Commentary on 1John (No. F062)

Introduction

This text is a theological treatise rather than a

Letter but reflects obvious concern for the recipients. It has always been attributed to the apostle John; however he does not identify himself. In the other letters he identifies himself as the elder (writing to the elect lady and her children etc). The styles are similar to one another and so also to the Gospel of John. The treatise appears to be written to several of the Churches of God. Most scholars believe that it was written towards the end of the First Century CE along with the thrust of 2John. There is obviously a division in theology involved and the doctrine of Antichrist appears to be at work in the church at the time of writing. This text is concerned with the keeping of the Laws of God and the identification of Christ as coming in the flesh rather than the doctrines of the Baal system and that of Antichrist that sought to separate the divinity from the humanity of Christ.

Chapter 1

¹That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life-- ²the life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the Father and was made manifest to us—³that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you may have fellowship with us; and our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And we are writing this that our joy may be complete. ⁵This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not live according to the truth; ⁷but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (RSV)

So all men sin and those who say they are without sin are liars and they make God a liar. Sin is transgression of the law as lawlessness. (1Jn. 3:4).

The text is thus concerned with the antinomianism that spread into the church from the Baal systems and the worship of the god Attis and the mother goddess consort of Ashtoreth or Easter or Cybele as consort of Attis. The god Attis was the Ditheist deity structure of father and son and the goddess which gave rise to Easter ca. 154 CE, Ditheism post 175 CE and Trinitarianism from 381 CE at Constantinople and 451 at Chalcedon. From then we saw the later adoption of Christmas from ca. 475 from Syria at the beginning of the Dark Ice Age. (cf. Origins of Christmas and Easter (No. 235)).

In line with this view, the apostle proceeds then to deal with the Second Great Commandment to love your neighbour as yourself which, in being attacked, had seen division in the church. That is the old commandment that is being given anew to the Churches of God, with the injunction to not sin and that Christ is the expiation for such sin that we might commit. Those who disobey the Commandments of God given to us by Christ at Sinai (Acts 7:30-43; 1Cor. 10:4) and reiterated in his ministry are not one of the elect and children of God.

Chapter 2

¹My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ²and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. ³And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴He who says "I know him" but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him; ⁵but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him: ⁶he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. ⁷Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. ⁸Yet I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. ⁹He who says he is in the light and hates his brother is in the darkness still. ¹⁰He who loves his brother abides in the light, and in it there is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹But he who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. ¹²I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his sake. ¹³I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. ¹⁴I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. ¹⁵Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for 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 passes away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides for ever. ¹⁸Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹They 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 it might be plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all know. ²¹I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and know that no lie is of the truth. ²²Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³No one who denies the Son has the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also. ²⁴Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. ²⁵And this is what he has promised us, eternal life. ²⁶I write this to you about those who would deceive you; ²⁷but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that any one should teach you; as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie, just as it has taught you, abide in him. ²⁸And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.²⁹If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who does right is born of him. (RSV)

So by this we know that there were divisions created in the body so that some went out of us (v. 19). The apostle states that if they go out of us they are not of us and not of the elect and the ex anastasin (Phil. 3:11) or First Resurrection (No. 143A).

So also we know that we are Children of God.

Chapter 3

¹See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ²Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. ³And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. ⁴Every one who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. ⁵You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. ⁶No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him or known him. ⁷Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is righteous, as he is righteous. ⁸He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. ⁹No one born of God commits sin; for God's nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. ¹⁰By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother. ¹¹For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, ¹²and not be like Cain who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous. ¹³Do not wonder, brethren, that the world hates you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death. ¹⁵Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. ¹⁶By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him ²⁰whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

²¹Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God; ²²and we receive from him whatever we ask, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. ²³And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. ²⁴All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit which he has given us. (RSV)

Thus it is by the keeping of the Commandments of God that we abide in God and He in us. In this way the antinomianism condemned by the apostles (cf. James, Peter and Paul (Acts 15)) and especially as we saw in the epistles of Jude and of 1 and 2Peter is reinforced as it is also in Revelation 12:17 and 14:12. Thus also anyone who says the Commandments of God or the Law of God is done away shows thereby they are not of the elect and the faith but are antinomian heretics.

