Theme: The advocacy (support) of Christ; how the dear children may have fellowship with each other; the “dear children” must not love the World.
Text: 1 John-CH. 2 (KJV)
King James Bible
Jesus is Our Advocate
1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. 6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
A New Command
7Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
12I write unto you, little children because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. 13I 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. 14I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
Do Not Love the World
15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
Beware of Antichrists
18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. 20But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. 22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. 24Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
26These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. 27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
Continue in Him
28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. 29If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
INTRODUCTION
Chapter 2 continues John’s focus on fellowship with God through five significant points.
First, fellowship includes following Christ as our advocate (1 John 2:1–6). John does not want believers to sin (1 John 2:1). However, if and when they do, he wants them to know there is an advocate: Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1). Christ covered the sins of all the world (1 John 2:2). Those who keep His commandments are demonstrating that they genuinely know Christ (1 John 2:3). Those who do not keep His commands, but say they have fellowship with Him, are liars (1 John 2:4). Those who walk in Christ, as Christ walked, give evidence that they are “in” Him (1 John 2:5–6).
Second, believers are commanded to love one another (1 John 2:7–14). This was not a new commandment (1 John 2:7) but one given from the beginning by Christ. Hate for one’s spiritual brother or sister is incompatible with fellowship with Christ (1 John 2:9). Love is often defined as the single most crucial sign which the world uses to identify a Christian. Those who love their fellow brother show they are “in the light” (1 John 2:10). John’s writing includes an important poetic section in verses 12–14.
Third, believers are not to love the world (1 John 2:15–17). This refers to those who prefer worldly, non-spiritual things to holy things. “The world” is a phrase often used to refer to humankind's sinful, material attitudes. Those who love the world more than Christ prove that the love of the Father is not in them (1 John 2:15). Such attitudes are not from the Father but the world (1 John 2:16).
Fourth, John calls his time the “last hour” (2:18). Believers are warned against teachings of “antichrists,” or false teachers (2:18–27). These liars deny Jesus is the Christ (1 John 2:22).
Fifth, believers are called to remember their position as children of God (1 John 2:28–29). They are to abide in Him so they will not be ashamed when He returns (1 John 2:28). Those who do what is righteous, or right, are said to be born “of Him” (1 John 2:29).
COMMENTARY
1. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
What does John mean by the phrase “my little children?” He is not talking about children at all; He is referring to either (1) new Christians-those recently saved who may know very little about the Bible, Bible doctrine, history, instructions, and law, etc. or (2) those who are saved and are true Christians, but have never yet experienced spiritual growth in their faith, Bible knowledge, tithing, witnessing, etc.
John begins by explaining why he is writing his letter. His goal is for the readers’ maturity. However, John realized believers are still capable of sin. He makes this clear but also notes that we have hope when this occurs. This is an excellent message of reassurance for Christians.
This hope in times of sin is through Jesus Christ, who serves as our advocate (Support) with the Father. Here, John refers to Jesus as “the righteous.” The Greek word translated “advocate” is parakleton, which is also used in the Gospel of John as a reference to the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). This word means one who pleads a case on someone else’s behalf or a close, helpful advisor.
In this verse, Jesus is called “advocate;” He is “with” God the Father; He is the “Christ,” meaning “Anointed One,” and He is “the righteous” one. John heavily emphasizes the greatness of Jesus. He also highlights the sufficiency of Christ over sin and His role as an advocate on our behalf before the Father. Other New Testament passages, such as Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25, also describe Jesus as an advocate for believers.
Note that in 1 John 2:2, Jesus is described as the one who pays our debt of sin. Not only does He speak to God on our behalf, He also covers the cost of our sins.
2. And he is the propitiation1 for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Note 1 gives two close synonyms for the term “propitiation” as conciliation and appeasement. Christ is the propitiation, mercy seat, the meeting place between God and man. Here in 1 John, propitiation means “an atonement or an expiation2.” It means that sins have been paid for by the suffering of Another. Christ is my advocate, interceding for me, and He is the propitiation.
And he is the propitiation1 for our sins:
The word rendered “propitiation” occurs nowhere else in the New Testament, except in 1 John 4:10 of this Epistle. The corresponding word ???ast?´???? hilaste¯rion occurs in Romans 3:25, where it rendered “propitiation” - “whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood;” and in Hebrews 9:5, where it is rendered mercy-seat - “shadowing the mercy-seat.”
The proper meaning of the word is reconciling, appeasing, turning away anger, rendering propitious or favorable. The idea is that there is anger or wrath, or that something has been done to offend, and that it is needful to turn away that wrath or appease. This may be done by a sacrifice, songs, services rendered, or bloody offerings.
So the word is often used in Homer - Passow. We have similar words in everyday use, as when we say of one, he has been offended and that something must be done to appease him or turn away his wrath. This is commonly done with us by making restitution, acknowledging, or yielding the point in controversy, or by an expression of regret, or by different conduct in the future. However, this idea must not be applied too literally to God, nor should it be explained away. The essential thoughts regarding Him, as implied in this word, are:
(1)That His will has been disregarded, and His law violated, and that He has reason to be offended by us;
(2)That in that condition He cannot, consistently with His perfections, and the good of the universe, treat us as if we had not done it;
(3)That it is proper that, in some way, he should show his displeasure at our conduct, either by punishing us, or by something that shall answer the same purpose; and,
(4)That the means of propitiation come in here, and accomplish this end, and make it proper that He should treat us as if we had not sinned; that is, He is reconciled or appeased, and His anger is turned away.
The death of the Lord Jesus accomplished this by attaining what would be accomplished by the offender’s punishment in the most significant respects. To understand what is accomplished, it is necessary to observe two things - what is not done and what is.
I. certain things do not enter into the idea of propitiation. They are such as these:
I. That does not change the fact that the wrong was done. That is a fact which cannot be denied, and he who undertakes to make propitiation for sin does not deny it either.
1. It does not change God; it does not make Him a different being from what He was before; it does not buy Him over to a willingness to show mercy; it does not change an offended God to one who is compassionate and kind.
2. The offering made to secure reconciliation does not necessarily produce a resolution; in fact, it may only prepare the way for it on the part of God, but whether they for whom it is made will be disposed to accept it is another question.
The apostle’s idea in the passage before us is that when we sin, we may be assured that this has been done and that pardon may now be freely extended to us.
