Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Introduction 1 JOHN. Introduction,
yon. 15. account . . . the long-sui Teriiig ... is salvation—is designed for the salvation of those yet to be gathered into tlie Clmrch: whereas tliose scoffers "count dice, foolish expectations, and carnal fancies, that make Scripture difficult. [Jeremy Taylor.] unlearned—Not those wanting human learning are meant, but those lacking the learning imparted by the Spirit. The humanly learned have been often most deficient in spiritual learning, and have originated many heresies. Cf. 2 Timolliy 2. it (to be the result of ) slackness" on the Lord's part (v. 9). our beloved brother Paul—A beautiful instance of love and humility. Pe ter praises the very Epistles which contain his coudein nation, according (o the wisdom given uuto him—Adopting Paul's own language, 1 Corinthians
23, a different Greek word, " unlearned,'' lit., " untutored." When religion is studied as a science, nothing is moro abstruse; when studied in order to know our duly and practise it, nothing is easier, unstable—not yet estab-
3. 10, "A -icording lo the grace of God wliicli is yiven unto me as a wise master-builder." Supernatural and inspired wisdom " GIVEN" him, not acquired in human schools of learning, hath written— Greet aorist, "wrote," as a thing wholly pas<.- Paul was by this lime eitlier dead, or had ceased to minister lo them, to yon— Galudans, Ephesians, Colossians, the same region as Peter addresses. Cf. "in peace," t'. If, a practical exhibition of which Peter now gives in showing how perfectly agreeing Paul (who wrote the Epistle to the Galatians) and he are, notwithstanding the event recorded (Galatians2. 11-U). Colossians lislied in what they have learned ; shaken by every seeming difficulty ; who, in perplexing texts, instead of waiting until God by His Spirit make them plain in comparing them with other Scriptures, hastily adopt distorted views, wrest—strain and twist (properly with a hand-sa-ew) what is straight in itself, e. g., 2 Timothy 2.18. other Scriptures—Paul's Epistles were, therefore, by this time, recognized in the Churcli, as "Scripture:" a term never applied in any of the fifty places where it occurs, save to the Old and New Testament sacred writings. Men in each Church having miraculous discernment of spirits would have prevented any uninspired writing from being put on a par with the Old Testament word of God; the apostles' lives also wese providentially prolonged, Paul and Peter's at least to thirty-four years after Christ's resurrection, John's to thirty years later, so that fraud in the canon is out of question. Tlie three
4. refers to Cfirist's second coming. The Epistle to the Hebrews, too (addressed not only to the Palestinian, butalso secondarily to the Hebrew Christians everywhere), may be referred to, as Peter primarily (though not exclusively) addresses in both Epistles the Hebrew Cliristians of the dispersion (JVole, 1 Peter 1. 1). Hebrews 9. 27, 28; 10. 2.5, 37, "speak of these things" (i'. 16) which Peter has been handling, viz., the coming of the day of the Lord, delayed through His " long-suffering," yet near and sudden. 16. also In all his Epistles—Romans 2. 4 is very similar to v. first Gospels and Acts are included in " the other Scriptures," and perhaps ail the New Testament books, save Jolin and Revelation, written later, unto tikeir own destruction—not through Paul's fault (ch. 2. 1). 17. Ye Warned by the case of tliose " unlearned and unstable" persons {v. 16). knowing . . . before — the event, led away with—the very term, as Peter remembers, used by Paul of Barnabas' being "carried," Greek, led aivay with Peter and the other Jews in their hypocrisy, wicked "lawless," as in ch. 2. 7. fall from—((/race, Galatians 5.
15, beginning. The Pauline Epistles were by tliis time become the common property of all the churches. The "all" seems to imply they were now completed. The subject of the Lord's coming is handled, 1 Thessalonians 4. 13; 5.
11; cf. t). lOwith 1 Thessalonians 5.2. Still Peter distinguishes Paul's Epistle, or Epistles, " to you," from " all. his (other) Epistles," showing that certain definite churches, or particular classes of believers, are meant by "you." in wMcttSpistles. The oldest MSS. read the feminine relative {hais); not as Received Text {hois), "in which things." some things hard to be understood viz., in reference to Christ's coming, e. g., the statements as to the man of sin and the apostas.y, before Clirist's coming. "Paul seemed thei-eby to delay Christ's coming to a longej period than the other apostles, whence some dov.bted altogether His coming." [Bengel.] Though there be some things hard to be understood, there are enough besides plain, easy, and sufficient for perfecting the man of God. "There is scarce anything drawn from the obscure places, but the same in other places maybe found most plain." [Augustine.] It is our own preju-
4: the true source of) "steadfastness" or stability in contrast with the "unstable" (v. 16): "established" (ch. 1.12): all kindred Greek terms. Cf. Jude 20, 21. 18. grow—Not only do not " fall from" (v. 17), but groiv onward: the true secret of not going backward. Ephesians 4. 15, " Grow up into Him, the Head, Christ." g»-ace and . . . knowledge of . . . Christ—"the grace and knowledge of Christ" [Alford rightly] : the grace of which Christ is the author, and the knowledge of which Christ is the object, for ever Greek, "to the day of eternity:" the day that has no end ; " the day of the Lord," beginning with the Lord's coming.
