Rightly to Know God 1 JOHN, II. is to Keep His Commandments, &c. It by the Shekinah glory above it, met His people, re- who loved us when enemies. So Jesus calls it "new," presented by the high priest who sprinkled the blood John, 13, 34, 35, "Love one another as I have loved of the sacrifice on it. and-Greek "yet." ours-be- you" (the new motive); 15. 12. which thing is true in lievers: not Jews, in contrast to Gentiles; for he is him and in you- "In Christ all things are always not writing to Jews (ch. 5. 21). also for the sins of true, and were so from the beginning; but in Christ the whole world - Christ's advocacy is limited to be- and in us conjointly the commandment [the love of lievers (v. 1; ch. 1. 7): His propitiation extends as brethren] is then true when we acknowledge the truth widely as sin extends: Note, 2 Peter, 2. 1, "Denying the which is in Him, and have the same flourishing in us.' Lord that bought them." "The whole world" cannot [BENGEL.] ALFORD explains, "Which thing (the fact be restricted to the believing portion of the world (cf. that the commandment is a new one) is true in Him ch. 4. 14; and "the whole world, ch. 5. 19). "Thou, and in you, because the darkness is passing away. too, art part of the world, so that thine heart cannot and the true light is now shining, i.e., the commanddeceive itself and think, The Lord died for Peter and ment is a new one, and this is true both in the case of Paul, but not for me." [LUTHER.] 3. hereby-Greek, Christ and in the case of you; because in you the "in this." "It is herein, and herein only, that we darkness is passing away, and in Him the true light know (present) that we have knowledge of (perfect: is shining; therefore, on both accounts, the command once-for-all obtained and continuing knowledge of) is a new one : new as regards you, because you are Him (v. 4, 13, 14). Tokens whereby to discern grace newly come from darkness into light; new as regards are frequently given in this epistle. The Gnostics, by Him, because He uttered it when He came into the the Spirit's prescient forewarning, are refuted, who world to lighten every man, and began that shining boasted of knowledge, but set aside obedience. "Know which even now continues. I prefer, as BENGEL, to Him," viz., as" the righteous” (v. 1, 29): our "Advocate explain, The new commandment finds its truth in its and Intercessor." keep-John's favourite word, instead practical realization in the walk of Christians in union of do, lit., to watch, guard, and keep safe as a precious with Christ. Cf. the use of "verily," v. 5. John, 4. 42, 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 "in Him and in you," not" in Him and you," implies willing subjection to, God's whole revealed will, is that the love-commandment finds its realization separmeant. commandments—injunctions of faith, love, and ately: first it did so "in Him," and then it does so in obedience. John never uses "the law" to express the us," in so far as we now "also walk even as He walkrule of Christian obedience: he uses it as to the ed;" and yet it finds its realization also conjointly, by Mosaic law. 4. I know - Greek, "I have knowledge the two being united in one sentence, even as it is by of Perfect) Him." Cf. with this verse ch. 1. 8. 5. Not virtue of the love-commandment having been first fulmerely repeating the proposition, v. 3, or asserting the filled in Him, that it is also now fulfilled in us, merely opposite alternative to v. 4, but expanding the through His Spirit in us: cf. a similar case, John. 20. "know Him" of v. 3, into "in Him, verily (not as a 17, "My Father and your Father:" by virtue of His matter of vain boasting) is the love of (ie., towards) being "My Father," He is also your Father. darkness God perfected," and "we are in Him." Love here is past-rather, as in ch. 2. 17, "Is passing away." answers to knowledge in n. 3. In proportion as we shall not be wholly "past" until "the Sun of rightlove God, in that same proportion we know Him, and eousness" shall arise visibly: "the light is now shining" vice versa, until our love and knowledge shall attain already, though but partially until the day bursts their full maturity of perfection. his word-His word forth. 9-11. There is no mean between light and darkis one Note, ch. 1. 5), and comprises His "command- ness, love and hatred, life and death, God and the ments," which are many (v. 3). hereby-in our progress world: wherever spiritual life is, however weak, there ing towards this ideal of perfected love and obedi- darkness and death no longer reign, and love supplants ence. There is agradation: v. 3, "know Him;" v. 5," we | hatred; and Luke, 9. 50 holds good: wherever life is are in Him;" v. 6, "abideth in Him:" respectively, not, there death, darkness, the flesh, the world, and knowledge, fellowship, abiding constancy. [BENGEL.] hatred, however glossed over and hidden from man's 6. abideth-Implying a condition lasting, without in- observation, prevail; and Luke, 11. 