1 Giovanni 3:13 Commento

The apostle here magnifies the love of God in our adoption (Jo1 3:1, Jo1 3:2). He thereupon argues for holiness (Jo1 3:3), and against sin (v. 4-19). He presses brotherly love (Jo1 3:11-18). How to assure our hearts before God (Jo1 3:19-22). The precept of faith (Jo1 3:23). And the good of obedience (Jo1 3:24).

INTRODUCTION TO 1 JOHN 3 In this chapter the apostle exhorts to a holy life and conversation in general, and to the exercise of brotherly love in particular. The former of these is urged from the consideration of the great blessing of adoption, which springs from the free love and favour of God, is unknown to the men of the world, and indeed, in the present state of things, does not appear to the saints themselves in all its fulness and advantages, as it will do in the future state, when the children of God will be like to Christ, and see him as he is; the hope of which should engage them to purity of life and conversation, Jo1 3:1, and this is further enforced from the nature of sin, which is a transgression of the law, Jo1 3:4, from the end of Christ's manifestation in the flesh, which was to take away sin, and who was without it, Jo1 3:5, from communion with Christ, expressed by abiding in him, seeing and knowing him, which such must be strangers to that live a sinful course of life, Jo1 3:6, from this, that only such that do righteousness are righteous persons, and these are righteous as Christ is, Jo1 3:7, and from a man's being of the devil, that is, of a vicious conversation, who was a sinner from the beginning, and whose works Christ was manifested in the flesh to destroy, Jo1 3:8, and from the nature of the new man, or that which is born of God, which is not to sin, nor can it, Jo1 3:9, and from the distinction there is between the children of God and the children of the devil, those not being of God who do not righteousness, nor love their brethren, Jo1 3:10, from hence the apostle passes to brotherly love, and excites and engages to that, from its being a message which had been heard from the beginning, Jo1 3:11, which is illustrated by its contrary in the instance of Cain, who by the instigation of Satan slew his brother, because his works were righteous, and his own were evil, Jo1 3:12, wherefore, it is no wonder that good men should be hated by the world, who, as Cain, are of the same wicked one, Jo1 3:13, brotherly love is further urged unto, from its being an evidence of passing from death to life, or of regeneration; whereas he that hates his brother openly continues in a state of death, is a murderer, and so has not eternal life abiding in him, Jo1 3:14, and from the great instance of Christ's love, in laying down his life for his people, the saints are incited to lay down their lives for one another; to such a pitch does the apostle carry brotherly love, Jo1 3:16, wherefore, he that is rich, and is uncompassionate to his brother in distress, cannot be thought to have the love of God dwelling in him, Jo1 3:17, hence he presses the exhortation to brotherly love, that it be not in profession only, but true, real, and cordial, Jo1 3:18, and that by observing the advantages of it, as that hereby men know they are of the truth, and can assure their hearts before God; and which is illustrated by the contrary, the condemnation of the heart, Jo1 3:19, the advantages of non-condemnation of the heart are confidence before God, and receiving whatsoever we ask of him; the reason of which is, because his commandments are kept, and things done which are pleasing to him, Jo1 3:21, the commandments are explained of faith in Christ, and love to one another, Jo1 3:23, and the happiness of them that do them is, that Christ dwells in them, and they in him, the evidence of which is, the Spirit that is given unto them, Jo1 3:24.