And not for our’s only,
Not only for the sins of us who are Christians, for the apostle was writing to other Christians. The idea which he intends to convey seems to be that when we come before God, we should take the most liberal and extensive views of the atonement; we should feel that the amplest provision has been made for our pardon and that in no respect is there any limit as to the sufficiency of that work to remove all sin. It is sufficient for us; sufficient for all the world.
But also for the sins of the whole world.
The phrase “the sins of” is not in the original but is not improperly supplied, for the connection demands it. This is one of the expressions occurring in the New Testament that demonstrate that the atonement was made for all people, which cannot be reconciled with any other opinion. If he had died only for a part of the race, this language could not have been used. The phrase, “the whole world,” is one which naturally embraces all people; is such as would be used if it is supposed that the apostle meant to teach that Christ died for all people, and is such as cannot be explained on any other supposition. If he died only for the elect, it is not true that he is the “propitiation for the sins of the whole world” in any proper sense, nor would it be possible to assign a sense in which it could be true. This passage, interpreted in its plain and obvious meaning, teaches the following things:
(1)That the atonement in its nature is adapted to all people, or that it is as much fitted to one individual, or one class, as another;
(2)That it is sufficient in merit for all; that is, that if any more were saved than actually will be, there would be no need of any additional suffering in order to save them;
(3)That it has no special adaptedness to one person or class more than another; that is, that in its nature, it did not render the salvation of one easier than that of another.
It so magnified the law, so honored God, so fully expressed the divine sense of the evil of sin in respect to all people, that the offer of salvation might be made as freely to one as to another, and that any and all might take shelter under it and be safe. Whether, however, God might not, for wise reasons, resolve that its benefits should be applied to a part only is another question and one which does not affect the inquiry about the basic nature of the atonement.
Here are two simple arguments from the context which prove that 1 John 2:2’s reference to the “whole world” cannot refer to absolutely everybody, including the reprobate.
First, the word “propitiation” refers to turning away from God’s wrath by being borne by Christ the substitute. If the Lord Jesus bore God’s wrath for everybody, then nobody can go to hell, for their punishment has already been borne for them by Him. Nevertheless, the reprobate wicked do perish everlastingly; therefore, Christ is not the propitiation for the sins of everyone.
Second, Christ is our “advocate with the Father” (2:1). Indeed, He is a perfect advocate who wins all His cases and never loses even one case! His intercession with the Father is entirely successful and always attains its end! This is precisely what Scripture teaches (John 11:41-42; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).
Note that 1 John 2:1-2 links Christ’s atonement and His intercession: “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins.” When Christ enters the presence of the Father to plead for His people, He does so based on His accomplished redemption (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25-28; 9:24-26).
These two things (atonement and intercession) are the two aspects of His priestly office, for a priest offers a sacrifice to God and prays to Him based on the sacrifice. However, Christ does not intercede for everybody, as He expressly declared, “I pray not for the world” (John 17:9). This is also evident for, if the Lord did, all would be saved, for God always answers His prayers, as Christ Himself stated, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always” (John 11:41-42). Since Christ does not pray for everybody, He is not the propitiation for everybody.
3. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
John continues his emphasis on obedience as evidence of fellowship with Christ. He raises the stakes by stating that those who defy God’s commandments while claiming to know Him are liars. John has referred to liars already in this letter (1 John 1:10) and will repeat this theme several times. Only a liar says he has not sinned or says he knows God while failing to keep His commandments. Only a liar denies Jesus is Christ (1 John 2:22) or says he loves God but hates his brother (1 John 4:20). The other, more immediate level of this “knowledge” is in fellowship with God. Even in an existing parent-child relationship, the level of fellowship depends on obedience and communication. A lack of communication does not prove that there is no relationship, but it is certainly not how things “ought” to be (1 John 2:6). A person who has put trusting faith in Christ is expected to obey (1 John 2:5), but whether or not they do is still up to them.
Critical to understanding this passage is the connection between “knowing” and “keeping,” as seen in the Old Testament. The Jewish people were called to show their belief in God through obedience to the Mosaic Law. Even during that time, obedience was the result of faith, not the object of faith. Hebrews chapter 11 offers clear evidence of those godly people throughout the Old Testament who lived by faith, obeyed the Lord, and recognized it. Faith was, and is, essential to knowing the Lord.
As a result, this reference to truth has been interpreted to include “what is correct,” as well as the presence of Christ Himself. First John 5:6 calls the Holy Spirit truth: “the Spirit is the truth.” A person who claims to know God, but does not live like it, reveals he is a liar and does not have the truth in him. In its immediate context, John is referring to our fellowship relationship with God. In a broader sense, this is often interpreted as an indicator that those who live in defiance of Christ’s commandments give evidence that they do not “know” Him—at all.
Given the context of 1 John and the rest of Scripture, this cannot refer to any instance of sin. All believers still sin. Even hatred for one’s brother is possible for a Christian (1 John 2:10). Instead, this points towards those who claim to walk with God but do not. Whether or not such people have come to Christ is between them and God, but their actions show they are not “walking with” God. For that reason, this verse has alternately been interpreted as a reference to fellowship with God, without implications of false conversion. Since Christians still can choose sin, a Christian can choose wrong actions over right actions
The implications of this have to be taken seriously. In John’s Gospel, Jesus called Satan a liar (John 8:44). He referred to hostile, unbelieving religious leaders as liars (John 8:55). In Revelation 21:8, the “second death” of the lake of fire is the destiny of all liars. John says that those who claim to know God but do not obey Him are liars and do not have the truth in them. Truth is used eight times throughout 1 John (1 John 1:6, 8; 2:4, 21; 3:18, 19; 4:6; 5:6).
4. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
He that saith, I know him, (God or Christ”), and keepeth not his commandments,
“Knowing Him” really is, having fellowship with Him (Jesus Christ), just as not keeping His commandments is the same as walking in darkness. He must have lost the very power of recognizing truth to maintain that he knows Christ when he habitually transgresses his commands. It is no great thing to know Christ as the devils do, who “believe and tremble.”
“He that saith I know him,” God or Christ, as the Gnostics did, who pretended to have perfect knowledge of divine things and yet, did not keep His commandments; which the above persons had no regard for, and there are many today who profess great light and knowledge, but show no concern for the things of God.
Is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
He is a liar, for he contradicts what he says and attempts to cover it up with even more lies, for though in words he professes to know God, in works he denies Him, which betrays his ignorance of Him.
He states that He is privy to the truth though it is not in him; there is no actual knowledge of God and Christ in him; nor is the truth of the Gospel in his heart, however it may be in his head; nor is the truth of grace in him, for each of these lead persons to obedience. The Ethiopic version renders it, “the truth of God is not with him”; John says, “This is a hypothetical case, if there is such a man, he is a liar, and has no idea of what is the actual truth.”
5. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
By the phrase, “But whoso keepeth his word, ”he means one or more of the following four things:
i) The words of the Gospel and the truths they contain. The word is not a lie or vain boasting. His word has a broader expression than ‘His commandments’, covering the total revelation of God’s will: comp. 1 John 2:14. Thus Christ says, ‘He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me’ (John 14:21).
ii) The precepts (the precepts are many; the word is one.) and ordinances of the word.
iii) The one who receives the Gospel message in love cordially embraces and retains it and will by no means part with it but holds it fast and stands fast in it. Thus Christ says, ‘He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me’ (John 14:21).
iv) Those who love the Gospel and esteem it above fine gold,
in him verily is the love of God perfected3:
The “love” he speaks of here is not the love with which God loves Peter, for that is perfect in itself, and there are no degrees of His love (more or less in his heart), and it is entirely independent of the obedience of men, or any works of theirs. It is indeed true of the manifestations of His love for the saints that it is imperfect. However, more extraordinary manifestations of love are promised for those that love Christ and keep His commandments (John 14:21). But here it is to be understood not actively, but passively, of the love wherewith God is loved by his people. He does not intend the absolute perfection of it in them, in whom it often waxes cold and is left, or the enthusiasm for it has declined, but the sincerity and reality of it has not.
Nevertheless, some men strive to keep the word of God, both His truths and His ordinances. It is clearly seen that their love for Him is without suppression and is not in tongue only but deed and truth. It is not the keeping of the word of God that causes this love, or makes it perfect or sincere, for it is a fruit of the spirit, and is a product of the grace of God; but love, on the other hand, is the cause of keeping of the word; and the latter being a consequent and an effect of the former, is the evidence of it, of the truth and sincerity of it.
Hereby know we that we are in him.
In our progressing towards this ideal of perfected love and obedience, we know that we are “in him”: in Christ, not merely nominally, or by profession, as are all that name the name of Christ, and are in a Gospel church state, may be said to be; but really, first secretly, through the love of Christ, the election of God, and the covenant of grace, and then openly, in conversion and the effectual calling, through believing in Christ, when the saints appear to be in him as branches in the vine; and which is known by their fruits, as here, by keeping the word, and doing the commandments of Christ, which do not put a man into Christ, but only show that he is there; for a man’s being in Christ is owing to the grace of God; this is the first thing done in grace, 1 Corinthians 1:30.
6. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Since God is light, it follows that a Christian cannot truthfully claim that he has communion with Him while living in the darkness. As John warned, if we claim to have fellowship with Him, yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live with the truth. As does every perceptive pastor, John knew that Christians sometimes do feign spirituality while engaging in acts of disobedience. The Apostle Paul had to deal with a case of incest in the Christian assembly (1 Cor. 5:1-5) and laid down a list of sins for which church members should come under church discipline (1 Cor. 5:9-13). Spurious claims of fellowship with God have been a tragic reality throughout the history of the Church.
7. Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.
“Brethren, I write no new commandment” —There seems to be a contradiction between this and the next verse. However, the apostle appears to speak, not so much of any difference in the spirit of the precept itself, as he does about the degrees of light and grace belonging to the Mosaic and Christian dispensations. It was always the command of God that men should receive His light, walk by that light, and love him and one another. However, this commandment was renewed by Christ with much more latitude and spirituality of meaning; and also with much additional light to see its enormity, 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 vital addition to the meaning of “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye shall love the brethren so as to lay down your lives for each other” (John 13:34).
8. “Again, a new commandment (v. 7) I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.”
“I write no new commandment” (v. 7); ministers must avoid all suspicion and pretention of newness in their doctrine, except for an old commandment Concerning holiness of life and loving one another, which ye had from the beginning; which was given to your fathers at the first forming of your commonwealth, Leviticus 19:18. The old commandment is the Word; the doctrine of the gospel also; which ye have heard from the beginning; which was delivered at the first publication thereof, and has been insisted upon ever since, (Matthew 5:43; John 15:12). Again, a new commandment I write unto you, namely, about your loving one another; a commandment which is true in Him and in you. It was exemplified in Him and is now fulfilled by you, in such a manner that it never was before. “The new commandment, of which the apostle speaks, is that contained in 1 John 2:6. That Christ’s disciples ought to walk even as he walked; and in particular that, as Christ laid down his life for his people, they ought to lay down their lives for one another ( 1 John 3:16). Thus, to walk as Christ walked, the apostle John, with great propriety, termed a new commandment, because, notwithstanding the precept to love one another was strongly commanded in the law of Moses, consequently was not a new commandment, the precept to love one another as Christ loved us, was certainly a new commandment, and is termed so by Christ himself, (John 13:34,) and is thus explained and taught in 1 John 3:16: He laid down his life for us; therefore we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren, which is true.”
“By saying that the thing commanded in the new commandment was true, concerning the persons to whom the apostle wrote, he perhaps meant that some of them had already put their lives in danger by assisting their brethren.” But now, because the darkness is past, “the apostle not only means the darkness of heathenism but that of the Mosaic dispensation, together with the corrupt doctrines and practices of the Jews under that dispensation; and particularly the impious notion that they were commanded in the law to hate the Gentiles (Matthew 5:43). This darkness was gradually passing away through the shining of the light, which was true; that is, by the publication of Christ’s doctrine and example of the gospel. With its obscure types, the Mosaic law was likewise ready to vanish in consequence of the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersion of the Jewish nation, which events were soon to take place.
9. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
John’s style of balancing one statement against another is evident here and throughout the letter. “He that saith” introduces the error he was about to expose. Note also the contrast between light and darkness. Christians are the children of light and walk in the light, but the wicked are children of darkness and walk in darkness.
“He ... is in darkness even until now.” It is a mistake to understand John as merely refuting the erroneous teachings of Gnostics. While it may be true enough that Gnostics might have seduced many Christians of that era into receiving a lifestyle of “loveless arrogance,” the great teachings of the apostle were not merely a reaction to such things. He was not merely reacting; he was proclaiming the tremendous truths already revealed by Jesus nearly a whole generation previously. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said: “If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness” (Matthew 6:23). Thus, the metaphor of light and darkness goes back to Christ himself. Paul likewise received and used the same metaphor, his message in Ephesians 4:17-18 reading thus: “For they live blindfolded in a world of illusion, and are cut off from the life of God through ignorance and insensitiveness.” He also wrote, “Cast off the works of darkness” (Romans 13:12), “We are not of the night, nor of darkness” (1 Thessalonians 5:5), “What communion hath light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).
