1The apostle warneth to try by certain rules the spirits that pretend to come from God. 7He presseth the obligation of mutual love upon Christians from the example and commandment of God.
1BELOVED, believea not every 1spirit, butb2try the spirits 3whether they are of God: becausec many 4false prophets are 5gone out into the world.
a Jer. 29:8; Mat. 24:4; Eph. 5:6; Col. 2:18.
1 That is, teacher, who pretends that his doctrine is from the revelation of the Holy Spirit. See 1 Tim. 4:1.
b Mat. 7:15, 16; 1 Cor. 14:29; 1 Thes. 5:21.
2 Namely, by the touchstone of God’s Word. See 1 Thes. 5:21.
3 That is, whether their doctrine is inspired by God and agrees with God’s Word, or not.
c Mat. 24:5, 24; 2 Peter 2:1; 2 John verse 7.
4 That is, false teachers. For, as they are called prophets, not only who predict things to come, but also who interpret the Scripture, 1 Cor. 14:3, 37; so they are also called false prophets, not only who predict anything that is not true, but also who erroneously interpret the Scripture, and teach false doctrines. See Mat. 24:24.
5 See 1 John 2:19.
2Hereby 6know ye 7the Spirit of God: Every 8spirit that 9confesseth 10that Jesus Christ is come 11in the flesh 12is of God:
6 Or, Hereby know the Spirit of God; imperatively.
7 The doctrine which is inspired by the Spirit of God. Or, a true teacher who is moved by the Spirit of God.
8 That is, teacher. See verse 1.
9 That is, teaches and acknowledges publicly.
10 Gr. Jesus Christ being come in the flesh. See verse 3; 2 John verse 7.
11 That is, has assumed the human nature, as the only Mediator to reconcile us unto God in the same. See John 1:14; Rom. 1:3. This is the principal article of the christian religion, and as a sum of the same. See Mat. 16:16; Mark 8:29; John 20:31; Rom. 1:3, 4; and thereby it appears that He was the Son of God before He assumed the human nature.
12 That is, he is a true teacher who propounds the Divine truth and doctrine.
3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: andd this is 13that spirit of antichrist, whereofe ye have heard that it should come; and even now already isf it in the world.
d 1 John 2:22.
13 That is, the doctrine of the antichrist, which is contrary to the truth of the Person and office of Christ.
e 1 John 2:18.
f 2 Thes. 2:7.
4Ye are 14of God, little children, and have 15overcome 16them: because 17greater is 18he 19that is in you, than he that is 20in the world.
14 That is, regenerated by the Spirit of God, and thereby enlightened with the knowledge of the true and Divine doctrine.
15 Namely, by your steadfastness in the true doctrine, from which they were not able to withdraw or deceive you. See Mat. 24:24.
16 Namely, the false teachers.
17 That is, mightier, as John 10:29; 1 John 3:20. Namely, to preserve you in the truth, and to strengthen you against deceptions.
18 Namely, the Spirit of God.
19 That is, Whom God has given you, and abides in you. See 1 John 3:9.
20 Namely, the devil or the spirit of error, verse 6, who is in worldly and unregenerate men, such as are the false teachers, as is said in the following verse.
521They are of the world: therefore speak they 22of the world, and 23the world 24heareth them.
21 Namely, the false teachers.
22 That is, things which are of the world, and which agree with the understanding of unregenerate men or with their worldly lusts also.
23 That is, worldly and unregenerate men, as 1 John 3:13.
24 That is, embraces their false doctrine.
625Weg are 26of God: he that 27knoweth God 28heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. 29Hereby know we 30the spirit of truth, and 31the spirit of error.
25 Namely, apostles, and they who propound with us the same kind of doctrine.
g John 8:47; 10:27.
26 That is, not only regenerated by the Spirit of God and enlightened with the knowledge of the truth, but also called by Him to preach His Divine truth purely unto men.
27 Namely, rightly, as He has revealed Himself in His Word.
28 That is, embraces our doctrine, as before.
29 Namely, when men hear us or hear us not.
30 Namely, when men hear us and embrace our doctrine.
31 Namely, when men hear us not. So that by the doctrine and writings of the apostles (as also of the prophets and evangelists) must be judged concerning truth or error in doctrine.
7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is 32of God; and every one that loveth 33is born of God, and 34knoweth God.
32 That is, God is an Author of love, Who works and commands the same in us.
33 That is, that is a certain sign, that he is truly regenerated by the Spirit of God.
34 Namely, aright, what manner of person He is, what pleases Him, and what He has commanded us.
8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is 35love.
35 That is, God loves not only Himself, but also all His creatures, and especially His elect in Christ Jesus, with such a great love and affection, that it may be rightly said that He has not only love, but is also Love Himself, as He is also called Wisdom, Goodness, etc., in Himself.
9Inh this was manifested the love of God 36toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that 37we might 38live through him.
h John 3:16; Rom. 5:8.
36 Gr. in us, as also verse 16, or among us.
37 Namely, who believe in Him, as is expressed in John 3:16.
38 Namely, spiritually and eternally.
10Herein is 39love, not that we 40loved God, buti that he 41loved us, and sent his Son to bej the propitiationk for our sins.