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. By "the world" is meant the inhabitants of the world, the wicked part of them; these hate the saints, though without a cause, any just cause, and for no other reason, but because they are chosen and called out of the world, and do not live the wicked life they do: and this hatred of theirs is not at all to be wondered at; so it was from the beginning, and has been in all ages since; immediately upon the fall there was enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, which showed itself in Cain, the instance just given, who hated and murdered his righteous brother; Ishmael, that was born after the flesh, persecuted Isaac, that was born after the Spirit; and as it was then, it is now, the Jews persecuted the prophets of old, and hated Christ and his apostles. This is the common lot of all the saints, of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus; and therefore it should not be reckoned a strange and unusual thing; it always was so, even from the beginning, as soon as ever there were two sorts of persons, good and bad, righteous and wicked. This is a corollary or conclusion drawn from the above instance of Cain. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. By "the world" is meant the inhabitants of the world, the wicked part of them; these hate the saints, though without a cause, any just cause, and for no other reason, but because they are chosen and called out of the world, and do not live the wicked life they do: and this hatred of theirs is not at all to be wondered at; so it was from the beginning, and has been in all ages since; immediately upon the fall there was enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, which showed itself in Cain, the instance just given, who hated and murdered his righteous brother; Ishmael, that was born after the flesh, persecuted Isaac, that was born after the Spirit; and as it was then, it is now, the Jews persecuted the prophets of old, and hated Christ and his apostles. This is the common lot of all the saints, of all that will live godly in Christ Jesus; and therefore it should not be reckoned a strange and unusual thing; it always was so, even from the beginning, as soon as ever there were two sorts of persons, good and bad, righteous and wicked. This is a corollary or conclusion drawn from the above instance of Cain. 1 John 3:14 jo1 3:14 jo1 3:14 jo1 3:14We know that we have passed from death to life,.... From a death in sin, a moral or spiritual death; which lies in a separation from God, Father, Son, and Spirit; in an alienation from the life of God; in a loss of the image of God, of righteousness, holiness, and knowledge, in which man was created; in a privation of all true sense of sin, and in a servitude to it, which is unto death, and is no other than death: and from a legal death, or death in a legal sense, under the sentence of which all men are, as considered in Adam; and which God's elect are sensible of, when convinced by the Spirit of God, and are in their own apprehension as dead men. Now in regeneration, which is a quickening of sinners dead in sin, a resurrection of them from the dead, the people of God pass from this death of sin, and the law, to a life of sanctification, having principles of grace and life implanted in them; and to a life of justification, and of faith on Christ, as the Lord their righteousness; and to a life of communion with Christ; and to such a life as is to the glory of Christ; and to a right to eternal life. And this passing from the one to the other is not of themselves, it is not their own act; no man can quicken himself, or raise himself from the dead; in this men are passive: and so the words are rendered in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions, "we know that we are translated"; that is, by God the Father, who delivers from the power of darkness, and death, and translates into the kingdom of his dear Son, which is a state of light and life; or by Christ, who is the resurrection and the life, who is the author of the resurrection from the death of sin to a life of grace; or by the Spirit of life from Christ, by whom souls are quickened, and of whom they are born again: and this passage from death to life, or regeneration, is a thing that may be, and is known by the regenerate man; who, as he knows surely, that whereas he was blind he now sees, so that whereas he was dead in sin, he is now alive; and among other things it may be known by this, because we love the brethren: this is not the cause of passing from death to life, but the effect of it, and so an evidence of it, or that by which it is known; brotherly love being what the saints are taught of God in regeneration, and is a fruit of the Spirit of God, and is what true faith works by, and is what shows itself as soon as anything in a regenerate man; nor can anyone love the saints, as such, as brethren in Christ, unless he is born again; a man may indeed love a saint, as a natural relative, as a good neighbour, and because he has done him some good offices, and because of some excellent qualities in him, as a man of learning, sense, candour, civility, &c. though he has not the grace of God; but to love him as a child of God, a member of Christ, and because he has his image stamped on him, no man can do this, unless he has received the grace of God; so that this is a certain evidence of it: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death; in the death of sin, in a state of nature and unregeneracy; under the sentence of condemnation and death; and he is liable to eternal death, which is the wages of sin, under the power of which such a manifestly is. This is said to deter from hatred, as also what follows.

If we have passed from death to life by passing from unbelief to faith, let us not be surprised if the world hates us. For no one who has failed to pass from death to life, but has remained in death, can love those who have left the darkened house of death.

"Marvel not, brethren, if the world hate us." Must one often be telling you what "the world" means? Not the heaven, not the earth, nor these visible works which God made; but lovers of the world. By often saying these things, to some I am burdensome: but I am so far from saying it without a cause, that some may be questioned whether I said it, and they cannot answer. Let then, even by thrusting it upon them, something stick fast in the hearts of them that hear. What is "the world"? The world, when put in a bad sense, is, lovers of the world: the world, when the word is used in praise, is heaven and earth, and the works of God that are in them; whence it is said, "And the world was made by Him." Also, the world is the fullness of the earth, as John himself hath said, "Not only for our sins is He the propitiator, but for the sins of the whole world:" he means, "of the world," of all the faithful scattered throughout the whole earth. But the world in a bad sense, is, lovers of the world. They that love the world, cannot love their brother.

It is not to be wondered at if evil people, who are here called the “world,” hate those who live godly lives according to the commands of Christ. It would be much more surprising if such people loved us instead!