23 holds good. termission, and without end. He that saith...ought-so" Where love is not, there hatred is; for the heart canthat his deeds may be consistent with his words. even not remain a void." (BENGEL.] in the light-as his as he-believers readily supply the name, their hearts proper element. his brother his neighbour, and being full of Him (cf. John, 20. 15). "Even as He walk- especially those of the Christian brotherhood. The ed" when on earth, especially in respect to love. John very title brother is a reason why love should be exdelights in referring to Christ as the model man, with ercised. even until now-notwithstanding that "the the words, "Even as He," &c. "It is not Christ's true light already has begun to shine" (v. 8). 10. Abidwalking on the sea, but His ordinary walk, that we ing in love is abiding in the light; for the gospel light are called on to imitate." (LUTHER.] 7. Brethren- not only illumines the understanding, but warms the The oldest MSS. and versions read instead," Beloved," heart into love. none occasion of stumbling-In conappropriate 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 and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither Christ walked (v. 6), and that commandment, of which he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." one exemplification is presently given, v. 9, 10, the love "In him who loves there is neither blindness nor oc of brethren, ye had from the beginning-from the time casion of stumbling [to himself]: in him who does not that ye first heard the gospel word preached. 8. a new love, there is both blindness and occasion of stumbling. commandment-it was "old," in that Christians as such He who hates his brother, is both a stumbling block to had heard it from the first; but "new" (Greek, kaine, himself, and stumbles against himself and every thing Dot nea: new and different from the old legal precept), in within and without: he who loves has an unimpeded that it was first clearly promulgated with Christianity: path." (BENGEL] John has in mind Jesus' words. though the inner spirit of the law was love even to John, 11. 9, 10. ALFORD well says, "The light and enemies, yet it was enveloped in some bitter precepts the darkness are within ourselves; admitted into us which caused it to be temporarily almost unrecognised, by the eye, whose singleness fills the whole body with till the gospel came. Christianity first put love to light." 11, is in darkness...walketh-"is" marks his brethren on the new and highest MOTIVE, instinctive cortinuing STATE: he has never come out of "the (so love to Him who first loved us, constraining us to love Greek) darkness:" "walketh" marks his OUTWARD all, even enemies, thereby walking in the steps of Him WALK and acts. whither-Greek,, "where" including not only the destination to which, but the way whereby. 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. "I 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 knowledge. 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 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 faith. the Lust of the Flesh, dr. the Spirit" wielded in prayerful waiting on God. Contrast 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. 15-17; 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. 4.4 6. 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 Gol "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 congeni 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." Á man 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. auy 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. last of the flesh-i.e., the lust which has its seat and source in our lower animal nature. Satan tried this templa 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, rich, 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, 7. 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 9. Cf. Luke, 14, 18, "I must go and SEE it," Tide of The Many Antichrists, 1 JOHN, II. and the One to Come. No other New Testament writer uses the term. He probably answers to "the little horn having the eyes of a man, and speaking great things" (Daniel, 7. 8. 20); "the man of sin, son of perdition" (2 Thessalonians, 2.); "the beast ascending out of the bottomless pit" (Revelation, 11. 7; 17. 8), or rather," the false prophet,' the same as "the second beast coming up out of the earth" (Revelation, 13. 11-18; 16. 13). 19. out from usfrom our Christian communion. Not necessarily a formal secession or going out: thus Rome has spiritually gone out, though formally still of the Christian Church. not of us- by spiritual fellowship (ch. 1. 3). church: when they are vomited out, then the body is relieved; the body of Christ is now still under treatment, and has not yet attained the perfect soundness which it shall have only at the resurrection." [AUGUSTINE, Ep. John, Tract, 3. 4.] they would...have continued-Implying the indefectibility of grace in the elect. "Where God's call is effectual, there will be sure perseverance." [CALVIN.) Still it is no fatal necessity, but a "voluntary necessity" [DIDYMUS), which causes men to remain, or else go from the body of Christ. "We are either among the members, or else among the bad humours. It is of his own will that each is either an antichrist, or in Christ." (AUGUSTINE.] Still God's actings in eternal election harmonize in a way inexplicable to us, with man's free agency and responsibility. It is men's own evil will that chooses the way to hell; it is God's free and sovereign grace that draws any to Himself and to heaven. To God the latter shall ascribe wholly their salvation from first to last the former shall reproach themselves alone, and not God's decree, with their condemnation (ch. 3. 