So also we are then told to test the spirits to see whether they are of God. Indeed the world has been riddled with false prophets over the entire life span of the church as we can see.

In chapter 4 we then see that the doctrine of Antichrist is identified. “The doctrine of Antichrist” is stated in 1John 4:1-2. The correct ancient text for 1John 4:1-2 is reconstructed from Irenæus, Chapter 16:8 (ANF, Vol. 1, fn. p. 443).

Hereby know ye the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth Jesus Christ came in the flesh is of God; and every spirit which separates Jesus Christ is not of God but is of Antichrist.

Socrates the historian says (VII, 32, p. 381) that the passage had been corrupted by those who wished to “separate the humanity of Jesus Christ from his divinity” (cf. A1; 1.5.2)

(cf. Doctrine of Antichrist (No. 243B)).

These false prophets are usually possessed by demons, by which they prophesy.

Chapter 4

¹Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit which confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³and every spirit which does not confess Jesus is not of God. This is the spirit of antichrist, of which you heard that it was coming, and now it is in the world already. ⁴Little children, you are of God, and have overcome them; for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵They are of the world, therefore what they say is of the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶We are of God. Whoever knows God listens to us, and he who is not of God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. ⁷Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and he who loves is born of God and knows God. ⁸He who does not love does not know God; for God is love. ⁹In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No man has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. ¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his own Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. ¹⁶So we know and believe the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. ¹⁷In this is love perfected with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. ¹⁹We love, because he first loved us. ²⁰If any one says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. ²¹And this commandment we have from him, that he who loves God should love his brother also. (RSV)

Thus the apostle reinforces the Second Great Commandment on which the second group of the Laws of God are based on which the Law and the Testimony are based. If they do not speak according to these aspects there is no light in them (Isa. 8:20).

Chapter 5

¹Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith. ⁵Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. ⁷And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. ⁸There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. ⁹If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. ¹⁰He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son. ¹¹And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. ¹³I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. ¹⁴And this is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. ¹⁵And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. ¹⁶If any one sees his brother committing what is not a mortal sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin which is mortal; I do not say that one is to pray for that. ¹⁷All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin which is not mortal. ¹⁸We know that any one born of God does not sin, but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. ¹⁹We know that we are of God, and the whole world is in the power of the evil one. ²⁰And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, to know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. ²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (RSV)

It is important to note that 1John 5:7 has a forgery in the Receptus that has been carried on into the KJV in support of the Trinitarian heresy. It does not exist in any Greek text. Bullinger says that the words added do not exist in any Greek text before the Sixteenth Century and crept in from some notes in the margin to the Latin (cf. Companion Bible fn. to v. 7)

We see that God has given the son eternal life which he did not possess intrinsically and we are also given that life in our confession of the faith and adherence to God through Christ as coheirs.

We also see that there are sins that are to be forgiven on prayer and at the Lord’s Supper. The others are what the apostle terms “mortal sins” and these are of the type such as the blaspheming of the Holy Spirit (Mk. 3:29) and others such as require removal from the elect (cf. 1Cor. 5:5).

In this text verse 20 is often claimed by some unethical Trinitarians to refer to Christ as the True God and eternal life. Such a view is heresy. John’s true meaning is clearly stated in John 17:3 where eternal life is to “know the One True God and Jesus Christ whom He sent.”

So also the text enjoins the elect to keep themselves from idols which is anything made to resemble anything that is used to bow down to or to which one prays. The meaning is simple and clear.

Bullinger’s Notes on 1John (for KJV)

Chapter 1

Verse 1

from the beginning. Greek. ap" (App-104.) arches. See John 8:44. Occurs nine times in this epistle.

have. Omit.

Word. App-121. Figure of speech Anabasis. App-6.

Verse 2

bear witness. See John 1:7, and p. 1511.

shew = report. Greek. apangello. See Acts 4:23.

eternal. App-151. "Eternal life" Occurs in this epistle six times.