THE FIRST GENERAL EPISTLE OF
JOHN. INTRODUCTION.
AUTHOliSHiP.—PoLYCARP, the disciple of John (ad Philippenses c. 7), quotes ch. 4. 3. 'Eviis.^ivB {Ecclesiastical Hi»' lory 3. 39) says of Papias, a hearer of John, and a friend of Polycarp, "He used testimonies from the First Epistle of John." lREN.«;us, according to 'EiVa^'aiViS, (Ecclesiastical History 5. 8), often quoted this Epistle. So in his work Against Heresies (S. 15. 5, 8) he quotes from John by name, ch. 2. 18,40.; and in 3. 16, 7, he quotes ch. 4. 1-3; 6. 1,' and '2 John 7. 8. Clement of Alexandria (Slromala 2. 66, p. 461) refers to ch. 5. 16, as in John's larger Epistle. See other quotations, Stromala 3. 32, 42 ; 4. 102. Tertuluan (A dversus Marcion 5. 18) refers to ch. 4. 1, &c. ; Adversus Pmrea«, c. 15, to 1 John 1. 1. See his other quotations, c. 2K ; and Contra Gnosticos, 12. Cyprian, Epistle 28 (24), quotes, as John's, ch. 2. 3, 4; and ZJe Oratione Domini o., quotes cn. 2. 15-17; and De Opere and Eteemos, ch. 1. 8: and De Bene Patientice 2., quotes ch.
2. 6. MuRATORi's fragment on the Canon states, "There are two of John (the Gospel and Epistle?) esteemed Catholic," and quotes ch. 1. 3. The Peschito Syriac contains it, Origen (in Eusebius 6. 2.5) speaks of the First Epistle as gen Qine, and " probably the second and third, though all do not recognize the latter two :" on the Gospel of John, torn. l."{. vol. 2, he quotes ch. 1. 5. Dionysius of Alexandria, Orioen's scholar, cites the words of this Epistle as those of the Evangelist John. Eusebuts, Ecclesiastical History 3. 24, says, John's first Epistle and Gospel are aeknowledgeil wUhoui question by those of the present day, as well as by the an<;ients. So also Jkkomk, In Catalogue Bcclesiatticoruvt 80 52:i
Introduction. 1 JOHN, Introduction,
Scriptorum. The opposllion of COSMAS iKDicopHtrsTES, In the sixth centnn'. nnt' 'h-^t of JfAKClON becnnse onr Epia* tie was inconsistent with his views, are of no weiglit against sucli irrefiagable testitiiony.
The internal evidence is equally strong. Neither tlie Gospel, nor our Epistle, can lie pri>noiinccil an imitation ; yet botli, in style and modes of tliouglit, are evidently of tlie same mind. The iiulirkliml notices are not so numerous or obvious as in Paul's writings, as was to be expected in a Catholic Epistle; but sndi as tliere are accord Joim'a position. He implies his apostleshtp, and perhaps al Uidos to his (lospel. and the atlcctionate tie which bound him as an aged pastor to his spiritual "children ;" and in ch. 2. IS, 19; 4. 1-3, he alludes to the false teachers aa known to hi.s readers ; and in ch. 5. 21 warns them against the idols of the surrounding world. It is no object ion ajjainst its authenticity, that the doctrine of the Word, or Divine second Person, existing from everlasting, and in due time made flesh, appears in it, as also in tlie Gospel, as opposed to the heresy of the IJocetje in the second century, who denied that onr Lord is come in the flesh, and maintained He came only in outward aemblance ; lor the same doctrine appears in Colossians 1. 15-18; 1 Timothy 3. 16; Hebrews 1. 1-3; and the gems of Docetism, though not fully developed till the second century, were in existence in the first. The Spirit, presclently tlirongh Jolm, puts the Church beforehand on its guard against tlie coming heresy.