9; 6. 18). that they were not all of us-This translation would imply that some of the antichrists are of us! Translate, therefore, "That all who are for a time among us) are not of us." Cf. 1 Corinthians, 11. 19, "There must be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you." For "were" some of the oldest MSS. read "are." Such occasions test who are, and who are not, the Lord's people. 20 But-Greek, "And." He here states the means which they as believers have wherewith to withstand antichrists (v. 18), viz., the chrism (so the Greek: a play upon similar sounds), or "anoint lit,, arrogant assumption: vainglorious display. Pride was Satan's sin whereby he fell, and forms the link between the two foes of man, the world (answering to the lust of the eyes) and the devil as the lust of the flesh is the third foe). Satan tried this temptation on Christ in setting Him on the temple-pinnacle that, in spiritual pride and presumption, on the ground of His Father's care, He should cast Himself down. The same three foes appear in the three classes of soil on which the Divine seed falls: The wayside hearers, the devil; the thorns, the world; the rocky under-soil, the flesh. The world's awful anti-trinity, the “lust of the 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: "When she saw that the tree was good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise" (one manifestation of "the pride of life," the desire to know above what God has revealed, Colossians, 2. 8, the pride of unsanctified knowledge). of does not spring from "the Father" (used in relation to the preceding "little children," v. 12, or "little sons"). He who is born of God alone turns to God; he who is of the world turns to the world; the sources of love to God and love to the world, are irreconcileably distinct. 17. the world-with all who are of the world worldly. passeth away-Greek, "is pass ing away" even now. the lust thereof-in its threefold manifestation (v. 16). he that doeth the will of God-not his own fleshly will, or the will of the world, but that of God (v. 3-6), especially in respect to love. abideth for ever-even as God also abideth for ever" (with whom the godly is one; cf. Psalm 55. 19, "God, even He that abideth of old"): a true comment, which CYPRIAN & LUCIFER have added to the text without support of Greek MSS. In contrast to the three passing lusts of the world, the doer of God's will has three abiding goods, "riches, honour, and life" (Proverbs, 22. 4). 18. Little children-Same Greek as v. 13: children in age. After the fathers and young men were gone, "the last time" with its "many antichrists" was about to come suddenly on the children. "In this last hour we all even still live." [BENGEL.] Each successive age has had in it some of the signs of "the last time" which precedes Christ's coming, in order to keep the church in continual waiting for the Lord. The connexion with v. 15-17 is, There are coming those seducers who are 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 heard-from the apostles, preachers of the gospel (e.g., 2 Thessalonians, 2. 3-10; and in the region of Ephesus, Acts, 20. 20, 30). shall come-Greek," cometh," viz., out of his own place. Antichrist is interpreted in two ways: a false Christ (Matthew, 24. 5, 24), lit., “instead of Christ," or an adversary of Christ, lit., "against Christ." As John never uses pseudo-Christ, or "false Christ," for antichrist, it is plain he means an adversary of Christ, claiming to himself what belongs to Christ, and wishing to substitute himself for Christ as the supreme object of worship. He denies the Son, not merely, like the pope, acts in the name of the Son. 2 Thessalonians, 2. 4, "Who opposeth himself (Greek, ANTI-keimenos) [to] all that is called God," decides this. For God's great truth, "God is man," he would substitute his own lie, "man is God." (TRENCH.] are there-Greek, "there have begun to be;" there have arisen. These "many antichrists" answer to "the spirit of lawlessness (Greek) doth already work." The anti-Christian principle appeared then, as now, in evil men and evil teachings and writings; but still "THE antichrist" means a hostile person, even as "THE Christ" is a personal Saviour. As "cometh" is used of Christ, so here of antichrist, the embodiment in his 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, tioned further on, as is John's style, ch. 3. 24; 4. 13; tions, and for Christian life and godliness. In the same measure as one hath the Spirit, in that measure The Anointing in Believers is the 1 JOHN, IIL Preparation for Christ's Coming. though having the Spirit in her, is not infallible for many fallible members can never make an infallible whole, but is kept from ever wholly losing the saving truth. no lie-as anti-Christian teaching. ye shall 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 moni tion 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 manífested." 