“He that saith …” This is the fifth time in this Epistle that John pointed out a possible inconsistency between profession and conduct (1 John 1:6,8,10; 1 John 2:4; 1 John 4:20).” If people are troubled today because of the gap between people’s profession and their performance, it might help to recall that the problem is indeed an old one.
10. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
“There is none (no) occasion.”
There is no stumbling-block, in him. By this expression, it may be implied that such a man lays no stumbling-block in the way of others; but it more specifically means that no stumbling-block lies in his way; he walks in the light and therefore avoids all stumbling-blocks, and sees his way clear before him. The word stumbling-block in the New Testament denotes whatever makes or has an evident tendency to make men fall; but I would be remiss in my Christian duty, if I did not add whatever hinders men from becoming the disciples of Christ, discourages them in their new profession, or tempts them to forsake that faith which they had only recently embraced.”
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
He has no principles to guide or govern him, except for what is common to the unregenerate world; therefore, his whole life is a continual mistake. Nor does he understand or even consider the tendency of his path, for he is still under the power of unpenetrable darkness that causes his eyes and understanding to be of no more use than if he were blind and had no sight at all. So weighty and vital is the principle he had to forsake (1 John 2:15)—loving the world. He introduces it with the pitiful intensity of a very pathetic introduction, which is contained in these three following verses. He applies himself one by one to the distinct orders and ranks into which Christians could be reduced, the matter being of equal concern to all of them. Furthermore, he speaks about the condition and state of each, about those things he might most effectively suggest to them. He asked them to deeply consider what he had to say, though he doubted they would welcome the request he made to each of them, out of the sincerity of his heart, and endeavored to fasten their attention upon that which was to follow.
12. I write unto you, little childrenIV, because your sins are forgivenV 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 childrenIV, because ye have known the Father.
I write unto you, little childrenIV,
Some have thought the second triplet (young men, wicked one, Father) is a descriptive note that has crept into the text; others that “I write” refers to what he is doing at that moment,” “I wrote” the view they would take when they read what he had written. However, it seems better if we allow the Gospel to have been written first, to refer “I am writing” to the Epistle; “I did write” to the Gospel.
“Because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”
Instead, “have been forgiven.” When Christ expired on the cross, the sins of all were forgiven; that is, all those who would afterword believe and carry on their repentance towards perfection. The process is realized in the soul when it wakes up to a sense of love for the Saviour through faith.
Who did John have in mind when he addressed his readers as little childrenIV, fathers, and young men? Perhaps he meant those who physically fell into these categories. If he did, what about his female readers and others who were not in these categories? Perhaps he was thinking of those in his audience in a specific phase of their spiritual development—children, men, and youths. If this is what he meant, why did he address them in this unnatural order? We could ask the same question about the first possibility also. Perhaps John addressed all his readers as little children (John 21:5) and then spoke more specifically to the more mature or older (fathers) and then to the less mature or younger (young men). Yet what he said to the three groups is so similar that it seems more likely that he was addressing three distinct groups. It seems best to conclude that John used these three stages of life to describe qualities typical of each age group that ought to characterize all believers. In other words, all the titles refer to the entire readership from three points of view.
Another problem is whether John meant that he was writing because the stated condition was true of each group or that the condition might become true of them. The Greek particle [hoti] can have either sense: causal or declarative, and John could have intended both meanings. However, the causal meaning seems a bit stronger.
As CHILDREN, John’s readers had known forgiveness by their heavenly Father (1 John 1:5 to 1 John 2:2). As fathers, they had experienced fellowship with God through Jesus Christ (1 John 2:3-11). “Fathers” means seasoned experience with God. As young men, they had known some victory over their spiritual adversary, Satan (1 John 2:15-23). John mentioned these three experiences in their proper experiential sequence in the Christian life. “Him that is from the beginning” (1 John 2:13a) is Jesus Christ (John 1:1).
14. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.
John then points out other characteristics of his readers, again using the same three stages of life to illustrate their progress. Perhaps John repeated the cycle of descriptions to assure his readers that he was aware of their growth and strength in the faith (v. 13).
In the first series of three (1 John 2:12-13b), we have the minimal spiritual experience for each stage of spiritual life. In the second series of three (1 John 2:13-14), we have the more advanced spiritual experience for each stage. Minor children, born again spiritually, all know that God has forgiven their sins, but little children taught the word of God can advance to intimate knowledge of the Father. Both statements about fathers are identical because there can be no variation here. When one knows the eternal God, the only thing one can do to advance is to continue to know Him better. John initially proceeded to point out other characteristics of his readers, again using the same three stages of life to illustrate their progress. Perhaps John repeated the cycle of descriptions to assure his readers that he was aware of their growth and strength in the faith.
John strengthened the sense of progress in these verses. He used present tense verbs in the first set of sentences (1 John 2:12-13 b) that emphasize ongoing action. Then he used aorist6 tense verbs in the second set (1 John 2:13-14) that point to the end product, spiritual maturity.
"In all the main Johannine writings-Gospel (John 16:33), First Epistle (1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4-5) and Revelation (Revelation 2:7; Revelation 2:11; Revelation 2:17; Revelation 2:26; Revelation 3:5; Revelation 3:12; Revelation 3:21; Revelation 5:5; Revelation 12:11; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 21:7) alike, the theme of overcoming is present, and in all, it is through Christ, the supreme Overcomer, that His people overcome."
In this section, John was not saying that his readers were all immature or all mature. He acknowledged their spiritual development to encourage them to press on to know the Lord better and pursue more intimate fellowship with Him.
As noted before, a popular interpretation of 1 John that many commentators have advocated is that John wrote this Epistle to enable his readers to determine whether they were true believers. The questions John raised throughout the Epistle, they say, were "tests of [the presence of spiritual] life." However, in the verses just considered (1 John 2:12-14), John did not say he was writing to test his readers’ salvation. He said he was writing to them because they were genuine believers. John challenged his readers with tests of fellowship rather than with tests of regeneration.
"It would be hard to devise an approach to John’s first epistle more hopelessly misguided or more completely self-defeating than the ’tests of life’ approach. If the premise on which this approach is based were true, it would be pretty impossible for either the original audience of 1 John or any of its subsequent readers to possess the assurance of salvation. Since the writer repeatedly instructs the ’abiding’ life marked by obedience to Christ’s commands, one cannot be sure until the end of his earthly experience whether he has abided or persevered in the requisite obedience. Meanwhile, one must entertain the possibility that he is a spurious Christian!