39 That is, appears the greatness of God’s love unto us.
40 Namely, first, in order that by our love we would have stirred up God to love us in return. For, we were by nature haters of God, Rom. 1:30 and enemies of God, Rom. 5:10.
i Rom. 3:24; 2 Cor. 5:19; Col. 1:19.
41 Namely, first, as is expressed in verse 19.
j Rom. 3:25; 1 John 2:2.
k the wrath-ending sacrifice by which the Lord Jesus Christ secured His people’s pardon; see 1 John 2:2
11Beloved, if God 42so loved us, we 43ought also to love 44one another.
42 That is, with such a great, exceeding, undeserved and unspeakable love.
43 That is, it is not only appropriate that we follow herein the example of God as His children, but thereby we are, by God’s command as well, obliged to do so.
44 That is, not only God, Who has so exceedingly loved people, but also we, people, one another for His sake.
1245Nol man hath 46seen God at any time. Ifm we love one another, God 47dwelleth in us, and 48his love is 49perfected in us.
45 Namely, of men, as is expressed in 1 Tim. 6:16.
l Exod. 33:20; Deut. 4:12; John 1:18; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:16.
46 Namely, with the eyes of the body, as is declared in verse 20. That is, although men cannot see and behold God with their physical eyes, yet nevertheless so it is, that He abides in us if we love one another.
m 1 John 3:24.
47 See the exposition hereof on 1 John 3:24.
48 Namely, with which we love Him.
49 See the annotation at 1 John 2 on verse 5.
13Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, 50because he hath given us of his Spirit.
50 See the exposition at 1 John 3 on verse 24.
14And we have 51seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour 52of the world.
51 See 1 John 1:1.
52 That is, of the elect and the believers in the entire world. See John 3:17; 4:42, and 1 John 2:2.
15Whosoever shall 53confess that Jesus is the Son of God, 54God dwelleth in him, and he in God.
53 Namely, and further shall have done that which this confession requires. Namely, shall have embraced Him by a true faith, and shown his faith by the works of love. For, otherwise the devils have also indeed confessed this, Mat. 8:29; Mark 5:7.
54 See the exposition in 1 John 3:24.
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath 55to us. God is 56love; 57and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
55 Gr. in us.
56 See the exposition in verse 8.
57 That is, therefore.
1758Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have 59boldness in the day of judgment: because 60as he is, so are we in this world.
58 That is, hereby are we perfect in love, namely, that as He is, we are also in this world, as follows.
59 That is, a bold confidence that we shall not be condemned in that day; seeing we now exercise love, and the Lord Christ shall then bring forth the works of love, not as meritorious causes of acquittal and salvation, but as fruits and evidences of our faith. See Mat. 25:34, 35, etc.
60 That is, even as Christ has walked in love and steadfastly abides therein, we also follow His footsteps. See 1 John 2:6; 3:3, and the annotations there at 1 John 2 on verse 6 and 1 John 3 on verse 3. Or, even as God is Love, we also so walk in love, verses 8, 10; Mat. 5:48.
18There is 61no fear 62in love; but 63perfect love 64casteth out fear: because 65fear hath 66torment. He that feareth 67is not made perfect in love.
61 Namely, of being condemned in the day of judgment; which fear is called a slavish fear. For, he speaks not here of the fear of God, which is the beginning of all wisdom, Psalm 111:10, which is a childlike reverence of the Divine Majesty, and a carefulness not to provoke the Same, since this is commanded us; Philip. 2:12; 1 Peter 1:17.
62 That is, in them who show their faith by love; who truly love God and their neighbor.
63 That is, when we sincerely love God and our neighbor. See 1 John 2:5.
64 Or, driveth out fear. For, this fear is so firmly implanted in the hearts and consciences of sinners that by force it must, as it were, be driven out of the heart by a strong and true faith. Now that we have true faith, this is known by the true love of God and our neighbor, to which therefore this driving out is also ascribed.
65 Namely, that we shall be damned.
66 Or, punishment, that is, vexation, anguish and distress of mind, which ceases when we are assured of the uprightness of our faith, which is done both by the Spirit of God, and by the works of love, which by how much greater it is, by so much the fear and anguish is the less.
67 That is, does not have true love as yet; for, if he had it, he would drive out this fear.
1968We love him, 69because he first loved us.
68 Or, Let us love him, that is, God; for, the Greek Text can bear both translations.
69 See verse 10.
20Ifn a man say, I love God, and 70hateth his brother, 71he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother 72whom he hath seen, 73how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
n 1 John 2:4.
70 That is, not only actually hates him, but even also does not love him; as the following words declare.
71 See 1 John 2:4.
72 That is, whose person, state and necessity he sees, by which sight is likely to be stirred up of love and mercy in the heart.
73 He wants to say: he can in no wise love God; seeing men are more easily moved to love by sight than by hearing; and God requires no less of us the one love as well as the other.
21Ando this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
o Lev. 19:18; Mat. 22:39; John 13:34; 15:12; Eph. 5:2; 1 Thes. 4:9; 1 Peter 4:8; 1 John 3:23.