To Whom Addkessed.—AtJGUSTiNE, Quwst. Evo.ng., 2, 89, says tliis Epistle was written to the P<tr1hian». Bede, in a prologue to the seven Cutliolic Epistles, says that Atliaiiasins attests tlie same. By the ParthUins may be meant the Christiana living beyond the Euphrates in the Parthian territory, outside the Roman empire, " the Cliurch at Babylon elected together with " the churches in the Ephesian region, the quarter to which Peter addressed his Epistles. As Peter addressed the filock which John subsequently tended (and in which Paul had formerly ministered), so John, Peter's close companion alter the astrension, addresses the flock among whom Peter had l>een when he wrote. Thus "the elect lady " answers to "the Chuich elected together." See farther confirmation of this view in Introduction to 2 John. It is not necessarily an objection to this view that John never is known to have personally ministered in the Parthian territory. For neither did Peter personally minister to the churches in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia, though he wrote his Epistles to them. Moreover, in John's prolonged life, we cannot dogmatlcall)" assert that he did not visit the Parthian Christians, after Peter had ceaseil to minister to them, on the mere ground of absence of extant testimony to that ef Tect. This is as probable a view as Alford's, Ac, that in the passage of Augustine, " to the Parthians," is to be altered by conjectural emendation ; and that the Epistle is addressed to the churches at and around Ephesus, on the ground of the fatherly tone of afl Tectionate address in it, implying his personal ministry among his readers. But his position, as probably the only surviving apostle, .iccords very well with his addressing, in a Catliolic Epistle, a cycle of churches which he may not have specially ministered to in pei-son, with afifectlonate fatherly counsel, by virtue of his general apostolic superintendence of all the cluirches.
Time and Place of "Wkitino.—This Epistle seems to have been written subsequently to his Gospel, as it assumes the reader's acquaintance with the Gospel facts and Christ's speeches, and also with the special aspect of the incarnate Word, as God manifest in the flesh, set forth more fully in his Gospel, The tone of address, as a father addressing his "little children" (the continually-recurring terin), accords with the view that this Epistle was written in John's old age, perhaps about 90 a. d. In ch. 2. 18, " It is the last time," probably does not refer to any particular event, as the destruction of Jerusalem, which was now many years past, but refers to the nearness of the Iord's coming aa proved by the rise of Antichristian teachers, the mark of (lie last time. It was the Spirit'.s purpose to keep tl>e Church always expecting Christ as ready to come at any moment. The whole Christian age Is the last time in the sense that Jio other dispensation Is to arise till Christ comes. Cf. "these last days," Helirewx I. 2. Ephesns ma.v be conjectured to be the place whence It was written. The controversial allusion to the germs of Gnostic heresy accord with Asia Minor being the place, and the last part of the apostolic age the time, of writing this Epistle, Contents.—The leading subject of the whole \s, fellowship xvith the Father and tlie Son (ch. 1. 3). Two principal divisions may be noted, (1.) ch. 1. 5; 2. 28: the theme of this portion is stated at the outset, " Ood is light, and in Him is no darkness at all;" consequently, in order to have fellowship witli Him, we must wallc in light; connected with which Is the confession and subsequent /(»\<7n'CTtra,?o/ our sins tli rough ClirLit's propitiation and advocacy, wi thout which forgiveness there could be no light or fellowship with God : a farther step in thus walking in the light Is, positively keeping
Ood's commandments, the sum of whlclt is love, as opposed to hatred, the n<!me of disoljedience to God's word : negatively, he exhorts them according to their several stages of spiritual growth, c/nV(Jre-ii,/a//icT.». jpyoK/j.or tneti. In consonance with their privileges as forgiven, knowing the Father, n\u\ having orercomc tlie wicked one, not to love the world, which is Incompatible with the Indwelling of the lore of the Father, and to be on their guard against the Antichristian teachers already In the world, who were not of the Church, but of the world, against whom tlio true defence Is, that his believing readers who have the anointing of God, should continue to abide in the Son and in the Father. (2.) The second division (ch. 2. 29 to 5. 5) discusses the theme wltli which it opens, " He it rigt Ueous ;" consequently (as In the first division), " every one t/iat doeth righteousness is born of Him." Sonship In us involves our purifying ourselves as He
