corinthians, 3. 18): as the righteousness - Greek, "the righteousness," viz., of face of the moon being always turned towards the Christ or God. he that doeth...is righteous-not his sun. reflects its light and glory. see him-not in His doing makes him righteous, but his being righteous innermost Godhead, but as manifested in Christ. None justified by the righteousness of God in Christ, Robut the pure can see the infinitely Pure One. In all mans, 10. 3-10) makes him to do righteousness: an inthese passages the Greek is the same verb, opsomai: version common in familiar language, logical in reality. not denoting the action of seeing, but the state of him though not in form, as in Luke. 7. 47: John, 8. 47. to whose eye or mind the object is presented; hence Works do not justify, but the justified man works. the Greek verb is always in the middle or reflexive voice. We infer from his doing righteousness that he is already to perceive and inwardly appreciate. [TITTMANN.] righteous (i.e., has the true and only principle of doing spiritual bodies will appreciate and recoguise righteousness, viz., faith, and is therefore born of God

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