15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
He had said before that the only rule for living religiously is to love God. However, when we are occupied with the vain love of the world, we turn all our thoughts and affections into another way. This vanity must first be torn away from us in order that the love of God may reign within us. Until our minds are cleansed, the former doctrine may be repeated a hundred times, but with no effect: it would be like pouring water on a ball; you can gather, no, not a drop, because there is no empty place to retain water.
By the “world” means to understand everything connected with the present life, apart from the kingdom of God and the hope of eternal life. So he includes in it corruptions of every kind and the abyss of all evils. In the world are pleasures, delights, and all those allurements by which man is captivated until he withdraws himself from God.
Moreover, the “love of the world” is severely condemned because we must necessarily forget God and ourselves when we regard nothing as much as the earth. When a corrupt lust of this kind rules in a man and holds him entangled that he thinks not of the heavenly life, he is possessed by a beastly stupidity.
If any man “loves the world,” he proves by an argument from what is contrary, how necessary it is to cast away the “love of the world” if we wish to please God; and this he confirms afterward by an argument drawn from what is inconsistent; for what belongs to the world is wholly at variance with God. We must bear in mind what I have already said, that a corrupt manner of life is mentioned here, which has nothing in common with the kingdom of God, that is, when men become so degenerate, that they are satisfied with the present life, and think no more of immortal life than mute animals. Whosoever, then, makes himself thus a slave to earthly lusts, cannot be of God.
16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
For all that is in the world
All that comprises the world, or that enters into the intentions and purposes of this world; all that the public lives for may be included under the following banners:
The lust of the flesh –
The word “lust” is used here in the general sense of desire, or that which is the object of desire—not in the narrow sense in which it is now commonly used—to denote lustful passion. The phrase “the lust of the flesh” denotes that which pampers the appetites, or all connected with the indulgence of the animal tendencies. A large part of the world lives for little more than this. This is the lowest form of worldly indulgence, those of a lower order, and worldly.
And the lust of the eyes-That which is designed merely to gratify the sight. This would include costly clothes, jewels, gorgeous furniture, splendid palaces, women’s make-up, etc. The object refers to the frivolous vanities of this world, the thing on which the eye delights to rest where there is no higher object of life. It does not, of course, mean that the eye is never to be gratified, or that we can find as much pleasure in an ugly as in a handsome object, or that it is sinful to find pleasure in beholding objects of natural beauty for the world, as formed by its Creator, is full of such things. He could not but have intended that pleasure should enter the soul through the eye or that the beauties he has shed so lavishly over his works should contribute to the happiness of his creatures. However, the apostle refers to this when it is the great and leading object of life - when it is sought without any connection with religion or reference to the world to come.
And the pride of life-The word used here means flamboyance or boasting, and then arrogance or pride. It refers to whatever tends to promote pride or an index of pride, such as the flashy display of dress, vehicles, furniture, etc.
Is not of the Father—Does not proceed from God or meet with his approval. It is not the nature of true religion to seek these things, nor can their pursuit be reconciled with the existence of genuine piety in the heart. The sincere Christian has nobler ends, and he who has not any higher ends, and whose conduct and feelings can all be accounted for by a desire for these things, cannot be a true Christian.
But is of the world - Is originated solely by the objects and purposes of this life, where religion and the life to come are excluded.
17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever
In John’s Gospel, he repeatedly states that He has come to do the will of the Father who sent Him (John 4:34; John 5:30; John 6:38). This involved considering heavenly aims and not earthly aims, and yet doing so in a way that was very much a part of this earth and resulted in Jesus’ obedience to the will of God in fulfilling His moral demands and even to the point of death. In the same way, in 1 John, the author stresses obedience to the will of God by His people, and this by walking and conducting their lives even as He walked (1 John 2:6). Thus while their eyes are to be fixed on heavenly things and not earthly things, and they are citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20) and are to seek to further Heaven’s interests and not to be passionately taken up with their own interests in the world, they are to do so as people living in the world. There is no thought of withdrawing from the world or losing touch with the world. The will of God involves the correct moral behavior in the world.
‘Abides for ever.’ In John 8:35, Jesus affirmed that the ‘son’ remains in the household forever, and in John 12:34 declared that the Messiah will remain forever. Thus, those who dwell in God’s household and who follow the Messiah will also remain forever. Compare John 8:51, “I tell you the solemn truth, if anyone obeys my teaching, he will never see death.” Thus the one who is doing God's will has eternal life, and by his obedience which reveals his steadfast faith, may be assured that he will live forever (1 John 5:13).
The three-fold description of the world's ways, the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the boastfulness of life compare interestingly with the temptation in the Garden of Eden. ‘The woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise (as one of the Elohim).’ Again, the contrast was with the will of God. The choice was obedience to God or sampling that which, while attractive, was forbidden because of its effects. The exact parallel comes in the temptations of Jesus. The desire for bread by a hungry man, the seeing of all the kingdoms of the world and their glory in a moment of time, and finally the arrogant hurling of himself from the Temple to demonstrate that He was the favored of God. Moreover, again, the contrast was with the will of God. Where Man first failed, Jesus triumphed, and John now calls on His people to triumph in the same way.
18. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
19. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
‘Little children, it is the last hour, and as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now have there arisen many antichrists, by which we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out, that they might openly display that they are all not of us.’
‘It is the last hour.’ The idea of the ‘hour’ as a crucial time is consistent in John (John 2:4; John 7:30; John 8:20; John 12:23; John 12:27; John 13:1; John 17:1; also Revelation 17:12). The whole ministry of Jesus had led up to the final hour (John 13:1), which began with the Last Supper and led on through the cross (John 12:23; John 12:27) to His final glorification (John 17:1). So, Jesus had had His hour, and now the Church must face theirs.
To John, the final hour had now arrived in which the final purposes of God would be completed. No one knew at this time how long the ‘last hour’ would last, although both Peter and John saw it as possibly lasting a long time, ‘a thousand years’ (2 Peter 3:8-9; Revelation 20:4). It was in God’s hands, and to God, time was insignificant. However, by all, it was recognized that the coming of Jesus and His death, resurrection, and exaltation had ushered in the last times, the final stage of God’s purposes. It was ‘the last days (Acts 2:17), ‘the end of the days’ (Hebrews 1:2), ‘the end of the times’ (1 Peter 1:20), ‘the end of the ages’ (1 Corinthians 10:11), so that ‘the end of all things is at hand’ (1 Peter 4:7).