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. £9. 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 pos session 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; hi-, the righteousness such as the righteous God approves is born of Him." The righteous produceth the righ eous. We are never said to be born again of Christ. but of God, with whom Christ is one. HOLLAZ 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 is 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 (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 Greck 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 Greck 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 bei formed into the likeness of Him whose seed we have exercised); for when they have ceased to act, or ar taken into us. 25. this is the promise Eternal life only about to act, they have not even being." [Œ4shall be the permanent consummation of thus abid- MENIUS.] "God is righteous, and therefore the scar 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 (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 by a seduce you-i.e., are trying to seduce or lead you into ture. We argue from his doing righteousness, to be error. 27. But-Greek, "And you (contrasting the be- being born of God. The error of Pelagians is to co lieving readers with the seducers: the words and you clude that doing righteousness is a condition of beca stand prominent, the construction of the sentence fol-ing a child of God." (ALFORD most truly.) C. Lal lowing being altered, and no verb agreeing with and 7. 47, 60: Her much love evinced that her sins you,' until need not')...the anointing." &c. (resumed already forgiven; not, were the condition of her si 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 all others, though, of course, not declining the Christian counsel of faithful ministers, "Mutual communication 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-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. So the church, CHAPTER III. Ver. 1-24. DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF THE CP DREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DE BROTHERLY LOVE THE ESSENCE OF TRUE Riber EOUSNESS, 1. Behold-Calling attention, as to s wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to mire. This verse is connected with the previous di 29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a mere that God, of His matchless love, has adopted w children: it does not save us, but is a proof that are saved of His grace. what manner of of whai ( passing excellence, how gracious on His part, bos p cious to us. love...bestowed-He does not say that t hath given us some gift, but love itself and the founia! of all honours, the heart itself, and that not f works or efforts, but of His grace. [LUTHER "what manner of love:" resulting in, proveć is our being, &c. The immediate effect aimed at s bestowal of this love is, "that we should be Our Present Privileges and 1 JOHN, III. Future Hope as Sons of God. com 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 80" 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, "aud." sin 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 sins 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-Greck 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 san. [AUGUSTINE, Civit. Dei, B. 22, c. 30.] The devil known God," but in so far as sin exists, in that degree ell 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 hall ever grow in His likeness. The transition from is a further step than to know; for by knowing we come od 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 ot the Father, John, 1. 18), implies the entire unity sins is, so far as he sins, "of the devil." let no man f the Father and the Son. for, &c.-Continual be- deceive you as antinomians try to mislead men. olding generates likeness (2 Corinthians, 3. 18): as the righteousness - Greek, "the righteousness," viz., of of the moon being always turned towards the Christ or God. he that doeth...is righteous-not his an. reflects its light and glory. see him-not in His doing makes him righteous, but his being righteous inermost Godhead, but as manifested in Christ. None justified by the righteousness of God in Christ, Roat the pure can see the infinitely Pure One. In all mans, 10. 3-10) makes him to do righteousness: an inese passages the Greek is the same verb, opsomai: version common in familiar language, logical in reality. at denoting the action of seeing, but the state of him though not in form, as in Luke, 7. 47: John, 8. 47. hose eye or mind the object is presented; hence Works do not justify, but the justified man works. e Greek verb is always in the middle or reflexive voice. We infer from his doing righteousness that he is already perceive and inwardly appreciate. [TITTMANN.] righteous (i.e., has the true and only principle of doing spiritual bodies will appreciate and recognise righteousness, viz., faith, and is therefore born of God |