Is pure, even as we hope to see, and tlicrefore to be made like our Lord when He shall appear ; In this second, as in the ,flrst division, both a positive and a negative side are presented of "doing rlgliteousness as He is riglileous," involving a contrast between the children of God and the children of the devil. Hatred marks the latter; Uwe, the former: this love gives assurance of acceptance with God for ourselves and our prayers, accompanied us they are (v.'Si) with Obedience to His great commandment, to "believe on Jesus, and love one another:" the seal {v. 20 of His dwelling In us and assuring our hearts. Is the Spirit which He hath given tis. In contrast to this (as In the first division), he warns against false spirits, the notes of which are, denial of Christ, and adhei-ence to the world. iSonship, or birth of God Is, then, more fully described : Its essential feature Is unslavlsli, free love to Hod, because Ood first loved us, and gave His Son to die for tui, and consequent love to the brcllircn, grouiided on their being sons of God also like ourselves, and so victory over the world : this victory being gained only by the man who believes in Jesus as tlie Son of (lod. (3.) 'The conclusion eslablislies this lastcentral truth, on which rests our fellowship wllli (iod, Christ's having coine by the water of the blood of atonement, and the ivitnessing Sjiirit, which i.« truth. As In the opening ho lested this cardlnnl truth on the apostles' witness of the eye, the ear, and the touch, so now at I he close he rests It on God's witness, which Is accepted by the believer, in contrast with the unbeliever, who makes Ood a liar. Then IVrllows his dosing statement of hia reason for writing {eU. 5. J3.; cf. the corresponding cli. 1.1, at the beginning), namely, that briievei-s in Christ the Son of God may know that they h<*ve (now already) eternal life (the source of "Joy," ch. 1. 1 ; cf. similarly his object in writing the Gospel, John '20. 31), ami so Im-ye conlldence as to their prayers being answered (corresponding toch. 3. '22 in the second part) ; lor i,UKtttUce,,U)uir Inteecesslons for a sinning brother (unless his sin be a sin unto death). He closes with a brief
The Apostle's Authority, as an 1 JOHN I. Eye-witness of the Gospel Facts, Bummiug up of the Instruction of the Epistle, the iiigh dignity, sanctity, and safety from evil of the children of God
In contrast to tlie sinful world, and a warning against idolatry, literal and spiritual : " Keep yourselves from idols." Though the Epistle is not directly polemical, the occasion wliicli suggested liis writing was probalily tlie rise of Antlchristian teachers; and, because he knew the spiritual character of tlie several classes whom he addresses, children, youths, fathers, he feels it necessary to write to confirm them in the faith and joyful fellowship of the Father and Son, and to assure them of the reality of the things they Ijelieve, that so they may have the full privileges of believing.
Style.—His pe<-uliarity is fondness for aphorism and repetition. His tendency to repeat liis own phrases arises parjly from the aflectiouate, hortatory character of the Epistle; partly, also, from its Hebraistic form, abounding in parallel clauses, as distinguished from the Grecian and more logical style of Paul ; also, from his childlike simplicity of spirit, whicli, full of his one grand theme, repeats, and dwells on it with fond deliglit and enthusiasm. Moreover, as Alford well says, the appearance of uniformitj' is often produced by want of deep enough exegesis to discover the real difterences in passages which seem to express tlie same. Contemplative, rather than argumentative, he dwells more on the general, than on the particular, on the inner, than on the outer Christian life. Certain fundamental truths he recurs again and again to, at one time enlarging on, and applying them, at another time repeating them in their condensed simplicity. The thoughts do not march onward by successive steps, as in the logical style of Paul, but rather in circle drawn round one central thought whidi he reiterates, ever reverting to it, and viewing it, now under 1*8 positive, now under its negative aspect. Many terms which in the Gospel are given as Christ's, in the Epistle appear as the favourite expressions of John, naturally adopted from the Lord. Thus the contrasted terms, "flesh" and "spirit," " light" an'd "darkness," "life" and "death," "abide in Him:" "fellowsliip with the Father and Son, and with one another," is a favourite phrase also, not found in the Gospel, but in Acts and Paul's Epistles. In him appears the harmonious union of opposites, adapting him for his high functions in the kingdom of God, contemplative repose of character, and at the same time ardent zeal, combined with burning, all-absorl)ing love: less adapted for active outward work, such as Paul's, than lor spiritual service. He handles Christian verities not a§ abstract dogmas, but as living realities, personally enjoyed in fellowship with God in Christ, and with the l)ri thren. Simple, and at the same time profound, his writing is in consonance with his spirit, unrhetorical and undialectic, gentle, consolatory, and loving: the reflection of the Spirit of Him in whose breast he lay at the last supper, and whose beloved disciple he was. Ewald in Alfoud, speaking of the "unruffled and heavenly repose'" whicli characterizes this Epistle, says, " It appears to be the tone, not so much of a father talking with his lieloved childn-n, as of a glorified saint addressing mankind from a higher world. Never In any writing has the doctrine of heavenly love—a love working In stillness, ever unwearied, never exhausted—so thoroughly approved itself as in this Epistle.