‘And as you heard, the antichrist is coming; even now, there has arisen many antichrists, by which we know that it is the last hour.’ John here wrote after Peter and Paul, and probably after the Book of Revelation. Both Paul (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10) and the Book of Revelation (Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11-13; Revelation 19:19-20) spoke of the final arising of a great Anti-god, setting himself up against God and to be worshipped. Furthermore, Peter stressed the arising of false teachers who would face dreadful judgment (2 Peter 2:10). So, John now saw the antichrist as having come or as imminently coming and preceded by his forerunners. There are, he said, many antichrists, any of which might turn out to be the final antichrist, and seemed satisfied that this mainly fulfilled the prophecy of antichrists made by Jesus (Matthew 24:5; Matthew 24:24) and possibly even those made by himself in revelation, although both he and Paul spoke of one great antichrist (or equivalent) who would sum up them all (2 Thessalonians 2:8-10; Revelation 17:8; Revelation 17:11-13; Revelation 19:19-20), and was anticipated by the Roman emperors (Revelation 13:0).
These antichrists were not on the whole significant military figures, but false teachers whose message imitated and paralleled the Gospel, some even pointing to Jesus, but not as both true God and true man. However, their sometimes rapid success may well have been seen as introducing the antichrist's reign. The essence of the antichrist was deception and denial of Jesus as the Christ and thus of Father and Son (1 John 2:22-23; 2 John 1:7). Nevertheless, there had of course also been, and would be, emperors of Rome who had and would claim deity, to be gods and sons of gods, or were fervently acclaimed as such by many of the people, especially far from Rome where their Divinity was treated seriously, and who when faced with the issue by implication denied that Jesus was the Christ. They, too, were antichrist.
However, unlike in revelation, his concentration is more on the false teachers who abounded and were hindering the churches’ message and establishing their widespread rival groups of adherents. Many flocked to them so that it sometimes seemed as though they would almost swamp the Church of Christ. They were constant reminders that the end was imminent and could come at any time, although they did not know.
‘They went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would have continued with us, but they went out, that they might be made openly displayed that they are all not of us.’ These particular false teachers were men who had become attached to the Christian Church, had seemed part of it, but had then left it and, taking those whom they had influenced with them, established ‘churches’ of their own, with their particular extravagant doctrines which had possibly some resemblance to Christian teaching but without its practicality and down to earth reality, and essentially denied that the man Jesus was indeed ‘the Christ,’ God’s unique anointed One and only Son. Some taught the reception of a mysterious ‘knowledge’ (gnosis) or contact with a varying succession of lights that lifted men beyond the ordinary, denying the true humanity and full Godhood of Jesus. Many were not concerned with morality. Such ideas would certainly be common later.
However, they were revealed by the fact that they departed from a church where the fundamental doctrine had remained pure because of the presence of apostolic men. They went out from them because they could not stomach fundamental Christian doctrine. It was too down to earth, too basic, too tied to earthly things. It was not exciting enough.
They wanted, so to speak, to stretch their wings and introduce fantasy (as the so-called later ‘Gospels’ demonstrate). They did not want someone from God, Who as God, to become man and exemplified and taught the resurrection of the body, and died, and called on men to repent of sin and be cleansed and made solid ethical demands. They did not want to be limited to the life and teachings of a Jew Who had lived in Palestine and had physically been put to death. They wanted to rise above it all into a fantasy world of light, to free their souls with the freedom to do as they wanted.
This is, of course, very much a generalization, for there would be many forms of differing views as they mingled Christian ideas with those of other religions and philosophies, especially the mystery religions that abounded and strongly influenced men’s thoughts. However, one thing was common to most. They departed from the Church, sometimes by choice, and sometimes because they were expelled for false ideas by apostolic men who firmly defended certain fundamental truths. Furthermore thus, they proved that they were not of the truth.
John has clear views about them. They “are of the world” (1 John 4:5 a), they “have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1), they “speak from the world’s perspective” (1 John 4:5 b), and “the world listens to them” (1 John 4:5 c). They offer what the world wants, that which titillates the flesh or the mind. For their teaching does not bring men to obey God and keep His commandments, and live lives of unselfishness and goodness, but stresses either asceticism (self-discipline) or laxity (permissiveness), both to free them from their fleshly bodies, and without too much emphasis on sin and the need to obey God’s laws as human beings in the flesh. Walking in the true light and living for God among men in accordance with His moral demands and admitting their sinfulness, and seeking forgiveness through the blood of the cross, did not appeal to them.
20. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
“But ye have an unction from the Holy One,”.... Meaning the Spirit, and his graces, with which Christ, the head, is anointed without measure, and his members in measure; from whence he is called Christ, and they are called Christians. These were the Lord's anointed ones; they were true believers; were the wise virgins who had oil in their vessels with their lamps, which would never go out. The grace of the spirit is called “holy oil,” or an ointment, or an anointing, in allusion to the anointing oil under the law; of which anointing oil the Jews say, that all of it continues, "to time to come,” (i.e., to the times of the Messiah,) as it is said (Ex. 30:31). Now, these saints had, "from the Holy One"; or that Holy One; meaning, not the Holy Spirit of God, though it is true that this anointing, or these graces, were from him; he is the author of them, and may indeed be said to anoint with them; nor the Holy Father and in his works, and is the God of all grace, and is said to anoint the saints too, (2 Corinthians 1:21), but rather the Lord Jesus Christ, who is holy, both as God and man, and from whose fulness all grace originates. This oil, or ointment, was first poured on Him without measure, and from Him, it descends to all the members of his mystical body, as the ointment poured on Aaron's head descended to his beard, and the skirts of his garments (1 John 2:27).
“And ye know all things”; for this anointing is used as a teaching one; it makes persons of quick understanding; it enlightens their understandings, refreshes their memories, and strengthens all the powers and faculties of the soul; it leads into the knowledge of all spiritual things, into all the mysteries of grace, and truths of the Gospel, into all things necessary for salvation; for these words are not to be taken in the largest sense, in which they are only applicable to the omniscient God, but are to be restricted to the subject matter discussed here, and to those things which the antichrists and deceivers cited; and did not regard as perfect knowledge, for those that know most of these things, under the influence of this unction, know but in part. The Syriac version reads, "all men," and so refers to that discerning of spirits, of the spirit of truth, from the spirit of error; a gift which was bestowed on many in the primitive times, by which they could distinguish hypocrites from true believers, and antichrists and deceivers from the faithful ministers of the word.