For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother's was righteous. Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him. Therefore, having explained these things, he repeats after many points made in between, love for one's neighbor, as if he had treated all that was in between for its sake, since love is also the fullness of everything (Rom. 13:10), and he says: "He who does not love his brother is not of God." But against this, this member is also placed: He is not of God, saying this: For if he who does righteousness is born of God, it follows that he who is therefore born loves his brothers; but he who does not do righteousness, because he does not do it by hating his brothers, is not of God, not in any other way except that he is not born of him. And how he is not of him is shown by saying: "for this is the message that you heard from the beginning." (see Lev. 19:24) What this announcement is, we have already said, both naturally received and through teaching; but also by the legal command to love one's neighbor, as the Lord's command says: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another." (Jn. 13:34) The natural command regarding those of the same kind and condition also urges one to do this. Therefore, since there are so many such commands in accordance with the Lord's declaration, whoever keeps and does His word has eternal life and has passed from death to life. (Jn. 5:24) Therefore, let us love our brothers, taking nothing harmful to imitate: for example, if we are hated by the world, let us not also hate our brothers: but let the word of the Lord be more effective in us. For whoever hates his brother is not only cast out from eternal life, but is also a murderer. For it necessarily follows that if he is a murderer, he has no eternal life. Behold Cain, John says, for he too, having hated his brother, murdered him, although he was his brother. But because Cain had evil works, he was the son of the Devil: whereas Abel, by doing righteous works, was called the son of God: the Devil is opposed to God, and evil works to good ones: therefore, Cain, being contrary to his brother, murdered him. Thus, indeed, the course of the discourse was consequent, but blessed John changed the order, always serving what was more pressing. For it was pressing, because he had mentioned the Devil and those who had been adopted by him due to their wicked actions, so as to propose him as an example who, from the beginning of the world, escaped as the wicked son through evil works.

Do not marvel, brothers, if the world hates you. He calls those who love the world worldly. Nor should it be wondered that those who love the world cannot love a brother separated from the love of the world and intent only on heavenly desires. For religion is an abomination to a sinner, as Scripture testifies.

The extraordinary love of God towards mankind, and the effects of it, Jo1 3:1-3. Sin is the transgression of the law, and Christ was manifested to take away our sins, Jo1 3:4-6. The children of God are known by the holiness of their lives, the children of the devil by the sinfulness of theirs, Jo1 3:7-10. We should love one another, for he that hateth his brother is a murderer; as Christ laid down his life for us, so we should lay down our lives for the brethren, Jo1 3:11-16. Charity is a fruit of brotherly love; our love should be active, not professional merely, Jo1 3:17, Jo1 3:18. How we may know that we are of the truth, Jo1 3:19-21. They whose ways please God, have an answer to all their prayers, Jo1 3:22. The necessity of keeping the commandment of Christ, that he may dwell in us and we in him by his Spirit, Jo1 3:23, Jo1 3:24.

Marvel not - if the world hate you - Expect no better treatment from unconverted Jews and Gentiles than Abel received from his wicked and cruel brother. This was a lesson to the Church, preparatory to martyrdom. Expect neither justice nor mercy from the men who are enemies of God. They are either full of malice and envy, hateful, hating one another, or they are specious, hollow, false, and deceitful. "A foe to God was ne'er true friend to Man."

DISTINGUISHING MARKS OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND THE CHILDREN OF THE DEVIL. BROTHERLY LOVE THE ESSENCE OF TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS. (1Jo. 3:1-24) Behold--calling attention, as to some wonderful exhibition, little as the world sees to admire. This verse is connected with the previous Jo1 2:29, thus: All our doing of righteousness is a mere sign that God, of His matchless love, has adopted us as children; it does not save us, but is a proof that we are saved of His grace. what manner of--of what surpassing excellence, how gracious on His part, how precious to us. love . . . bestowed--He does not say that God hath given us some gift, but love itself and the fountain of all honors, the heart itself, and that not for our works or efforts, but of His grace [LUTHER]. that--"what manner of love"; resulting in, proved by, our being, &c. The immediate effect aimed at in the bestowal of this love is, "that we should be called children of God." should be called--should have received the privilege of such a glorious title (though seeming so imaginary to the world), along with the glorious reality. With God to call is to make really to be. Who so great as God? What nearer relationship than that of sons? The oldest manuscripts add, "And we ARE SO" really. therefore--"on this account," because "we are (really) so." us--the children, like the Father. it knew him not--namely, the Father. "If they who regard not God, hold thee in any account, feel alarmed about thy state" [BENGEL]. Contrast Jo1 5:1. The world's whole course is one great act of non-recognition of God.

Marvel not--The marvel would be if the world loved you. the world--of whom Cain is the representative (Jo1 3:12). hate you--as Cain hated even his own brother, and that to the extent of murdering him. The world feels its bad works tacitly reproved by your good works.