John's Place in the Building up of the Church.—As Peter founded and Paul propagated, so John completed the spiritual building. As the Old Testament puts prominently forward the fear of God, so John, the last writer of the New Testament, gives prominence to the love of God. Yet, as the Old Test,ament is not all limited to presenting the fear of God, but sets forth also His love, so John, as a representative of the New Testament, whilst breathing .so continually the spirit of love, gives also the plainest and most awful warnings against sin, in accordance with his original character as Boanerges, " son of thunder." His mother was Salome, mother of the sons of Zebedee, probably sister to Jesus' mother (cf. John 19. 25, " His mother's sister," with Matthew 27. 56; Mark 15. tO), so that he was ciousin to our Lord; to his mother, under God, he may have owed his first serious impressions. Expecting as she did the Messianic kingdom in glory, as appears from her petition (Matthew 20. 20-23), she doubtless tried to fill his young and ardent mind with the same hope. Neander distinguishes three leading tendencies in the development of the Cln islian doctrine, the Pauline, the Jacobean (between whicli the Petri ne forms an Intermediate link), and the Johanneaii. John, in common with James, was less disposed to the intellectual and dialectic cast of thought; which distinguislies
Paul. He had not, like the apostle of the Gentiles, been brought to faith and peace through severe conflict ; but, like James, had reached his Christian individuality through a quiet development: James, however, had passed through a moulding in Judaism previously, which, under the Spirit, caused him to present Christian truth in connection with the law, in so far as the hitter in its spirit, tliough not letter, is permanent, and not abolished, but established under the Gospel. But John, from the first, had drawn his whole spiritual development from the personal view of Christ, the model man, and from intercourse .with Him. Hence, in his writings, everything turns on one simple contrast: divine ii/e in communion with Christ; deatli in separation from Him, as appears from liis characteristic phrases, "life, lighi, truth ; death, darkness, lie." "As James and Peter mark tlie gradual transition from spiritualized Judaism to the Independent development of ChrisLianilj", and as Paul represents the independent development of Christianity in opposition to llie Jewish stand-point, so the contemplative element of Jolm reconciles the two, and forms the closing point in the training of the apostolic Church." [Neander.] ling, than even seeing, "//aue heard . . . /lat'c seen" (per- CHAPTER I. fects), as a possession still abiding with us; but in Greek (not as English Version "have," but simply) "looked upon" (not perfect, as of a continuing thing, but aorist, past time) wiiilst Clirist the incarnate Word was still with Ver. 1-10. The Writer's Authority as an Eye-witness to THE Gospel Facts, Having Seion, He.vrd, and Handled Him who was fro.m the Beginning: His Object in Writing: His Message. Ik we would HAVE Fellowship with Him, we must Walk in Light, as He is Light, l. Instead of a formal, Jolin adoiUs a virtual address (cf. v. 4). To wisli jo// to I lie reader was the ancient customary address. The senti iice begun
U.S. "Seen,"riz., His glory, as revealed in tlie Transfiguration and in His miracles; and His passion and death in a real body of flesh and l)lood. " Looked upon" as a wondrous spectacle steadlastly, deeply, coiiteniplall vely ; so the Greek. Appropriate to John's coi Ueinplati ve cliaracter. hands . . . hniidled—Tlinmas and llie otlu r tlisciples on distinct occasions after the resurrection. John himself had leant on Jtsus' breast at the last supper, (tontrast the wisest of (he he.illn ii ffiliny aftir (the same Greek as here; gropin;/ after WITH THE HANDS) if hap/// in V. 1 is broken ofl'hy the parenthetic v.2,and is resumed at I'. 3 with the repetttion of some wonls from v. 1. . Tliat which WM—not " began to be," ljut u>a.« essentially ((irei-k een, not egeiteto) before He was manifested (r. 2) ; answering to " Him that Is from the beyinniny" (ch. 2. 13) ; so Jolm's OoKpel, 1. 1, "In the beginning was the Word." Proverbs the// might find God. Tills proves against .So( inians he is here speaking of the persinial incarnate Iford, not of
8. 2!i, " I was set up from everIa8tlng,/rom the hef/inning, or fer llieeartli was." we—apostles, heard . . . seen . . , looked upon . . . handled—A series rising in gradation.
Clirlst's teaching (vom the beginning of His otl Vidal lite, of—"concerning;' lollowing "heard." "Heard" is tho verb most applying to the purpose of llie Epistle, rt2., tb»
Heeiiiy Im a more convlnciinr proof than hearing of; hand-
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