21I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
“I have not written.”
It is not because you are ignorant of these things that I write to you, but because you know them, can judge the doctrines of those false teachers and perceive that they are liars for they contradict the truth that you have already received. Consequently, their doctrine is a lie, and no lie can be consistent with Christianity.
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ?
Here we see some of the false doctrines which were spread in the world. There were certain persons who, while they acknowledged Jesus to be a Divine teacher, denied him to be the Christ, i.e., the MESSIAH.
He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son,
He is an antichrist who denies the supernatural and miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, who denies Jesus to be the Son of God, and who denies God to be the Father of the Lord Jesus; thus, he denies the Father and the Son. The Jews in general, and the Gnostics in particular, denied the miraculous conception of Jesus; with both, he was considered no more than a typical person, the Son of Joseph and Mary. However, the Gnostics held that a Divine person, or angelical being, dwelt in him; but they rejected everything else relative to his miraculous generation and Divinity. These were antichrists who denied that Jesus was Christ.
Whosoever denieth the Son
He who denies Jesus to be the Son of God, and consequently the Christ or Messiah, he hath not the Father, he can have no birth from above, he cannot be enrolled among the children of God, because none can be a child of God but by faith in Christ Jesus.
He that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
Our translators print this clause in Italics to show it to be of doubtful authority because it was probably left out of the best manuscripts. However, along with most modern-day translators, I believe that the clause is genuine and should be restored to the text without any mark of inaccuracy, as I have done in this study's text. It is evident from the authorities by which it is supported. It is without a doubt genuine and should be restored to the text, from which it should never have been separated.
24. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
“Let that therefore abide in you,”
Continue to study the doctrines concerning the incarnation, passion, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercession of the Lord Jesus, which you have heard preached from the beginning by us his apostles.
“Ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.”
Ye who are preachers shall not only be acknowledged as ministers of the Church of Christ, but be genuine children of God, by faith in the Son of his love; and ye all, thus continuing, shall have fellowship with the Father and with the Son.
25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
“And this is the promise that he hath promised us,”
Either God the Father, who is that God that cannot lie, who in the covenant of his grace, before the world began, made this promise unto his people. God has promised eternal life to all who believe in Christ Jesus. So This is the promise they who receive his doctrine and continue communion with the Father and the Son shall have eternal life.
“even eternal life.”
This promise, along with all others, was put into the hands of Christ, where, with them, it is yea and amen. Also, the thing itself promised, where it is hid, and lies safe and secure: or the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who has promised it in the Gospel; for this is the sum of the Gospel declaration, that whoever believes in him shall have everlasting life; and this lies in the knowledge of the Father, and of the Son, and in the enjoyment of them, and conformity to them; wherefore the doctrine respecting them ought to be retained, and firmly adhered to.
26. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
Verse 26. These things have I written unto you — Either meaning the whole Epistle, or what is contained in the preceding verses, from the beginning of the 18th to the end of the 25th (1 John 2:18-25). – In respect to their character, and in order to guard you against their arts. The word “seduce” means leading astray; here, it refers to those who would seduce them “from the truth,” or lead them into dangerous error. The apostle does not mean that they had actually seduced them, for he states in the following verse that they were yet safe; but he refers to the fact that there was danger that they might be led into error.
them that seduce you. — That is, the deceivers that were among them and who were labouring to pervert the followers of Christ.
27But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
“But the anointing which ye have received of him” - See the notes at 1 John 2:20.
“Abideth in you”—meaning is that the influence on your heart and life, which results from the fact that you are anointed of God, permanently abides with you, and will keep you from dangerous error. The apostle meant to say that he felt assured that they would not be seduced from the truth and that his confidence regarding this was placed in the fact that they had been truly anointed unto God as kings and priests. Thus understood, what he here says is equivalent to the expression of a firm conviction that those who are true Christians will not fall away. Compare the notes at (1 John 2:19-20).
“And ye need not that any man teach you” - That is, what are the things essential to true religion. See the notes at 1 John 2:20.
“But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things.” This cannot mean that the mere act of anointing, if that had been performed in their case, would “teach” them; but it refers to what John includes in what he calls the anointing - that is, in the solemn consecrating to the duties of religion under the influences of the Holy Spirit.
“And is truth, and is no lie” - Leads to truth, and not to error. No man was ever led into error by those influences which result from the fact that he has been consecrated to the service of God.
“Ye shall abide in him” - Margin, “or it.” The Greek will bear either construction. The connection, however, seems to demand that it should be understood as referring to him - that is, to the Saviour.
28And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
“And now, little children” — Beloved children, abide in him-in Christ Jesus. Let his word and Spirit continually abide in you and have communion with the Father and the Son.
“That when he shall appear” — To judge the world, we may have confidence, freedom of speech, liberty of access, boldness, from a conviction that our cause is good, and that we have had proper ground for exultation; and not be ashamed-confounded, when it appears that those who were brought to Christ Jesus, have apostatized, and are no longer found in the congregation of the saints, and consequently are not our crown of rejoicing in the day of the Lord Jesus. Abide in him that this may not be the case.
This verse properly belongs to the following chapter and should not be separated from it. The subject is the same and does not stand in any strict relation to the 28th verse concludes.
THE titles bestowed on Christians in the New Testament have been misunderstood by many. What belongs, strictly speaking, to the PURE and HOLY is often applied to those who, though bound by their PROFESSION to be such, were very far from it. This has been vehemently denied by writers who should have known better. Dr. Taylor has handled this point well in his Key to the Apostolic Writings, from which I have given a copious extract in my preface to the Epistle to the Romans, from the conviction that the subject had been most dangerously misapprehended; and that several of the worst heresies which disgrace religion had sprung from this misapprehension. With some, Dr. Taylor's being an Arian was sufficient to invalidate any testimony he might offer, but it is no discovery of Dr. Taylor; it is what every attentive, unprejudiced reader finds on reading the Old Testament in connection with the New. Perhaps the testimony of a judicious Calvinist may be better received, not that this truth needs the testimony of either, because it everywhere speaks for itself, but because those who have too little grace, sense, and candor to search for themselves may be pleased that Dr. Macknight saves them the trouble.
After having remarked that the words should be translated hath been BEGOTTEN of him, which is the literal signification of the word, from I beget, (BORN of God being nowhere found in the Scripture,) he goes on to say:-
"To understand the import of the high titles which in the New Testament are given to the disciples of Christ, viz.: the begotten of God, as here; children of God, as in the next chapter; heirs of God, (Romans 8:17); elect of God-adopted of God-saints-a royal priesthood-a holy nation-a peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9); the following observations may be of use.