Verse 3

declare. Same as "shew", 1 John 1:2.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

fellowship. See 1 Corinthians 1:9.

Verse 4

full = fulfilled or filled full. App-125. Compare John 15:11; John 16:24.

Verse 5

message. Greek. angelia. Only here and 1 John 3:11.

declare. Greek. anangello. See Acts 20:27.

no . . . at all. Greek. ou oudeis. A double negative. This is the Figure of speech Pleonasm (App-6), as in 1 John 1:8.

Verse 7

as He. This refers to the Father. Compare 1 John 2:6.

one with another = with one another. Not with fellow-believers, but with the Father and the Son.

Jesus Christ. The texts read "Jesus".

sin. App-128. Here is the Figure of speech Metalepsis. App-6.

Verse 9

to. Greek. hina, as in 1 John 1:3. Literally in order that He might forgive.

unrighteousness. App-128.

Chapter 2

Verse 1

little children. App-108. Seven times in this epistle. Elsewhere only in John 13:33. Galatians 1:4, Galatians 1:19. In verses: 1 John 2:2, 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:18 a different word is used.

that ye . . . sin. Note carefully the telic force of the Greek hina here; "to the end that ye may not (commit) sin (habitually). "

sin not = may not sin.

if . . . sin = should any man sin, i.e. commit an act of sin

advocate. Greek. parakletos. See John 14:16. Compare Romans 8:34.

Verse 2

propitiation. Greek. hilasmos. Only here and 1 John 4:10. Several times in the Septuagint Leviticus 25:9. Numbers 5:8, &c. Compare Romans 3:25.

ours. Greek. hemeteros. Emphatic.

also. This should follow "world".

world. App-129. Compare John 3:16. Romans 5:18, Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:15.

Verse 3

hereby = in (App-104.) this.

know. App-132. The second "know" is in perf. tense, as in 1 John 2:4 also.

Verse 6

abideth. See p. 1511.

even as. Greek. kathos. The expression "as He", referring to the Son, Occurs six times in this epistle. See 1 John 3:2, 1 John 3:3, 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:23; 1 John 4:17, and Compare 1 John 1:7.

Verse 7

no = not, as 1 John 2:2.

new. Greek. kainos. See Matthew 9:17.

from the beginning. Greek. ap" (App-104.) arches. See 1 John 1:1.

have. Omit.

from, &c. The texts omit.

Verse 8

is past = passes away. Greek. parago, as 1 John 2:17.

now = already. Greek. ede.

shineth. App-106.

Verse 9

even until. Greek. heos.

now. Greek. arti.

Verse 10

occasion, &c. Greek. skandalon. See Romans 9:33.

Verse 11

knoweth. App-132.

goeth. Compare John 12:35.

hath. Omit.

blinded. Greek. tuphloo. See 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Verse 12

for, &c. = on account of (App-104. 1 John 2:2)

His name.

Verse 13

overcome. See John 16:33.

write. The texts read "wrote".

little children. Here and in 1 John 2:18 the word paidion (App-108.) is used.

Verse 16

pride. Greek. alazoneia. Only here and James 4:16 (boastings).

Verse 18

last time = last hour. Compare Acts 2:17.

have. Omit.

antichrist. Compare John 5:43. 2 Thessalonians 2:3-9.

Verse 19

continued. Same as "abide", 1 John 2:6.

with. Greek. meta. App-104.

made manifest. App-106.

Verse 20

But = And.

unction. Greek. chrisma. Only here and 1 John 2:27. For the verb chrio see 2 Corinthians 1:21.

Verse 22

a = the. Compare John 8:44. 2 Thessalonians 2:11 (the lie).

but = except. Greek. ei me.

denieth. Greek. arneomai. Always "deny" save Acts 7:35; Hebrews 11:24 (both "refused").

is = is not (App-105). A negative sometimes follows such verbs as arneomai. Compare the French usage.

Verse 23

the same = he.

not. Greek. oude.

he that, &c. This clause is added by all the texts.

acknowledgeth = confesseth, as Matthew 10:32, &c.

Verse 24

remain. Same as "abide", 1 John 2:6.

Verse 25

promise. Greek. epangelia, the only occurance in John"s writings.

hath. Omit.

Verse 26

seduce = lead astray, or cause to err.

Verse 27

anointing. Same as "unction", 1 John 2:20.

ye shall. Omit.

Him. Greek. it.

Verse 28

when. The texts read "if" (App-118).

appear. Same as "made manifest", 1 John 2:19.

confidence. Greek. parrhesia. See Acts 28:31.

ashamed. Greek. aischuno. See 2 Corinthians 10:8.

before = from. App-104.

coming. See Matthew 24:3.

Verse 29

doeth = practiseth. Greek. poieo, as 1 John 3:7, 1 John 3:10.

righteousness. App-191.

born = begotten. A Latin MS., the Fleury Palimpsest, instead of "ashamed, &c.", reads "confounded by Him. If in His presence ye have known Him that is faithful, know that every one that doeth the truth hath been born of Him. "

Chapter 3

Verse 1

bestowed upon = given to.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

God. App-98. All the texts add, "and we are (so)".

therefore = on account of (App-104. 1 John 3:2) this.

world. App-129.

Verse 2

the. Omit.

not yet. Greek. oupo.

but. The texts omit.

as = even as. Compare 1 John 2:6.

Verse 3

purifieth. Greek. hagnizo. See Acts 21:24.

pure. Greek. hagnos. See 2 Corinthians 7:11.

Verse 4

committeth = doeth, i.e. practiseth. See 1 John 2:29.

transgresseth, &c. = doeth lawlessness (Greek. anomia. App-128.) also.

the transgression, &c. Greek. anomia, as above.

Verse 5

was manifested. Same as "appear", 1 John 3:2.

to = in order that (Greek. hina) He might.

take away Greek. airo. Compare John 1:29. Colossians 2:14.

our. The texts omit.

is no = there is not (App-105).

Verse 8

from the beginning. See 1 John 1:1 and John 8:44.

destroy. Greek. luo. Compare John 2:19.

Verse 9

born = begotten.

remaineth. The same as "abideth", 1 John 3:6.

Verse 11

message. Greek. angelia. Only here and 1 John 1:5.

Verse 12

slew. Greek. sphazo. Only here and Revelation 5:6, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 5:12; Revelation 6:4, Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:3, Revelation 13:8; Revelation 18:24.

wherefore = for the sake (Greek. charin) of what. The accusative case of charis (App-184.) is used as a preposition.

own. Omit.

Verse 14

passed. Greek. metabaino. Compare John 6:24 (same word).

his brother. The texts omit.

Verse 15

murderer. Greek. anthropoktonos, manslayer. Only here and John 8:44.

no = not (1 John 3:1) any.

eternal. App-151.

Verse 16

perceive we = we know, as in 1 John 3:1.

life. App-110. See John 10:15.

Verse 17

good = goods, or living. App-170. Compare Luke 15:12, Luke 15:30.

seeth. App-133.

bowels. Greek. splanchna. See Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:12, Philemon 1:20.

Verse 20

condemn. Greek. kataginosko. See Galatians 2:11 (blamed).

all things. Compare Peter"s answer, John 21:17.

Verse 22

of. App-104., but the texts read apo (App-104.)

keep. See Matthew 19:17.

pleasing. Greek. arestos. See Acts 6:2 (reason).

Verse 24

Spirit = spirit, i.e. the new nature, not the Giver Himself. App-101.

hath given = gave.

Chapter 4

Verse 1

try = test, prove. By the Word of God. Greek. dokimazo. See Romans 1:28 with Romans 12:2.

whether = if. App-118.

false prophets. Greek. pseudoproptetes. First occurance: Matthew 7:15.

Verse 2

is come = to have come.

the. Omit.

Verse 3

that Jesus . . . flesh. The texts read "Jesus".

antichrists = the Antichrist. See 1 John 2:18.

Verse 6

of truth. Genitive of character, or relation. App-17.

truth. See 1 John 1:6.

spirit. App-101. of error. Genitive of character, as above.