"1. These high titles were anciently given to the Israelites as a nation because they were separated from humankind to be God's visible Church, to preserve the knowledge and worship of him in the world, as the only true God.
"This appears from God's own words, (Exodus 19:3-6)Tell the children of Israel Ye have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings and brought you unto myself. Therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my covenant, ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Deuteronomy 14:1-2), c.: Ye are the children of the Lord your God-for thou art a holy people to the Lord thy God. In particular, the title of God's Son, even his first-born, was given to the whole Israelitish nation by God himself (Exodus 4:22), chiefly because they were the descendants of Isaac, who was supernaturally begotten by Abraham, through the power which accompanied the promise (Genesis 18:10): Lo, Sarah shall have a son. So St. Paul informs us, (Romans 9:7): Neither because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children (namely of God;) but in Isaac shall a seed be to thee-the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. The apostle's meaning is that Ishmael and his posterity, whom Abraham procreated by his natural strength, being children of the flesh, were not children of God; that is, they were not made the visible Church and people of God. However, Isaac and his descendants, whom Abraham procreated through the strength which accompanied the promise, being more appropriately procreated by GOD than by Abraham, were the children of God, i.e., were made the visible Church and people of God, because, by their supernatural generation and title to inherit Canaan, they were a fit image to represent the invisible catholic Church of God, consisting of believers of all ages and nations, who, being regenerated by the Spirit of God, are the true children of God, and heirs of the heavenly country of which Canaan was a type.
"2. As the promise, Lo, Sarah shall have a son, which was given to Abraham when he was a hundred years old, and Sarah was ninety, implied that that Son was to be supernaturally procreated; so the promise given to Abraham (Genesis 17:5), A father of many nations have I constituted thee, implied that the many nations of believers who, by this promise, were given to Abraham for a seed, were to be generated by the operation of the Spirit of God, producing in them faith and obedience, similar to those for which Abraham has constituted the father of all believers. This higher generation, by which believers have the moral image of God communicated to them, is well described (John 1:12): As many as received him, to them gave he power to be called the sons of God, even to them who believe on his name; ??e?e?????sa?, who was BEGOTTEN, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but God. That is: Men become the true sons of God, not by their being naturally descended from this or that father, nor by their being called the sons of God by men like themselves, but by God's bestowing on them that high appellation on account of their faith and holiness," (which were produced in them by their regeneration through the Spirit of God.)
"3. If the Israelites, of whom the ancient visible Church and people of God were composed, were all called the sons of God because Isaac, from whom they were descended, was supernaturally begotten by the power of God; indeed the believers of all ages and nations, of whom the visible Church is composed, may with much greater propriety be called the sons of God, since they are begotten of God, and possess his moral nature.
"4. Thus it appears that the high titles above mentioned, namely, the sons of God, the children of God, the elect of God, the adoption of sons, the election, saints, holy nation, royal priesthood, peculiar people, were anciently given to the Israelites AS A NATION, merely on account of their being the visible Church and people of God, without any regard to the personal character of the individuals of whom that nation was composed. It appears that under the Gospel, the same high titles were bestowed on whole Churches, merely on account of their profession of Christianity, without any regard to the personal character of the individuals who composed these Churches. But these high titles, with some others of greater importance, such as the begotten of God, the heirs of God, the adoption, were given in an appropriated sense to individuals likewise, on account of their faith and holiness. When given to whole Churches, these titles imported nothing more than that the society to which they were given was a Church of Christ (i.e., professed Christianity,) and that the individuals of which that society was composed were entitled to all the privileges belonging to the visible Church of God. However, when appropriated to individuals, these titles implied that the persons to whom they were given were partakers of the nature of God; and that they were the objects of his paternal love and heirs of his glory.
"Wherefore, in reading the Scriptures, by attending to the different foundations of these titles, and by considering whether they are applied to Churches or individuals, we shall easily understand their true import. Thus, when St. Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, says (1 Thessalonians 1:4), Knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election, he could not mean their election to eternal life, since many of them were living disorderly (2 Thessalonians 3:11), but their election to be the visible Church of God under the Gospel; whereas, when John, in the verse before us, says, Everyone who doeth righteousness hath been begotten of God, by restricting the title to a specific character he teaches us that the persons of whom he speaks are the sons of God in the highest sense, and heirs of eternal glory." How forcible are the right words! See also the introduction to the Epistle to the Romans.
Special Notes:
I. “Propitiation” is the act of gaining the favor of or making things right with someone, especially after doing something wrong. Propitiation is the noun form of the verb propitiate, meaning to appease or gain the favor of. Close synonyms of propitiation are conciliation and appeasement.
II. Expiation—The act of making amends or reparation for guilt or wrongdoing; atonement.
III. Perfected and attains its end in obedience, it is the vital principle, 1Jo 5:3 John 14:15. Therefore, such an effective governing knowledge of Him as, by the power of the love it produces, subdues our souls to the obedience
IV. little children—Greek, “little sons,” or “dear sons and daughters”; not the same Greek as in, “little children," “infants” (in age and standing). He calls ALL to whom he writes, “little sons” (Greek; 1 John 2:28; 1 John 3:18; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:21); but only in 1 John 2:13 and 1 John 2:18 he uses the term “little children,” or “infants.” Our Lord, whose Spirit John so deeply drank into, used to His disciples (1 John 2:18:) the term “little sons,” or dear sons and daughters; but in John 21:5, “little children.” It is an undesigned coincidence with the Epistle here that in John’s Gospel somewhat similarly the classification, “lambs, sheep, sheep,” occurs.
V. are forgiven— ”have been, and are forgiven you”: ALL God’s sons and daughters alike enjoy this privilege.
VI. The aorist tense (and its grammatical variation, the second aorist tense) has no clear equivalent in English. It is characterized by its emphasis on precise accordance with details, without consideration for past, present, or future time! Some authorities disagree with this assessment for reasons we will look at in a minute.
The aorist tense is not just another past tense. Its emphasis is really on precise accordance with details. However, in an English translation, those details must reference one of the other tenses ... past, present, or future! In actual practice, the uses of the aorist tense in the Bible refer overwhelmingly to one of the three past tenses. For that reason, most translators have rendered it in most cases as the simple past tense. Furthermore, that is why even many scholars may look upon it as just another form of past tense; however, in some instances, that will be a mistake.