Verse 9

toward = in. App-104. The sphere in which the manifestation takes place.

only begotten. See John 1:14.

that = in order that. Greek. hina.

Verse 13

Spirit. i.e. the gifts. App-101.

Verse 14

testify = bear witness. Greek. martureo. See p. 1511.

Verse 18

torment = punishment. Greek. kolasia. See Matthew 25:46.

Verse 19

Him. The texts omit.

Chapter 5

Verse 1

born = begotten.

begat, begotten. Same word as "born", above.

Verse 2

keep. The texts read "do".

Verse 3

that. Greek. hina. Keeping His commandments is a result of His love being shed abroad in our hearts (Romans 5:5). Compare Psalms 119:97, Psalms 119:119, Psalms 119:163, &c.

keep. See Matthew 19:17.

grievous = burdensome. Greek. barus. See Acts 20:29.

Verse 6

water. Referring to His baptism, when witness was given to Him by the voice from heaven and the descent of the Spirit.

blood. The texts read "in (Greek. en) the blood".

Verse 7

bear record = bear witness, as in 1 John 5:6.

in heaven, &c. The texts read, "the Spirit, and the water", &c, omitting all the words from "in heaven" to "in earth" (1 John 5:8) inclusive. The words are not found in any Greek. MS. before the sixteenth century. They were first seen in the margin of some Latin copies. Thence they have crept into the text.

Verse 10

believeth = believeth on, as above.

record. Same as "witness", 1 John 5:9.

gave. Literally hath witnessed.

Verse 11

hath given = gave. See Romans 6:23.

eternal. App-151.

life. App-170.

Verse 15

petitions. App-134. Compare Matthew 7:7. John 14:13; John 15:7.

desired = have desired. Same as "ask", 1 John 5:14.

of. App-104.

Verse 16

a. Omit.

it = that. The sin unto death was one that might result in the brother being cut off. Compare 1 Corinthians 11:30, where many had sinned unto death "many sleep". See also James 5:14, James 5:16, where there is the same recognition of sickness being due to some special sins, as in 1 Corinthians 11:30, and of intercessory prayer as here. It is not a single act, but a continued habit.

Verse 18

sinneth not. i.e. does not practise, or continue in sin. Compare 1 John 3:6, 1 John 3:9. Romans 6:1-12. App-128.

He that, &c. This refers to the Lord. As the Jehovah of the O.T. He was the keeper of Israel (Psalms 121:4, Psalms 121:5, &c). See also John 17:12. 2 Thessalonians 3:3. Revelation 3:10.

himself. Most texts read "him".

wicked one. App-128. Compare 1 John 2:13, 1 John 2:14; 1 John 3:12.

toucheth. Greek. haptomai. In John"s writings only here and in John 20:17. Thirty-one times in the three other Gospels, generally in connection with the Lord"s miracles. Elsewhere, 1 Corinthians 7:1. 2 Corinthians 6:17. Colossians 2:21.

Verse 19

wickedness = the wicked one, as 1 John 5:18. He is the prince of this world (John 14:30, &c), and the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Verse 20

is come. Not the word used in 1 John 4:2, 1 John 4:3; 1 John 5:6 (erchomai), but heko, to be present. Compare John 8:42. Hebrews 10:7, Hebrews 10:9, Hebrews 10:37. In the last reference the two verbs are seen: "shall come" (erchomai); "will come" (heko).

understanding. Greek. dianoia. Translated nine times "mind", once "imagination" (Luke 1:51), and "understanding" here, Ephesians 1:18; Ephesians 4:18.

true. App-175. This refers to the Father. Compare 1 John 2:5, 1 John 2:24; 1 John 3:24; 1 John 4:12-16. This, &c. Also referring to the Father, the source of life (John 5:26), which life was manifested in His Son (1 John 1:2), and is given to us through, and in, Him (verses: 1 John 5:11-12 above, and Romans 6:23).

Verse 21
idols. As in 1 Corinthians 8:4. An idol may not be a material one, but may consist in whatever a man looks to for help, apart from the Living God. See Ephesians 5:6. Colossians 3:5.

Amen. The texts omit.

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